

Swain’s poem was reprinted in many periodicals during the ensuing months, years, and decades such as “The Preston Chronicle” of Preston, England in 1850 1850 March 23, The Preston Chronicle and Lancashire Advertiser, Poetry: Youth and Age by Charles Swain, Quote, Column 2, Preston, Lancashire, England.
Walt whitman turn your face towards the sun origin full#
(Google Books Full View) linkīelow are additional selected citations in chronological order. Emphasis added to excerpts: 1850 March 16, The Literary Gazette, Original Poetry: Youth and Age by Charles Swain, Quote, Column 1, London, England. The second verse which referred to youthful exuberance transitioning toward harsher maturity contained the core ideas of the saying under analysis in the two highlighted lines. The poem “Youth and Age” employed the framework of sunlight and shadows mentioned above. QI conjectures that the saying evolved over time, and a significant nascency occurred in a verse by English poet Charles Swain published in “The Literary Gazette” of London in 1850. See detailed citations given further below.

Third, Walt Whitman received credit by 1919.Ī report in 1927 asserted that Helen Keller wrote an instance in an autograph album, but the saying was already in circulation. Second, by 1910 the remark was attributed to the single name Whitman without the initials. First, a remark in this family was ascribed to M. Quote Investigator: QI believes that the ascription to Walt Whitman occurred because of a naming confusion error. This notion has been credited to prominent poet Walt Whitman and to blind social activist Helen Keller. Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow.Turn your face to the sunshine and the shadows fall behind.Here are two instances of an adage about maintaining an optimistic perspective:

Whitman? Maori Proverb?ĭear Quote Investigator: A popular metaphorical framework equates sunlight to positive situations and shadow to unfavorable conditions. Helen Keller? Walt Whitman? Charles Swain? Celia Burleigh? Lydia G.
