<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div dir="ltr"><a href="https://discoverpoetry.com/poems/ella-wheeler-wilcox/the-two-kinds-of-people/" style="font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 24pt; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 82, 165); text-decoration: none;">The Two Kinds of People</span></a><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard; font-size: medium; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"></span></div><div><br></div><div>by Ella Wheeler Wilcox</div><div><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">There are two kinds of people on earth to-day;</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Just two kinds of people, no more, I say.</span></div><div><p class="excerpttext" style="margin: 11.25pt 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Not the sinner and saint, for it's well understood,<br>The good are half bad and the bad are half good.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="excerpttext" style="margin: 11.25pt 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Not the rich and the poor, for to rate a man's wealth,<br>You must first know the state of his conscience and health.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin: 11.25pt 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Not the humble and proud, for in life's little span,<br>Who puts on vain airs is not counted a man.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin: 11.25pt 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Not the happy and sad, for the swift flying years<br>Bring each man his laughter and each man his tears.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin: 11.25pt 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">No; the two kinds of people on earth I mean,<br>Are the people who lift and the people who lean.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin: 11.25pt 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Wherever you go, you will find the earth's masses<br>Are always divided in just these two classes.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin: 11.25pt 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">And, oddly enough, you will find, too, I ween,<br>There's only one lifter to twenty who lean.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin: 11.25pt 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In which class are you? Are you easing the load<br>Of overtaxed lifters, who toil down the road?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin: 11.25pt 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Or are you a leaner, who lets others share<br>Your portion of labor, and worry and care</span></p></div>—————————————————<br><br><div dir="ltr"><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">http://www.MoscowCares.net</span></div><div><br></div><div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Tom Hansen</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Moscow, Idaho</span></div></div><div><br></div><div>“A stranger is just a friend you haven’t met.”</div><div>- Roy E. Stolworthy</div><div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>