Desiderata

Desiderata (Latin for "things to be desired") is a 1927 poem by Indiana-based writer Max Ehrmann (1872—1945), commonly used (often without attribution, or with the false attribution in the next sentence) on inspirational posters. It is usually erroneously believed to date from the 17th century (despite its very modern language and style) and to have been found in St. Paul's Church, Baltimore, Maryland, in 1692. This myth arose because the rector of St. Paul's (which was founded in 1692) was in the habit of circulating a flyer of devotional materials to his congregation each Christmas, and in Christmas 1956 that year's flyer included Desiderata. The flyer naturally also gave the date of the church's founding, and many mistook this as the date of the poem.

It's an interesting example of pre-internet Memetic Mutation. It spread throughout America in The '60s, with people passing on the text of the poem without being aware of its source. Discovery of a copy at the bedside of Adlai Stevenson II when he died in 1965 helped it gain notice. It became a popular poster in the aftermath. In 1971, American talk show host Les Crane recorded a recitation of it that became an international hit; interestingly, he wasn't the first to release a recitation of it set to music—that was none other than Leonard Nimoy, who recorded it in 1968 under the title "Spock Thoughts". The success of Crane's version helped establish Ehrmann's authorship once and for all. Like most people, Crane thought it was an old public domain text, and Ehrmann's family sought royalties. Ironically, a 1975 court ruling placed it back in the public domain, where it remains; it was decided that since Erhmann had twice authorized its publication without a copyright notice while he was alive, he'd forfeited the copyright.

The full text can be found (amongst other places) here.

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Desiderata contains examples of:

• Affectionate Parody: Almost as many as Casabianca. National Lampoon had Deteriorata (words by Tony Hendra, and music by his future This Is Spın̈al Tap co-star Christopher Guest), which was a minor hit in 1972 and became a longstanding Dr. Demento Show favorite.

  Know yourself. If you need help, call the FBI.

• For Happiness: Being happy is a good thing in and of itself.
• Green-Eyed Monster: Comparing yourself to others can only lead to pride or envy.
• Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism: Waaaaaay over on the "idealism" side.

  And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should

• Stock Aesops: Plenty, including "Be Yourself".
• "Untitled" Title: It was first copyrighted and published without a title. Ehrmann eventually came up with the Gratuitous Latin title.
• World Half Full: It ultimately closes out on this note.

  With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

• You Are Better than You Think You Are

  You are a Child of the Universe
  No less than the trees or the stars
  You have a right to be here

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