2.4 Have you Earned your Tomorrow (Appreciation)

 

English Poem Appreciations 12th HSC Board
Section Two (Poetry)

Unit 2.4

Have you Earned your Tomorrow

Poet Edgar Guest

Have you Earned your Tomorrow

                                          - Edgar Guest

Is anybody happier because you passed his way?

Does anyone remember that you spoke to him today?

This day is almost over, and its toiling time is through;

Is there anyone to utter now a kindly word of you?

Did you give a cheerful greeting to the friend who came along?
Or a churlish sort of "Howdy" and then vanish in the throng?

Were you selfish pure and simple as you rushed along the way,

Or is someone mighty grateful for a deed you did today?

Can you say tonight, in parting with the days that's slipping fast,

That you helped a single brother of the many that you passed?

Is a single heart rejoicing over what you did or said;

Does a man whose hopes were fading now with courage look ahead?

Did you waste the day, or lose it, was it well or sorely spent?

Did you leave a trail of kindness or a scar of discontent?

As you close your eyes in slumber do you think that God would say,

You have earned one more tomorrow by the work you did today?

                                                          - Edgar Guest

Q.  With the help of the following points, write a poetic appreciation of the poem      'Have you Earned your Tomorrow.'

• About the poem/poet and the title

• The theme

• Poetic style

• The language/ poetic devices used in the poem    

• Special features

• Message, values, morals in the poem

• Your opinion about the poem

 

Appreciation of the poem :-

Have you Earned your Tomorrow

The title 'Have you Earned your Tomorrow' is very introspective. The poem is written by the poet Edgar Guest, an American writer of newspaper and magazines.  Edgar Guest is known as 'people's poet' for his simple style and optimistic tone of writing. It is an inspirational poem.

In this poem, the poet is asking the readers whether they have done anything to improve the life of another human being or not. It is upto you whether you will have a better fortune or not. Therefore, one should consider one's actions and deeds for a better fortune. The poetic devices employed in the poem are Interrogation, Alliteration, Transferred Epithet, Synecdoche, Repetition. The poet uses interrogative style to elaborate his idea of goodness in the poem.

The tone of the poem is Interrogative. The language used is simple and straight forward. The poet is making us aware of our duties and responsibilities to gain our fruitful future. The poet conveys that the way we act today will determine whether we get to have a better tomorrow or not, because the good we do today will earn us our bright and happy tomorrow.

The poem gives an inspiration to be a good human being. I like the poem as it makes the readers evaluate their own behavior and improve it which ensures a better future. 

__xx__