Have You Earned Your Tomorrow– Get detailed information
Title: Have you earned your tomorrow
The title is a verbal question to the readers to rethink the treatment that they are giving to others. It gives hint that we must help people around us. It confirms our bright future.
The title suggests us ‘as you sow, so you shall reap’ or ‘today’s good investment is tomorrow’s gain’.
About Poet:
Edgar Albert Guest was a British-born American poet who was popular in the first half of the 20th century and became known as the People’s Poet. His poems often had an inspirational and optimistic view of everyday life. In 1904 he began writing verse for the Free Press under the heading “Chaff.”
About the poem:
‘Have you earned your tomorrow’ is an inspirational poem. In this poem, the speaker is asking the readers whether they have done anything to improve the life of another human being or not. It is up to you whether you will have a better future or not. Therefore, one should consider one’s actions and deeds carefully and plan accordingly for a better future.
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Have You Earned Your Tomorrow
Activity-1
Discuss with your friend how she/he spent the whole day that was beneficial for others.
Answer-
1) Helped in daily chores to family members.
2) Read newspaper to grandfather.
3) Participated in cleanliness movement organized by Rotary Club.
4) Gave own seat to a handicapped person in the bus.
5) Assisted illiterate woman in the bank to withdraw the amount.
6) Gave food to the beggar.
7) Carried the patient to the hospital
8) Donated blood.
9) Helped younger siblings in their school project.
10) Gave last year books to the needy poor students.
Activity-2
(i) ….’was it well or sorely spent’? Explain the meaning and give illustrations.
Answer-
The line ‘was it well or sorely spent’? means that we should check our daily routine and introspect (examine) if we spent it properly or not. The poet suggests that we must utilize our valuable time for doing good to others. We should not involve in wrong things. It may disturb others and at the end of the day you feel that you have spent the day hurting others. If we insult others and behave wrongly, we have wasted our day. It is called day sorely spent. So behave properly and make our day fruitful.
(ii) 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?’
Elaborate the idea expressed in these lines.
Answer-
The poet suggests that everyone should do such good work that God would allot one more day to live. As per the poet’s view, God gives future life only to those who do something good in their life. He wants to encourage all for doing fruitful and worthy work.
(iii) The poet suggests that one should do good to others. Complete the table by giving examples of doing good to following people.
| Family members | Friends | Neighbours |
Answer-
| Family members | Friends | Neighbours |
| Assist in need | Help in difficult situation | Keep loving relationship |
| Help in daily work | Increase confidence | Give co-operation |
| Give company | Work together | Help in need |
| Deal with problems | Help in study | Keep area clean |
| Take care of old persons | Share study material and other needy things | Celebrate festivals, assist in work |
Activity-3
i) Pick out the describing words from the poem and add a noun of your own. One is done for you.
(Toiling) time
Answer-
| Describing word | Noun |
| Happier | Children |
| Cheerful | Players |
| Selfish | Friend |
| Grateful | Neighbour |
| Fading | Roses |
| Kindly | Behaviour |
| Churlish | Howdy |
| Rejoicing | Heart |
| Slipping | Moments |
ii) Match the words given in ‘column A’ with their meaning in ‘column B’.
| A | B |
| 1) Cheerful | a) with the feeling of disappointment |
| 2) Selfish | b) lack of satisfaction |
| 3) Sorely | c) happy |
| 4) Discontent | d) concerned with one’s own pleasure |
Answer-
| A | B |
| 1) Cheerful | c) happy |
| 2) Selfish | d) concerned with one’s own pleasure |
| 3) Sorely | A) with the feeling of disappointment |
| 4) Discontent | b) lack of satisfaction |
iii) There are a few examples of homonyms in the poem.
e.g. ‘spoke’.
List homonyms from the poem and give their meanings.
Answer-
Homonyms – a word that is spelt and pronounced like another word but that has a different meaning.
दुसऱ्या एखाद्या शब्दासारखाच उच्चारला जाणारा पण अर्थामध्ये फरक असणारा शब्द म्हणजे होमोनिम्स होय.
See homonyms from the poem-
Passed-
1) To be successful in examination
2) Left behind
Deed-
1) work
2) A legal document
Waste-
1) Use carelessly
2) Discarded material
Part-
1)Oneofthe pieces
2) A role or character in a play or film
iv) Find out expressions/phrases which denote, ‘going away’, from each stanza.
Answer-
Stanza 1:
1) is almost over
2) passed his way
3) is almost over
Stanza 2:
1) vanish in the throng
2) rushed along
Stanza 3:
1) were fading now
2) slipping fast
3) parting with
4) passed
Activity-4
(i)The poet has used different poetic devices like Alliteration and Interrogation in the poem. Identify them and pick out the lines.
Answer-
| Poetic Device | Lines |
| Alliteration | 1) Were you selfish pure and simple as you rushed along the way’ 2) As you close your eyes in slumber do you think that God would say’, (The sounds ‘s’ and ‘sh’ are repeated in both lines.) |
| Interrogation | 1) Is anybody happier because you passed his way? 2) Does anyone remember that you spoke to him today? 3) Is there anyone to utter now a kindly word of you? 4) Did you give a cheerful greeting to the friend who came along? 5) Or a churlish sort of “Howdy” and then vanish in the throng? 6) Or is someone mighty grateful for a deed you did today? 7) 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? 8) Does a man whose hopes were fading now with courage look ahead? (The poet has asked questions to emphasize a point and make the reader think.) |
| Synecdoche | Is a single heart rejoicing over what you did or said. The word heart – a part – refers to a whole or the person who is rejoicing. |
| Rhyme Scheme | a a b b |
| Transferred Epithet | 1) This day is almost over, and its toiling time is through. (The adjective ‘toiling’ is transferred from person to time.) 2) Is there anyone to utter now a kindly word of you? (The adjective ‘kindly’ is transferred from person to word.) 3) Did you give a cheerful greeting to the friend who came along? (The adjective ‘cheerful’ is transferred from person to greeting.) |
| Antithesis | 1) Did you give a cheerful greeting to the friend who came along? Or a churlish sort of “Howdy” and then vanish in the throng? (Opposite ideas are expressed in ‘cheerful greeting’ and ‘churlish sort of “Howdy’’..’) 2) Does man a whose hopes were fading now with courage look ahead? (Opposite ideas are expressed in ‘hopes were fading’ and ‘courage look ahead’.) |
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See activities on the poem and their model answers in –
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