2.4 ‘Have you earned your tomorrow?’ by Edgar Guest

2.4 ‘Have you earned your tomorrow?’ 

by Edgar Guest

Edgar Guest (1881 - 1959) was born in England, but moved with his family to Detroit, Michigan, when he was ten years old. He worked for more than sixty years at the Detroit Free Press, publishing his first poem at the age of seventeen, then going on to become a reporter and columnist whose work was featured in hundreds of newspapers around the country. Edgar is said to have written some 11,000 poems during his lifetime, most of it sentimental, short, upbeat verse. Critics often derided his work, but America adored him. He was known as the "People's Poet," served as Michigan's poet laureate, hosted a long-running radio show and TV show, and published more than twenty books. एडगर गेस्ट (1881 - 1959) यांचा जन्म इंग्लंडमध्ये झाला, परंतु तो दहा वर्षांचा असताना त्याच्या कुटुंबासह डेट्रॉईट, मिशिगन येथे गेला. त्यांनी डेट्रॉईट फ्री प्रेसमध्ये साठ वर्षांहून अधिक काळ काम केले, वयाच्या सतराव्या वर्षी त्यांची पहिली कविता प्रकाशित केली, त्यानंतर ते रिपोर्टर आणि स्तंभलेखक बनले ज्यांचे कार्य देशभरातील शेकडो वर्तमानपत्रांमध्ये प्रसिद्ध झाले. एडगरने त्याच्या हयातीत सुमारे 11,000 कविता लिहिल्या, त्यापैकी बहुतेक भावनात्मक, लहान, उत्साही श्लोक आहेत. समीक्षकांनी अनेकदा त्यांच्या कामाची खिल्ली उडवली, पण अमेरिकेने त्यांची प्रशंसा केली. त्याला "पीपल्स पोएट" म्हणून ओळखले जात असे, मिशिगनचे कवी विजेते म्हणून काम केले, दीर्घकाळ चालणारा रेडिओ शो आणि टीव्ही शो होस्ट केला आणि वीस पेक्षा जास्त पुस्तके प्रकाशित केली. ‘Have you earned your tomorrow?’ 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 day 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? New words and their meanings Toiling time- time spent in hard physical work. Through - over Utter (v)- speak. Utter(adj)- complete, absolute, total  Cheerful- gay, happy, merry Greeting- polite words or sign of welcome. Came along-arrived, accompanied someone. Churlish-rude, i'll mannered. Howdy- an informal friendly greeting, (How are you?) Vanish- disappear Throng- a large crowd  Rushed (v)-moved with urgent haste,ran towards something in hurry Rushed(n)-sudden quick movement towards something. Mighty- gigantic, vast, strong, powerful. Deed- doing Part(ing) with- to give up, let go Slipping fast- going or moving quickly, sliding, here getting over  Rejoice-joy, glee, thrill, mirth Fading- gradually growing faint, disappearing, here losing hope Courage- bravery Sorely- extremely hard, painfully, mortally Trail(n)-a mark or a series of signs or objects left behind by the passage of someone. Trail(v)-leave behind Scar- scratch, wound Discontent- dissatisfaction Slumber-sleep Earned- rewarded, deserved to live for one more day

Summary of the poem  Ist STANZA The poem ‘Have you earned your tomorrow?’ begins with two direct questions. The poet asks the readers if they have made someone’s day better and had a nice conversation with other people so that they can remember them. The poet hints that time is running fast.  He asks if their good conduct with someone has made the other person say kind things about them, at the end of the day. ‘उद्या तू कमावलास का?’ ही कविता दोन थेट प्रश्नांनी सुरू होते. कवी वाचकांना विचारतो की त्यांनी एखाद्याचा दिवस चांगला केला आहे का आणि इतर लोकांशी चांगले संभाषण केले जेणेकरून ते त्यांना लक्षात ठेवतील. काळ वेगाने धावत असल्याचे कवी सूचित करतात. तो विचारतो की कोणाशी तरी त्यांच्या चांगल्या वागणुकीमुळे समोरच्याला दिवसाच्या शेवटी त्यांच्याबद्दल दयाळूपणे बोलायला लावले आहे का?  2nd STANZA In the II stanza the poet further asks the readers if a friend who came face to face was greeted cheerfully or impolitely without bothering to show any concern. He wishes to know if the readers were selfish as they rushed through the day. This behavior is disapproved by the poet. He asks to recall whether the readers comforted someone & if the person was grateful to them for that gesture. दुसर्‍या श्लोकात कवी वाचकांना पुढे विचारतो की समोरासमोर आलेल्या मित्राचे स्वागत आनंदाने किंवा असभ्यतेने केले गेले की कोणतीही चिंता न दाखवता. वाचकांनी दिवसभर गर्दी केली म्हणून ते स्वार्थी होते की नाही हे जाणून घेण्याची त्यांची इच्छा आहे. हे वर्तन कवीला अमान्य आहे. वाचकांनी कोणाचे सांत्वन केले की नाही आणि ती व्यक्ती त्या हावभावाबद्दल त्यांचे आभारी आहे की नाही हे तो आठवण्यास सांगतो.  3rd STANZA In the III stanza, the poet asks the readers if they were kind, at least to one single person whom they met that day. At least one person was given joy, made happy because of their actions and deeds. He wishes to know, whether any hopeless man was encouraged to lead a better future. तिसर्‍या श्लोकात, कवी वाचकांना विचारतो की ते दयाळू होते का, कमीतकमी एका व्यक्तीशी ते त्या दिवशी भेटले होते. कमीतकमी एका व्यक्तीला आनंद दिला गेला, त्यांच्या कृती आणि कृतींमुळे आनंद झाला. त्याला हे जाणून घ्यायचे आहे की, कोणत्याही हताश माणसाला चांगले भविष्य जगण्यासाठी प्रोत्साहित केले गेले आहे का?  4th STANZA In the last stanza, the poet wishes to know how the entire day was spent. If the day was wasted or lost and spent unhappily without improving the lives of others. He wishes the readers to reflect upon their negative actions. If there was the kindness shown to others, definitely it will urge these people to repeat the action to others. This will begin in creating a kindness chain, a kindness cycle throughout the world. शेवटच्या श्लोकात कवीला संपूर्ण दिवस कसा गेला हे जाणून घ्यायचे आहे. जर दिवस वाया गेला किंवा वाया गेला आणि इतरांचे जीवन सुधारल्याशिवाय दुःखाने घालवले. वाचकांनी त्यांच्या नकारात्मक कृतींवर चिंतन करावे अशी त्यांची इच्छा आहे. जर इतरांबद्दल दयाळूपणा दाखवला गेला असेल, तर नक्कीच ते या लोकांना इतरांना कृती पुन्हा सांगण्यास उद्युक्त करेल. हे संपूर्ण जगामध्ये दयाळूपणाची साखळी, एक दयाळूपणा चक्र तयार करण्यासाठी सुरू होईल.   In the end, the poet asks the readers to recall by closing their eyes while sleeping and thinking about God’s reaction to their actions for the day. If the day was spent in doing kind deeds to others, God’s response will be a positive one. They can be assured of a better tomorrow. The good that is done today definitely earns us our tomorrow. The good work we do today, assures us a hopeful future. शेवटी, कवी वाचकांना झोपताना डोळे बंद करून आणि दिवसभराच्या त्यांच्या कृतींबद्दल देवाच्या प्रतिक्रियेबद्दल विचार करून आठवण्यास सांगतो. जर दिवस इतरांशी दयाळू कृत्ये करण्यात घालवला असेल तर देवाचा प्रतिसाद सकारात्मक असेल. ते उत्तम उद्याची खात्री बाळगू शकतात. आज जे चांगलं केलं आहे, ते नक्कीच उद्या आपल्याला कमावते. आज आपण करत असलेले चांगले काम आपल्याला आशादायी भविष्याची हमी देते.