Q2 of 22 Page 103

"But to act, that each tomorrow

Find it farther than today"


In these lines the poet conveys a sense of urgency and importance of action in the present time which would help him evolve himself? Substantiate the poet's point of view with your own experiences of Life.


“But to act, that each tomorrow

Find it farther than today”


The poet, H.W. Longfellow, in the above lines, stresses on the importance of action, and there is a sense of urgency as he speaks to the reader about the significance of acting in the present to achieve goals. The poet’s point of view is enterprising and inspiring, and very concurrent to the real life, which is not to be spent regretting over the past, or fantasizing about the future. Life is all about the present moment, and how we are utilizing or living it.


Through my personal experience I can say that be it some mistake of the past that we regret, or some part of the future that we are scared about, both germinate from some or the other we had performed either negligently or skipped altogether. Hence, actions in the present time are ultimately the ones that either scare us as the past or the future. The key to life then lies completely in the present.


Procrastination, over-confidence, laziness and all other vices usually take the better of our actions of the present, and prevent us from doing what we ought to do and what we ought to do. Unless and until man takes note of this fact and begins acting in the present with a sense of urgency, it is impossible for him to evolve over time into a better version of hid older self. The absolute truth is just one – we need to act today so that we have a tomorrow that we wish for, and so that we do not have to look back with regret. Every moment gone is the past already. Time is money, and must not be wasted.


More from this chapter

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1

You have to address the morning assembly. On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti. On the basis of this poem, prepare a speech on the topic "Lives of great men are an inspiration to move forward...!"

Work in groups of four. Discuss the topic and take notes. The following points could form part of your discussion:


• Great men do not treat life in an insignificant way.


• Their life is full of actions done in the present.


• They always lead ('Be not like dumb, driven cattle)


• They do not look back, they don't worry about the future.


• 'Be a hero in strife'.


Write the speech using appropriate language.


(You could give example of great men/women of India.)


• Each group should present a speech in the morning assembly.


2

Read the meaning and the pronunciation-phonetic transcription indicated against the words

Psalm /sa:lm/: a song or poem in praise of God esp. one of those in the Bible.


Psalmist / sa:lmist/ : a writer of psalms.


bivouac /bivu-aek/: a camp without tents.


sublime /sae'blaim/ causing deep feelings of wonder, joy.


Consult a dictionary and find out the meanings and phonetic transcription of the following: hymn, choir, sanctum-sanctorum, deity


1

Do you believe that actions that leave their footprints on the 'sands of time' ought to be emulated? Substantiate with examples from real life.

3

The rhyme scheme of the first stanza is ab, ab- (numbers rhyme with slumbers and dream, with rhyme)

In the second stanza earnest rhymes with returnest and goal with soul hence the rhyme scheme is ab, ab.


Now, write the rhyme scheme of the other stanzas.