Don't Quit - Edgar Alberts Guest (1881-1959)

When Things go wrong, as they sometimes will,

When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,

When the funds are low and debts are high,

And you want to Smile but have to sigh.

When care is pressing you down a bit,

Rest, if you must, but don't you quit.



Life is queer with its twists and turns,

As everyone of us sometimes learns,

And many a failure turns about,

When he might have won if he'd stuck it out,

Don't give up though the pace seems slow,

You might succeed with another blow.



Often the goal is nearer than,

It seems to a faint and faltering man,

Often the struggler has given up,
When he might captured the victor's cup.
And he learned too late, when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown,

Success is failure turned inside out,
The silver tint of clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar,
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit,
It's when things seem worst that you mustn't quit.

Glossary

1.     Trudging – walking

2.     Uphill - difficult

3.     Debts – loan

4.     Sigh – taking a long breathe

5.     Care- worry

6.     Queer – strange

7.     Pace - step

8.     Faltering – wavering

Introduction

Edgar Albert Guest(1881-1959), the “People’s Poet” wrote inspirational poems with optimism. His poem “Don’t Quit” (1921) strongly conveys a message of perseverance. The poet suggests that people should not to quit and strive for success. He asks us to work hard no matter how impossible a situation seems.

Stanza 1

When everything goes wrong, when every task seems like an uphill battle, when money is short – all wish to quit. But the poet suggests to take a break in difficult times.

Poem Comprehension - Answer in a sentence

1.     List a few difficult circumstances faced by humans as mentioned by the poet.

a)When things go wrong b) when the road we travel is difficult c) when income is low but debts are high d) when we can’t smile e) when worries depress us a lot

2.     Identify the metaphor used in the poem.

The road mentioned here is the life journey which becomes difficult.

3.     How do hard moments make one feel?

Hard moments make one depressed, worried and exhausted.

4.     What does the word ‘rest’ mean?

Rest means make a pause for a while.

5.     Pick out the line which suggests the right way to handle hardships.

“Rest, if you must, but don't you quit.”

6.     What does the poet advise to do when things go wrong?

The poet encourages the frustrated person to persevere and not give up.

Stanza 2

Life is filled with challenges and setbacks. Failures may occur and success often comes after enduring hardships. The poet advises the reader to stick to the fight. Even if progress seems slow, don’t quit. One might succeed with another try.

Poem Comprehension - Answer in a sentence

7.     Why does the poet call life ‘queer’?

Life is full of twists and turns i.e. success and failure

8.     What does everyone in life learn?

Life is unpredictable with ups and downs.

9.     When does people fail?

Failure comes when people quit.

10.  Why does the poet ask us to stick to the fight?

Quitting hinders the success and perseverance leads to success. So the poet asks us to keep fighting.  

11.  Why do people quit?

People quit because the progress seems slow.

Stanza 3

            The goal may seem distant to a weak and timid people. So, the struggler may have given up before capturing the victor's cup. It was too late when he learns that he was close to the success.

Poem Comprehension - Answer in a sentence

12.  To whom success is distant?

To one who is week and timid/faint and faltering, success is nearer than it seems.

13.  When does a struggler fail?

When the struggler gives up, he fails.

14.  What might the struggler have achieved if he hasn’t given up?

The struggler might have achieved the victor’s cup/success, if he hasn’t given up.

15.  What is the mistake done by the struggler?

The struggler has given up very soon and fails to perceive that his goal may be closer than it seems.

16.  Does the struggler realise his mistake? When?

Yes, the struggler realises his mistake. But it was too late.

17.  Pick out the metaphor used by the poet.

‘Golden crown’ refers to the success.

18.  What does the poet suggest in the last two lines?

Even when things are challenging, one should not give up and has to believe that success is right around the corner.

Stanza 4

            Success often comes after experiencing failure and doubt. It could appear far away at first when it’s actually within reach. But it's crucial to persist even when things seem worst. Thus, the poem emphasises that one should persevere through the hardest times and never give up.

Poem Comprehension - Answer in a sentence

19.  Pick out the lines which are having paradox.

it may be near when it seems afar;

it's when things seem worst, you must not quit.

(Paradox- logically two opposite facts in a statement)

20.  What does the ‘silver tint’ refer?

It refers to success.

21.  Do we say how close success is?

No, we can’t.

22.  What does the ‘clouds of doubt’ mean?

It means one’s doubt regarding the distant of the success.

23.  What is the message of the poem?

One should persevere through the hardest times and never give up.