So, for the vast majority the surrounding circumstances will be the most challenging they have every faced. No country is yet 100% in control of the pandemic or its impact on the lives of its citizens. The science around COVID-19 is currently neither exact nor conclusive. You may find other inspiration within its verse.įor me, the “ twists and turns” are all the shocking new statistics we hear on a daily basis, the global events, stories, surprises, limitations, successes, and failures that we are all undeniably witnessing.īut do we stop and give up? Do we stop dreaming, hoping, searching, or trying to make the best out of each locked down day? John Greenleaf Whittier suggests we do not. Do you furlough yourself and “ rest if you must” or as a company Director, continue at a financial loss to market your business as “you may succeed with another blow”?Įach of us will faces different challenges around the work that we do – this poem may help you if “the road your trudging seems all uphill”. My business, like millions of others, is unrecognisable from late February – how quickly life has changed, and priorities altered. It is that glimpse of hope when everything seems hopeless. “ The silver tint of the clouds of doubt” is maybe my pandemic “silver lining”. A very much needed positive mindset boost. On Day 58 of our lockdown I find “Don’t Quit” even more relevant. Guest and originally called “ Keep Going” but even if the author is in doubt, the strength of its message during the pandemic, to me, is unquestionable. There has been a dispute that it was actually written by Edgar A. The BBC cited the author as John Greenleaf Whittier but the printed version I have kept for over 40 years simply states “ Anonymous”. It took me back to my childhood as that is when I “discovered” the poem. The exact identity of the speaker is not essential for one’s understanding of the piece as a whole.Back in early April as the grip of COVID-19 tightened around the UK, the BBC presented a message of hope – Idris Elba read the poem Don’t Quit. If one works hard enough, then they are sure to succeed in every avenue of their life. They are someone who believes in the power of positive thinking and perseverance. Even if they feel as though they are failing at everything they do, it is crucial to see through these failures and know that success is right around the corner.The speaker is unknown. No matter what one is dealing with within their life, it is important to stay strong, confident, and not quit, no matter what the outcome seems to be.The purpose is to inspire readers to work hard throughout their life, no matter what situation they’re in. It is when things seem the worst that success is the closest.The central theme of this poem is perseverance. The speaker knows that life is hard, but through the lines of this poem, they are seeking to inspire the reader to persevere through the darkest times in their life. The poem ends on the same note in which it began, inspiring readers to stick through the fight even when “you’re hardest hit.”The tone is inspirational and determined. On these occasions, he says, “rest if you must, but don’t you quit.” As the lines progress, the speaker includes several vague descriptions of people who have struggled, quit without knowing how close they were to success. One might want to be happy but also have to deal with negative circumstances out of their control. This is an inspirational poem that should inspire readers to work hard no matter how impossible a situation seems.In the first stanzas of this poem, the speaker admits that things are going to seem “low” at points in one’s life. One needs to work hard and never give in to the desire to quit. It doesn’t matter what kind of situation one is in. He spends the four stanzas asking readers to persevere no matter how hard their life is. Throughout ‘Don’t Quit,’ American poet Edgar Albert Guest uses simple language and diction to convey an inspirational message to readers. ‘Don’t Quit’ by Edgar Albert Guest is a simple poem about facing the difficulties in one’s life and persevering through them.
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