Maharashtra Board Class 12 English Chapter 2.4 Have you Earned your Tomorrow Textbook PDF Download

Have You Earned Your Tomorrow

Ice Breakers

Complete the following web.

Different ways to help others

Discuss with your partner about the different idioms / proverbs related to word 'tomorrow'. One is done for you.

(a) Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today.

(b) ___________________________________________________________

(c) ___________________________________________________________

(d) ___________________________________________________________

When you make your future plans you think of -

(a) Career

(b) ___________________________________________________________

(c) ___________________________________________________________

(d) ___________________________________________________________

Plan your tomorrow by completing the table given below. One is done for you.

Teacher's Note

This poem teaches us to do good things every day. For example, if you help your friend with homework or listen to your parent's advice, you are building a good tomorrow.

Exam Trick

Remember: The poem asks "Have you earned your tomorrow?" This means your actions today decide your future. Good deeds today = good life tomorrow.

Points to Remember

The poem is by Edgar Guest, an American poet known as the 'people's poet'.
The main idea is that your today's actions decide your tomorrow.
We should do good things to others and be kind in our words.
The poem uses simple language and asks many questions to make us think.
Good deeds leave a trail of kindness, not a scar of discontent.

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 days 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?

- Edgar Guest

Edgar Guest (1881 to 1959) was born in England and was brought to the United States when he was ten years old. He began his writing career in 1895 at the age of fourteen.

Edgar Guest is known as 'people's poet' for his simple style and optimistic tone of writing. Guest is an American writer of newspaper and magazines.

This 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.

toiling time: time spent in hard physical work

How do you greet your elders?

churlish: rude

Howdy: an informal friendly greeting

throng: crowd, a large number

Teacher's Note

This poem tells us that our actions matter. Like when you help your grandmother with house work or share your lunch with a poor child, you are earning a good tomorrow.

Exam Trick

Remember: The key question is "You have earned one more tomorrow by the work you did today?" Always think - did I do something good today? That is the main message of the poem.

Points to Remember

The poem asks many questions to make you think about your daily actions.
Good deeds make other people happy and give you a better future.
You should greet people with kindness, not rudely.
Wasting time doing nothing means you lose a day and your better tomorrow.
God judges you by your good work and kind deeds every day.

Brainstorming

(A1) Discuss with your friend how she/he spent the whole day that was beneficial for others.

(a) _________________________________________________________________________

(b) _________________________________________________________________________

(c) _________________________________________________________________________

(A2) (i) 'was it well or sorely spent'? Explain the meaning and give illustrations.

(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.

(iii) The poet suggests that one should do good to others. Complete the table by giving examples of doing good to following people.

(A3) (i) Pick out the describing words from the poem and add a noun of your own. One is done for you.

(ii) Match the words given in column A with their meaning in column B.

(iii) There are a few examples of homonyms in the poem. For example 'spoke'. List homonyms from the poem and give their meanings.

Teacher's Note

Homonyms are words that sound the same but have different meanings. In your daily life in India, you use words like "can" (metal box) and "can" (able to).

Exam Trick

Remember: Look for words with two different meanings. In the poem, "spoke" means both talked and the part of a wheel. This will help you spot homonyms easily in exams.

Points to Remember

Describing words are adjectives that tell us more about nouns.
Homonyms are words that sound the same but mean different things.
"Cheerful" means being happy and full of joy.
"Discontent" means not being satisfied or happy.
Matching words with their meanings helps us understand the poem better.

This is a preview of the first 3 pages. To get the complete book, click below.