Poem-1

KEEP GOING
- Edgar Albert Guest
Answer the following questions in about 100 words each. The first one has
been answered as a model. (pg 4)

1. a) Keep Going is a classic inspirational poem, claim many critics.

Substantiate.

Ans:- Edgar Albert Guest is very popular as a people's poet. His poem,
Keep Going, is undoubtedly an inspirational poem of immeasurable value.
All through its twenty-four lines of rhymed verse, the poem keeps advising
the reader never to quit. With the help of convincing images and
commendable comparisons, the poem encourages the reader to keep on
the struggle till the goal is attained. It openly admits that life may be a
mixture of more pains and less pleasures. Yet, one must continue with
one's effort, though with intervals of rest, till success greets one with
smiles. The poem emphatically announces that the faint see goals afar and
the weak give up in the middle. It asserts that winners never quit. It is no
surprise that the world welcomes it as a classic inspirational poem.

2. Life is queer with its twists and turns, .... List a few twists as mentioned in
the poem.

Ans:- Sometimes when we think that something that we are doing is going
in the right direction, things can and will go wrong. We might find that
achieving something that we really want, is an uphill task. In some cases,
we may find ourselves low on funds and high in debt. The poem does warn
us that the path to success has many thorns and is therefore not a
cakewalk. It then mentions the above-listed twists and turns.
3. It may be near when it seems afar; What seems afar and why?
Ans:-The poet tells us that we can never tell how close we actually are to
achieving our goals, which may seem afar though it may be near. This is
because the path to success has many thorns, often with its own share of
twists and turns. When we encounter all these, we tend to feel that
whatever we want to achieve is too difficult or too distant a possibility

4. ‘An easy-to-read poem, Keep Going is rich both in its content and form.'
Explain the above statement with examples.

Ans:- ‘ Keep Going’ the highly inspirational and motivating poem by Edgar
Guest has unanimously, been acclaimed as a classic with each word
serving as a capsule of inspiration. The poem can dispel self-doubt and
lack of confidence in anyone instantly. This simple-sounding poem bears
the hallmark of Edgar Guest’s simple and easy-to-understand language, yet
is rich in content and form with its various metaphors, analogies, and
images to drive forth its message for the reader.