Analysis

Stanza 1:

The first line of the stanza is: “Why sit ye idly dreaming all the day, while the golden, precious hours flit away?” I think that this line means that you shouldn’t waste time in your life because there are important and beautiful things that you could be doing instead. The second line of the stanza is: “See you not the day is waning, waning fast?” I think that this line means that everybody wastes time and does not keep track of how quickly time is passing. The third line in the stanza which is “That the morn’s already vanished in the past?” means that time passes and we can never get it back.

 

Stanza 2:

The first line of the stanza is: “When the glowing noon approaches, we will rest.” I think that this line means that if you do not waste time, your life will be better. The “glowing noon” signifies that the day is getting late, and the need to rest signifies hard work. Therefore I can infer that no time is being wasted.The second line of the stanza is: “Who have worked through all the morning; but at best.” I think that the phrase “but at best” means that the amount of work and effort  that has been put in is immense. The fact that the narrator “Worked through all the morning” shows me that no time has been wasted. When this line is read in conjunction to the line above, an overall meaning can be developed: “If you work hard and do not waste time, your life will be better.”Then next two lines form a sentence. This sentence is: “If you work with zeal and ardor till the night, You can only make the wasted moments right.” The use of the words “zeal” and “ardor” show that the work is not only hard, but is being completed with enthusiasm and passion. The phrase “til the night” means that the hard work is put in all day. The second half of the sentence shows that although wasted moments cannot be reclaimed, but hard work can help make up for them. So, these line mean “If passion and effort are combined, and work is done all day, although you cannot get back the moments you have wasted, you can learn from them and make up for them through hard work.

 

Stanza 3:

The first line of this stanza is: “Think you life was made for dreaming, nothing more.” This line shows that people often daydream, and don’t realize that there is more to life. The second line of the stanza is: “When God’s work lies all unfinished at your door?” This line shows that even when there is work to do, people still daydream. The third line of the stanza is: “Souls to save and hearts to strengthen—ah! such work.” This line shows that people need to help others, although they are often too busy daydreaming to notice, much less do anything about it. The final line of the stanza is: “Such a richly freighted labor, who would shirk?” This line means “Although helping others may be difficult,  you should not neglect them,” because the line says that helping others is such as “freighted labor,” which means that it is not easily done.The first line of this stanza is: “Then arise, O idle dreamer! Dreams are sweet, But better flowers are growing at your feet.” These two lines mean that although daydreaming and wasting time may be fun, there are better things to do. The fact that the “flowers,” which represent other activities in life, are “at your feet” this symbolizes that you do not have to work hard to find other things to do with your life. The next line is: “If you crush, or pass unheeding, idle friend, You shall answer for their ruin in the end.” This line means that if you do not work hard during your youth, you will not have a very happy future.

 

Figurative Language:

Personification: While the golden, precious hours flit away?

This is an example of personification becuase animal-like qualities of "flitting" are being given to an idea, which cannot fly. This example of personification shows that the hours are precious and that they should not be wasted. 

Personification: When the glowing noon approaches, we will rest.

This example of personification shows that noon is great becuase it is "glowing," and is a cause of a break. The fact that it is "appproaching" shows that good is soon to come. This is an example of personnification becuase the human-like qualities of approaching are being given to something that cannot move (noon).

Metaphor: When God’s work lies all unfinished at your door.

This metaphor compares the tasks of life to material tasks. It shows that both are equally important, and implements into the poem that you should be dutifull and not lazy. 

Metaphor: But better flowers are growing at your feet.

In this metaphor, flowers are being comapred to good things in life. I think that this metaphor is being used to show that there are better things to do that waste time. This adds to to tone becuase it it an encouraging quote. 

 

Tone:

I think that the tone of this poem is encouraging but insulting. This is becuase the author describes the way that people waste time, and adds that there are better things for us to be doing, as well as encouraging readers to use thier time better. Quotes that support this statement inclue: "Why sit ye idly dream all the day," "See you not the day is waning, waning fast?" "You can only make the wasted momets right," "Such a richly freighted labor, who would shirk?" "But better flowers are growing at you feet" and "You shall answer for thier ruin in the end."

 

Mood:

I think that the mood of this poem is encoureaged, but somewhat insulting. I beleive this to be true because wne I first read this poem, those two words described the way I felt. I think that this was the way that the author intended readers to feel. Quotes that support this statement inclue: "Why sit ye idly dream all the day," "See you not the day is waning, waning fast?" "You can only make the wasted momets right," "Such a richly freighted labor, who would shirk?" "But better flowers are growing at you feet" and "You shall answer for thier ruin in the end."