Day by: Sir Cecil Spring Rice

Day

Sir Cecil Spring Rice

The Poem:

"I am busy," said the sea.

"I am busy, think of me.

Making continents to be.

"I am busy," said the sea.

"I am busy," said the rain.

"When I fall it's not in vain.

Wait and you will see the grain.

"I am busy," said the rain.

"I am busy," said the air.

"Blowing here and blowing there,

Up and down and everywhere.

"I am busy," said the air.

"I am busy," said the sun.

"All my planets, every one,

Know my work is never done.

"I am busy," said the sun.

Sea and rain and air and sun,

Here's a fellow toiler-one,

Whose task will soon be done.

Vocabulary:

• Continents: - big masses of land.
• In vain: - without use.
• Grain: - seeds of food, plants such as wheat and rice.
• Blowing: - moving along.
• Planets: - heavenly bodies that moves around the sun such as the Earth, Mars, and Venus…
• Fellow: - friend.
• Toiler:- worker.
• Task: - duty. 

Paraphrase:

First Stanza:

"I am busy," said the sea.

"I am busy, think of me.

Making continents to be.

"I am busy," said the sea.

The poet here talks about the sea and its role in nature and the work it does. It builds up the continents on which we live.

Second Stanza:

"I am busy," said the rain.

"When I fall it's not in vain.

Wait and you will see the grain.

"I am busy," said the rain.

The poet here talks about rain and its importance work it does. The rain doesn't fall usually, but when it falls it helps our food to grow in the fields.

Third Stanza:

"I am busy," said the air.

"Blowing here and blowing there,

Up and down and everywhere.

"I am busy," said the air.

The poet moves to the role of air blows everywhere and in all directions. Cooling down the weather and carrying clouds and helping us to breathe.

Fourth Stanza:

"I am busy," said the sun.

"All my planets, every one,

Know my work is never done.

"I am busy," said the sun.

The poet goes on explaining and continuing to describe the work of the nature. He talks about sun and says that its work can not be denied and that all other planets know the importance of the work. He also said that the work of sun is never finished otherwise there would be no earth.

Fifth Stanza:

Sea and rain and air and sun,

Here's a fellow toiler-one,

Whose task will soon be done.

In this last stanza, the poet describes himself as a hard working friend and compares between his work and the work of the sun, rain, air, and sun. The poet ends by saying that man's work can come to an end, but the work of nature can not be ended.

Figures of speech:

"I'm busy; said the sea".

• There is a personification. The poet makes sea speaks as if it is a man.
• Contrast :- here x there up x down
• Alliteration: - Sea – sun.

Commentary:

The poem consists of 5 stanzas. Each stanza consists of 4 lines except he last one consists of 3 lines. The rhyme scheme is very easy and straight forward. (aaaa, bbbb, cccc, dddd, eee).The lines are simple, short and very easy. The first four stanzas begin and ends by the same statement," I'm busy" The poem is similar to a song and it is very easy to learn.
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