7.3 Team Work

Team Work

It’s all very well to have courage and skill

And it’s fine to be counted a star,

But the single deed with its touch of thrill

Doesn’t tell the man you are;

For there’s no lone hand in the game we play,

We must work to a bigger scheme,

And the thing that counts in the world to-day

Is, How do you pull with the team?

They may sound your praise and call you great,

They may single you out for fame,

But you must work with your running mate

Or you’ll never win the game;

Oh, never the work of life is done

By the man with a selfish dream,

For the battle is lost or the battle is won

By the spirit of the team.

You may think it fine to be praised for skill,

But a greater thing to do

Is to set your mind and set your will

On the goal that’s just in view;

It’s helping your fellowman to score

When his chances hopeless seem;

Its forgetting self till the game is o’re

And fighting for the team.

            – Edgar A. Guest (1881-1959)

About the Author:

Edgar Albert Guest began his illustrious career in 1895 at the age of fourteen when his work first appeared in the Detroit Free Press. His column was syndicated in over 300 newspapers, and he came to be known as “The Poet of the People”. Guest was made Poet Laureate of Michigan, the only poet to have been awarded the title. His poems often had an inspirational and optimistic view of everyday life.

Glossary

Deed – Act; Achievement

Scheme – Plan

Fame – Glory

Mate – Companion; Partner

Spirit – Will; Determination

O’re – A (poetic) abbreviation for ‘over’

Summary of the Poem

Teamwork is a poem written by Edgar Albert Guest. He emphasizes on the importance of teamwork than individual performance. We may be counted as a star because we are skilled, but we should know whether we will be able to manage a team. There are no single hands when it comes to the game of life – all hands join together to make lives easier. Even if we are praised and called great by others, we must be able to work with our running mates, or we will never win the game. If we want only our self to win, it is selfish. Whether we win or lose a battle is decided only by the spirit of the team. Set your mind and will to helping your fellow mates to win, even when his chances seem poor and hopeless. Forget yourself until the game gets over, play, fight and win for the team.

1. Answer the following questions
1. What qualities are needed to play a game?
2. What helps one win the game?
3. How is team spirit created?

Answers:
1. Planning, coordinating with team, the true spirit of team are the qualities needed to play a game.
2. The spirit of the team helps one to win the game.
3. Team spirit is created by acknowledging the team players, treating them fairly.

2. Read the lines and answer the questions given below:

1. It’s helping your fellowman to score
When his chances hopeless seem;
Its forgetting self till the game is o’re
And fighting for the team.

a) What does ‘it’ stand for here?
b) Write the rhyme scheme for the above lines.

2. They may sound your praise and call you great,
They may single you out for fame,
But you must work with your running mate
Or you’ll never win the game;

a) Whom does ‘they’ refer to?
b) Which line talks about team spirit?
c) Pick out the rhyming words from the given lines.

Answers:
1. a) “It” stands for the team spirit here.
b) a b a b
2. a) “They” refers to the people working with the team.
b) “But you must work with your running mate”
c) great – mate, fame – game.