Be the Best

It you can’t be a pine on the top of the hill,

Be a scrub in the valley – but be

The best little scrub by the side of the rill;

Be a bush, if you can’t be a tree.

If you can’t be a bush, be a bit of the grass,

And some highway happier make;

If you can’t be a muskie, then just be a bass-

But the liveliest bass in the lake!

We can’t all be captains, we’ve got to be crew,

There’s something for all of us here.

There’s big work to do and there’s lesser to do

And the task we must do is the near.

If you can’t be a highway, then just be a trail,

If you can’t be the sun, be a star;

It isn’t by size that you win or you fail-

Be the best of whatever you are!

  – Douglas Malloch

Figure of Speech:

Alliteration:

Be  a scrub in the valley – but be – b

The best little scrub by   the side of the rill – b

Be  a bush, if you can’t be a tree – b

If you can’t be a bush,   be a bit of the grass – b

And some highway happier  make – h

If you can’t be a   muskie, then just be a bass – b

But  the liveliest bass in the lake – b

We can’t all be captains,   we’ve got to be crew – c

If you can’t be the sun,   be a star – s

Be  the best of whatever you are – b

Anaphora:

Be  a scrub in the valley – but be

The best little scrub by the   side of the rill;

Be  a bush, if you can’t be a tree.

There’s  something for all of us here.

There’s  big work to do and there’s lesser to do

If you can’t   be a highway, then just be a trail,

If you can’t   be the sun, be a star;

Repetition:

There’s big work to do  and there’s lesser to do

And the task we must do  is the near

Rhyme Scheme

abab – hill, rill; be, tree; grass, bass; make,   lake; trail, fail; star, are;

abcb – Here, near;