A Poem on Loyalty with Critical Analyses

The poem points out that the attitude of certain employees to work is not encouraging but bad. Employees in the poem show an unconcerned attitude to the growth of the business.

The poet advises all workers/employees to have a sense of punctuality, hard work, discipline, and integrity. A worker who is always late to work is not loyal’ a worker who is not disciplined at work is not loyal and a worker who is not hard-working is not loyal. The poem has been worked on for the researchers and readers to criticize for analysis.

The Soul of Business

If it is 9.am I get there, I still try

Since 8.am is too early for me

Why will I rush my life?

What I will do, I will do

I cannot kill myself

Remember, punctuality is the soul of business.

If I work for an hour, I will rest for four hours

Since the time of work is long

Why will I stress my life?

What I will eat, God will provide

I cannot kill myself

Remember, hard work is the soul of business.

If I work a little, I will play much

Since a play is a good exercise

Why will I cage my life?

What I will become in life, God knows it

I cannot kill myself

Remember, discipline is the soul of business.

If my boss is not around, I will make my way

Since it is not my business

Why will I wound my life?

What profit he will make, he will make it

I cannot kill myself

Remember, integrity is the soul of business.

Poet: Deola Adealakun

Briefs of the Poem

The poet puts himself in the position of an employee. He examines the attitude of many employees who are not loyal to their employers.

The poem orientates employees to change their attitudes toward laziness, sluggishness, and wrong motives to work. Their attitude should change because they are sustained at the moment they are with the employers. Secondly, they should be aware that what they do is what people will pay them back.

Many employees show an unconcerned attitude toward the work, especially when their bosses are not around. They will find their way or play on the job.

The souls of business in the poem are punctuality, hard work, discipline, and integrity. There are attitudinal actions that are expected of the poet. Showing an unconcerned attitude means that the worker is not loyal to his/her employer. This is a bad attitude.

The poem points out that the attitude of certain employees to work is not encouraging but bad. Employees in the poem show an unconcerned attitude to the growth of the business.

The poet advises all workers/employees to have a sense of punctuality, hard work, discipline, and integrity. A worker who is always late to work is not loyal’ a worker who is not disciplined at work is not loyal and a worker who is not hard-working is not loyal.

 Theme

There are several themes in which the poem is developed. The themes serve as central ideas and dominating points. The themes are work attitude, laziness, punctuality, discipline,e, and integrity. They are discussed below.

The theme of work attitude

Attitude to work is one of the things that give the poet great concern. The poet is confused about the wrong attitude of employees to the job they are being paid for. It has become the attitude of many employees these days to show idle attitude. Many of them are not showing punctuality, hard work, discipline, and integrity on the job.

The theme of laziness

Lazy habit is very bad and it leads people to nothing. Laziness is an enemy of the nation. That is why the Bible even supports it that the lazy man should not eat. The poet foreshadows the lazy attitude of many employees as a bad habit on the job and it affects the growth of the job. He implores all the employees to shun the lazy speech that even kills the morale of other employees who are ready to work hard. A lazy man will always say if he works for an hour, he will rest for hours because it is not his work. This contradicts work ethics and those who say that do not have the fear of God. As you can do your job, do someone else’s job that way.

The theme of punctuality

An adage says, “Punctuality is the soul of business.” One of the bad attitudes of the employees these days is punctuality. The poet frowns at the way many employees do not count punctuality as a bad attitude these days. They boldly and always say they cannot rush to work even if they are late. If the resumption to work is 8: am, a lot of them will resume by 8: 30 am and even 9: 00.

The theme of discipline

A discipline is an act of seriously sacrificing oneself. The poet campaigns against the indiscipline of certain employees who are not disciplined on the job. The indisciplined people work little and play too much. They are not loyal to their employers at all. They cheat the time of employers because of acts of indiscipline.

The theme of integrity

Integrity is what one needs to achieve greatness on the job. The poet affirms that many employees lack integrity on the job. They are not concerned about the job they are called for. They use work hours to play and to do the their sonar job. They always abandon their primary assignment of the company they are.

Language and Poetic Devices

There are language and poetic devices used by the poet to explain the mind of the poet and to communicate more to the readers. Some of them are discussed below.

Stanzas and lines

The poem has 4 stanzas and 24 lines. Each stanza has 6 rhyming lines, that is, a sextet. The 4 stanzas of the poem have the arrangement of stressed and unstressed syllables which give a rhythmic effect.

Mood/Tone

The poet is very concerned about the attitude of certain employees who are not loyal, disciplined punctual, and lazy on the job. The state or frame of mind of the poet is to correct the error of our attitude toward the job we are being paid for.

Type of poem

The poem is didactic because the poet campaigns against immorality and he wants us to learn moral lessons in our society.  That is, the poem teaches moral lessons.

 Figures of Speech

There are several figures of speech used to analyze the poem. Those figurative expressions are used to enrich the poem. Some of them are discussed below.

Repetitions

The poet makes use of repetitions for emphasis. Some of the repetitions are: “If”(lines 1, 7, 13, 19), “I cannot” (lines 5, 17, 23), “Since” (lines 2, 8, 14, 20), “Why” (lines 3, 9, 15, 21), “What” (lines 4, 10, 16, 22), “Remember” (lines 6, 13, 18, 24), “Life”(lines 3, 9, 15, 21), “Myself” (lines 5, 11, 17, 23)

Rhetorical questions

The poet makes use of rhetorical questions such as “Why will I rush my life?”(line 4), “Why will I stress my life?”(line 9), and “Why will and I cage my life?” (line 15), “Why will I wound my life?” (line 21)

Word List and Meanings

Punctuality: Arrival or happening of things done at the exactly time arranged

Hard word: A lot of effort

Discipline: A way of training to control behavior and obey rules

Integrity: The quality of being honest and strong about what you believe to be right

Practice Questions

1. Discuss the mood of the poet towards the attitude of certain employees.

2. Comment on the use of rhetorical questions and reputations in the poem.

3. Elucidate ‘Souls of Business’ as cleverly portrayed in the poem.

4. Explain how the poem is didactic?