BE THE BEST Of WHATEVER YOU ARE

POEM (BTB)
 DOUGLAS MALLOCH
Douglas Malloch was an American poet, short-story
writer and Associate Editor of American Lumberman,
a trade paper in Chicago. He was known as a
"Lumberman's poet" both locally and nationally. He is
noted for writing Round River Drive and "Be the Best
of Whatever You Are" in addition to many other
creations. Wikipedia
Born: May 5, 1877, 
Muskegon, Michigan, United States
Died: July 2, 1938, 
Muskegon, Michigan, United States
Nationality: American
 INTRODUCTION

 Be the Best of Whatever You Are” is a motivational  poem

 This poem, as the title suggests, is a bit of advice for everyone,
especially young people and is quite useful in everyday
situations. He is attempting to persuade us that we must strive to
be the greatest in all we do. To express his message, he has
chosen instances from nature. The poet wants us to understand
that no work is less vital than another, and that we should not be
ashamed of who we are.
 Although we all aspire to do great things and rise to the
top, what counts most is the contribution we make to
society in order for it to matter. We must be proud of
our work and put in our best effort to complete it. It is
nice to be a pine tree on top of the hill, but being the
best shrub alongside the stream that beautifies the valley
is even better.
 INSPIRATIONAL POEM

 In this poem, Douglas Malloch (1877-1938) shares an encouraging message

for readers of all ages. Although we don't all hold prestigious jobs, we can
all be the best at who we are. Our position in life doesn't make us more or
less valuable. The beauty of this world is shown when each person does what
he has been called to do and does it with great pride. When we measure our
success by the standards of this world, many of us will feel as though we've
fallen short. Douglas Malloch reminds us that success is measured by being
the best at whoever you are. Like many, he came from humble roots, but he
used his gift of writing to touch the lives of many people.
 THEME
 The theme of the poem is inspirational and instructional, making it a
great didactic poem. The poet’s goal is to encourage us to live a positive
life. The poem’s central message is that everyone, no matter how small,
has their own significance. Whatever work we perform, we must do it in
the most efficient manner. The Poet wishes to convey the message that
every living thing has a specific job to play in our planet. Consequently,
he advises us not to be concerned and instead to strive to be the best in
our profession. Irrespective of the position we have, we should appreciate
and enjoy our work.
 STANZA 1

 If 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.
 STANZA 1

 The poem begins with descriptions of natural phenomena. According to

the poet, just because you cannot be a pine tree standing tall on the crest
of a hill does not imply you are not deserving of being a part of the
forest. You can always be the best scrub in the valley, growing
alongside the rill (rivulet) and beautifying the valley. Although the tall
pine trees form huge forests, the valley would lose its appeal if not for
the scrub along the stream’s edge. Therefore, if not a pine tree, be the
best scrub. He is attempting to convey the message that if you are
unable to be the boss, be the best employee you can be. He continues by
saying that if we are unable to be as powerful as a tree, we should strive
to be as strong as a bush.
 STANZA 2

 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!
 STANZA 2
 He explains again that if we can not be a bush, we should
be a tuft of grass because a tuft of grass beside the
roadways can also make it nicer and happier. He then
moves on to other areas of nature to establish his thesis.
He claims that if you can not be a Muskie (popular name
for Muskellunge fish), a rather unusual and unique
freshwater fish native to North America, you should be a
Bass (an edible fish) but the liveliest Bass in the lake.
Muskies are valuable and difficult to capture, yet they are
not popular among locals.
 STANZA 3

 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 you must do is the near.
 STANZA 3
 Douglas Malloch wishes us all happiness and optimism. He asserts that if we
are unable to serve as captain, we can serve as crew. A captain cannot
navigate the seas alone. He wants us to understand that there is always
something for us and that we should be proud of ourselves regardless of our
circumstances. He says that in modern culture, each task is significant in its
own right and no task is to be embarrassed of. What would happen if
everyone desired a career as a physician or a businessman? Who would be in
charge of the society’s smaller jobs? There would be no one to keep our
roads clean or repair our shoes. As a result, he adds that we should focus on
the immediate task at hand rather than rushing toward larger objectives, as
each job must be done.
 STANZA 4

 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!
 STANZA 4

He continues in the final stanza by stating that if we are unable to be

a highway, we can always be a narrow trail. Some of the most
stunning aspects of nature are accessible only by trails, not freeways.
He continues by stating that if we cannot be the colossal Sun, we
should at least be a glittering star. According to him, size does not
matter; what matters is how competent you are at what you do and
whether you make a noticeable contribution to society. The poet
closes the poem by emphasizing once again that what matters is being
the greatest in your area.
FORM AND RHYME SCHEME

The poem is very simple in theme and language. The poem

consists of four stanzas containing four lines each. It follows
a rhyme scheme of ‘abab’. The last word of every line
rhymes with every alternate line like ‘hill’ and ’rill’, ’be’ and
‘tree’ etc. throughout the poem. Use of the conditional
clauses beginning with ‘if’ gives the poem a good flow and
supports the theme of the poem very well.
 BE THE BEST: FIGURES OF SPEECH
Douglas Malloch here in this poem has used contrasting examples from nature to
make metaphors for something big and its corresponding small one in regard to achievements in
life:
• A pine versus a Scrub
• A tree versus a bush
• A bush versus a bit of grass
• Muskie versus bass
• Captain versus crew
• Highway versus trail and
• The sun versus a star
 Alliteration is used in some of the lines as shown below:
 If you can’t be a bush be a bit of the grass,
 And some highway happier make;

 Repetition is also used in the following lines:

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

 And the task we must do is the near.
 There’s a transferred epithet or hypallage : When an adjective usually used to describe
one thing is transferred to another. An epithet is a word or phrase which describes the main quality of
someone or something. For example: 'a happy person'. Epithets are usually adjectives like 'happy' that
describe a noun like 'person'. in the line:
 And some highway happier make;
 The grass can make the people happier, not the highway.
 Antithesis is found in the line —opposites or strongly contrasting ideas are placed in sharp
juxtaposition and sustained tension, as in the saying “Art is long, and Time is fleeting. They usually have
compound sentences.
 It isn’t by size that you win or fail
And, the poet has created visual imagery in the expressions “a pine on the top of the hill”,
“The best little scrub by the side of the rill”, “the liveliest bass in the lake” etc.