← All chapters

Poetry · Chapter

To-Morrow explained

The poem contrasts human and divine conceptions of tomorrow, portraying human tomorrows as fleeting and lifeless while God's tomorrow is full of life and presence.

What happens

The poem contrasts human and divine conceptions of tomorrow, portraying human tomorrows as fleeting and lifeless while God's tomorrow is full of life and presence.

Themes in this chapter

  • Longing for Immortality

    The contrast between fleeting human tomorrows and God's eternal, life-filled tomorrow reflects a longing for the divine and eternal.

Characters to notice

  • God

    God's tomorrow is depicted as an angel and a brimming silver bowl of life.

  • Unknown

    The narrator speaks of 'my to-morrow' and addresses God's tomorrow.

Key passages

  • “My to-morrow is but a flitting Fancy of the brain; God’s to-morrow an angel sitting, Ready for joy or pain.”

    My idea of tomorrow is just a fleeting thought, but God's tomorrow is a living angel prepared for anything.

    Highlights the contrast between human and divine perspectives on the future.

  • “God’s to-morrow , come, dear day, For God is in thee now.”

    Come, God's tomorrow, because God is present within it right now.

    Expresses hope and anticipation for a tomorrow filled with divine presence.

Read this chapter freeBook page