When Day is Done

Edgar Albert GuestProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.2

Word count: 137K words
Chapters: 14

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.When Day is Done by Edgar A. GuestAuthor: Guest, Edgar A. (Edgar Albert), 1881-1959,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Dec 1, 2003

Editor's review

When Day is Done is a poetry collection by Edgar A. Guest, available as a free eBook from Project Gutenberg. Guest writes about everyday life, family, work, and reflections on life in a plain, warm style, with straightforward language and a clear rhythm—well suited to quiet evenings or weekends. Its value lies not in difficult literary experimentation but in distilling ordinary people's emotional experience into short, recitable lines that feel familiar and relaxing, and that draw attention back to overlooked warm details around us. As a public-domain eBook, it is convenient for fragmented reading on a phone or e-reader and works as a light introduction to English poetry. Note that Guest's style leans toward traditional meter and plain expression; readers expecting modernist complexity or deep philosophical reflection may find it simple, but those seeking a moment of ease amid a busy life will find it a good choice.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Ordinary readers who want light English poetry reading in spare moments
Readers who enjoy poetry about family, daily life, and warmth
English learners who need recitation material or a light literary anthology
People who want soothing reading before bed or in the evening

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer modernist, experimental poetry or complex imagery
Readers looking for in-depth literary criticism or academic research material
Readers with little interest in traditional meter and plain lyrical style

Reading tips

Read two or three poems a day, aloud, to feel the rhythm and tone of Guest's poetry.
Jot down keywords when something resonates; close reading word by word is not necessary.
Read in evening or weekend leisure time, as relaxation rather than a task.
English learners can first grasp the general meaning, then choose short poems to imitate in recitation practice.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book a novel or a poetry collection?

It is a poetry collection by Edgar A. Guest, with poems about daily life, family, and reflections on life. It is not a novel and has no continuous plot; it suits casual browsing and reading aloud.

Can readers with average English read it?

Guest's poems use plain language and short lines, so the overall difficulty is not high. Readers with average English can get the general meaning with a dictionary; to feel the rhythm, read aloud and sense the cadence before examining word meanings.

Why is evening reading recommended?

The title itself suggests the end of the day, and the poems mostly center on daily life and family in a gentle tone. Reading in the evening or before bed fits this relaxed, reflective mood, and there is no need to finish it in one sitting.

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About the author

Edgar Albert Guest Author · American · 1881–1959

Edgar Albert Guest (1881–1959) was an American poet. Born in Birmingham, England, he moved with his family to Detroit in 1891 and became known as the "People's Poet." He worked for many years at the Detroit Free Press, and his poems drew on everyday themes such as home, motherhood, and hard work. Optimistic, plain-spoken, and easy to recite, his verse won a wide popular readership. His representative works include A Heap o' Livin', The Path to Home, Just Folks, and When Day is Done. Seven of his works are held in this collection. A prolific writer, Guest served as Poet Laureate of Michigan from 1952 until his death in 1959. Public information on his early education and specific writing career remains limited.