Summary
"Your Space" is the title given to Unit 3 of the 7th Standard English textbook (Term 1), which features the poem "Speak Gently" by David Bates. The poem is a heartfelt appeal to all people to use gentle, kind, and loving words in every interaction. The poet emphasizes that it is far better to rule by love than by fear, and that harsh words can destroy the good we might otherwise accomplish.
The poem is structured into eight stanzas, each addressing a different group of people: loved ones, little children, the young, the aged, the poor, those who have erred (made mistakes), and humanity in general. The poet urges readers to speak softly to children because their time may be short, to the young because life is full of anxious care, to the aged because their life is nearing its end, and to the poor because they already endure great suffering. Even those who have gone astray deserve gentle words, as unkindness may have caused their fall.
The poem concludes with a powerful spiritual reference -- that even He who gave His life to change man's stubborn will said "Peace, be still" amid fierce strife. The final stanza reminds us that a gentle word, though a small thing, drops into the heart's deep well and brings good and joy that eternity shall reveal.