"Then count that day as worse than lost.
..."See in text(Text of the Poem)
Notice that the sequence of arguments leaves the reader with an ominous warning rather than the call to action. This pattern may suggest that the narrator believes the more effective way to communicate her message is to warn the reader of these consequences. This could also suggest a slightly negative understanding of her reader: she believes they will be more effectively convinced by this ominous threat than the positive call to action.
Notice that Eliot uses the second-person point of view (which directly addresses the reader.) Considering that the poem is allegorical (it is written to relay some kind of moral message) this creates a “call to action” type of tone that will continue for its entirety.
