Animals by WALT WHITMAN

Animals by WALT WHITMAN

Stanza 1

I think I could turn and live with animals,

they are so placid and self-contain’d,

I stand and look at them long and long.

Meaning: 1. Turn: change 2. Placid: peaceful self-contained: self reliant

Explanation: Walt Whitman wishes that he should be turned into an animal and start living with animals. In his opinion, the animals are peaceful and independent. The poet loves them very much. So he stands and looks at them for a long time.

Stanza 2

They do not sweat and whine about their condition,

They do not lie awake in the dark and weep for their sins,

They do not make me sick discussing their duty to God,

Explanation: The poet now continues to explain the reason for his choice. He says that the animals never complain about their condition. They are contented in both good and bad conditions. They sleep peacefully and do not lie awake and shed tears at night on their sins as human beings do. They do not talk like human beings and make him feel bored by discussing with him about their duty towards God.

The Ball Poem By John Berryman

5. The Ball Poem By John Berryman

This poem is about a boy whose ball bounces down into the street and finally falls down into the water in the harbour. The poet watches the whole incidence. He watches the boy becoming sad and disappointed. He does not want to offer any consolation to the boy by saying that he would have him other ball, etc. He let the boy experience the pain at the loss of something dear to him. Thus the boy learns for the first time that one should not grieve too much over the loss of material things because these are only for some time with us.

Central Idea: We should not feel sad at the loss of our worldly possessions. Things come to us to go. Sometimes our dearest and the most precious possessions are also lost. It does not mean we should keep on weeping at the loss for ever. Life must go on without looking behind at the things that pain us.

Lines 1 – 4:

What is the boy now, who has lost his ball.

What, what is he to do? I saw it go

Merrily bouncing, down the street, and then

Merrily over—there it is in the water!

Word-meanings: 1. Merrily: happily 2. Bouncing: jumping

Explanation: In these lines, we come to know that the poet watches a little boy playing with a ball. After some time, the ball rolls down from him. It keeps on going towards water in the harbour. The ball crosses the street and finally falls into the water. The poet has seen all this occurring. The poet says that the ball was bouncing and rolling down merrily in the street and then in the water. Now the poet put a question to the reader as to what the boy should do now.

Deep Meaning: The poet  describes the state of mind of a young boy when he loses his ball for the first time. The ball stands for material possession. This is the common tendency that we all grieve over the loss of our dear possession. But the poet is of the opinion that the children must be taught not to grieve over material things. Our possessive nature for the things makes us sad.

Lines 5 – 10:

No use to say ‘O there are other balls’:

An ultimate shaking grief fixes the boy

As he stands rigid, trembling, staring down

All his young days into the harbour where

His ball went. I would not intrude on him,

A dime, another ball, is worthless. Now

Explanation: The poet says that there is no sense in giving false consolation to the little boy. His parents should not say that they would arrange for other balls to make the child happy. It would not benefit the boy in any way. After that the poet describes the condition of the boy after losing the ball. As the boy is sure that his ball is lost, it makes his body shiver in grief. This is his first experience of losing something he dearly loved. He stands like a statue staring down in the harbour where his ball had disappeared. It seems that the poet also remembers his childhood days passed on the harbour playing with balls. His balls had also rolled down there into the water. He had also had the same type of painful feeling when he had lost his ball for the first time. The poet decides not to intrude on him. Let him alone bear the loss of his dear possession. If a dime or another ball is given to him to reduce his pain, it will not do any help to him.

Lines 11-14

He senses first responsibility

In a world of possessions. People will take balls,

Balls will be lost always, little boy,

And no one buys a ball back. Money is external.

Explanation: In this stanza, the poet tells us as to how the little boy had learnt his first lesson of responsibility. This realisation must have come to the child after undergoing the process of grief that emerges in human heart at the loss of some dear possession. The boy understood that it was his responsibility to keep his things safe. The poet further says that in the world of possession, things do not remain in one’s possession forever. Things come and get lost. Sometimes things are snatched by others. One thing gets replaced by the other. Then the poet says that money can be used to purchase material things. But we cannot purchase emotions by money. No one keeps on weeping for ever over the things that are lost. Life goes on in this manner.

Critical Analsys:: Here, the ball is just a symbol of a worldly possession. Human beings sometimes have to lose even their dearest and the most precious possessions. It is natural that one grieves over the death of someone near and dear. One has to bear that loss also. The loss of the ball was not a big thing that should make one grieve so much. But it was the first experience of the child when he has lost something he possessed so dearly. The poet did not want to disturb him because it was desirable for the child to learn his first lesson over losing his possession and learning the responsibility to keep it safe.

 Lines 15 – 20:

He is learning, well behind his desperate eyes,

The epistemology of loss, how to stand up

Knowing what every man must one day know

And most know many days, how to stand up.

And gradually light returns to the street,

A whistle blows, the ball is out of sight.

Word-meanings: 1. Desperate: feeling extremely sad and disappointed 2. Epistemology /ɪˌpɪs.təˈmɒl.ə.dʒi/; The study of knowing things 3. Gradually: slowly, at a slow pace

Explanation: The poet further says that the little boy is learning the knowledge of how one feels after something dear to him is lost. At the same time, the boy is learning how to overcome the emotions that makes one worried over the loss of something that has remained so much dear to him so far. This is a general truth that one must know to stand in life and resume his work without brooding over the loss occurred in the past.

After some time, the boy comes out of his grief and feels the present through his surroundings. He comes to know that there is a light in the streets. He listens to the whistle of a ship nearby. He also realises the truth that he cannot get back his ball as it has gone out of both, his sight and reach.

Lines 21 – 25:

Soon part of me will explore the deep and dark

Floor of the harbour. I am everywhere,

I suffer and move, my mind and my heart move

With all that move me, under the water

Or whistling, I am not a little boy.

Some Important Points in the poem for Multiple Choice Questions:

1. The little boy is confused and does not know what ot do when his ball is lost.

2. He trembles with grief at the loss of the ball.

3. The poet saw the ball merrily bouncing in the street and then falling into the water of the harbour.

4. Then the poet remembers all his young days.

5. There was no worth/use in offering new balls to the child.

6. The loss of the ball makes the boy learn the responsibility to keep his possessions safe.

7. The boy is also learning the lesson of beraring the loss of the things which are dear and precious to him.

8. Money is called external by the poet because we can buy only material things by it. But we cannot by emotions.

9.  John Berryman is the poet of this poem.

10.                  The boy lost his ball in the water of the harbour.

Short Answer-Type Questions

Q1. Why does the poet say, “ I would not intrude on him.” Why doesn’t the poet intend to offer him mney to buy a new ball?

Q2. What was the effect of losing the ball on the boy? Where did he lose the ball?

Q3. What is the main theme/idea/central idea of the poem?

Q4. Who loses the ball and where?

Explain the line, “And no one buys a ball back/money is external.”

Q5. What lesson does the boy need to learn by losing the ball?

Q6. What do the eyes of the boy see in the poem ‘The Ball Poem’? What lesson does he learn?

How to Tell Wild Animals by Carolyn Wells

How to Tell Wild Animals by Carolyn Wells

Stanza1.

If ever you should go by chance

To jungles in the east;

And if there should to you advance

A large and tawny beast, If he roars at you as you’re dyin’

You’ll know it is the Asian Lion...

Explanation: In the first stanza, the poet introduces us to the Asian Lion. It is found in the jungles of Eastern Asian countries. It is large in size and its colour is yellowish brown. It roars in such a way that the listener is about to die of its terror.

Stanza 2.

Or if some time when roaming round,

A noble wild beast greets you,

With black stripes on a yellow ground,

Just notice if he eats you.

This simple rule may help you learn

The Bengal Tiger to discern

Explanation: In the second stanza, the poet describes the Bengal Tiger. He has black stripes on his yellow coloured body. The poet calls him ‘a noble beast’. The reason may be that the tiger kills only when he is hungry.

Stanza 3.

If strolling forth, a beast you view,

Whose hide with spots is peppered,

As soon as he has lept on you,

You’ll know it is the Leopard.

’Twill do no good to roar with pain,

He’ll only lep and lep again.

Explanation: In the third stanza, we come to know about a leopard. His body is covered with black spots. He is very agile in attacking his prey. If he notices any human being, he will attack him by leaping. He will not roar but leap to attack his prey. He may kill even when he is not hungry.

Stanza  4.

If when you’re walking round your yard

You meet a creature there,

Who hugs you very, very hard,

Be sure it is a Bear.

If you have any doubts, I guess

He’ll give you just one more caress.

Explanation: The stanza 4 introduces us to a Bear. We also come to know that a bear gives a very hard hug before killing his prey. He may squeeze second time also if he doubts that his victim in still alive.

Thus, the poet introduces us to the fact as to how the bear press the prey to his chest in order to kill.

Stanza 5.

Though to distinguish beasts of prey

A novice might nonplus,

The Crocodile you always may

Tell from the Hyena thus:

Hyenas come with merry smiles;

 But if they weep they’re Crocodiles.

Explanation: In the fifth stanza, the poet uses common sayings about hyenas and crocodiles. He says that hyena seems to laugh while eating their prey. The crocodiles seem to shed tears while swallowing their prey.

Stanza 6.

The true Chameleon is small,

A lizard sort of thing;

He hasn’t any ears at all,

And not a single wing.

If there is nothing on the tree,

’Tis the chameleon you see.

Explanation: A chameleon is a lizard-type creature. He has no ears. He has no wings either. But it is very difficult to find out a chameleon on a tree because he changes his colour in case of danger.

Word-meanings

Questions & Answers

Important facts to note:

Q1. How can you recognize the Asian Lion? Or what does the poet say about the Asian Lion in this poem?

Ans. The Asian lion is large in size. Its body is brownish yellow in colour. Its roar is horrible. It makes its prey almost die of fear.  It is found in the forests of the Eastern countries.

Q2. Where are the Asian Lions found?

Ans. Asian lion is found in the forests of the eastern countries like India, Bangla Desh and Sri Lanka.

Q3. How does the Bengal Tiger look? What is so distinct about it?

Ans. The poet calls the Bengal tiger ‘a noble wild beast’. It has black stripes on its yellow body. He at once jumps at its prey to eat.

Q4. Why does the poet say that a bear’s hug may confuse a novice?

Ans. A bear kills his prey by hugging and pressing hard. A novice may think it an act of love. Actually, the bear tries to kill the person by hugging hard.

Q5. Where the chameleon is generally found? Which two things does a chameleon not have?

Ans. A chameleon is generally found on the branches of a tree. It has no ears and wings.

Q6. How can you distinguish a crocodile from a hyena?

Ans. It is said that crocodiles shed tears before killing its prey. A Hyena laughs before killing its prey.

Q7. How can you distinguish a tiger from a leopard?

Ans. A tiger has black stripes on his body. A leopard has black spots on his body.

Q8. How can you distinguish a lion from a tiger?

Ans. A lion has large and brownish yellow body. It roars terribly before attacking his prey. A tiger has black stripes on his body. He does not roar while attacking his prey.

Stanzas:

Stanza1.

If ever you should go by chance

To jungles in the east;

And if there should to you advance

A large and tawny beast,

If he roars at you as you’re dyin’

You’ll know it is the Asian Lion...

Word-meanings: 1.advance: comes/moves 2. tawny: brownish yellow in colour

Stanza 2.

Or if some time when roaming round,

A noble wild beast greets you,

With black stripes on a yellow ground,

Just notice if he eats you.

This simple rule may help you learn

The Bengal Tiger to discern

Word-meanings : 1. Roaming: wandering about 2. Discern: notice

Stanza 3.

If strolling forth, a beast you view,

Whose hide with spots is peppered,

As soon as he has lept on you,

You’ll know it is the Leopard.

’Twill do no good to roar with pain,

He’ll only lep and lep again.

Word-meanings: 1. Strolling: wandering, roaming 2. Peppered: covered with spots  3. Lept (leapt): jumped 4. Lep (leapt): jumped

Stanza  4.

If when you’re walking round your yard

You meet a creature there,

Who hugs you very, very hard,

Be sure it is a Bear.

If you have any doubts, I guess

He’ll give you just one more caress.

!. yard: courtyard 2. Hugs: embraces 3. Caress: embrace

Stanza 5.

Though to distinguish beasts of prey

A novice might nonplus,

The Crocodile you always may

Tell from the Hyena thus:

Hyenas come with merry smiles;

 But if they weep they’re Crocodiles.

1.      Distinguish: differentiate/recognize 2. Novice: inexperienced person 3. Nonplus (nonplussed): confused

Stanza 6.

The true Chameleon is small,

A lizard sort of thing;

He hasn’t any ears at all,

And not a single wing.

If there is nothing on the tree,

’Tis the chameleon you see.

A Tiger in the Zoo by LESLIE NORRIS

3. A Tiger in the Zoo by LESLIE NORRIS

Stanza 1

He stalks in his vivid stripes

The few steps of his cage,

On pads of velvet quiet,

In his quiet rage.

Line-to-line Explanation: The tiger in the zoo walks in the limited space provided to it in the cage. It takes a few steps. There are stripes on its body which are quite prominent (noticeable). Its paws are soft like velvet.  No noise is produced when it walks on its ‘pads of velvet’. The tiger is silent but in rage (anger).

Stanza 2.

He should be lurking in shadow,

Sliding through long grass

Near the water hole

Where plump deer pass.

Word-meanings: plump, lurking

Explanation: Now the poet suggests that the cage is not the proper place for the tiger. It is not its natural habitat. The tiger in the cage is a victim of human cruelty. Usually tigers are found sitting under some bushes or long grass near a stream or water hole. As soon as they see their prey like deer coming there to drink water, they slide silently through the grass and kill them. The poet wants to convey to us that this tiger should be there in the forest, its natural habitat.

 Poetic devices Used: The lines ‘lurking in shadow’, create a word picture of some danger hovering for the animals who come to drink water. Other word pictures are created by the use of words/ phrases like ‘sliding through’ and ‘plump deer’.

Stanza 3.

He should be snarling around houses

At the jungle’s edge,

Baring his white fangs, his claws,

Terrorising the village!

Explanation: In this stanza: The poet proceeds further giving another suggestion that the tiger should be sitting at the jungle’s edge in close vicinity of a village. It should be terrorising the people passing that way by showing its sharp teeth, baring its claws and producing low sound of anger.

Stanza 4.

But he’s locked in a concrete cell,

His strength behind bars,

Stalking the length of his cage,

Ignoring visitors.

Explanation: In this stanza, the poet expresses deep sympathy at the plight (unpleasant situation) of the tiger, that is imprisoned in a cell made of concrete (mixed material like cement, sand, small pieces of stone and water). He cannot come out of it because strong bars fixed at the concrete cell stop him. Thus the poet says that the tiger’s strength is locked behind the bars. The tiger shows no interest in looking at the visitors. Rather, he keeps on stalking (walking in angry and proud manner) in the limited space of the cage.

Stanza 5.

He hears the last voice at night, /The patrolling cars,

And stares with his brilliant eyes /At the brilliant stars.

Word-meanings: Patrolling: moving about to check any danger Brilliant: shining

Explanation: The poet again takes the reader to the cage where the tiger is sitting in the cage and feeling unpleasant and restless. He hears the sound created by the patrolling cars of the zoo authorities. He shows no interest in them. The poet shown him staring at the shining stars with his brilliant eyes.

Thus the poem ends up at the point where it had started.

The poet raises a moral issue here. He intends to present a strong case against the cruelty on animals, which are kept in cages.

FIRE AND ICE BY ROBERT FROST

Fire and Ice BY ROBERT FROST

Lines: “Some say the world will end in fire,

Some say in ice.

From what I’ve tasted of desire

I hold with those who favour fire.”

Word-meanings:

Explanation: This is a small poem written by Robert Frost. It is about a question that always occurred in people’s minds from time to time. The question is as to how the world would end.

    Robert Frost writes in this poem that some people say that the world would be consumed by fire. There are also some people who believe that the end of the world would be caused by ice. The poet adds that his experience of life says that the fire of passion dominates the world. People have lost control over their emotions of greed, anger and intolerance. There is always a danger of nuclear war in the world. That will surely destroy all.

Lines: “But if it had to perish twice,

I think I know enough of hate

To say that for destruction ice

Is also great

And would suffice.”

Word-meanings: 1. Perish: get destroyed   2. Suffice: convince/ be sufficient

Explanation: The poet says that he is confident that there is enough hate in the world. He has experienced that human beings show a lot of insensitivity, indifference and hatred towards others. If he were to select between the two causes of the world’s destruction, he would favour the second. It would be great and convincing if the world ends up by ice.

Short Summary

    Fire and Ice is about two causes that might prove fatal for human race. Either of these two causes might destroy the whole world. The poet uses symbols of fire and ice as the causes of the world’s destruction. Fire stands for desire and emotions like greed, anger and intolerance. Ice stands for cruelty, intolerance, stubbornness, insensitivity, indifference and hatred. Both the causes would surely lead to the end of the whole world.

Questions & Answers

Q1. What for ‘fire’ and ‘ice’ in the poem ‘Fire and Ice’?

Ans. Fire stands for desire and emotions like greed, anger and intolerance.

Q2. Why do some people say that the world would end in fire?

Ans. Some  people hold the religious view that the world would end .

Q3. Why do some people say that the world would end in ice?

Ans. Some people hold the scientific view that the world would end by ice.

Q4. Describe the two symbols used in the poem Fire and Ice?

Ans. Fire symbolises  desire and emotions like greed, anger and intolerance. Ice symbolises cruelty, intolerance, stubbornness, insensitivity, indifference and hatred.

Q5. What is the main idea of the poem ‘Fire and Ice?

Ans. The poet seems to hint at two causes that would lead to the end of the world. The first cause of the world’s end might be desire. It is the very root of so many conflicts in the world. It leads to greed, anger and intolerance. It would further push the world towards destruction. Secondly, the poet might be thinking about the ice age. It would also prove destructive for the world. Human beings are responsible for both the causes of destruction of the world.

Q6. How will the world end by fire?

Ans. Growing materialism is the cause of desire. It further gives birth to passions like greed, anger and intolerance. These passions may become the cause of world war. In that case, the world would be destroyed.

Q7. How will the world end by hatred?

Ans. Hatred breeds intolerance, anger and cruelty. It causes insensitivity in human heart. All of these negative feelings might become the cause of nuclear war in the world. Tha would be the end of the world.

Q8. What does ‘ice’ symbolise?

Ans. Ice symbolises cruelty, intolerance, stubbornness, insensitivity, indifference and hatred.

Q9. What does ‘Fire’ symbolise?

Ans. Fire symbolises  desire and emotions like greed, anger and intolerance.

Dust of Snow by Robert Frost

Dust of Snow by Robert Frost

The way a crow

Shook down on me

The dust of snow

From a hemlock tree

Has given my heart

 A change of mood

And saved some part

Of a day I had rued.

Word-meanings: Rued: felt sorry

Explanation: The poets  tells us that a crow shook down dust of snow on him from the branches of the hemlock tree has changed his mood. It saved his day from being spoilt due to his bad mood.

Extract 1

The way a crow

Shook down on me

The dust of snow

From a hemlock tree

1.  Where was the crow sitting?

Ans. The crow was sitting on a branch of a hemlock tree.

2.  What did the crow do?

Ans. It shook off the dust of snow on the poet.

3.  What is the dust of snow in the third line?

Ans. Very small particles of snow that settle down on any object are called dust of snow..

4.  What does the dust of snow stand for?

Ans. It stands for the poet’s sadness.

5.  Name the poet and the poem.

Ans. Dust of Snow is the poem and Robert Frost is its poet.

Extract 2

Has given my heart

 A change of mood

And saved some part

Of a day I had rued.

Questions:

1.  Name the poet and the poem.

Ans. Dust of Snow is the poem and Robert Frost is its poet.

2.  What was the poet’s mood in the beginning?

Ans. The poet’s mood was of sadness in the beginning.

3.  What changed the mood of the poet?

Ans. Sudden fall of dust of snow on him changed his poet.

4.  What does the poet mean when he says that ‘And saved some part/Of a day’?

Ans. The poet’s mood changed from sadness to happiness. It saved the rest of is day.

5.  Write the synonym of the word ‘rued’.

Ans. regretted

                                  Analysis the Poem

Robert Frost presents nature in a different way in this poem. He has used two symbols in this poem. One is of a crow and the other is of a hemlock tree. The crow is the symbol of bad omen. Its colour is black and its voice is rough and unmusical. So it does not make us happy. Another symbol is that of a tree, Hemlock and it is poisonous.

This poem is about a very small incident. It changes the mood of the poem. The poet seems to tell us how small incidents in our life create big impact. We must not ignore them. We must be aware of every small changes and incidents in our life. The poet may be removing superstition about a crow and a hemlock tree from the reader’s mind. Both the objects are linked with death and fear. But these bring happiness in the poet’s mind.

The poet is sitting under a hemlock tree. It is covered with snow. Suddenly a crow sits on the tree. It makes the dust of snow fall down from the tree. The poet at once comes out of his sad mood. He becomes happy.