English

Poem :11 WISHING

A1. The poet asks us to set a watch upon our actions and keep them straight and true.
If we get rid our minds of selfish motives and let our thoughts be clean and high, we can
make the world a better place.

A2. In the second stanza, the poet says that to make the world wiser, we should start by
collecting wisdom in our hearts. Avoiding foolishness, we should keep learning as we
journey through life and learn to live well. Before we can teach others anything, we
should be ready to receive knowledge ourselves.

A3. Acts of kindness can make the world a happier place. Many can benefit from
someone's deed of kindness. The poet takes the example of a person who might have
planted an acorn long ago. The oak tree that has sprung up from that acorn gives shade
to the many who rests beneath it.

A4. The poet seems to want to know whether her readers want the world to be a better,
wiser and kinder place as much as she wants it to be that way.

A5. The tone is definitely optimistic because the poet tells us how we can improve the
world

She believes that human beings can do a great deal to change themselves and as a
result, their

surroundings. She also gives the example of someone planting an acorn that has now
become

an oak tree providing shade and shelter to many people.

B)

1a) 'Set a watch upon your actions' means that she should be careful, taking care to do
right rather than wrong.

1b) The poet wants us to do so because being good ourselves is the first step towards
bringing

about change.

1c). If we follow the poet's advice, we can create a perfect way of life.
2a) The poet talks about the 'folly' of drifting through life without acquiring knowledge.

She believes that we must never stop learning.

2b) The poet talks about the heart as a scrapbook in which wisdom is stored.
Metaphorically

speaking, not one page of that scrapbook should be wasted on foolish thoughts.

2c) We must ' live to learn, and learn to live' because only then can we acquire
knowledge of a wise way to lead our lives and impart it, in turn, to others.

C. DISCUSS:

We certainly can help to make our world wiser and happier.

One very effective way would be if each of us who enjoys the

benefit of education could spare some time and effort to teach

an underprivileged, illiterate child or adult the basics of reading and writing.