THE SEVEN AGES OF MAN

William Shakespeare
1. All the world's a stage, [world is]
2. And all the men and women merely players [only, just]-[actors]
3. They have their exits and their entrances; [deaths] - [births]
4. And one man in his time plays many parts. [performs]
5. His acts being seven ages. At first, the infant,
6. Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms. [crying, weeping]-[vomiting]
7. And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel [complaining]-[school bag]
8. And shining morning face, creeping like snail [moving slowly]-[slow-moving insect]
9. Unwillingly to school. And then the lover, [against one’s will, reluctantly]
10. Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad [Heating system of a blacksmith]-[sad]-[song]
11. Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier,
12. Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard, [promises] - [leopard]
13. Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel, [fight, argument]
14. Seeking the bubble reputation [short-lived fame]
15. Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice, [putting life at risk]
16. In fair round belly with good capon lined, [tummy]-[too much eating of a fattened chicken]
17. With eyes severe and beard of formal cut, [harsh, unkind]
18. Full of wise saws and modern instances; [old wise sayings]-[the latest examples]
19. And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
20. Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon, [thin]-[pants]
21. With spectacles on nose and pouch on side,
22. His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide [big socks]-[preserved/saved carefully]
23. For his shrunk shanks; and his big manly voice, [thin leg]
24. Turning again toward childish treble, pipes [high pitched voice of a boy]-[a high-pitched cries]
25. And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
26. That ends this strange eventful history, [full of events, busy]
27. Is second childishness and mere oblivion, [complete]-[forgetfulness, lack of memory]
28. Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything. [without]

THE MAN OF LIFE UPRIGHT

Thomas Campion
1. The man of life upright, [honest]
2. Whose guiltless heart is free [innocent]
3. From all dishonest deeds,
4. Or thought of vanity; [pride, arrogance]

5. The man whose silent days [quiet, undamaging life]

6. In harmless joys are spent,
7. Whom hopes cannot delude, [deceive, mislead]
8. Nor sorrow discontent; [unhappiness, displeasure]

9. That man needs neither towers [strongly built high fortresses]

10. Nor armour for defence, [metal shield for protection]
11. Nor secret vaults to fly [hidden basements, secret cellars]- [run]
12. From thunder’s violence [brutality, aggression]
13. He only can behold [see, observe]
14. With unaffrighted eyes [fearless, not scared]
15. The horrors of the deep [sea, ocean]
16. And terrors of the skies.

17. Thus, scorning all the cares [showing dislike/hatred]-[worries]

18. That fate or fortune brings,
19. He makes the heaven his book,
20. His wisdom heavenly things; [objects present in space]

21. Good thoughts his only friends, [knowledge]

22. His wealth a well-spent age, [pious/virtuous life]
23. The earth his sober inn [a temporary place of controlled living]
24. And quiet pilgrimage. [holy journey]

LINES FROM SAMSON AGANISTES

John Milton
1. He patient, but undaunted, where they led him [fearless, brave]
2. Came to the place; and what was set before him,
3. Which without help of eye might be assayed, [attempted (old word for ‘essay’)]
4. To heave, pull, draw, or break, he still performed [lift]- [always]
5. All with incredible stupendous force, [unbelievable]- [huge, astonishing]
6. None daring to appear antagonist. [opponent, adversary, challenger]
7. At length for intermission sake they led him [at last]-[for the sake of break/interval]
8. Between the pillars; he his guide requested,
9. (For so from such as nearest stood we heard),
10. As over-tired, to let him lean a while [bend over]
11. With both his arms on those two massy pillars [massive, huge]
12. That to the arched roof gave main support. [domed roof]
13. He unsuspicious led him; which when Samson [trusting, having no suspicion or doubt]
14. Felt in his arms, with head a while inclined, [bent forward]
15. And eyes fast fixed, he stood, as one who prayed,
16. Or some great matter in his mind revolved
17. At last, with head erect thus cried aloud
18. ‘Hitherto, lords, what your commands imposed [till now]- [what your orders forced]
19. I have performed, as reason was, obeying,
20. Not without wonder or delight beheld; [witnessed, observed]
21. Now, of my own accord, such other trial [agreement, harmony]-[test or show]
22. I mean to show you of my strength, yet greater;
23. As with amaze shall strike all who behold.’ [it will leave all amazed/astonished]
24. This uttered, straining all his nerves, he bowed. [speak]-[pulling]-[bend forward]
25. As with the force of winds and waters pent [winds and waters confined or restricted]
26. When mountains tremble, those two massy pillars [massive, huge]
27. With horrible convulsion to and fro [vibration, quivering]-[back and forth]
28. He tugged, he shook, till down they came, and drew [pulled]
29. The whole roof after them with burst of thunder [a loud noise]
30. Upon the heads of all who sat beneath, [underneath, below]
31. Lords, ladies, captains, counsellors or priests,
32. Their choice nobility and flower, not only [selected noble people]
33. Of this, but each Philistian city round,
34. Met from all parts to solemnize this feast. [celebrate]-[treat, occasion, ceremony]
35. Samson, with these inmixed, inevitably [mixed, being among them]-[unavoidably]
36. Pulled down the same destruction on himself.
 LINES FREOM AN ESSAY ON MAN
Alexander Pope
1. Heaven from all creatures hides the book of Fate, [God, Nature] - [destiny]
2. All but the page prescribed, their present state. [except] - [suggested, written]
3. From brutes what men, from men what spirits know [animals] - [angels]
4. Or who could suffer being here below? [world, earth]
5. The lamb thy riots, dooms to bleed today. [extravagant living] [is fated to bleed]
6. Had he thy reason, would he skip and play? [knowledge]
7. Pleased to the last, he crops the flowery food, [eats, consumes]
8. And licks the hand just raised to shed his blood. [kisses, shows affection/love to]
9. Oh blindness to the future! Kindly given
10. That each may fill the circle marked by Heaven
11. Who sees with equal eye, as God of all, [refers to God]
12. A hero perish, or a sparrow fall, [die, expire]
13. Atoms or systems into ruin hurl'd, [thrown into destruction]
14. And now a bubble burst, and now a world.
15. Hope humbly then, with trembling pinion soar; [wing] - [rise, fly high]
16. Wait the great teacher Death; and God adore! [pray, worship]
17. What future bliss, he gives not thee to know, [joy, pleasure]
18. But gives that hope to be thy blessing now.
19. Hope springs eternal in the human breast [be born, grows]- [everlasting]-[heart]
20. Man never Is, but always To be blest
21. The soul, uneasy and confined from home, [restricted, limited]
22. Rests and expatiates in a life to come [finds freedom]

THE SOLITARY REAPER

William Wordsworth
1. Behold her, single in the field, [see]
2. Yon solitary Highland lass! [yonder, over there] [hill, mountain] [ girl]
3. Reaping and singing by herself; [harvesting, cutting crops]
4. Stop hers, or gently pass! [silently]
5. Alone she cuts and binds the grain,
6. And sings a melancholy strain! [sad, unhappy]
7. O listen! For the vale profound [deep]
8. Is overflowing with the sound.

9. No Nightingale did ever chaunt [a singing bird] [sing]

10. More welcome notes to weary bands [lyrical words] [tired groups of travellers]
11. Of travelers in some shady haunt, [shelters]
12. Among Arabian sands [Arabian deserts]
13. A voice so thrilling ne’er was heard [exciting]
14. In spring-time from the Cuckoo-bird, [a singing bird]
15. Breaking the silence of the seas
16. Among the farthest Hebrides. [A group of islands off the western coast of Scotland]

17. Will no one tell me what she sings?

18. Perhaps the plaintivenumbers flow [sad, melancholic] [songs, lyrical words]
19. For old, unhappy, far-off things, [things of the distant past]
20. And battles long ago
21. Or is it some more humble lay? [modest song]
22. Familiar matter of today?
23. Some natural sorrow, loss or pain.
24. That has been, and may be again!
25. Whate’er the theme, the Maiden sang [a girl]
26. As if her song could have no ending;
27. I saw her singing at her work,
28. And o’er the sickle bending; [A tool with sharp pointed teeth used to cut crops]
29. I listened, motionless and still; [unmoving, stationary]
30. And, as I mounted up the hill, [climbed]
31. The music in my heart I bore [felt]
32. Long after it was heard no more.
MUSIC WHEN SOFT VOICES DIE
PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY
1. Music, when soft voices die [fade, become weak]
2. Vibrates in the memory; [trembles, shudders]
3. Odours, when sweet violets sicken, [fragrances]-[get sick]
4. Live within the sense they quicken. [accelerate]
5. Rose leaves, when the rose is dead
6. Are heaped for the beloved’s bed; [piled up, spread out]
7. And so thy thoughts, when thou art gone, [your]- [are gone]
8. Love itself shall slumber on. [sleep, stay]

LINES FROM ENDYMION

John Keats
1. A thing of beauty is a joy for ever
2. Its loveliness increases; it will never
3. Pass into nothingness; but still will keep
4. A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
5. Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.
6. Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing
7. A flowery band to bind us to the earth,
8. Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth
9. Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,
10. Of all the unhealthy and o'er-darken'd ways
11. Made for our searching yes in spite of all
12. Some shape of beauty moves away the pall
13. From our dark spirits, such the sun, the moon,
14. Trees old and young, sprouting a shady boon
15. For simple sheep; and such are daffodils
16. With the green world they live in; and clear rills
17. That for themselves a cooling covert make
18. ’Gainst the hot season; the mid-forest brake,
19. Rich with a sprinkling of fair musk-rose blooms
20. And such too is the grandeur of the dooms
21. We have imagined for the mighty dead;
22. All lovely tales that we have heard or read;
23. An endless fountain of immortal drink,
24. Pouring unto us from the heaven's brink.
[nothing, nonexistence]
[shady place, shelter]
[quiet/comfortable living]
[new day] - [making, weaving, knitting]
[connect, associate]
[in spite of]-[despair/sadness ]-[shortage]
[murky, dull, dismal, dark]
[object of beauty] - [dark cloth/covering]
[growing, developing]
[stream, rivulet, brook, small river]
[a covering for shelter]
[Against]–[Thick cluster/clump of bushes]
[spreading. dispersing, diffusing]
[brilliance, magnificence] – [deaths]
[heroes or great people who are dead]
[everlasting, eternal, undying]
[edge, bank, verge]
 LINES FROM ULYSSES
Alfred Lord Tennyson
1. My mariners, [sailors]
2. Souls that have toiled, and wrought, and thought with me- [Men] - [laboured] - [accomplished]
3. That ever with a frolic welcome took [joyful]
4. The thunder and the sunshine, and opposed
5. Free hearts, free foreheads you and I are old; [willingly] [bravely]
6. Old age had yet his honour and his toil;
7. Death closes all but something ere the end, [before]
8. Some work of noble note, may yet be done, [work of memorable dignity]
9. Not unbecoming men that strove with Gods. [dishonouring, unfitting] – [struggled hard]
10. The lights begin to twinkle from the rocks
11. The long day wanes the slow moon climbs the deep [fade, vanish] [the sea, the ocean]
12. Moans round with many voices. Come, my friends, [makes sound]
13. 'Tis not too late to seek a newer world. [search for]
14. Push off, and sitting well in order smite [proper order]
15. The sounding furrows; for my purpose holds [noisy] [sea waves]
16. To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths
17. Of all the western stars, until I die. [the waters of the sea to the west side]
18. It may be that the gulfs will wash us down [sea waters] - [drown us]
19. It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles, [the imaginary paradise in Geek mythology]
20. And see the great Achilles, whom we knew. [name of the Mythical Greek hero/
warrior]
21. Though much is taken, much abides; and though [remains, stays]
22. We are not now that strength which in the old days
23. Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are, [took great challenges]
24. One equal-temper of heroic hearts, [same mood, same state of feeling]
25. Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
26. To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield. [search for] [give up, surrender]

THE LOST STAR

Ghulam Ali Allana
1. The cell of my being was small indeed [existence]
2. But there began the infinitude of God [limitlessness, boundlessness]
3. With its endless immensity, [hugeness, quality of being huge]
4. In the mirror of eternity [infinity, endless time]
5. Countless cities and deserts throbbed within me; [pounded, beat]

6. Many constellations shone lustrously [the position of stars as seen from here]-[brightly]
7. I was larger than the world
8. Which I held in the grip of my fingers.

9. What has happened now?

10. Who am I?
11. An insignificant atom [unimportant, trivial]
12. In a chaotic cosmos [disordered] - [universe]
13. Someone has drugged my Soul
14. Another has stolen my Light
15. No longer I am the same I was.
16. I now reason with Truth,
17. Argue with the Irrefutable, [indisputable, undeniable]
18. Blur with doubt the mirror of Reality, [make unclear, confuse]
19. Demolish the Image of the Almighty. [destroy, tear down]

20. I am another man

21. Of the race of the damned; [cursed, unredeemed]
22. I am the dead man
23. And I wander in visionary worlds
24. In search of the Primeval Spark [Godly Spark] …. [primeval = primitive]
25. That lent Light
26. To the Star that I have lost.