THE ROAD NOT TAKEN

01

THE ROAD NOT TAKEN

~Summary~

-by Robert Frost

Stanza- 1

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

JI
And be one traveller, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Explanation: The poet has come into the deep autumnal wood where two roads have
LA
diverged into two ways like a fork. Immediately the poet understands that as a traveller,
travelling both the roads is impossible. Here the two roads symbolise two ways to go in
life. The poet first thought of travelling both the roads and then discarded the idea. Then
he finds himself in dilemma into able to decide about the choice of roads. He found that
the first road has bent in the undergrowth bush). The undergrowth here represents the
unknown world.
A

Stanza- 2

Then took the other, just as fair,

B

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.

Explanation: The poet selects the road that appears at first glance to be less travelled.
This stanza suggests that he has an independent spirit and does not wish to follow the
crowd. After a moment, he changes his mind, concluding that both roads are equally worn
out.

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 THE ROAD NOT TAKEN
01

Stanza- 3

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

JI
Explanation: Leaves cover both roads equally. No one this morning has yet taken either
path, for the leaves lie undisturbed. This symbolises that the choices in life open to the
poet are both unknown to him. The poet remains committed to his decision to take the
road he had previously selected, saying that he will save the other road for another day.
This symbolises that he will make the other choice in life only if he is not satisfied with the
results of the first choice. He observes, that he will probably never pass this way again, as
LA
one path leads to another, and thus will never have an opportunity to take the other road.
This symbolises that he will not be able to take the second choice in life at all.

Stanza- 4

I shall be telling this with a sight

A
Somewhere ages and ages hence;
Two roads diverged in a wood and I
I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference.
B

Explanation: In years to come, the poet says, he will be telling others about the choice he
made, meaning that he will talk about what decision in life he took. While doing so, he will
sigh, either with relief that he made the right choice, or with regret that he made the wrong
choice. Whether right or wrong, the choice will have had a significant impact on his life.

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 THE ROAD NOT TAKEN
01

Conclusion of The Road Not Taken

The poem’s concludes with “…..and that has made all the difference.”. The concluding lines
conveys that the decision taken make all the differences. Meaning, right or wrong decisions
at life’s stage have huge bearing in shaping the individual’s life.

JI
LA
A
B

(3)
 THE ROAD NOT TAKEN
01

NCERT SOLUTIONS
Questions (Page No. 16)
(Thinking about the Poem)
I.

Question 1. Where does the traveler find himself? What problem does he face?

Answer: The traveler finds himself at a point in the woods where two roads diverge.

JI
The problem is that he cannot travel both the roads and thus he has to choose one between
them.

Question 2. Discuss what these phrases mean to you.

i. a yellow wood
LA
ii. it was grassy and wanted wear
iii. the passing there
iv. leaves no step had trodden black
v. how way leads on to way

Answer:
A
i. The phrase “a yellow wood” indicates a forest during the autumn season.
ii. The phrase “it was grassy and wanted wear” means that the road was full of grass as it has
been less travelled. It wanted people to walk on it so that it can wear out.
iii. The phrase “the passing there” refers to walking on that road.
B

iv. “Leaves no step had trodden black” indicates that the fallen leaves had not been crushed
under the feet of the travelers.
v. The phrase “how way leads on to way” means that one road leads to another. So once the
poet has made a choice between the two roads, he wonders if he will ever be able to come
on the same divergence and choose the other one.

Question 3. Is there any difference between the two roads as the poet describes them:

i. in stanzas two and three?

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 THE ROAD NOT TAKEN
01

ii. in the last two lines of the poem?

Answer:

i. No, there is no difference between the two roads as the poet describes them in stanzas
two and three as he says “the passing there had worn them really about the same” and
that “equally lay in leaves no step had trodden black…”
ii. In the last two lines of the poem, the poet indicates a difference between the two roads
as he says that he took the road that was less travelled by and that has made a huge
difference in his journey.

JI
Question 4. What do you think the last two lines of the poem mean? (Looking back, does the poet
regret his choice or accept it?)

Answer: The last two lines of the poem talk about taking a decision and accepting its
consequences- good or bad. The poet chose the road that was less travelled by, which indicates
LA
he took a decision that people would not take generally.

He says in the last line of the poem that his choice of taking the road less travelled by has made
all the difference. He does not seem to regret his choice.

II.

Question 1. Have you ever had to make a difficult choice (or do you think you will have difficult
A
choices to make)? How will you make the choice (for what reasons)?

Answer: We all make choices on a daily basis. But I have not had to make a difficult choice till
date.
B

I will have to face challenges in the years to come as I grow up. Then, I will have to make difficult
choices. I will have to choose my profession, my area of interest, etc.

I think when such a situation will come, I will not just follow the herd. I will think it through and
just like the poet, if required, I will take up the unexplored paths.

Question 2. After you have made a choice do you always think about what might have been, or
do you accept the reality?

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 THE ROAD NOT TAKEN
01

Answer: There is no point in regretting or thinking about what might have been. Such thoughts
will always keep us in the hold of past and never let us see the benefits of the choices we made.
Accepting reality is the best way to overcome any situation.

JI
LA
A
B

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 WIND
02

WIND
~Summary~

-by Subramania Bharati

Stanza- 1

Wind, come softly.

Don't break the shutters of the windows.

JI
Don't scatter the papers.
Don't throw down the books on the shelf.

Explanation: The poet makes request to the wind, asking it not to blow so strongly that it
breaks down the shutters of the windows, as they separate man from the stormy
LA
environment outside. So he is asking the wind for protection. He also asks the wind not to
scatter the papers in his room, or to throw down the books from his bookshelves with its
force.

Stanza- 2
A

There, look what you did - you threw them all down.
You tore the pages of the books.
You brought rain again.
B

Explanation: Here the poet accuses the wind of blowing too strongly and creating the
mess in his room with the books thrown down from the shelves and their pages torn. He
sees outside and tells the wind that it has brought rain with it again.

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 WIND
02

Stanza- 3

You're very clever at poking fun at weaklings.

Frail crumbling houses, crumbling doors, crumbling rafters,
crumbling wood, crumbling bodies, crumbling lives,
crumbling hearts –
the wind god winnows and crushes them all.

JI
Explanation: Now the poet speaks in a subdued tone to the wind, saying that it makes
mischief whenever it encounters anyone who is too meek humble and mild to protest
against its actions. It tears down doors, rafters and even entire wooden houses altogether
leaving people without shelter from the harsh world outside. This is an idiom implying that
the troubles we face in life come as suddenly as the wind, and also leave suddenly. As the
LA
poet says, the wind can ear down weak bodies and fragile hearts. That is, difficulties in life
can lead to a loss of hope, as well as a loss of life. Thus, it is all up to the wind god, says the
poet.

Stanza- 4
A
He won't do what you tell him.
So, come, let's build strong homes,
Let's join the doors firmly.
Practice to firm the body.
B

Make the heart steadfast.

Do this, and the wind will be friends with us.

Explanation: The poet now speaks to the readers, saying that the wind does not listen to
anybody and its actions are governed by it alone. To escape its harmful effects, we should
build our homes on a strong foundation and ensure that their doors cannot be easily
penetrated get access to) by the wind. Also, we must train our bodies and our hearts to
combat and resist face the ill-effects of the wind. If we are able to do this, then we will no
longer consider the wind an enemy. Instead the wind will invite us to become its friend.

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 WIND
02

This is an idiom meaning that if we make our character strong, we will be able to combat
any troubles easily. However, if our character is weak, the troubles will create problems
for us.

Stanza- 5

The wind blows out weak fires.

JI
He makes strong fires roar and flourish.
His friendship is good.
We praise him everyday.

Explanation: Here the poet describes how the wind has both bad effects and good effects.
The bad effect is that it can blow out a weak fire. However, if the fire is burning strongly,
LA
then the wind will make it burn fiercer, thus nurturing what is already strong. The poet
comes to the conclusion that if we are strong, then the wind is a good friend for us to have,
as it will increase our strength. This is an idiom meaning that all troubles that we face in
life will strengthen us further if our characters are strong However, we will be seriously
affected by troubles if our characters are weak. He also says that we should sing our
devotion to the wind god on a daily basis meaning that we should happily face any troubles
in our lives.
A

Conclusion of the Wind

The poem gives us a very important message that we should not feel bad that we are facing
so many challenges and hardships in life. Instead, we should make ourselves mentally and
B

physically strong to face challenges.

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 WIND
02

NCERT SOLUTIONS
Questions (Page No. 31)
(Thinking about the Poem)
I. Question 1. What are the things the wind does in the first stanza?

Answer: The wind breaks the shutters of the windows, scatters the papers, throws down the
books on the shelf, tears the pages of the books and brings the rain.

JI
Question 2. Have you seen anybody winnow grain at home or in a paddy field? What is the word
in your language for winnowing? What do people use for winnowing? (Give the words in your
language, if you know them.)

Answer: Yes, I have seen my grandmother winnowing grain at home. “Fatakna” is the word in my
LA
language Hindi for ‘winnowing’. Winnowing basket is used for winnowing.

Question 3. What does the poet say the wind god winnows?

Answer: The poet says that the wind god winnows crumbling houses, doors, rafters, wood,
bodies, lives and hearts and then crushes them all.

Question 4. What should we do to make friends with the wind?

A
Answer: To make friends with the wind, we should build strong homes and doors. We should
strengthen our bodies and make the heart steadfast.

Question 5. What do the last four lines of the poem mean to you?
B

Answer: The last four lines give a very powerful message. They say that the wind that blows weak
fires is the same wind that makes strong fires flourish.

This implies that the weak people are broken by forces but the people who are strong are
strengthened by those forces. So, the friendship with the wind or a strong force is good. We have
to just stay strong mentally as well as physically.

Question 6. How does the poet speak to the wind — in anger or with humor? You must also have
seen or heard of the wind “crumbling lives”. What is your response to this? Is it like the poet’s?

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 WIND
02

Answer: The poet speaks to the wind with humor. He says that the wind crashes houses, doors,
rafters, wood, bodies and lives. He says that it breaks the shutters of the windows and scatters
the papers. But at the same time he also points out that the wind brings rain. He tells the readers
that we must become powerful and build strong houses because the wind only damages weak
things.

Yes, I too have seen the wind crumbling lives on the news channels. Winds bring massive
destruction sometimes. It uproots weak trees and even claims lives of people. But as the poet
says, we must try to be more powerful and build powerful structures.

JI
II. Question 1. The poem you have just read is originally in Tamil. Do you know any such poems
in your language?

Answer: Yes, I have read such a poem in my language Hindi by the name “Toofan”.
LA
A
B

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 RAIN ON THE ROOF
03

RAIN ON THE ROOF

~Summary~

-by Coates Kinney

Stanza- 1

When the humid shadows hover

Over all the starry spheres,

JI
And the melancholy darkness
Gently weeps in rainy tears,
What a bliss to press the pillow
Of a cottage-chamber bed,
And lie listening to the patter
Of the soft rain overhead!
LA
Explanation: In this stanza, the poet says that stars of the sky are not visible, being
covered by clouds. He says that the darkness is making him sad and reflective and the rain
also seems to mirror his emotions as it looks like tears falling softly from human eyes. The
only thing that can bring joy to the poet is to curl up with a pillow in the bed of a rural
cottage. Though the rooms of the cottage may be small and ill-equipped, the sound of
raindrops can enable him to recover from his sad and gloomy mood.
A

Stanza- 2
B

Every tinkle on the shingles

Has an echo in the heart;
And a thousand dreamy fancies
Into busy being start,
And a thousand recollections
Weave their air-threads into woof,
As I listen to the patter
Of the rain upon the roof.

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 RAIN ON THE ROOF
03

Explanation: In this stanza, the poet describes how the raindrops make a tinkling sound
as they fall on the shingles of the roof. Each sound made by the rain is repeated the next
instant by the beating of his heart. What he has only been imagining till now starts
appearing before his eyes. As he is listening to the soft and continuous falling of the
raindrops on his roof, all his memories come back to him, but they are not discrete and
separated from each other. Instead, these memories have formed a patchwork by
becoming entwined with one another. The memories are large in numbers and have
formed a cluster in his mind.

JI
Stanza- 3

Now in memory comes my mother,

As she used in years agone,
To regard the darling dreamers,
LA
Ere she left them till the dawn:
O! I feel her fond look on me
As I list to this refrain
Which is played upon the shingles
By the patter of the rain.

Explanation: In this stanza, the poet describes the first memory that he can actually
A
identify among the patchwork of his memories. He remembers that during his childhood,
his mother used to look at him and his siblings as they were sleeping and having pleasant
dreams. His mother would make a point to look at them every night, for she knew she
would not see them again till the next morning. His mother would bend down and watch
B

over him in particular. These memories are evoked as he listens to the repetitive rhythm
of the raindrops as they are falling on his roof.

Conclusion of Rain on the Roof

In this poem, whenever the poet hears the pattering sound on his rooftop he remembers
sweet memories of his childhood especially one that relates to his mother.

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 RAIN ON THE ROOF
03

NCERT SOLUTIONS
Questions (Page No. 42)
(Thinking about the Poem)
I. Question 1. What do the following phrases mean to you? Discuss in class.

i. humid shadows
ii. starry spheres
iii. what a bliss

JI
iv. a thousand dreamy fancies into busy being start
v. a thousand recollections weave their air-threads into woof

Answer:

i.
ii.
LA
humid shadows: humid shadows refer to the dark clouds that cover the sky and bring rain
starry spheres: it refers to the sky that is usually full of stars
iii. what a bliss: bliss means happiness. Here the poet says that it is such a happy moment
when one listens to the patter of the rain overhead.
iv. a thousand dreamy fancies into busy being start: It refers to the several thoughts and
fantasies that surround the poet when he listens to the patter of the rain.
v. a thousand recollections weave their air-threads into woof- it means that poet feels as if
his old memories are being woven in front of him.
A
Question 2. What does the poet like to do when it rains?

Answer: The poet likes to press his head into the pillow of his cottage chamber bed and listen to
the patter of the soft rain overhead.
B

Question 3. What is the single major memory that comes to the poet? Who are the “darling
dreamers” he refers to?

Answer: The single major memory that comes to the poet is of his mother and her fond look on
the poet.

Darling dreamers that the poet refers to are the poet and his siblings who were sent to sleep by
the poet’s mother every day.

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 RAIN ON THE ROOF
03

Question 4. Is the poet now a child? Is his mother still alive?

Answer: No, the poet is now a grown up man. His mother is not alive anymore.

II. Question 1. When you were a young child, did your mother tuck you in, as the poet’s did?

Answer: Yes, when I was a young child, my mother tucked me in. She would sing me lullabies and
send me to sleep.

Question 2. Do you like rain? What do you do when it rains steadily or heavily as described in the

JI
poem?

Answer: Yes, I like when it rains. When it rains heavily, I like to listen to the patter of the rain on
the overhead and to look at the drops falling on the leaves of the plants.

Question 3. Does everybody have a cozy bed to lie in when it rains? Look around you and describe
LA
how different kinds of people or animals spend time, seek shelter etc. during rain.

Answer: No, not everyone is fortunate enough to have a cozy bed to lie in when it rains. Poor
people who do not have a shelter to protect themselves from the rain. They wander here and
there to find a place where they can stand under the tin roofs or trees. People who were out of
their homes try to rush back towards their homes as soon as possible. Animals try to find places
to save themselves from getting wet during rain.
A
B

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 THE LAKE ISLE OF INNISFREE
04

THE LAKE ISLE OF INNISFREE

~Summary~

-by WB Yeast

Stanza- 1

I will arise and go now,

and go to Innisfree,

JI
And a small cabin build there,
of clay and wattles made:
Nine bean-rows will I have there,
a hive for the honeybee,

Explanation: The poem starts with the poet saying that he will wake up and go to the
LA
island of Innisfree. He compares his life in the city to sleep. When he wakes up and
becomes conscious, he will be transported away from the sedentary non -active city life to
a life of activity in a rural area. In particular, the poet mentions two activities that he would
like to engage in-physical labour i.e. building a cabin and planting nine rows of beans and
beekeeping. He wishes to live alone where buzzing sound of the bees will fill the entire
environment.
A

Stanza- 2
B

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight's all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evenings full of the linnet's wings.

Explanation: In this stanza, the poet says that his life on the island of Innisfree will be
peaceful. He especially connects peacefulness with the early morning. Peace will come to
him readily as morning comes, and he wakes up to the sound of crickets chirping. He

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 THE LAKE ISLE OF INNISFREE
04

compares the morning to a woman who is veiled. This means that, when the Sun rises,
morning drops her veil of darkness and brings peace upon the rural setting of Innisfree.
The poet also likes midnight, with the stars shining brightly in the sky. He also likes noon,
as well as evening. which is full of the sound of the linnet birds' melodious song.

Stanza- 3

JI
I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear the lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,
I hear it in the deep heart's core.
LA
Explanation: In this stanza, the poet makes a resolution that he will go to Innisfree just
now because Innisfree is never out of his mind. Throughout the day and the night, he can
only hear one sound in his mind that of the water reaching the shore of the island of
Innisfree at a calm pace and creating a soft lapping sound. He hears this sound deep within
his own heart as he goes about his life in the urban setting of roadways and pavements.
This urban setting contains none of the colours that make Innisfree beautiful; instead it
appears grey and boring.
A

Conclusion of the Lake Isle of Innisfree

In this poem, the poet wants to go to Innisfree where he can live freely in his cabin.
B

However, the present situation of the poet is just the opposite of what he wants. Overall,
in the poem, the poet wants peace which according to him, can only find it near the lake
of Innisfree.

(2)
 THE LAKE ISLE OF INNISFREE
04

NCERT SOLUTIONS
Questions (Page No. 42)
(Thinking about the Poem)
I. Question 1. What kind of place is Innisfree? Think about:

i. the three things the poet wants to do when he goes back there (stanza I);
ii. what he hears and sees there and its effect on him (stanza II);
iii. what he hears in his “heart’s core” even when he is far away from Innisfree (stanza III).

JI
Answer: Innisfree is a beautiful place where poet has spent a lot of time as a boy.

i. The three things the poet wants to do when he goes back to Innisfree are:
– he wants to build a small cabin of clay and wattles.
LA
– he wants to have nine bean-rows there
– he wants to have a hive for the honeybee

ii. He hears the cricket sing and sees the midnight glimmer with beauty. He sees the sky
glowing purple at noon. He watches the evenings full of the linnet’s wings.

All of these have a positive effect on him and he feels very peaceful.

iii. He hears the lake water lapping by the shore at low sounds in his “heart’s core” even when
A
he is far away from Innisfree.

Question 2. By now you may have concluded that Innisfree is a simple, natural place, full of
beauty and peace. How does the poet contrast it with where he now stands? (Read stanza III.)
B

Answer: The poet contrasts the natural beauty of Innisfree with the roadways and grey
pavements of the city he now lives in. “Grey” pavements show the lack of colours and liveliness
of the place.

Question 3. Do you think Innisfree is only a place, or a state of mind? Does the poet actually miss
the place of his boyhood days?

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 THE LAKE ISLE OF INNISFREE
04

Answer: Yes, I think Innisfree is a place in reality. The poet actually misses the place of his
boyhood days spent in the natural beauty of Innisfree. He gets reminded of the low sounds of
the lake water lapping by the shore.

II. Question 1. Look at the words the poet uses to describe what he sees and hears at Innisfree

i. bee-loud glade
ii. evenings full of the linnet’s wings
iii. lake water lapping with low sounds

JI
What pictures do these words create in your mind?

Answer:

i. bee-loud glade creates a picture of a place in a forest that is filled with the soft buzzing
sound of honeybees.
ii.
LA
evenings full of the linnet’s wings creates an image of a red-orange sky that is full of linnets.
Linnets are beautiful birds that add up to the scenic beauty of a place when they flutter
their wings and fly.
iii. lake water lapping with low sounds lets us take a dive into the peaceful scenario where the
water of the lake is flowing and producing soothing sound.

Question 2. Look at these words;

A
… peace comes dropping slow

Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings
B

What do these words mean to you? What do you think “comes dropping slow…from the veils of
the morning”? What does “to where the cricket sings” mean?

Answer: These words mean that one can attain peace slowly and gradually.

Peace is what comes dropping slow from the veils of the morning.

The poet says that peace and serenity spread gradually from the rising morning sky to the ground
where the cricket sings.

(4)
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 A LEGEND OF THE NORTHLAND
05

A LEGEND OF THE NORTHLAND

~Summary~

-by Phoebe Cary

Stanza- 1 & 2

Away, away in the Northland,

Where the hours of the day are few,
And the nights are so long in winter

JI
That they cannot sleep them through;
Where they harness the swift reindeer
To the sledges, when it snows;
And the children look like bear's cubs
In their funny, furry clothes:
LA
Explanation: Here the poet introduces the place from which her story is derived, which is
the 'Northland where the days are short, and nights are long in winter. It is so cold in that
season that people cannot sleep comfortably the whole night, and often woke up. As the
nights are very long, they are also not able to sleep the entire night. When the snow falls,
people like to go sledging by tying reindeers to their sledges to pull them. Because of the
cold, children wear heavy woollen and fur clothes that cover them up fully and make them
look like bear cubs.
A

Stanza- 3 & 4
B

They tell them a curious story

I don't believe 'tis true;
And yet you may learn a lesson
If I tell the tale to you.
Once, when the good Saint Peter
Lived in the world below,
And walked about it, preaching,
Just as he did, you know,

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 A LEGEND OF THE NORTHLAND
05

Explanation: Parents in the Northland tell their children a story. Although, the poet does
not think the story is true, it should be told, nonetheless, because it teaches children an
important lesson. Then the poet begins to tell the story. The story is about Saint Peter as
he travelled around the world preaching the word of God.

Stanza- 5 & 6

He came to the door of a cottage,

JI
In travelling round the earth,
Where a little woman was making cakes,
And baking them on the hearth;
And being faint with fasting,
For the day was almost done,
He asked her, from her store of cakes,
LA
To give him a single one.

Explanation: Saint Peter came to a woman's house in the Northland just when she was
baking cakes in her fireplace for herself. Saint Peter's body was pale and tired at the end
of a long day, during which he had been fasting. To sustain himself, he asked the woman
to give him only one of the many cakes that she was baking.
A

Stanza- 7 & 8
B

So she made a very little cake,

But as it baking lay,
She looked at it, and thought it seemed
Too large to give away.
Therefore she kneaded another,
And still a smaller one;
But it looked, when she turned it over,
As large as the first had done.

(3)
 A LEGEND OF THE NORTHLAND
05

Explanation: So the woman baked a very small cake, but before she could give it to Saint
Peter, she started thinking that it was too big to just be given away like that. So the woman
went on to make an even smaller cake, but this also looked as big as the first one to her.

Stanza- 9 & 10

Then she took a tiny scrap of dough,

JI
And rolled and rolled it flat;
And baked it thin as a wafer
But she couldn't part with that.
For she said, "My cakes that seem too small
When I eat of them myself
Are yet too large to give away."
LA
So she put them on the shelf.

Explanation: In her third attempt to make a cake so small that she wouldn't mind giving
it away, she took an extremely small lump of dough, and when she rolled out the dough,
her cake was as flat and thin as a wafer. However, she couldn't even bear to give that small
cake away. The woman said that the cakes that seemed small when she herself ate them,
were all too big to be donated for free. As a result, she ended up keeping all the cakes on
the shelf and not giving any to Saint Peter.
A

Stanza- 11 & 12
B

Then good Saint Peter grew angry,

For he was hungry and faint;
And surely such a woman
Was enough to provoke a saint.
And he said, "You are far too selfish
To dwell in a human form,
To have both food and shelter,
And fire to keep you warm.

(4)
 A LEGEND OF THE NORTHLAND
05

Explanation: This angered Saint Peter because he was hungry and weak and needed some
food. It is not easy to anger a saint, but the selfish woman had been able to do so. So, Saint
Peter put a curse on the selfish woman, telling her she did not deserve to have such
comforts of human life like a warm fire, a house to live in and good food to eat whenever
she wanted.

Stanza- 13 & 14

JI
Now, you shall build as the birds do,
And shall get your scanty food
By boring, and boring, and boring,
All day in the hard, dry wood."
Then up she went through the chimney,
LA
Never speaking a word,
And out of the top flew a woodpecker,
For she was changed to a bird.

Explanation: Saint Peter cursed the woman that she would have to build her own nest
like birds do, and must dig holes into hard, dry wood to get food to feed herself. The
woman went up the chimney of her house, being speechless, and had turned into a
woodpecker. This woodpecker could be seen flying out of the top of the chimney.
A

Stanza- 15 & 16
B

She had a scarlet cap on her head,

And that was left the same;
But all the rest of her clothes were burned
Black as a coal in the flame.
And every country schoolboy
Has seen her in the wood,
Where she lives in the trees till this very day,
Boring and boring for food.

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 A LEGEND OF THE NORTHLAND
05

Explanation: As the woman had been wearing a red cap in human form, as a woodpecker
her head was still the same shade of red in colour However, all the clothes she had been
wearing seemed to have been burnt and had become black, and that is what the colour of
the woodpecker's body was. The poet says that every schoolboy living in the villages had
seen this woodpecker and that she still digs into the bark of trees looking for worms and
insects to feed on.

JI
Conclusion of A legend of the Northland
By, a legend of the Northland summary the poet wants to say that when you have
something then share it with others. And don’t be selfish and greedy.
LA
A
B

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 A LEGEND OF THE NORTHLAND
05

NCERT SOLUTIONS
Questions (Page No. 67)
(Thinking about the Poem)
I. Question 1. Which country or countries do you think “the Northland” refers to?

Answer: The “Northland” may refer to any of the countries among Greenland, Norway, Russia,
Canada, etc.

JI
Question 2. What did Saint Peter ask the old lady for? What was the lady’s reaction?

Answer: Saint Peter asked the old lady for a piece of cake.

She was very selfish and kept reducing the size of the cake as to her it seemed too big to give
away.
LA
Question 3. How did he punish her?

Answer: He cursed her to become a woodpecker as a punishment for being so selfish.

Question 4. How does the woodpecker get her food?

Answer: The woodpecker needs to bore all day in the hard, dry wood to get itself some food.
A

Question 5. Do you think that the old lady would have been so ungenerous if she had known who
Saint Peter really was? What would she have done then?
B

Answer: I don’t think the old lady would have been so ungenerous if she had known who Saint
Peter really was. She would have given him as large a piece of cake so that she could please him
in order to get rewarded.

Question 6. Is this a true story? Which part of this poem do you feel is the most important?

Answer: No, this is not a true story. It is a legend.

The part of the poem that, according to me, is the most important is:

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 A LEGEND OF THE NORTHLAND
05

And he said, “You are far too selfish

To dwell in a human form,

To have both food and shelter,

And fire to keep you warm.

This shows that we must do go things for humanity as we are capable of doing so in our human
form. We should have gratitude for having food, shelter and fire. We should be generous to

JI
people.

Question 7. What is a legend? Why is this poem called a legend?

Answer: A legend is a folklore that is believed to be true by tellers and listeners but it has not
been proven to have happened. It usually imparts some morals or message.
LA
This poem is called a legend because it also imparts the message of generosity.

Question 8. Write the story of ‘A Legend of the Northland’ in about ten sentences.

Answer: A Legend of the Northland

Once, Saint Peter was feeling very hungry and he asked for alms from an old lady. He asked if she
A
could give him a piece of cake to eat. The lady was very selfish. She kept reducing the size of the
cake as she felt that the size of the cake was too big to be given away as alms. At last she did not
give him any cake.
B

Saint Peter grew angry and cursed her to become a woodpecker. He said that from now on, she
will have to bore dry, hard wood in order to get food. All her clothes got burnt in the chimney
and till this day, woodpeckers bore all day long for food and water.

II. Question 1. Let’s look at the words at the end of the second and fourth lines, viz., ‘snows’ and
‘clothes’, ‘true’ and ‘you’, ‘below’ and ‘know.’ We find that ‘snows’ rhymes with ‘clothes’, ‘true’
rhymes with ‘you’ and ‘below’ rhymes with ‘know’.

Find more such rhyming words.

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 A LEGEND OF THE NORTHLAND
05

Answer: Here are more such rhyming words from the poem:

earth-hearth, done-one, lay-away, flat-that, myself-shelf, faint-saint, form-warm, food-wood,

word-bird and same-flame.

Question 2. Go to the local library or talk to older persons in your locality and find legends in your
own language. Tell the class these legends.

Answer: Do it yourself.

JI
LA
A
B

(9)
 NO MEN ARE FOREIGN
06

NO MEN ARE FOREIGN

~Summary~

-by James Kirkup

Stanza- 1

Remember, no men are strange, no countries foreign

JI
Beneath all uniforms, a single body breathes
Like ours: the land our brothers walk upon
Is earth like this, in which we all shall lie.

Explanation: The poet says that no person is stranger to us. There is nothing like a person
LA
being strange, who is not from our area or not from our native place. There is nothing like
a country to be a foreign one that is not ours. There may be a difference in the way we eat,
the way we talk and the way we dress ourselves but all these things still count to
uniformity. We all are human beings. We may belong to different religions or castes, we
may have different colours, we may speak different languages but above all these, we are
only human beings. All the differences don't matter as we are brothers. We share a
common land upon which we all walk, we all do our respective work, we all live and survive.
At the end of our lives, we all shall lie on the same earth.
A

Stanza- 2
B

They, too, aware of sun and air and water,

Are fed by peaceful harvests, by war's long winter starv'd.
Their hands are ours, and in their lines we read,
A labour not different from our own.

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 NO MEN ARE FOREIGN
06

Explanation: In this stanza, the poet says that they, whom we call strangers or foreigners,
also use the sun, air and water as we do. They too are aware of them and there is no
difference in the way we use them. Thereby, the poet asserts that there is no foreigner
among us. They get the crops and their eatables from the field as we do. They like peace
as we do. During the war, even they have to face hardships and they die due to starvation
as we would have. So, there is nothing like foreigners because all the things go parallel.
They use their powers of hands to get the things done, as we do. Like us, they also speak
to communicate with one another. So, where does the strangeness lie? Where do the
foreigners lie? We are similar in every respect. Therefore, the poet stresses that there is
nothing as to be called strange or foreign.

JI
Stanza- 3 LA
Remember they have eyes like ours that wake
Or sleep, and strength that can be won
By love. In every land is common life
That all can recognise and understand.

Explanation: In this stanza, the poet says that how can someone be a stranger or a country
be foreign with so much of similarity. He says that all of them, whom we call strangers,
A
have eyes like that of ours. They too see the world like us. They too follow the course of
earth everyday and sleep as well as wake-up. They too are sensitive like us. They have
strength like us. They are courteous to love and sympathy, like us and even they can be
won by it. Even they submit themselves to the lovely feelings. Over all, we can see that
there is no difference in the way we live. Wherever we go, life has a similar mechanism,
B

which is easily identifiable and can be understood with much ease. Summing up all these,
the poet is right in saying that no men are strange and no country is foreign.

Stanza- 4

Let us remember, whenever we are told

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 NO MEN ARE FOREIGN
06

To hate our brother, it is ourselves

That we shall dispossess, betray, condemn.
Remember, we who take arms against each other

Explanation: The poet has proved the fact that there is nothing like strange or foreign.
Everything has a similar frame. We all are same and nothing is there that can be used to
prove dissimilarity. Still, there are some people among us, who disapprove of it, who try to
break the feeling of brotherhood by provoking one against the other and destroying social
as well as global harmony. These few people excite us to take the arms against our

JI
brothers, to hate them and to kill them. And, if we, in the fit of that provoking, do
something wrong to our brothers, then we are harming our own spirits only. We are
abusing our own serenity Peace. Our brothers, whom we should align, are subjected to the
misdeeds that we do to them. We just degrade our own charm and this is a slap on the
face of humanity. So, the poet says not to commit any such wrong deed and not to degrade
humanity.
LA
Stanza- 5

It is the human earth that we defile.

Our hells of fire and dust outrage the innocence
A
Of air that is everywhere our own,
Remember, no men are foreign, and no countries strange.

Explanation: The poet further says that taking arms against our brothers not only pollutes
B

our spirit but it also pollutes the whole earth we live upon. The hatred, jealousy inside our
heart surpasses the good qualities and the innocence of the people. Whatever we do, in
the state of provocation, is never justified and we make the surrounding polluted with our
misdeeds. In the impression of strangeness and foreigners, we commit a grave mistake.
We must not do any of the blunders under the pseudo (false)-impression of possession
and self.

(3)
 NO MEN ARE FOREIGN
06

Conclusion of No Men are Foreign Summary

No Men are Foreign summary wants to say that we should not indulge in war. Also, we all
are the same in every way.

JI
LA
A
B

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 NO MEN ARE FOREIGN
06

NCERT SOLUTIONS
Questions (Page No. 81)
(Thinking about the Poem)
Question 1.

i. “Beneath all uniforms…” What uniforms do you think the poet is speaking about?
ii. How does the poet suggest that all people on earth are the same?

JI
Answer:

i. The poet is speaking about the various kinds of dresses and outfits people wear.
ii. The poet says that the uniforms (outfits) must be different but there is a human body
beneath those uniforms and all of us will lie in the same earth when we die.
LA
Question 2. In stanza 1, find five ways in which we all are alike. Pick out the words.

Answer: The poet points out five ways in which we are all alike. Here are the words from the
poem:

– no men are strange

– no countries foreign
A
– a single body breathes
– the land our brothers walk upon (the same planet)
– (the same earth) in which we all shall lie

Question 3. How many common features can you find in stanza 2? Pick out the words.
B

Answer: Following are the common features which we can find in stanza 2:

– aware of sun and air and water – which means all humans have the need and awareness
of the sun, water and air)
– fed by peaceful harvests – all humans are fed by peacefully harvested food and grains
– Their hands are ours, – they too have hands similar to ours
– in their lines we read a labour not different from our own – their hands also show the hard
work and labor they perform

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 NO MEN ARE FOREIGN
06

Question 4. “…whenever we are told to hate our brothers…” When do you think this happens?
Why? Who ‘tells’ us? Should we do as we are told at such times? What does the poet say?

Answer: We are told to hate other humans from different country, religion or social group during
wars and fights. These are told by selfish people who want wars and revenge instead of peace.
They instill bad thoughts and feelings for other humans for their own benefit and cause riots. No,
we should not do as told at such times. We should try to make the world more peaceful.

The poet says that we should always remember that the people we are told to fight against are
also human beings like us. We are all the same. There is no foreign land and there are no ‘foreign’

JI
men.

LA
A
B

(6)
 THE DUCK AND THE KANGAROO
07

THE DUCK AND THE KANGAROO

~Summary~

-by Edward Lear

Stanza- 1

Said the Duck to the Kangaroo.

JI
"Good gracious! how you hop!
Over the fields and the water too,
As if you never would stop!
My life is a bore in this nasty pond,
And I long to go out in the world beyond!
I wish I could hop like you!"
LA
Said the Duck to the Kangaroo.

Explanation: In this stanza, the poet describes the talk between a Duck and his friend
Kangaroo. The Duck told his friend Kangaroo that he was amazed at his ability to hop over
the fields and water bodies. He says that hopping appears to be never ending. The Duck
further said that he had been bored with his life in that pond. He had a strong desire to go
out to the world that lies beyond that pond. He expressed his inability to hop like the
A
Kangaroo. Due to his inability, he was very sad.
B

Stanza- 2

"Please give me a ride on your back!"

Said that Duck to the Kangaroo.
"I would sit quite still, and say nothing but
'Quack', The whole of the long day through!
And we'd go to the Dee, and the Jelly Bo Lee.
Over the land, and over the sea;
Please take me a ride! O do!"

(1)
 THE DUCK AND THE KANGAROO
07

Said the Duck to the Kangaroo.

Explanation: In this stanza, the poet further elaborates the conversation between the
Duck and the Kangaroo. The Duck is requesting the Kangaroo to allow him to have a ride
on his back to see the whole world. He added that he would sit still and say nothing but
quack. Throughout the day, they would visit many places, which are beautiful and pleasing.
They had planned to go over the field and over the seas. The Duck wished to go to
imaginative places 'Dee' and the 'Jelly Bo Lee'. Saying all these, the Duck again put the
request before the Kangaroo to allow him a ride on his back.

JI
Stanza- 3

Said the Kangaroo to the Duck,

LA
"This requires some little reflection;
Perhaps on the whole it might bring me luck,
And there seems but one objection,
Which is, if you'll let me speak so bold,
Your feet are unpleasantly wet and cold,
And would probably give me the roo -
Matiz!" said the Kangaroo.
A

Explanation: In this stanza, the poet has come out with the reply of the Kangaroo for the
request made by the Duck. The continuous pleading of the Duck forced the Kangaroo to
accept it. The Kangaroo thought that journey may bring good fortune to him. The Kangaroo
B

told the Duck that there is a need of consideration so that there may be an ease in making
the journey possible and favourable. The Kangaroo put an objection before the Duck saying
that he would state his objection only if the Duck allowed him to say so. The objection of
the Kangaroo was the unpleasantly wet and cold feet of the Duck. If the Kangaroo allowed
the duck, with the cold feet, to ride his back, then he might catch cold for sure. The
Kangaroo, thus, put his objection very clearly.

(2)
 THE DUCK AND THE KANGAROO
07

Stanza- 4

Said the Duck, "As I sat on the rocks,

I have thought over that completely,
And I bought four pairs of worsted socks
Which fit my web-feet neatly.
And to keep out the cold I've bought a cloak,
And every day a cigar I'll smoke,

JI
All to follow my own dear true
Love of a Kangaroo!"

Explanation: The stanza describes the situation after the objection of the Kangaroo to
give a ride on his back. The Duck came up with its solution. He told Kangaroo that he had
LA
thought about it in detail when he was sitting over the rocks. He told the Kangaroo that he
had bought some pairs of worsted fine smooth yarn) socks and a cloak to protect the
Kangaroo from getting cold. The socks would keep his web-like feet dry which is always
damp and the clock will provide him warmth. Also, he had decided to smoke a cigar so that
he could keep himself warmer. He told Kangaroo that since he loved him, therefore he was
already prepared with all this so that comfort could be ensured.
A
Stanza- 5

Said the Kangaroo, "I'm ready!

B

All in the moonlight pale;

But to balance me well, dear Duck, sit steady!
And quite at the end of my tail!"
So away they went with a hop and a bound,
And they hopped the whole world three times round;
And who so happy - who,
As the Duck and the Kangaroo?

(3)
 THE DUCK AND THE KANGAROO
07

Explanation: In the last stanza, the poet describes the journey covered by the Duck and
the Kangaroo. The Kangaroo told the Duck that they would start their journey on the day
with moonlight. The Kangaroo issued some advice to the Duck that he should sit steady at
the end of his tail in order to balance his hop properly. With all the preparations and
instruction, the two went on their journey to the world. They went round the whole world
three times. In the end, the poet leaves us with a question that which of the two-the Duck
and the Kangaroo, would have been happier?

JI
Conclusion of The Duck and the Kangaroo
The Duck and the Kangaroo Summary teaches about the importance and value of
friendship. LA
A
B

(4)
 ON KILLING A TREE
08

ON KILLING A TREE
~Summary~

-by Gieve Patel

Stanza- 1

It takes much time to kill a tree

JI
Upon its crust, absorbing
Not a simple jab of the knife
Years of sunlight, air, water,
Will do it. It has grown
And out of its leprous hide
Slowly consuming the earth,
LA
Sprouting leaves.
Rising out of it, feeding

Explanation: In this stanza, the poet comments on the way a person cuts down a tree in
order to serve his purpose. The poet says that it is not easy to cut down a tree because a
simple jab of the knife is never enough to wipe out its existence. The reason behind its
strength is its consuming the resources which it has got from the earth's crust so
A
powerfully. Years of absorption of sunlight, air and water from which the earth has made
its growth so perfect that a jab of knife won't do much. It will come out with leaves again
and will grow as ever.
B

Stanza- 2

So hack and chop

Will rise curled green twigs,
But this alone wont do it.
Miniature boughs
Not so much pain will do it.

(1)
 ON KILLING A TREE
08

Which if unchecked will expand again

The bleeding bark will heal
To former size
And from close to the ground

Explanation: In this stanza, the poet further states the ways of cutting a tree. As the jab
of the knife was not sufficient, the poet advises us to hit the tree severely in the form of
hacking and chopping. But, the poet contrasts that even that won't be enough to kill the

JI
tree. This hacking and chopping would raise a pain to the tree but not good enough to kill
it. The bark will ooze leak) out with the liquid secretion, but over a period of time, it gets
healed. Then, the fighting spirit of the tree will make it alive again. From close to the
ground, it will start a new life again by giving rise to new leaves and small boughs. These
will make the tree so glorious again that it will acquire its former size. Therefore, it is not
easy to cut or kill a tree.
LA
Stanza- 3

No, The root is to be pulled out

Out of the anchoring earth;
It is to be roped, tied,
A
And pulled out-snapped out
Or pulled out entirely,
Out from the earth-cave,
And the strength of the tree exposed
B

The source, white and wet,

The most sensitive, hidden
For years inside the earth.

Explanation: In the previous stanzas, the poet has discussed the various ways of killing
the tree, but still the free has managed to survive so the poet came up with another idea.
He says that the root needs to be pulled out of the earth where it has stocked its strength.
To do this, one needs to rope the roots, then pull out the whole mass outside. When the

(2)
 ON KILLING A TREE
08

roots are out of the earth cave, then the actual strength of the tree i.e. the roots are
exposed to the sun or environment. The source of life of the tree which is roots, is now
exposed and out and its root matter is white and wet with absorption of water. It is now
subjected to the outside world. This is the actual start of the death of the tree as the life-
source of free, it roots, are exposed.

Stanza- 4

JI
Then the matter
Browning, hardening,
Of scorching and choking
Twisting, withering,
LA
In sun and air,
And then it is done.

Explanation: In the previous stanza, the poet discussed the way a tree is uprooted and
exposed to the surrounding. When the tree is uprooted and left open in the surrounding,
then the sun starts drying it up with the burning heat. This intense heat makes the root of
the tree getting choked in the air and sunlight. Heat makes the root brown which was white
A
earlier and hardens it by soaking all the moisture content. Then, the root starts twisting
from its original shape and finally gets withered from its parts. This brings the actual end
to the life of the tree and that is how it is done in the end. The poet takes us into a detailed
account of how we kill a tree, what suffering does it have to face and how harsh our
attitude is for the ones which is the breath of our lives.
B

Conclusion of On Killing a Tree

On Killing a Tree Summary discusses how to completely kill a tree in quite an ironical sense
that touches the heart of readers.

(3)
 ON KILLING A TREE
08

NCERT SOLUTIONS
Questions (Page No. 111)
(Thinking about the Poem)
Question 1. Can a “simple jab of the knife” kill a tree? Why not?

Answer: No, a simple jab of the knife cannot kill a tree because the tree grows with a lot of
nutrients and resources. Even if one cuts it, it will sprout again.

JI
Question 2. How has the tree grown to its full size? List the words suggestive of its life and activity.

Answer: The tree has grown to its full size by consuming the earth, feeding upon its crust,
absorbing years of sunlight, air and water.
LA
The words suggestive of its life and activity are: absorbing, feeding, rising, consuming and
sprouting.

Question 3. What is the meaning of “bleeding bark”? What makes it bleed?

Answer: The “bleeding bark” indicates the idea where the tree has been cut. Just like humans
bleed blood when they get wounded, trees release a liquid at the place where they are cut. So,
the tree bleeds.
A
Question 4. The poet says “No” in the beginning of the third stanza. What does he mean by this?

Answer: The poet says “No” in the beginning of the third stanza. It emphasizes that only cutting
or chopping the tree will not cease its existence.
B

Question 5. What is the meaning of “anchoring earth” and “earth cave”?

Answer: The “anchoring earth” means that the earth works as an anchor to protect the tree and
saves it from getting uprooted.

“Earth cave” implies the depth of the mother earth where the tree spreads its roots and gets
nurtured.

Question 6. What does he mean by “the strength of the tree exposed”?

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 ON KILLING A TREE
08

Answer: He means to say that when one tries to pull out the tree along with its roots which are
spread deep inside the earth, one will understand the strength of the tree.

Question 7. What finally kills the tree?

Answer: When the tree is pulled out along with its roots and separated from the mother earth,
one has to subject it to scorching sun and let it wither. This will finally kill the tree.

JI
LA
A
B

(5)
 THE SNAKE TRYING
09

THE SNAKE TRYING

~Summary~

-by WWE Ross

Stanza- 1

The snake trying

JI
to escape the pursuing stick,
with sudden curvings of thin
long body. How beautiful
and graceful are his shapes!

Explanation: In this stanza, the poet describes how a snake is trying to avoid the
LA
approaching stick with the elegant and non-linear moves of its body. The poet fell in beauty
and charm of the snake and he had also appreciated gracious moves of the snake. The poet
is really amazed at the shape and graceful slithering gliding of the snake.

Stanza- 2
A

He glides through the water away

from the stroke.
O let him go over the water
B

into the reeds to hide

without hurt. Small and green
he is harmless even to children

Explanation: In this stanza, the poet has described that the afraid snake is making its way
into the water so that it can avoid the possible harm and go unhurt into the reeds. The
poet requests not to cause any harm to that beautiful snake which is harmless even to the
children and to allow it to go to its hide.

(1)
 THE SNAKE TRYING
09

Stanza- 3

Along the sand

he lay until observed
and chased away, and now
he vanishes in the ripples

JI
among the green slim reeds.

Explanation: The poet, in this stanza, says that the green snake was lying along the sand
until it was observed by someone, who started chasing it. But, the snake moved fast and
hid itself into the reeds. That's how it saved itself from the pursuer. The colour of reeds is
also green.
LA
Conclusion of The Snake Trying
The Snake Trying summary reflects the evil tendency of human beings to hurt creatures
that are harmless and innocent.
A
B

(2)
 THE SNAKE TRYING
09

NCERT SOLUTIONS
Questions (Page No. 125-126)
(Thinking about the Poem)
I. Question 1.

What is the snake trying to escape from?

Answer: The snake is trying to escape from the pursuing stick. Humans try to kill snakes

JI
presuming that all of them are poisonous.

Question 2. Is it a harmful snake? What is its colour?

Answer: No, it is not a harmful snake. It is green in colour.

LA
Question 3. The poet finds the snake beautiful. Find the words he uses to convey its beauty.

Answer: The poet finds the snake beautiful. The words that he uses to convey its beauty are:
beautiful, graceful, glides, small and green.

Question 4. What does the poet wish for the snake?

Answer: The poet wishes that the human behind it with the stick should let it go. The snake
A
should not be killed.

Question 5. Where was the snake before anyone saw it and chased it away? Where does the
snake disappear?
B

Answer: Before anyone saw it, the snake was lying along the sand. It vanishes in the ripples
among the green slim reeds when it was chased away.

II. Question 1. Find out as much as you can about different kinds of snakes (from books in the
library, or from the Internet). Are they all poisonous? Find out the names of some poisonous
snakes.

Answer: Not all snakes are poisonous. Some of the poisonous snakes are: Cobra, Krait, Russell’s
viper, Saw Scaled Viper and King Cobra.

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 THE SNAKE TRYING
09

Question 2. Look for information on how to find out whether a snake is harmful.

Answer: Do it yourself.

Question 3. As you know, from the previous lesson you have just read, there are people in our
country who have traditional knowledge about snakes, who even catch poisonous snakes with
practically bare hands. Can you find out something more about them?

Answer: Do it yourself

JI
LA
A
B

(4)
 A SLUMBER DID MY SPIRIT SEAL
10

A SLUMBER DID MY SPIRIT SEAL

~Summary~

-by William Wordsworth

Stanza- 1

A slumber did my spirit seal

JI
I had no human fears.
She seemed a thing that could not feel
The touch of earthly years.

Explanation: In the stanza, the poet has expressed his grief over the death of a loved one.
LA
He says that he had no usual human fears now as death is the ultimate fear for human
beings. When a person is alive, then he has many apprehensions and many fears like
disease, famine etc. But death makes the end of all these fears because earthly years or
usual fears seem to have no effect on his beloved. She has passed away peacefully leaving
everything behind.
A
Stanza- 2

No motion has she now, no force

She neither hears nor sees
B

Rolled round in earth's diurnal course

With rocks and stones and trees.

Explanation: In this stanza, the poet mentions that there is no motion in the body of his
beloved as death has overcome her. Also, death has deprived her of her strength. She is
unable to see and unable to hear. All her senses are dead now. She has adjusted herself
with the routine activity of earth now. As the earth completes its routine of day and night
with the rocks, stones and trees; so does the beloved of the poet now. She has become a
part of the nature. The poet concludes with her afterlife.

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Conclusion of A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal

A slumber did my spirit seal summary tells us about the pain of the author due to his
beloved’s death and how he comes to the acceptance of this harsh reality.

JI
LA
A
B

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 A SLUMBER DID MY SPIRIT SEAL
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NCERT SOLUTIONS
Questions (Page No. 136)
(Thinking about the Poem)
Question 1. “A slumber did my spirit seal,” says the poet. That is, a deep sleep ‘closed off’ his soul
(or mind). How does the poet react to his loved one’s death? Does he feel bitter grief? Or does
he feel a great peace?

Answer: “A slumber did my spirit seal” says the poet. It is a little difficult to decide if the poet felt

JI
bitter grief or a peace. He says that his soul has been sealed due to his loved one’s death and that
he does not have any human fears. He talks about how his loved one seemed now- motionless
and beyond the passage of time.

Question 2. The passing of time will no longer affect her, says the poet. Which lines of the poem
say this?
LA
Answer: The lines of the poem that say this are:

“She seemed a thing that could not feel

The touch of earthly years.”

A
Question 3. How does the poet imagine her to be, after death? Does he think of her as a person
living in a very happy state (a ‘heaven’)? Or does he see her now as a part of nature? In which
lines of the poem do you find your answer?

Answer: The poet imagines her to be immersed in the earth. He feels that she has become a part
B

of earth’s daily course and rolled along with the rocks, stones and trees.

The lines of the poem that we find our answer in are:

“Rolled round in earth’s diurnal course

With rocks and stones and trees.”

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