Notes credits – ADVIK BEKAL, KARTHIKA, RISHIKA, NABEEL,

SANJIT (CLASS 7F)

 ABOUT THE POET NEW WORDS
Lois Phillips (born June 15, 1942) is
an American poet, playwright,
editor, and author of children's
stories.

Since 1977 he has served as

professor of humanities at the
School of Visual Arts in New York
City, where he teaches creative
writing.
He was a joint winner of a 1984
Swallow's Tale Press poetry award,
and was the featured poet in the
Spring/Summer 2011 issue of Light
Quarterly.
LITERARY DEVICES
1. SITTING VERY STILL –
ALLITERATION
2. HE HOPS – ALLITERATION
3. LOOK AND LISTEN –
ALLITERATION
4. MEADOWS HAVE SURPRISES
AND MANY THINGS TO TELL -
PERSONIFICATION
 Word Bank
1.Meadow - piece of grassland, especially one used for hay.
2. Brook-A small stream , that flows by the meadow.
3.Buttercup- a flower/plant with bright yellow cup shaped flowers.
4. Fuzzy Head-b dried up dandelion with a texture.
5.Flutter- Flapping the wings quickly and lightly
 QUESTIONS/ANSWERS
Q1. Explain the usage of the following phrases by the poet in the context of
the poem:
i) velvet grass ii) drinking straws iii) meadow houses iv) amazing mound v)
fuzzy head
A1.
i. The poet calls the grass ‘Velvet grass’ to convey that the grass is as
smooth and fine as velvet.
ii. The ‘drinking straws’ refers to the proboscis of the butterfly or the
sucking tube which it uses to suck the nectar from flowers.
iii. ‘Meadow houses’ tells us about the houses of different animals such as
burrows and anthills of rabbits and anthills respectively, in the meadow.
iv. By ‘Amazing mound’ the poet means the anthills built by the
ants. They are described as ‘amazing’ because ants make many
compartments below the mound very systematically.
v. Fuzzy head is meant by the dandelion flower which looks like a
head with many hair like structures that appear to be twisting and
in a ground.
Q2. Which line in the poem suggests you that you need a keen eye and a
sharp ear to enjoy a meadow? Also, what kind of surprise could be found
while walking on the grass?
A2. The line which suggests one to be careful and mindful to be able to
find the joys of a meadow is:
“You may discover this yourself ,If you look and listen well”.
When one walks mindfully through the velvety soft grass of a meadow,
one has the possibility of deriving immense pleasure by coming across a
butterfly drinking the nectar from the flower or by finding a hopping
rabbit or by blowing on the fuzzy dandelion or by noticing the meticulous
structures of the burrows, anthills and other meadow houses i.e. the
houses of creatures of nature.
Q3. Explain “A dandelion whose fuzzy head was golden days ago
has turned to parachutes that flutter when you blow”.
A3. A dandelion is a flower that looks like a ball of puffy hair on it
which is why the poet has called it a ‘fuzzy head’. The flower was
golden in colour a few days ago, but it has turned into a dried hairy
ball which easily gets blown away with a gust of wind and resembles
parachutes floating midair.
Q4. What does the poet mean by ‘Explore the meadow houses’?
A4. The ‘meadow houses’ are the houses of birds and animals which are
found in the nature as a part of the nature; as opposed to the houses of
human beings. These are the birds’ nests beneath the tall grass, the
dwelling burrows of rabbits and mounds/anthills of the ants made of
mud with several underground compartments organized methodically.
The poet is asking for the exploration of these meadow houses for they
are the wonders of nature and one can only enjoy their life to the fullest
only when they allow themselves to be the surprised by the wonders of
nature.
 EXTRACT/DO IT YOURSELF!
Oh! Meadows have surprises
And many things to tell;
You may discover these yourself,
If you look and listen well.

Q1. What does the poet mean by “look and listen well”?
Q2. What surprises do the meadows encompass?
Q3. Identify the literary devices used.