English IX - Chapter No.3 - Reference To Context (Poem Section)

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Children

Text Book Name: Secondary Stage English Book One For Class IX

Explain With Reference To Context (Poem)

Come to me, O ye children!
For I hear you at your play,
And the questions that perplexed me
Have vanished quite away.

Stanza No.2

2. "Ye open the eastern windows,
That look towards the sun,
Where thoughts are singing swallows
And the brooks of morning run." (KHI Board -General Group 2018)
(i) Name the poem and the poet / poetess.
(ii) Give the Central idea of the poem
(iii) With what does poet compare the thoughts
Ans:
(i)This Stanza is taken from the poem "Children" written by an American poet HENRY LONGFELLOW.
(ii) The poem " Children is written by Henry Longfellow. The message or the central idea of the poem is that "Children are a great source of happiness on earth. There would be no life on earth without children. All the world would be dark and desert without children.
(iii)The poet compares the thoughts to singing swallows and flowing brooks.

Stanza No. 3

3. "In your hearts are the birds and the sunshine, 
In your thoughts the brooklet's flow, 
But in mine is the wind of Autumn 
And the first fall of the snow." (KHI Board -Science Group 2019)
(i) Name the poem and the poet/poetess
(ii) Write the correct and actual name of your textbook from which has this stanza been taken.
(iii) Why was the poet/poetess depressed? How did he/she get rid of it?
(iv) With what does poet compare the thoughts?
(v) What does the Autumn mean in this stanza?
(vi) What would happened to the trees if there were no leaves?
(vii) What other words does the poet use to show the coming of old age upon him?
(viii) How are the children different from the poet?
Ans.
(i)This Stanza is taken from the poem "Children" written by an American poet HENRY LONGFELLOW.
(ii) These stanza has been taken from the poem "Children" from textbook " SECONDARY STAGE ENGLISH BOOK ONE FOR CLASS IX".
(iii) The poet Henry was depressed by the thought of his old age and ultimate death, then he thought that like the old leaves fall in autumn are replaced by new one. Children replaces the old people. Children are the sign of life and happiness. The poet understand the life cycle of a man and was satisfied and come out from depression.
(iv) The poet compares the thoughts to singing swallows and flowing brooks.
(v) The poet is using the word autumn for old age in this stanza. Autumn is the season before winter when the leaves turn yellow and fall. In the same way in old age the body becomes weak and less active and finally give way.
(vi) If there were no leaves, the trees would lose their beauty, colour and life.
(vii) The first fall of snow shows the coming of old age upon him.
(viii) The children are young, happy, lively, full of life and energetic, without a care in the world. While the poet is old, tired, unhappy and full of worries. The chapter of life is opening to children while he is approaching the end of his life.

Ah! what would the world be to us
If the children were no more?
We should dread the desert behind us
Worse than the dark before.

What the leaves are to the forest,
With light and air for food,
Ere their sweet and tender juices
Have been hardened into wood,


That to the world are children;
Through them it feels the glow
Of a brighter and sunnier climate
Than reaches the trunks below.

Come to me, O ye children!
And whisper in my ear
What the birds and the winds are singing
In your sunny atmosphere.

For what are all our contrivings,
And the wisdom of our books,
When compared with your caresses,
And the gladness of your looks?

9. Ye are better than all the ballads
That ever were sung or said;
For ye are living poems,
And all the rest are dead.
(i) Name the poem and the poet / poetess.
(ii) How can the children can be like the ballads and the poems?
(iii) Why does the poet call the children living poem and the rest all  dead?
Ans:
(i) This Stanza is taken from the poem "Children" written by an American poet HENRY LONGFELLOW.
(ii) Ballads and the poems give one phase and happiness In the same way children are source of joy and happiness.
(iii) Ballads and poems consist only of words, where as children are living human beings and are full of life and energy. That is why he says that children are better than all the poems that have ever been composed.