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BEAUTIFUL HANDS (POEM)
Reference To Context
Note : Students are advised to read whole chapters and poems thoroughly for reference to context.
Text Book Name: Secondary Stage English Book Two For Class X
Explain With Reference To Context (Poem)
Poem: Beautiful Hands
Poetess: Ellen M. H. Gates (1835-1920)
1. Such beautiful, beautiful hands,
They're neither white nor small;
And you, I know, would scarcely think
That they were fair at all.
(i) Name the poem and the poet / poetess.
(ii) Whom does the poetess praise in this poem?
(iii) What is the message of the poem?
Ans:
(i) Poem: Beautiful Hands
Poetess: Ellen M. H. Gates
(ii) In this poem, the poetess praises her mother’s hands for their spiritual beauty and all mothers in general. She appreciates the services provided by mothers to bring up their children. Mothers bear a lot of hardships restlessly so that her family might enjoy a happy life. Therefore, they are worthy of our praise, love and respect.
(iii) The message of the poem " Beautiful Hands" is that mother do a lot of work for their children. They take no rest and go on looking after their children patiently, although their hands become wrinkled and weak with the passage of time. So the poetess praise those hands beautiful to her.
2. I've looked on hands whose form and hue
A sculptor's dream might be,
Yet are these aged wrinkled hands
Most beautiful to me.
(i) Name the poem and the poet / poetess.
(ii) What words or phrases tell us that they are not pretty in the physical sense?
(iii) Write down few lines about the poet / poetess.
Ans:
(i) Poem: Beautiful Hands
Poetess: Ellen M. H. Gates
(ii) The words “ages and wrinkled” tell us that the hands are not beautiful in their physical appearance. It means that these hands are old and full of wrinkles. They are neither fair not small but rough and big.
(iii) Ellen M. H. Gates (1835-1920) was born in Torington, Connecticut (USA). She wrote religious songs (hymns) like "The Home of the Soul" and "Eternity" for well-known magazines. Collections of her poems were published in 1897 and 1910.
Reference to context: (Lines 1-8)
These lines have been taken from the poem “Beautiful Hands” written by an American poetess Ellen M. H. Gates. In this poem poetess praises mother’s hands for their spiritual beauty. According to her mother’s hands are symbol of love, sacrifice, labour and affection for her children.
Explanation: (Lines 1-8)
In these lines poetess praises mother’s hands for their spiritual beauty. She says that though these hands are neither fair nor small and one would hardly think that they were beautiful ones. She says that she had seen the form and colour of these hands they were like dream of an artist who makes statues. Though now these hands are old and full of furrows but they are beautiful for her.
3. Such beautiful, beautiful hands!
Though heart were weary and sad
These patient hands kept toiling on
That the children might be glad,
(i) Name the poem and the poet / poetess.
(ii) Why does the poetess praise the hands in this stanza?
(iii) What is the message of the poem?
Ans:
(i) Poem: Beautiful Hands
Poetess: Ellen M. H. Gates
(ii) The poetess praises the hands in the these lines because these hands carelessly worked hard inspite of exhaustion and utter fatigue in order to provide happiness of her children. The poetess is showing repentance because when she was young, she could’ve helped her mother in doing chars of daily life but she did not.
(iii) In this poem poetess praises mother’s hands for their spiritual beauty. She pays a rich and unique tribute to her mother. According to her, mother’s hands are symbol of love, sacrifice, affection and hard work to bring up her children.
4. I almost weep when looking back
To childhood's distant day!
I think how these hands rested not.
When mine were at their play.
(i) Name the poem and the poet / poetess.
(ii) Whose hands are praise in this poem?
(iii) Why did poet / poetess weep when he / she looking back?
Ans:
(i) Poem: Beautiful Hands
Poetess: Ellen M. H. Gates
(ii) The poetess praised her mother's hands in this poem.
(iii) Poetess recalls child hoods days and almost wept that how her mother's hands worked when children used to play. Being gloomy and sad they never stopped working and kept on working.
Reference to context: (Lines 9-16)
These lines have been taken from the poem “Beautiful Hands” written by an American poetess Ellen M. H. Gates. In this poem poetess praises mother’s hands for their spiritual beauty. According to her mother’s hands are symbol of love, sacrifice, labour and affection for her children.
Explanation: (Lines 9-16)
In these lines poetess says that when she recalls child hoods days these hands worked very hard in order to make children happy. She says that she almost weeps when she recalls that how these hands worked when children used to play. Being gloomy and sad they never stopped working and kept on working.
5. Such beautiful, beautiful hands!
They're growing feeble now,
And time and pain have left their mark
On hand, and heart and brow.
(i) Name the poem and the poet / poetess.
(ii) Write down few lines about poetess.
(iii) Explain the above lines in your own words.
Ans:
(i) Poem: Beautiful Hands
Poetess: Ellen M. H. Gates
(ii) Ellen M. H. Gates (1835-1920) was born in Torington, Connecticut (USA). She wrote religious songs (hymns) like "The Home of the Soul" and "Eternity" for well-known magazines. Collections of her poems were published in 1897 and 1910.
(iii) In these lines poetess expresses that day by day her mother hands are growing weak and old. The signs of old age are being seen on heart, hand and fore head. Thus the poetess is showing her deep grief because soon her mother would be buried in grave under the layers of wild flowers.
6. Alas! alas! the nearing time
And the sad, sad day to me,
When 'neath the daisies, out of sight,
These hands must folded be.
(i) Name the poem and the poet / poetess.
(ii) What does the lines "These hands must be folded be." means?
(iii) What do you know about the poet or poetess?
Ans:
(i) Poem: Beautiful Hands
Poetess: Ellen M. H. Gates
(ii) The words, “These hands must folded be” mean that the death time of the poetess mother was near to come. The poetess is showing her grief because soon her mother would be buried in grave under the layers of wild flowers.
(iii) Ellen M. H. Gates (1835-1920) was born in Torington, Connecticut (USA). She wrote religious songs (hymns) like "The Home of the Soul" and "Eternity" for well-known magazines. Collections of her poems were published in 1897 and 1910.
Reference to context: (Lines 17-24)
These lines have been taken from the poem “Beautiful Hands” written by an American poetess Ellen M. H. Gates. In this poem poetess praises mother’s hands for their spiritual beauty. According to her mother’s hands are symbol of love, sacrifice, labour and affection for her children.
Explanation: (Lines 17-24)
In these lines poetess expresses her sorrow and says that she is very sad to think that day by day these hands are growing weak and old. The signs of old age are being seen on heart, hand and fore head. She further says she is sorry to say that sad day is coming nearer in near future the person having these beautiful hands will pass away from this world and these beautiful hands would be folded and buried in grave under the daisy flowers.
7. But oh! beyond the shadowy lands,
Where all is bright and fair,
I know full well these dear old hands
Will palms of victory bear;
(i) Name the poem and the poet / poetess.
(ii) Who does the poetess praise in this poem?
(iii) What is the message of the poem?
(iv) What does 'Palm of victory' mean?
Ans:
(i) Poem: Beautiful Hands
Poetess: Ellen M. H. Gates
(ii) the poetess pays a high tribute to her mother’s hands for their spiritual beauty. She further defined these hands that they worked restlessly inspite of facing tribulations of life, so that her family might enjoys a happy life.
(iii) The message of the poem " Beautiful Hands" is that mother do a lot of work for their children. They take no rest and go on looking after their children patiently, although their hands become wrinkled and weak with the passage of time. So the poetess praise those hands beautiful to her.
(iv) Palm of victory means these were given to a soldier or an athlete who was victorious.
8. When crystal streams, through endless years,
Flow over golden sands,
And where the old are young again,
I'll clasp my mother's hands.
(i) Name the poem and the poet / poetess.
(ii) What is the message of the poem?
(iii) Explain above lines?
(iv) Why does the poetess praise her mother’s hand in this poem?
Ans:
(i) Poem: Beautiful Hands
Poetess: Ellen M. H. Gates
(ii) The message of the poem " Beautiful Hands" is that mother do a lot of work for their children. They take no rest and go on looking after their children patiently, although their hands become wrinkled and weak with the passage of time. So the poetess praise those hands beautiful to her.
(iii) In these lines poetess says that in coming world where things will be just, fair and beautiful. There old people will become young again. There will flow transparent rivers on golden sand. She is hopeful that there she will meet her mother and hold her hands in her own hands.
(iv) In this poem, the poetess praises mother’s hands because these hands worked restlessly inspite of facing tribulations of life, so that her family might enjoys a happy life.
Words and Meanings:
1. Palms of victory: these were given to a soldier or an athlete who was victorious.
2. Crystal: transparent, clearer.
3. Clasp: hold in hand.
Reference to context: (Lines 25-32)
These lines have been taken from the poem “Beautiful Hands” written by an American poetess Ellen M. H. Gates. In this poem poetess praises mother’s hands for their spiritual beauty. According to her mother’s hands are symbol of love, sacrifice, labour and affection for her children.
Explanation: (Lines 25-32)
In these lines poetess says that in coming world where things will be just, fair and beautiful. There old people will become young again. There will flow transparent rivers on golden sand. She is hopeful that there she will meet her mother and hold her hands in her own hands.
very useful
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