The Inchcape Rock(Appreciation and poetic creativity)

 

Ans. Q.3.B. of the HSC Board English Question Paper which comes for 04 marks.

Note : 

1. There are total 8 poems given in the course book of std. XII ( Maharashtra State Board ) and students need to prepare for appreciation of all 8 poems.

2. This is just the SAMPLE. Students are encouraged to understand the poem well and then try writing their own appreciation.

3. Appreciation needs to be written POINT WISE and not in paragraph form.

The Inchcape Rock -Appreciation

1.About the poet, poem and title : The poem " The Inchcape Rock" is penned down by Robert Southey - a poet laureate of England from 1813-1843. The poem is a ballad which tells us the story of the 14th century attempt by the Abbot of Aberbrothok to install a warning bell on Inchcape - a notorious sandstone reef off the Scottish east coast.

2. Theme : Southey wrote this poem as he was inspired by the legendary story of a pirate who removed the bell placed by the Abbot and how he himself fell into the well he dug for others so he could loot them. Hence , the theme of the poem is that those who do wrong will meet with due punishment.

3.Language/poetic devices used in the poem : This ballad is composed a narrative style and all stanzas follow the rhyme scheme "aabb". The poet has beautifully embellished the poem with a number of figures of speech like alliteration , antithesis, repetition,  inversion , onomatopoeia , etc. Also , the poet has used a lot of old English words like "blest" , "cants" , etc . The language used is lucid and flawless.

4.Special feature : The injection of symbolic poet justice in the end of the poem is the special feature of this poem where Ralph the Rover falls in the same pit he dug for others.

5.Message/value/morals in the poem : The very clear message this poem gives is that those who carry malice and wickedness for others , will cause their own doom as " As you sow , so shall you reap."

6.Your opinion about the poem : In my opinion , this poem is very much relevant even in today's time and it timeless and it will keep reminding us all and generations to come that those who will do bad , bad will happen to them for sure.

The example given here is just a sample. It would be nice if you compose your own poem of 4 lines.

2.3 Compose four to six lines on " Sea "

Ans. Sea

The sea sees innumerable storms

Yet it remains so patient and calm

It's rising and falling waves ready fo remind

That will drown all those one day who are bad and unkind.

Indian Weavers(Appreciation and poetic creativity)

 Ans. Q.3.B. of the HSC Board English Question Paper which comes for 04 marks.

Note : 

1. There are total 8 poems given in the course book of std. XII ( Maharashtra State Board ) and students need to prepare for appreciation of all 8 poems.

2. This is just the SAMPLE. Students are encouraged to understand the poem well and then try writing their own appreciation.

3. Appreciation needs to be written POINT WISE and not in paragraph form.

Indian Weavers - Appreciation

1.About the poet, poem and title : The poem "Indian Weavers" is written by Sarojini Naidu who was a political activist , feminist and an important figure in India's struggle for Independence. This poem is a short poem where the poet talks about three types of garment that the weavers are weaving at three particular times of the day and it represents the three important events of life. The title of the poem is very apt as throughout the poem , the poet is in conversation with the Indian weavers.

2.Theme : The central theme of the poem is parallelism drawn between the three parts of the weavers' workday and the three stages of human life that is birth ( childhood ) , adulthood ( young) and death ( old ). Also , the colours mentioned in the stanzas are very significant as they indicate the moods related to the events.

3.Language/poetic devices used in the poem : The poem is a metaphor for the cycle of life with each stanza having a question to evoke the reader's interest. Figures of speech like alliteration "Like the plumes of the peacock..." , imagery ( vivid use of imagery paints a clear picture in reader's mind ) and simile (Blue as the wing of....new-born child ) have been beautifully infused to make the poem an interesting read. The language of the poem is very simple and lucid that helps reader to connect with it instantly.

4.Special feature : The poem is just of 12 lines yet so effortlessly it talks about the three stages of human life and also throws a light on importance of Indian weavers.

5.Message/value/morals in the poem : The poem sends the message about human life where each stage/phase has it's unique emotions that last for a while before the next one comes along to take it's place.

6.Your opinion about the poem : In my opinion,  this poem is a must read. The use of color scheme to portray three stages of life is worth praising.

Poetic Creativity (Comes in exam for 02 marks)

The example given here is just a sample. It would be nice if you compose your own poem of 4 lines.

2.2 Compose four lines on " Importance of clothes"

Ans. Importance of Clothes

One of the three basic needs ,

Clothes are representatives of our personalities indeed.

Just like a mother , our protective caretaker they are,

Protecting our modesty since ages and making us shine with confidence like a star.

Song of the open Road(Appreciation and poetic creativity)

Ans. Q.3.B. of the HSC Board English Question Paper which comes for 04 marks.

Note : 

1. There are total 8 poems given in the course book of std. XII ( Maharashtra State Board ) and students need to prepare for appreciation of all 8 poems.

2. This is just the SAMPLE. Students are encouraged to understand the poem well and then try writing their own appreciation.

3. Appreciation needs to be written POINT WISE and not in paragraph form.

“Song of the Open Road" - Appreciation

1) About the poem: “ The Song of the Open Road “ by American poet Walt Whitman which is included in his collection of poems “Leaves of grass" is an inspirational poem which talks about optimism   , freedom , self love and having belief in oneself. The poet / speaker is starting a new journey on an open road and he feels healthy , free and confident as he can choose to go wherever he wishes to. He is done with his routine life and is willing to explore new things and gain new experiences.

2) The Theme : The theme of the poem is freedom , optimism,  self love and above all joy of taking on the journey. Throughout the poem , the poet encourages his readers to break away from everything that stops them from being free and that they must believe in themselves. His aim is to make readers stress free from the wordly burdens as he believes those can be handled even while travelling.

3) Poetic Style  : The poem is a dramatic monologue. The poet has used free verse so that he does not have to worry about rhyming or any metrical patterns and can pour out his heart without any restrictions. His style of writing is as free as his attitude towards life is and free verse has actually helped him to connect with his readers in a way that is familiar to them.

4) The Language/poetic devices used in the poem : The language used in the poem is very simple and lucid. The use of personal pronoun “ I” is very prominent in this poem to stress on importance of self belief , self motivation , freedom from stresses of life , etc. The poet has used repetition to make his readers understand how important it is to take up the journey and travel on the open road. He also uses metaphor to draw indirect comparison between road to travel and road of life and how it symbolizes equality  , opportunity and progress.

5) Special feature : One special feature of the poem is the addition of last four lines as parentheses , that is putting them in brackets as if they have suddenly come to his mind and he is taking his readers aside and taking them in confidence and speaking.

6) Message, Values, Morals in the poem : The poem gives an important message  to readers that they should be open to move on and enjoy the journey of life , how they should be bold and also be satisfied with whatever they have. It teaches the importance of being free , having faith on our wings and how it is possible to be happy in spite of having worries , as those worries can be handled anytime and anywhere.

7) Your opinion about the poem : It is a beautiful poem which inspires us to explore the world and our life by using our abilities. It also teaches that one should not stop making progress due to criticisms and complaints of the world.

Poetic Creativity - 02 marks ( Q.3.A.( A5)

The example given here is just a sample. It would be nice if you compose your own poem of 4 lines.

2.1 Compose four lines on " The road that leads to my college"

The road that leads to my college 

Is my gateway to a bright future 

A future that is full of hopes and happiness 

A future that is full of knowledge and enlightenment

This road is my teacher as it teaches me to be kind and rooted.

It teaches me to be helpful and ever ready to learning new things.

Small Towns and Rivers ( Appreciation and Poetic creativity)

Ans. Q.3.B. of the HSC Board English Question Paper which comes for 04 marks.

Note : 

1. There are total 8 poems given in the course book of std. XII ( Maharashtra State Board ) and students need to prepare for appreciation of all 8 poems.

2. This is just the SAMPLE. Students are encouraged to understand the poem well and then try writing their own appreciation.

3. Appreciation needs to be written POINT WISE and not in paragraph form.

Appreciation of the poem "Small Towns and Rivers"

Ans.

1. About the poem, poet and title : The poem " Small Towns and Rivers" - taken from the collection "The River Poems" is written by Mamang Dai. Mamang Dai is a poet , journalist and a former civil servant and this poem is based on the belief of tribal people from Northeast India that the souls of their loved ones continue to dwell in the natural elements around. She also throws light on how life and death are transient but rituals and nature are permanent. The title of the poem is suitable because the poet talks about how small towns and Rivers are getting polluted and destroyed due to "modernization" and industrialization.

2. Theme : The major them of the poem is conservation of Nature and it's resources in our surroundings. The poet says that the town's are prospering but nature is getting destroyed. Mamang Dai expresses her anxiety on the development happening in small towns.

3. Poetic devices and language: The poet has used simple language yet her thoughts are fragmented. She has beautifully used free verse to let her emotions flow. The use of figures of speech has enriched the overall impression of the poem. Use of repetition in line " Life and death.... permanent" , alliteration in line "We all want to walk...." , Transferred epithet in line "....sad wreath...", personification in line "River has a soul..", antithesis in life "life and death....", etc. add beauty to the poem.

4. Special feature/s of the poem : This poem is written in free verse so as to express poet's thoughts without any restrictions of rhyme, rhythm of metre. Also ,this poem is a nature poem but here the poet is not just celebrating the beauty of her small town but also lamenting how it is getting destroyed by the development.

5. Value/message from the poem : The message of the poem is quite clear. The poet gives us the message that small towns and nature around it remind us and make us feel the presence of our loved ones as their souls become one with nature after their departure from our world but due to the fast paced development, the nature is getting destroyed and so along with the nature are also going away the souls of our loved ones. She urges to conserve nature by saying that rivers are choking and we must pay attention to the changes before it gets too late.

6.Your opinion about the poem : The poem with its deep meaning and strong message touches the strings of the readers' hearts. For all those who are nature lovers and even those who are not , this poem is a must read and an eye opener.

Poetic Creativity (Comes in exam for 02 marks)

Compose 4 to 6 lines on "Gifts of Seasons"

Ans. Gifts of Seasons

Spring brings buds to happily bloom,

Summer's warmth brightens the room.

Autumn's golden leaves fall with grace,

And Winter takes us in, in it's pleasant embrace.

Each season, a gift, how unique in its reasons,

Nature gifts us, the gift of changing seasons.

She walks in Beauty ( Appreciation and Poetic creativity)

Ans. Q.3.B. of the HSC Board English Question Paper which comes for 04 marks.

Note : 

1. There are total 8 poems given in the course book of std. XII ( Maharashtra State Board ) and students need to prepare for appreciation of all 8 poems.

2. This is just the SAMPLE. Students are encouraged to understand the poem well and then try writing their own appreciation.

3. Appreciation needs to be written POINT WISE and not in paragraph form.

Appreciation of the poem "She walks in Beauty"

Ans.

1. About the poem, poet and title : "She Walks in Beauty" is written by George Gordon Byron who was a famous English Romantic poet and also a satirist. This poem is a short lyrical poem which celebrates female beauty. The title of the poem is also the first line of the poem and it gives the reader a glimpse of the lady who is praised throughout the poem.

2. Theme : The primary theme of " She Walks in Beauty" is how external appearance and goodness/beauty is an outcome of inner goodness. Through an unnamed woman ,whom the poet appreciates for her striking beauty , the theme blooms quite beautifully on how internal goodness makes the lady so captivatingly attractive.

3. Poetic devices and language: The poet has decorated this poem with a lot of figures of speech as he vividly and quite extensively describes the beauty of the unnamed lady. The language used is slightly complex but pretty rich.The poem follows a regular rhyming scheme of "abab" throughout the poem and use of Antithesis in line " and all that's....dark and bright" , alliteration in line "of cloudless climes....." , personification in line "A heart whose.... innocent" adds charm to this poem.

4. Special feature/s of the poem : The use of imagery in lines like " And all that's.....dark and bright", "of cloudless climes.....starry skies" helps greatly in enhancing the poem's appeal.

5. Value/message from the poem : The message of this poem is quite clear - a person can be beautiful on the outside only when there is beauty inside the heart and mind. When heart and mind are calm , innocent and at peace , it all reflects on the face.

6.Your opinion about the poem :This poem is a classic example of elegance and grace in writing. The poet's description of the lady's outer beauty and connecting it to her internal beauty creates a powerful impact on the readers.

Poetic Creativity (Comes in exam for 02 marks)

Compose a poem of 4 to 6 lines on "Beauty of Nature"

Ans. Nature's Beauty

Nature's beauty, oh so grand,

 Bringing calm to chaos , those seas of sand.

 Birds that sing and flowers that bloom, 

Stars at night which help us chase away gloom.

Whispering winds and the rustling trees, 

Bird songs soothing and oh that gentle breeze.

Mountains tall and rivers wide,

Indeed nature's beauty, a joyous endless ride.

Money ( Appreciation of poem and poetic creativity)

Ans. Q.3.B. of the HSC Board English Question Paper which comes for 04 marks.

Note : 

1. There are total 8 poems given in the course book of std. XII ( Maharashtra State Board ) and students need to prepare for appreciation of all 8 poems.

2. This is just the SAMPLE. Students are encouraged to understand the poem well and then try writing their own appreciation.

3. Appreciation needs to be written POINT WISE and not in paragraph form.

Appreciation of the poem "Money"

Ans.

1. About the poem, poet and title : The poem "Money" is written by a famous Welsh poet William H. Davies. This poem deals with the dual aspects of money and talks about how money affects our lives, equations and relationships. The title of the poem is apt as it gives the readers a clear insight into what lies in the poem. The poem states that it is when we do not have money or have lost our money , we realize how important money is.

2. Theme : The theme of the poem is the inverse relation between money and happiness and how money does not always bring true friends and real happiness. The poet states how he had many false/fake friends when he had money and how they disappeared when he had no money and that only those who were true friends, though very less, stayed true to him and brought him real joy.

3. Poetic devices and language: The language used in the poem is quite elegant, lucid and easy to understand. There are total five stanzas and the poet has infused a lot of figures of speech to make this short and simple poem more attractive. Figures of speech like inversion in line "Poor men , think I...." , antithesis in line " About their work....morn till night." , alliteration in line " For many.....false man.... friend." , onomatopoeia in line "and how their wives...hum...." , etc. add more charm to the poem.

4. Special feature/s of the poem : Though it's a very short and simple poem but it sends a very strong message on how money makes people go round and how real happiness is not dependent on having a lot of money.

5. Value/message from the poem : This poem sends out a strong message that money is not the ultimate condition to be happy in life and that in fact having true friends gives meaning and purpose to life.

6.Your opinion about the poem : In my opinion this poem opens our eyes and forces us to reflect on our thoughts on money and how in greed of money , our relationships can get spoilt. A must read for all , for sure.

Poetic Creativity (Comes in exam for 02 marks)

Compose a short poem on " Friendship"

Ans. Friendship 

Friends by our side, through thick and thin, 

Who keep us sane , through all noise and din.

With laughter shared and shoulders near, 

In tough times, their support is clear.

Through highs and lows, they stand right by, 

Being the wind beneath our wings , when we soar and fly.

Father returning home (Appreciation and Poetic creativity )

Ans. Q.3.B. of the HSC Board English Question Paper which comes for 04 marks.

Note : 

1. There are total 8 poems given in the course book of std. XII ( Maharashtra State Board ) and students need to prepare for appreciation of all 8 poems.

2. This is just the SAMPLE. Students are encouraged to understand the poem well and then try writing their own appreciation.

3. Appreciation needs to be written POINT WISE and not in paragraph form.

Appreciation of the poem "Father Returning Home" by Dilip Chitre

Ans.

1. About the poem,poet and title :The "Father returning home" is written by Dilip Chitre- a celebrated bilingual poet and versatile personality. He received the prestigious "Sahitya academy award" both for poetry as well as his well known translation work, "Says Tuka". Father returning home is taken from, 'Travelling in a Cage'. It draws the portrait of a suburban commuter. It depicts his dull, monotonous, exhausting and equally pitiable daily routine and also his forced alienation at home. His children refuse to share their joys and sorrows with the hardworking father who as a result is forced into solitude. 

2.Theme:The theme of the poem is the forced alienation of the father. The father who is also a commuter, is not acknowledged by anyone in the train. He rushes across the platform and crosses the railway line to come home, feeling that atleast he might be accepted there and he will not be as insignificant as 'a word dropped from a long sentence'. But alas he is welcomed at home with stale food and a weak tea, he is reading a book because there is no one to ask him about his day or misery.Even his children refuse to share their jokes and secret as they are sullen forcing him to go into solitude. Thus the theme of alienation is prominent in the poem.

3.The language/style/poetic devices used : The language used by the poet is lucid and easy to understand. But once in depth ,various meanings can be uncovered. While sticking to the theme of the poem, the poet has made use of different figures of speech like simile( Now I can see him getting off the train  like l a word dropped from a long sentence), Alliteration, transferred Epithet and Onomatopoeia which enhances the beauty of the poem, unlocking various avenues for interpretation.

4.Special features: The special features of the poem are the depiction of imagery and that it is written in free verse. By narrating the ambience around the father as well as describing him. One can actually picture the father and the different incidents occurring around. And Free verse helps the writer let his thoughts flow without any limitations on rhyme and meter. This makes the poem special.

5.Messages/Values/morals in the poem: While describing the father's hard work and sacrifices for his family, the poet gives us the message to open our eyes and see the hard work of our parents. It also tells about the cruelty of the world where parents once become old are treated like they are worthless by the children and they are forced into estrangement. Through this poem which is based on the struggles of the poet's father, the poet tries to depict the reality of life with a view to pass on the message of loving and caring for our elders.

6.Your opinion about the poem: ' Father returning home' is a poem which depicts the truth. It may seem like a simple poem but once you go in the depth of the poem there are many avenues to discover. The various Symbols used in the poem underline a hidden truth in each line. For eg: The father hurries home across the railway line denotes how eager the father was to meet his family that he is not even bothered of his own safety. The use of free verse, poetic devices and imagery all add to the beauty of the poem.. Further more the messages imparted through this poem also makes it relatable for the readers. I like this poem a lot.

Poetic Creativity (Comes in exam for 02 marks)

Compose a short poem in about 4 to 6 lines on your father

Ans. To My Father

Dearest Daddy,

In your warm smiles,

I find my way.

My guiding star you are ,

And your wise words a map to my brighter days.

Your love is like a cozy embrace ,

Protecting me from all dangers of life.

Have you earned your tomorrow (Appreciation and Poetic creativity)

Ans. Q.3.B. of the HSC Board English Question Paper which comes for 4 marks.

Note : 

1. There are total 8 poems given in the course book of std. XII ( Maharashtra State Board ) and students need to prepare for appreciation of all 8 poems.

2. This is just the SAMPLE. Students are encouraged to understand the poem well and then try writing their own appreciation.

3. Appreciation needs to be written POINT WISE and not in paragraph form.

Appreciation of the poem " Have you earned your tomorrow"

Ans. 

1. About the poem/poet/title :The poem “Have you Earned your Tomorrow” is an inspirational poem written by Edgar Guest who was born in England and was brought to the United states when he was ten years old. He began writing at the age of fourteen and is known as “people’s poet"for his simple and optimistic tone of writing. In this poem , the speaker is asking the readers whether they have done anything to improve others’ lives and advises that one should consider one’s deeds and actions carefully. The title of the poem is perfect and apt as throughout the poem , the poet asks questions to readers whether they did something nice to deserve one more day.

2. Theme : The theme of the poem is importance of living each day by being kind and helping fellow beings in order to earn a well deserved tomorrow. The poet , through his questions,  keeps reminding his readers whether they performed a good deed which brought a smile on someone’s face and gave courage to somebody who had lost his hopes. He encourages the readers to perform good deeds and keep a check on their actions in order to be able to answer God confidently that they deserve one more tomorrow because they spread cheers in few lives.

3.poetic devices/language/style :  The use of the figure of speech interrogation dominates the poem. The poet has beautifully asked thought provoking questions to his readers throughout the poem. The questions asked are simple , direct and need no extra efforts or skills to understand or interpret.  Use of alliteration in lines like "Were you selfish pure and simple...." or This day is...toiling time...." also helps in enhancing the beauty of the poem.The rhyme scheme used in all four stanzas is "aabb" which provides a rhythm to the poem.

4.Special features-tone and type :  This poem has one special feature and that is the consistent use of interrogation. It’s rare to read poems where readers are asked questions almost in each line. Also , the questions asked are simple yet so effective that they force readers to reflect and shake their minds to think on how they can perform better each day in their “department of deeds.”

5.Values/message : The poem clearly gives it’s readers the message to make efforts to spread cheer in others’ lives and considering the value of others. That we must behave nicely when meeting people , not because we will be appreciated but because we will be confident to ask for one more tomorrow from God.

6.Your opinion about the poem : This is a wonderful poem which forced me to look inward and ask myself if I am performing any small act of kindness each day or just rushing along. It also taught me this lesson that “ We get life only once so we must pause , smile , love and be kind along the way.”

Poetice creativity 

( Question 3A , A5.....will be asked for 02 marks...the below example is just a sample....any topic can be given in exam which will be based on the theme of the poem and you need to craft your own short poem on that topic..)

Compose 4 to 6 poetic lines of your own on "good deeds"

Ans. Good deeds

Do you know what is the power of a good deed ?

It is like growing a huge tree of kindness by just planting a small seed !

And how much does it cost to plant that small seed ?

Absolutely nothing but a warm smile of yours for people who are in need !