Explanations of Stanzas -Book III (Poems)

Poem No. 1
“The Rain”, written by William Henry Davies
Reference:
These lines have been taken from "The Rain", written by William Henry Davies. The poet describes his experience of hearing rain falling on leaves.
Context:
This poem is a short, beautiful meditation on the sounds and sights of rain falling on leaves. The poet describes the sound of leaves "drinking" the rain and notes that even the poorest leaves beneath the richer ones are nourished by the drops. The poem celebrates the beauty and transformative power of rain, as well as the hope and renewal that can come after a storm.
“I hear leaves drinking …. green leaves near.”
The sound of the rain falling on the leaves is described as a "sweet noise," suggesting that the speaker finds it pleasing and perhaps even comforting. The use of the word "sweet" also suggests that the speaker perceives the rain as nourishing and life-giving, like a sweet drink. Personification is described as the leaves "drinking" the rain. This humanizes the leaves and gives them a sense of agency, as though they are actively taking in the rain and benefiting from it. Metaphor is used when the poet refers to the leaves as "rich" and "poor." This compares the leaves to people of different social classes, with the larger, more mature leaves on top as the "rich" and the smaller, less mature leaves below as "the poor." He tries to convey a sense of intimacy with the natural world and an appreciation for the simple pleasures of life. The poet is attuned to the sounds and rhythms of nature, and finds joy in the smallest details, such as the sound of rain falling on leaves.
“And when the Sun ….. a lovely sight.”
The final lines express a hope that the sun will shine brightly and bring light to the world. The poet describes when the rain stops and the sun comes out. He imagines that a "wondrous Light" will fill each raindrop, which is described as "dark" and "round." This suggests that the raindrops are currently heavy and full, but that they will be transformed by the sun into something bright and radiant. This personification gives the raindrops a sense of life and agency, as though they are capable of being transformed by the sun. Metaphor is used when he describes the rain as "dark" and the sun as "wondrous Light." This metaphor emphasizes the transformative power of the sun and suggests that it has the ability to bring brightness and clarity to the world. Personification is used when the speaker describes the drops of rain as "dark, round," and suggests that they will be filled with a "wondrous light" when the sun comes out. The imagery of light and darkness, as well as the use of repetition, creates a sense of contrast and emphasizes the potential for change and renewal.

Stanza No 2 with reference to context
 “And when the Sun comes out,
After this rain shall stop,
A wondrous light will fill
Each dark, round drop;
I hope the Sun shines bright;
It will be a lovely sight.”
Reference: 
These lines have been taken from “The Rain”, written by William Henry Davies.
Context: 
The Rain is a great phenomenon of Nature. It brings water for all. Green leaves on the top drink water and get fresh. The falling drops of rain produce a sweet noise. After the rain, the sun comes out of the clouds. It looks bright and more beautiful. The scene of the sunshine is a source of pleasure.
Explanation:
In these lines, the poet in the spontaneous overflow of his powerful feelings describes a beautiful picture/story/experience of rain. The poet is very much optimistic about the change of weather. He says that after the rain stops, the Sun appears again. It shines bright and its wonderful light fills each dark round drop on the leaves. These raindrops will get a glow from the sunlight.  This sunshine is another wonder of nature. The poet says that the sun shines in full brightness and makes the scene lovely. It is a source of pleasure for everyone. The rain and the sunshine also refer to two aspects of man’s life. Just as there is sunshine after rain, a difficult time is followed by a good time. In the last two lines, the poet hopes that the sun will definitely shine up in the sky and this will be a very charming spectacle. As Helen Keller says “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” 
The language of the poem is very simple, but the meanings it conveys are very profound and thought-provoking. Both the implicit and explicit meanings incite the reader to make his own consideration (          ) / imagination (                     ) / conclusion (                            ) / speculation
 
 Names of Poems and Poets to learn

Poem No. 2     Night Mail
Reference: 
These lines have been taken from “Night Mail”, written by Wystan Hugh Auden.
Context:    
In this rhythmic and descriptive poem, the poet gives a beautiful picture of the journey of a night mail through plains, high mountains, cotton fields, grassland and moorland. It carries letters, money orders, and cheques. It climbs up the mountains. It passes through the plains. The birds, the dogs, the sheep, around the track are not disturbed by it. They go on sleeping. The mail train is, in fact, the means of communication between people living in different parts of the country. The beauty of the poem lies in its music.
“This is the Night Mail ….. girls next door.”
In these lines, Auden begins by describing the train crossing the border, carrying a wide range of letters for different recipients, from the rich to the poor, reaching even the shop at the corner and the girl next door. Through the use of repetition, Auden emphasizes the universal nature of communication and the train's role in delivering messages to people from all walks of life.
Letters for the rich …… next door.
In these lines, the poet focuses on the diverse content of the letters carried by the train. Auden presents a list of various types of letters, ranging from expressions of gratitude and financial correspondence to invitations, job applications, and declarations of love. The stanza showcases the wide spectrum of human communication, capturing everything from gossip and news from different nations to personal messages and condolences. The use of enumeration emphasizes the breadth and depth of the letters being transported, highlighting the train's role as a channel for a vast array of emotions, information, and connections. Overall, these lines underscore the train's role in facilitating communication and illuminating the diverse tapestry of human experiences.
“Pulling up Beattock …. she’s on time.”
This line describes the night mail train as it approaches Beattock, a location along its route. "Pulling up" signifies the train's effort in ascending a gradient, indicating a challenging climb. However, despite the uphill struggle, the train remains punctual and arrives at Beattock on time. The line highlights the train's perseverance and reliability, emphasizing its ability to overcome obstacles while fulfilling its purpose of timely mail delivery. The poet, portrays the train's journey, describing its steady climb despite the challenging gradient.
“Past cotton grass ….. over her shoulders.”
In these lines, the poet depicts the night mail train's journey through a marshy landscape characterized by cotton grass. As the train moves forward, billowing steam and smoke rise from its chimney, forming a visual image of the train's dynamic presence. The line captures the train's progression through the natural environment, with the cotton grass serving as a marker of the surroundings, while the steam and smoke illustrate the train's power and motion. Vivid imagery is employed to depict the train, with white steam billowing over its shoulder as it snorts noisily and passes through silent miles of wind-bent grasses. Through personification, Auden breathes life into the train, capturing its movement and the landscape it traverses. Overall, these lines evoke a sense of anticipation, movement, and the significance of communication facilitated by the night mail train.
“Snorting noisily, ….. wind-bent grasses.”
In these lines, the poet vividly portrays the night mail train's passage through a landscape. The phrase "snorting noisily" evokes the sound and energy of the train as it powers ahead, emphasizing its strength and force. The train's powerful movement causes the grasses in its path to bend, indicating the physical impact it has on the environment. The imagery suggests a scene of vibrant motion and sound, with the train's snorting and the bending grasses capturing the dynamic nature of its journey. It conveys the train's active presence and the impression it leaves on the landscape as it barrels forward.
“Birds turn their ….. blank-faced coaches.”
In these lines, the poet presents a moment of interaction between the night mail train and the natural world. "Birds turn their heads" describes how birds in the vicinity of the train react to its presence by curiously observing and turning their heads. This imagery suggests a sense of intrigue and interest evoked by the train's passage. The phrase "blank-faced coaches" refers to the appearance of the train's carriages, which lack windows or visible occupants. This creates an impression of impersonality or detachment, emphasizing the train's solitary purpose of delivering mail. The contrast between the animated birds and the seemingly emotionless coaches highlights the divergence between nature and machinery. It conveys a fleeting moment of connection between the train and the living world it momentarily disrupts, underscoring the train's distinct role in the landscape.
Sheepdogs cannot turn her …. blank- faced coaches
In these lines, the poet returns to a more serene tone. Auden contrasts the train's unstoppable progress with the tranquillity of sheepdogs that slumber with their paws crossed. The farm remains undisturbed as the train passes by, only causing a jug in a bedroom to gently shake.
“In the farm she passes …. gently shakes.”
In the final stanza of "Night Mail," often referred to as the "In the farm she passes no one wakes" stanza, brings the poem to a reflective and contemplative conclusion. Auden shifts the focus to a farm that the night mail train passes by. In this scene, life remains undisturbed as the train makes its way through the night. No one in the farm wakes up or realizes the train's presence, except for a jug in a bedroom that shakes gently in response to the train's vibrations. This image evokes a sense of quiet isolation and emphasizes the contrast between the train's powerful journey and the stillness of the farm. The stanza highlights the train’s significance as a bearer of information and the emotions tied to its arrival.
 
For all Stanzas
These vivid and dynamic images create a palpable atmosphere of anticipation and urgency, emphasizing the powerful and relentless nature of the train's journey.

Poem No.3
Loveliest of Trees, The Cherry Now
Reference: 
These lines have been taken from “Loveliest of Trees, The Cherry Now”, written by Alfred Edward Housman
Context:    
In this beautifully composed poem, the poet has expressed his profound and passionate love for Nature. This poem is an admiration of Nature and its stunning objects especially cheery during the spring season. The tree has cast a tremendous and captivating impact on the feelings and mind of the poet when the poet sees his beloved tree, cheery and loaded with white flowers. The poet wants to enjoy the company of his loveliest tree for a long time. Nevertheless, he cannot quench his aesthetic thirst in his short span of life, as he thinks fifty years is not a big period to enjoy.
“Loveliest of trees ….. for Easter tide.”
In these lines, the poet expresses his love for nature. He visits a woodland and happens to see the cherry tree that is hung with white flowers. To him, the cherry is the loveliest tree. His joy knows no bounds. It looks like wearing a white dress to celebrate the Easter event. He is using personification to give the cherry tree human-like qualities. By saying that the cherry "is hung with bloom," he is giving the impression that the tree is adorned with flowers like a person might wear jewellery. Additionally, the phrase "woodland ride" suggests a journey or a path through the woods, which adds a sense of movement and progress to the scene.
“Now, of my three ….. me fifty more.”
In these lines, the poet is repenting that he has wasted the first twenty years of his life without appreciating the beauty of the cherry tree. The imagery of "seventy springs" and "fifty more" emphasizes how quickly time is passing and how little time the speaker has left to enjoy the beauty of the cherry tree. Housman is using imagery to convey the passage of time and the brevity of human life. The phrase "threescore years and ten" is a biblical reference to the traditional human lifespan of 70 years. The use of numbers and counting also creates a sense of inevitability and finality, as if the speaker's fate is already predetermined.
“And since to look  ….. hung with snow.”
In this stanza, the poet is determined to enjoy the beauty of the cherry tree for the rest of his life. Housman is using a metaphor to compare the cherry blossoms to snow. This is an example of a metaphor because he is directly comparing the cherry blossoms to snow without using the words "like" or "as." This metaphor creates a striking visual image of the white blossoms against the dark branches of the cherry tree. The phrase "little room" is an example of understatement, as it downplays the amount of time the speaker has left to enjoy the beauty of the world. The phrase "woodland I will go" also reflects a sense of wanderlust and a desire to explore, as the speaker sets out on a journey to appreciate the natural beauty around them.
 
Poem No. 4               O Where are You Going?
Reference: 
These lines have been taken from “O Where Are You Going? “written by 
Wystan Hugh Auden.
Context: 
In this profound and thought-provoking poem, the poet has skillfully described two forces as ‘reader’ and ‘rider’, ‘fearer’ and ‘farer’. He presents it in the form of a dialogue between two imaginary persons, personified as ‘Reader’ and ‘Rider’. The reader is a person afraid of the dangers of life. The rider is hampered at every step of his journey towards his destination by discouraging forces. However, he is ready to face all challenges courageously. He also says that the way to glory and success is vague and uncertain, but if one is courageous and ambitious one can go through it quite easily.
“O where are you going? …. Where tall return.”
This stanza sets the tone of inquiry and contemplation. It portrays a conversation between a reader and a rider, where the reader questions the destination of the rider's journey. The mention of a fatal valley with burning furnaces creates a sense of danger and foreboding. The reference to a midden, a place for waste disposal, and its maddening odours further add to the ominous atmosphere. The stanza concludes with the mention of a grave, symbolizing the final resting place where the departed find their repose. Together, this stanza introduces themes of mortality, uncertainty, and the existential questions explored in the poem.
“O do you imagine …. From granite to grass.”
In this stanza, Auden delves into a conversation between a fearer and a farer, exploring themes of fear, uncertainty, and the passage of time. The fearer questions the farer’s imagination and asks if they can envision the consequences of their journey. The mention of footsteps transitioning “from granite to grass” symbolizes a shift from solid ground to softer terrain, highlighting the precarious nature of the farther path. It suggests a transition from stability to vulnerability, and the fearer implicitly hints at the potential dangers and uncertainties that lie ahead. This stanza prompts reflection on the imaginative capacity to anticipate the outcomes of one’s actions and raises questions about the risks and repercussions of venturing into the unknown
“O what was that bird …. a shocking disease?”
In this stanza, Auden presents a conversation between horror and hearer, where horror expresses a sense of alarm and curiosity. Horror is intrigued by a mysterious bird and questions the hearer if they notice a peculiar shape among the twisted trees. The mention of the bird and the mysterious shape evokes a sense of unease and foreboding, suggesting that something unknown and potentially ominous is unfolding. These lines introduce an element of suspense as horror warns the hearer that a figure is swiftly approaching from behind, moving with a soft and subtle presence. This creates a sense of imminent danger or threat, heightening the tension within the stanza. The final line, "The spot on your skin is a shocking disease," adds to the sense of alarm and disturbance. It implies that there is a mark or blemish on the hearer's skin that carries a metaphorical weight. This spot is described as a shocking disease, suggesting that it represents something unsettling or harmful, possibly symbolizing a deeper, underlying issue or vulnerability.
“Out of this house …. as he left them there.”
The farer responds to the fearer, emphasizing that their fears and anxieties will persist if they refrain from exploring the world outside the house. The farer implies that growth and personal development require overcoming fear and embracing new experiences. It implies that the fearer's fears will continue to hold them back unless they confront and transcend them. The hearer addresses horror, indicating that horror or the unexpected can be found in the outside world. This implies that there are those who eagerly anticipate the reader's presence and impact in the world. The repetition of "as he left them there" at the end of the stanza echoes the departure mentioned earlier. It emphasizes the lingering effects and implications of leaving the house.
Overall, this stanza explores the themes of courage, fear, anticipation, and the transformative power of leaving one's comfort zone. It encourages readers to embrace new experiences, confront their fears, and recognize that their presence can have a meaningful impact on the world beyond the confines of their familiar surroundings.

Poem No. 5       In the Street of the Fruit Stalls

Reference: 

These lines have been taken from “In the Street of the Fruit stalls”,

written by Jan Stallworthy.

This poem is a meditation on the contrast between the darkness and harshness of the world and the innocence and joy of children. He has skillfully portrayed a true picture of fruit market. It is evening time the light of lantern is spreading its light all around. Various fruits are piled up in a conical shape. They are reflecting glowing colours and look like cannon bombs. A few children take the fruit and enjoy if of their choice. They buy fruit, break it open and relish its taste. The poet is standing in the darkness with gloomy thoughts because the world is threatened with war, misery and poverty. However, these forces have failed to crush man’s love for pleasure.

“Wicks balance flame … from within.”

The poet's comparison of the piles of fruit to "pyramids of cannonballs" is a powerful and evocative image. It suggests that the world is a place of danger and violence, where even the most innocent things can be turned into weapons. The falling "dark dew" and the lantern's flame also create a sense of foreboding and suspense. The poet is preparing the reader for something unpleasant, something that is out of place in the peaceful setting of a fruit market. The comparison of the fruit to cannonballs is also ironic. Fruit is a symbol of life and abundance, while cannonballs are weapons of destruction. The poet is suggesting that even the most beautiful and innocent things can be corrupted by war and violence. The poet's use of this image is also effective because it is unexpected. The reader does not expect to see a comparison between fruit and cannonballs in a poem about a fruit market. This unexpectedness makes the image more powerful and memorable. Overall, the poet's comparison of the piles of fruit to "pyramids of cannonballs" is a powerful and effective way to convey the sense that the world is a place of war and destruction. It is a reminder that even the most innocent things can be turned into weapons, and that we must be vigilant in protecting ourselves from violence.

“Dark children with … a pitted skin.”

The introduction of the "dark children" with a coin to spend is a stark contrast to the image of the fruit stalls as "pyramids of cannonballs." The children represent innocence and hope, while the fruit stalls represent danger and destruction. The poet's description of the children's faces as "radiant as lanterns" is particularly striking. It suggests that the children's joy is a beacon of light in a dark world. Their faces are lit up by the sweet juice of the fruit, and their happiness is infectious. The poet's juxtaposition of the children's innocence and the fruit stalls' destructive potential is a powerful reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is still hope. The children's joy is a reminder that we are capable of finding beauty and happiness, even in the midst of chaos. The children's innocence is also a reminder of the importance of protecting our children from the dangers of the world. The poet is suggesting that we must create a world where children can be safe and happy, and where they can experience the simple joys of life, like eating fruit. Overall, the introduction of the "dark children" with a coin to spend is a powerful and moving way to convey the message of hope and resilience in the face of adversity. The children's innocence and joy are a beacon of light in a dark world, and they remind us that there is still beauty and goodness to be found. The poem ends with the poet reflecting on the fact that even in the darkest of times, there is still hope and joy to be found in the innocence of children.

“They take it, …. I am standing in.”

The last stanza of the poem is a powerful and moving meditation on the resilience of the human spirit. The poet describes how the children’s act of breaking open the fruit and letting its sweet juice run down their faces is a symbolic act of defiance. Their cheeks, chins, noses, and fingers enjoy the sweet juice of the fruit. It is a way for the children to savor the simple pleasures of life, even in the midst of darkness and hardship. The children's faces are described as "radiant as lanterns." This suggests that their joy is a beacon of light in a dark world. They have forgotten about the "dark street" that the poet is standing in. They are completely absorbed in the simple pleasure of eating fruit. The poet's use of the word "forgot" is particularly striking. It suggests that the children are able to temporarily forget about the harsh realities of the world and experience pure joy. It suggests that the children's joy is overflowing and uncontrollable. They are so happy that they are literally splashing themselves with the sweet juice of the fruit. The last stanza of the poem is a powerful and moving conclusion to a beautiful and thought-provoking poem. It reminds us that even in the darkest of times, there is still hope and beauty to be found in the human spirit.

Conclusion: The poem also raises questions about the nature of reality. The poet compares the fruit stalls to "pyramids of cannonballs," suggesting that the world is a dangerous and threatening place. However, the children in the poem see the fruit stalls as a source of pleasure and joy. This suggests that our perception of the world is subjective and that we can choose to see the good in even the darkest of times. On a deeper level, the poem can be seen as a metaphor for the human spirit. The children in the poem represent the resilience and hope that we all have within us, even in the face of adversity.

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Worksheet of Verb Correction