11 HORNBILL POEM 2 MARKS

POEM - A PHOTOGRAPH

1. Who are the persons in the photograph? (55 words)

The photograph shows three persons - the poet's mother when she was twelve years old and her two cousins Betty and Dolly. They were at the beach enjoying their sea-holiday. They were smiling and posing, holding each other's hands. Their uncle took the photo. The mother was a small girl with sweet smile and her cousins were also young.

2. What does cardboard refer to? (52 words)

Cardboard refers to the thick hard paper on which the photograph is pasted. The photo is very old but still safe on cardboard. It holds the memory of the poet's mother's childhood. Though the mother has grown old and died, the cardboard photograph has kept that happy moment alive forever and never fades.

3. Who has not changed over the years? (58 words)

The sea has not changed over the years. In the photograph, the sea is seen behind the three girls, and even after many years, the sea is still the same. While human beings are born, grow old and die, nature like the sea remains eternal and everlasting. This shows the contrast between temporary human life and permanent nature.4. What do you infer about feelings of poet? (65 words)

The poet feels very sad, lonely and nostalgic when she looks at the photograph. She remembers her mother's childhood and her happy face, but now her mother is dead and she cannot come back. The poet feels a deep pain of loss. The silence after her mother's death makes her very emotional. The poem shows her grief and how she misses her mother terribly.

5. What impression about mother? (62 words)

The poet's mother appears to be a very cheerful, playful and lively girl in her childhood. She enjoyed her holidays with her cousins at the beach. Later as an adult, she would look at this photograph and laugh with nostalgia remembering her past. She was a loving and affectionate mother. The poet remembers her with great love and respect even after her death.

POEM - THE LABURNUM TOP

1. What is colour of Laburnum in September? (55 words)

In September, the colour of Laburnum tree becomes yellow. Its leaves turn yellow and the whole tree looks pale and lifeless. Because it is autumn season, the tree loses its greenery and becomes dry. It stands silent and still in the sunlight without any movement or sound, as if it is waiting for something to bring life back.

2. Why Laburnum becomes yellow in September? (58 words)

The Laburnum tree becomes yellow in September because September is the time of autumn. In autumn, leaves become dry, turn yellow and start falling. The tree loses all its green leaves and looks dead and silent. This is a natural process in this season. The tree shows no sign of life until the goldfinch bird comes and makes it alive again.

3. What was compared with Goldfinch movement? (60 words)

The quick and sudden movement of the goldfinch bird is compared with the movement of a lizard. Just like a lizard moves very fast, smooth and alert on the walls, the goldfinch also comes suddenly, enters the branches quickly and silently. The poet uses this simile to show how fast, sleek and active the small bird is when it comes to feed its young ones.

4. How tree is transformed during bird's visit? (70 words)

Before the bird's visit, the Laburnum tree was completely silent, yellow and lifeless. But when the goldfinch comes with food, the whole tree is transformed. It suddenly becomes full of life, noise and movement. The baby birds start chirping loudly and flapping their wings. The tree starts trembling and shaking. The once dead and silent tree now looks alive, energetic and full of activity because of the bird family.

5. What is engine and fuel? (65 words)

The goldfinch bird is called the engine of the machine. The Laburnum tree and the nest together are like a machine. The machine was silent before, but when the engine which is the goldfinch comes, it starts working. The fuel of this machine is the bird's sweet chirping, its movements and the feeding of its babies. This fuel gives energy and life to the whole tree.

POEM - THE VOICE OF RAIN

1. What will happen if it doesn't rain? (60 words)

If it doesn't rain, the earth will become completely dry and lifeless. There will be no water for plants, animals and human beings. Seeds will not sprout and crops will not grow. Trees will dry up and rivers will become empty. Life on earth will suffer badly and may even end. Rain is very necessary to keep the earth alive and beautiful.

2. How does shower fall? (55 words)

The shower falls very softly, gently and beautifully from the sky to the earth. It comes down like small drops of water that touch everything with love. Though it falls silently, it brings new life, freshness and happiness to all living things. It washes the earth and gives it new energy, making nature green and lively again.

3. What took shape of showers? (58 words)

The vapour that rises from the land and the sea took the shape of showers in the sky. The water evaporates from rivers and oceans due to heat, goes up into the sky, forms clouds and then comes back to earth as rain. This is the cycle of water. The rain itself says that it is born from the earth and returns to it.

4. What happens when rain falls on seeds? (62 words)

When rain falls on the seeds lying in the earth, they get water and nourishment. With the help of rain, the seeds sprout, germinate and grow into new plants and crops. Without rain, the seeds would remain dry, dead and useless inside the soil. Rain gives them life, strength and power to grow and become big plants, thus continuing life on earth.

5. What does rain wash? (60 words)

The rain washes away dust, dirt, dryness and impurities from the earth. It cleans the trees, leaves, fields and the air. After the rain, everything looks fresh, clean, green and pure. It removes the dullness of nature and brings brightness. The rain makes the world look beautiful and lively again by washing away all the dirt and pollution.

POEM - CHILDHOOD

1. What does poet experience about adults? (62 words)

The poet experiences that adults are hypocrites and dishonest. They talk about love, honesty and truth, but in real life they do not follow what they say. They preach one thing and do another thing. For example, they say they love everyone but they act selfishly. This double-faced behaviour of adults makes the poet feel that adults are not sincere and truthful.

2. When does child become adult? (58 words)

According to Markus Natten, a child becomes an adult when he starts thinking logically and questioning beliefs. When he was eleven years old, he realized that Heaven and Hell are not real places found in Geography books. He also understood that adults are hypocrites. This awareness and loss of innocence is the beginning of adulthood and maturity in a person's life.

3. Where has childhood gone? (60 words)

The poet wonders where his childhood has gone. He feels it has gone to some forgotten place and hidden in an infant's innocent face. It means childhood is still there in small babies who are innocent and pure. But for grown-ups, childhood is lost forever. It lives only in memories and cannot come back once we become mature and aware of reality.