Poem – 1 | Flamingo

My Mother
at 66
Kamala Das (1934-2009) was born in
Malabar, Kerala. She is recognized as
one of India’s foremost poets.

Her works are known for their

originality, versatility and the Kamala Das
indigenous flavor of the soil.

She has published many novels and

short stories. She wrote under the
pen name “Madhavi Kutty”.
Introduction to the lesson :

My mother at sixty six is written by

Kamala Das who is famous for
capturing complexities of human
relationships.

The poem my mother at sixty six is

one of the finest examples of the
human bonding, especially that of a
mother and daughter. It describes
the pain and fear of the poet - of
losing her mother due to harsh
reality of life which is death.
Poem and explanation

Stanza 1 :

Driving from my
parent’s home
To Cochin last Friday
morning,
I saw my mother
beside me.
Beside : alongside

The poetess explains that

once when she visited her
parent’s house in Cochin.

It was a Friday when she was

driving back to the airport,
her mother was sitting beside
her at the back of the car.

The poet looked at her

mother.
Stanza 2 :
doze, open mouthed, her face ashen like
that
of a corpse and realized with pain

Doze : nap
Ashen : pale
Corpse : dead body

She saw that her mother was sleeping

and her mouth was open. She further
explains that the colour of her mother’s
face was like that of ash. (This means
that there was some smoky appearance
on her face). She looked like a dead
body.
Stanza 3 :

that she was as old as she

looked but soon
put that thought away, and
looked out at Young
Trees sprinting, the merry
children spilling out of their
homes,

Spilling : let out

Sprinting : Moving fast
The poetess realized that her mother had
grown old. She felt pain for her. But soon
she tried to get rid of this sad thought by
diverting her thoughts towards the trees
outside.
The young trees although stationary
seemed to be running very fast as though
they were sprinting. She also saw children
running out of their houses, into the
playground. All these things were full of
life and energy, contrary to her mother who
sat next to her.
Stanza 4 :
but after the airport’s
security check, standing a few yards
away, I looked again at her, wan, pale

Wan : dim, weak

Pale : dull, colorless

The poet continues that when she reached

the airport, she finished with the security
check and stood a few yards away from her
mother. She noticed her mother’s ageing
face which looked so dull, weak and pale.
Stanza 4 :
as a late winter’s
moon and felt that
old
familiar ache, my
childhood’s fear,
but all I said was,
see you soon,
Amma, all I did
was smile and
smile and smile......
The poet compares her mother to a late winter’s moon
as the moon in winters is not shiny and even her
mother’s face had also lost her youth and shine.

As her mother was getting older and weak. The poet

feels the fear of separation just as she used to feel
during her childhood. As a child, she could not bear
the pain of separating from her mother.

But now as her mother has grown old and is about to

die, the poet feels that may be this is the last time
that she is seeing her mother. She tries to hide her
fear.
She then says that she would soon see her mother
again. She says so because she doesn’t want to lose
her mother.
Expected
Questions
1. What is the poet trying to do in the lines below from the
poem 'My Mother at Sixty Six’?

...but after the airport’s security check, standing a few yards

away, I looked again at her, wan,
pale as a late winter’s moon and felt that old familiar ache, my
childhood’s fear,

A. confessing her feelings for her mother who was getting old

B. narrating the discomfort of travelling to the airport with her

mother

C. preaching about human mortality and the need to cherish our

relationships

D. pleading to us to remember the important role that our

parents play in our lives
2. In the line below from 'My Mother at Sixty Six', why has
the poet used 'winter' to describe her mother?

...I looked again at her, wan, pale as a late winter’s moon...

A. to convey that her mother looked as beautiful in her old

age as she did when she was young

B. to hint that she could see the sadness that her mother
felt while leaving her

C. to show that her mother was ridden with diseases that

made her age faster

D. to indicate that her mother was in the final stage of her

life
3. In the poem 'My Mother at Sixty Six',
the poet hides her emotions from her
mother. Do you think it was right of her
to do so? Explain your answer in 40–50
words.

Ans. I think it was right of the poet to bid

good-bye to her mother with a smile on her
face as there was no point in upsetting her
mother with her own emotions as she was
leaving. As adults, we need to realise when
to express our emotions and when not to.
Sample Paper
Questions

[ 2024 ]
 …I looked again at her, wan,
pale
as a late winter’s moon and felt that
old
familiar ache, my childhood’s fear,
but all I said was, see you soon,
Amma,
all I did was smile and smile and
smile......

1. What is the speaker's emotional state when looking at her

mother?

A. Confused and disoriented

B. Nostalgic and longing
C. Empathetic and understanding
D. Fearful and apprehensive
2. What does the use of the word "but" at the beginning of the
line, ‘ but all I said..’, suggest ?
Ans. It suggests a contrast between the speaker's internal emotional response and
her outward behaviour.

3. Select the word that WILL NOT complete the sentence

appropriately.
The description of the mother as "wan, pale / as a late winter's
moon" creates a vivid image
of ________ .
4. State whether the given
A. vulnerability statement is TRUE or FALSE.
B. sensitivity
C. frailty The poetic device used in the line,
D. mortality ‘pale as a winter’s moon’ is the
same as the one used in
the line, ‘the winter wind wistfully
wailed at night’.
5. What message do these lines highlight, in the context
of familial relationships, and the speaker’s sense of
anxiety and fear at the prospect of losing her mother?
Ans. The poem highlights the importance of cherishing and
appreciating the people we love, while we still can.

6. Complete the sentence appropriately.

The repetition of the word, ‘smile’ suggests that
_______________.
Ans. the speaker is trying to hold back her
emotions and remain composed,
despite the pain she feels at parting from her
mother
Previous Year
Questions

[ 2023 & 2022 ]

Poem – 2 | Flamingo

Keeping
Quiet
Pablo Neruda (1904 – 1973) was Pablo Neruda
the ‘pen name’ and later, ‘legal
name’ of this famous Chilean
poet – diplomat – politician.

He won the Noble prize for

literature in the year 1971.

He wrote in green ink which

was his personal symbol for
desire and hope.
Poem and explanation :

First stanza
Now we will count to
twelve
and we will all keep still.
For once on the face of
the Earth
let’s not speak in any
language,
let’s stop for one second,
and not move our arms
so much.
1. The poet asks everyone to
count up to twelve in their
mind. The number twelve
represents the hours of the day
or the months of a year.

2. He wants all of us to be calm

and still.

3. People across the nations have

to unite together, so, they shall
not speak their own languages,
rather they all shall keep quiet
and speak the language of
silence.
4. This will bring unity
among all the humans
on the face of the Earth.

5. For at least one

moment, no one shall
move his arms either to
signal, or to fight, or
argue with each other.
Literary devices :

Alliteration : the repetition

of a consonant sound at
the start of 2 or more
closely placed words.
‘we will’ - ‘w’ sound is
repeated
Second stanza

It would be an exotic moment

without rush, without engines,
we would all be together
in a sudden strangeness.
Fishermen in the cold sea
would not harm whales
and the man gathering salt
would look at his hurt hands.
Explanation
1. When everything will come to
a standstill, it will be a rare
situation.

2. No one will be in a rush, there

will be no engines running.

3. Everyone will be calm and

quiet, united with each other in
a strange atmosphere.
It will be strange because it has
never happened earlier.
4. No person would be
harming any other living
being either for food or
to earn his livelihood.

5. All the people who

work endlessly will get
some time to look at
their injuries and the
damage they have
caused to their body.
Literary devices :

Alliteration-
‘we would’ - ‘w’ sound is
repeated,
‘sudden strangeness’ - ‘s’ sound
is repeated,
‘his hurt hands’ - ‘h’ sound is
repeated
Third stanza

Those who prepare green wars,

wars with gas, wars with fire,
victory with no survivors,
would put on clean clothes
and walk about with their brothers
in the shade, doing nothing.
What I want should not be confused
with total inactivity.
Life is what it is about;
I want no truck with death.
Explanation

1. The people who exploit the green

wealth of nature by deforestation, or
mining, or fishing in the deep seas and
the soldiers who use weapons to kill
fellow human beings need some time
to introspect into the consequences
of their actions. They are merely
doing their job or following orders.

2. He wants them to put on ‘new

clothes’ i.e. to adopt a new approach
towards life and to realize that killing
so many people is not a victory.
3. He wants all of us to be
united as one, consider our
enemy to be our brother.

4. He is promoting
brotherhood, peace and
unity.

5. He does not want us to

stop our works but to take
some time and analyze the
results of our deeds.
Literary devices :

Alliteration:
‘wars with’ - ‘w’ sound is repeated,
‘clean clothes’ - ‘c’ sound is repeated

Assonance : use of vowel ‘o’ (victory with

no survivors, would put on clean clothes
and walk about with their brothers)

Repetition: use of ‘war’

Fourth stanza :

If we were not so single-

minded
about keeping our lives
moving,
and for once could perhaps a
huge silence
might interrupt this sadness
of never understanding
ourselves
and of threatening ourselves
with death.
Explanation :

All human beings work endlessly with

the aim of completing all their tasks.
They are driven by the target of
survival and the threat of death.
So they are in a mad rush to
accomplish all their works.
He says that perhaps, if they pause
for a while, they can appreciate their
achievements and their lives would
become happier.
He suggests that by keeping quiet, we
will be able to understand the true
purpose of our life.
Literary devices :

Alliteration:
we were,
so single - minded
Fifth stanza

Perhaps the Earth can teach

us
as when everything seems
dead
and later proves to be alive.
Now I’ll count up to twelve
and you keep quiet and I will
go.
Explanation

The poet suggests us to take a

teaching from nature.
As the Earth undergoes changes, in
winter, everything freezes, becomes
lifeless but after some time, the
season changes again, and
everything comes back to life.

Similarly, taking a pause and

introspecting into our lives will give
it a new meaning. We will be able to
understand the purpose of our life.
It will be like a re birth of the soul.
The poet has conveyed
to all the people the
purpose of his message
and so, he asks them
once again to take a
pause, count till twelve
and walks out of the
scene, keeping the scene
open for all the people
on the Earth to
experience this for times
to come.
So, now the poet suggests to the human
beings that we should learn a lesson
from Earth. During the winters
everything freezes and becomes lifeless.

But when season changes and its the

onset of spring season, everything
present in the nature such as the trees,
birds, rivers, etc gets life.

So here, the poet, by giving the example

of nature, wants to say that all the
human beings should stop and try to
judge their deeds.
They can try and make their life better
with calmness, peace.
Expected
Questions
1. It would be an exotic moment without rush,
without engines,
In the above line from the poem 'Keeping Quiet',
why is the moment of silence called exotic?

A. because it is unfamiliar to most of us

B. because it contains perfect peace and
harmony
C. because it is a step towards understanding
ourselves
D. because we would finally start realising the
solutions to our problems
2. Which of these quotes BEST conveys the
message of the poem 'Keeping Quiet’?

A. "The unexamined life is not worth living." -

Plato

B. "The way to get started is to quit talking and

begin doing." - Walt Disney

C. "It is during our darkest moments that we

must focus to see the light." - Aristotle

D. "The greatest glory in living lies not in never

falling, but in rising every time we fall." - Nelson
Mandela
3. For once on the face of the Earth let’s not speak in
any language,
Why does the poet say the above line in the poem
'Keeping Quiet’?

A. He believes that humans talk more than necessary.

B. He wants us to dissociate our identity with our
native tongue.
C. He believes that verbal communication is often
insincere and misleading.
D. He wants us to realise the importance of weighing
our words before we speak.
4. What does the poet mean by 'green wars' in the
poem 'Keeping Quiet'? Answer in 20–30 words.

Ans. We can deduce that the poet refers to

man's destruction of the environment,
specifically trees and forests, by the term
'green wars'.
Sample Paper
Questions

[ 2024 ]
1. Imagine you are Pablo Neruda , the poet of Keeping Quiet.
What advice might you offer to Robert Frost, the poet of A
Roadside Stand, in the context of his
conflicted emotions, as displayed in the given lines-
The requisite lift of spirit has never been found,
Or so the voice of the country seems to complain,
I can’t help owning the great relief it would be
To put these people at one stroke out of their pain.
Pen down your advice , in a letter to Frost.

Ans.
Dear Robert
I recently read your poem, "A Roadside Stand," and
was struck by the conflicting emotions that you
expressed towards the end. I understand that it can
be difficult to make decisions when we are
overwhelmed by our emotions.
I would advise you to take a moment to be still and contemplative before
making any decisions about the fate of the people at the roadside stand.
By quieting your mind and being present in the moment, you may be able
to understand their struggles and pain objectively, and gain a new
perspective about your own place in the world too. I also feel that by
breaking from your routine and taking a moment of stillness and
reflection, you might gain a deeper understanding of the situation and
make a more functional decision.

I believe that this moment of reflection could help you to see beyond
your conflicting emotions. We are all human, after all, and before
connecting with others, and resolving their issues, we must try to
connect with our own selves to advice from a place of balance and
calm.
I hope this advice is helpful to you. Please let me know if there is
anything else I can do to
support you.
Warmly
Pablo Neruda
Previous Year
Questions

[ 2023 & 2022 ]

Q1- What will counting upto twelve and
keeping still help us achieve?

A1-If we count upto twelve and keep still, it

will give us some time to analyze our deeds.
It will allow us some moments to think about
the result of our activities. People in the
world are involved in wars and are also
damaging the environment in order to
achieve their aims. Unfortunately this is
taking all of us toward our own end. So, we
need to think in order to achieve peace and
harmony.
Q2- Do you think the poet advocates
total inactivity and death?

A2- No, the poet doesn’t advocate total

inactivity and death. He clarifies this in
his poem that he wants all the people to
just stop for a while in order to analyze
their activities and their consequences.
He wants human beings not to support
war and damage to the environment.
Poem – 3 | Flamingo

A Thing
of
Beauty
 John Keats
John Keats was born in London in
the year 1795 and died in Rome in
1821 at the young age of 25 due to
illness.

He is a romantic poet and his

poetry is characterized by sensual
imagery in his most popular work
which is a series of odes, (a lyrical
poem which is meant for a
particular subject).
Background of the poem
"A Thing of Beauty” :

Based on Greek mythology

about a shepherd named
Endymion, his quest for his
love Diana and how in his
quest, he falls in love with
an Earthly maiden, who
later turns out to be Diana
herself.
 A thing of beauty is a
joy forever
Rhyme scheme Its loveliness increases,
it will never
of the poem : Pass into nothingness;
but will keep
A bower quiet for us,
AABB and a sleep
First stanza

A thing of beauty is a joy

forever
Its loveliness increases, it
will never
Pass into nothingness; but
will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a
sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and
health, and quiet breathing.
Bower : A shady place under
the tree

The poet says that beauty stays

forever. It never fades away.
Rather, it increases with the
passing time.

For the poet, beauty is like a

beautiful shady tree under
whose shade all the creatures
can sleep peacefully and enjoy
good health.
Literary devices :

Alliteration : Use of consonant sound at the

start of two words which are close in series
(Sleep-Sweet)

Metaphor : bower Quiet (calmness of the

bower is compared to the calming effect of a
beautiful thing)
Second stanza

Therefore, on every morrow, are we

wreathing
A flowery band to bind us to the
earth,
Spite of despondence, of the inhuman
dearth
Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,
Of all the unhealthy and o’er-darkened
ways
Made for our searching: yes, in spite of
all,
Some shape of beauty moves away the
pall
From our dark spirits.
Morrow : The following
day

Wreathing : surround,
encircle

Despondence : depressed

Gloomy : sad
The poet says that every day, it is
the beauty which fills us with the
spirit to live. It is the beauty which
builds the desire in us to live though
there are sad moments and cruel
people around us.

So here the poet wants to say that

without beauty the earth will be full
of cruel people, sad and gloomy
moments. It is the beauty which is
created by god which helps us to
remove the sadness from our hearts.
Literary devices :

Alliteration : Use of consonant sound at the

start of two words which are close in series
(‘b’ in Band Bind, ‘n’ in Noble nature, ‘s’ in
some shape).

Metaphor : wreathing a flowery band (the

beautiful things of our life bind us to the
earth)
Third stanza

Such the sun, the moon,

Trees old, and young,
sprouting a shady boon
For simple sheep; and such
are daffodils
With the green world they
live in; and clear rills
That for themselves a
cooling covert make
‘Gainst the hot season; the
mid forest brake
Boon : blessing
Rills : a small stream
Brake : a process to slow
down

Here the poet describes the

beautiful things which are
present on earth. These are
the sun, moon, trees,
flowers (daffodils) and the
rivers.
Poet says that all these things
are like a blessing bestowed on
all the creatures by earth.

He further describes that the

trees provide us with their
shade, flowers with their
beauty and rivers with their
coolness during the hot
summers.

All of these are the beauties of

nature which are like a boon
for us.
Literary devices :

Alliteration : Use of consonant sound

at the start of two words which are
close in series (‘s’ in Sprouting
Shady, Simple sheep, ‘c’ in cooling
covert)
Fourth stanza

Rich with a sprinkling of fair musk-

rose blooms;
And such too is the grandeur of the
dooms
We have imagined for the mighty
dead;
All lovely tales that we have heard
or read;
An endless fountain of immortal
drink,
Pouring unto us from the heaven’s
brink
Grandeur : high rank
or socially important

Mighty : enormous

Immortal : never
dying

Brink : edge
Explanation

The poet further carries on

with the description of the
more beautiful things present
on earth. such as the beautiful
musk roses which have such a
nice fragrance.

Then he describes the tales of

the mighty warriors who laid
their lives for their countries
or for humanity.
Explanation

He says that these

beautiful things are the
gifts from god for all of us.

They are like a nectar given

by god to us and these are
those beauties which are
immortal and give us a
reason to live on this earth
despite having so many
sorrows in our life.
Literary devices :

Alliteration : Use of consonant sound at

the start of two words which are close
in series (‘h’ in have heard)

Metaphor : Immortal drinks ( beautiful

objects of nature are forever like a
never ending portion of a drink)
Expected
Questions
Read the stanza below and answer the following
questions.
Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing
A flowery band to bind us to the earth,
Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth
Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,
Of all the unhealthy and o'er-darkened ways
Made for our searching: yes, in spite of all,
Some shape of beauty moves away the pall
1. In the above lines, the speaker is suggesting that we
__________.

A. fight evils which plague the earth with our own strength
B. reconnect with the earth by stepping into its uncharted
territory
C. create a string of flowers from the earth and bind it to
our bodies
D. bask in the natural beauty of the earth and be tethered
to its joyous strength
2. Rich with a sprinkling of fair musk-rose blooms:
And such too is the grandeur of the dooms
Why is the ‘grandeur of the dooms’ being compared to
'musk-rose blooms' in ‘A Thing of Beauty’? Answer in
20–30 words.

Ans. The ‘grandeur of the dooms’ refers to the

beautiful tales of martyred warriors. The poet says
that their stories are as beautiful and inspiring as
the natural beauty of the musk roses.
Q3- What does the line,
"Therefore are we wreathing a
flowery band to bind us to earth
suggest to you?

A. It means that we get attached

to the beautiful things around us
and weave a pretty band which
binds us with our life, it becomes
the reason for us to live.
Q4- What makes human beings
love life in spite of troubles and
sufferings?

A. The eternal beauty of various

things gives us happiness and
relaxation. It makes us love life
inspite of life's troubles and
sufferings.
Sample Paper
Questions

[ 2024 ]
And such too is the grandeur of the dooms
We have imagined for the mighty dead;
All lovely tales that we have heard or read:
An endless fountain of immortal drink,
Pouring unto us from the heaven's brink.

1. Which of the following themes is best represented

in the given extract?
A. The beauty of nature
B. The power of imagination
C. The immortality of art and literature
D. The inevitability of death

2. State whether the given statement is TRUE or

FALSE, with reference to the extract.
By referring to the dead as "mighty", the poet
emphasizes their importance and the power they
exerted on the people.
3. Complete the sentence appropriately.
The "endless fountain of immortal drink" is an apt analogy
for the tales of the mighty dead because
____________________________.

just as a fountain constantly pours forth water, the tales of

the mighty dead pour forth endless inspiration and wisdom
for the living.

4. The use of the word "brink" in the extract suggests that

the immortality that is being poured onto us is on the verge
of overflowing. This creates a powerful image of ___________.

abundance
Previous Year
Questions

[ 2023 & 2022 ]

Q1- What will counting upto twelve and
keeping still help us achieve?

A1-If we count upto twelve and keep still, it

will give us some time to analyze our deeds.
It will allow us some moments to think about
the result of our activities. People in the
world are involved in wars and are also
damaging the environment in order to
achieve their aims. Unfortunately this is
taking all of us toward our own end. So, we
need to think in order to achieve peace and
harmony.
Q1- Do we experience things of beauty
only for short moments or do they
make a lasting impression on us?

A. According to the poet, a thing of

beauty is a joy forever. Even if we see
it for a few moments, it has a lasting
impression on us and its beautiful
memory stays with us forever. It
inspires us to live, despite the
ruthlessness of life.
Q2- What image does the poet use to
describe the beautiful bounty of the
earth?

A. The beautiful bounty of the earth is

described by -endless fountain of
immortal drink- which signifies that
God bestows us with all his beautiful
creations which help us live despite the
sad, gloomy aspects of life.
Poem – 4 | Flamingo

A
Roadside
Stand
Robert Frost (1874-1963) is a highly acclaimed Robert Frost
American poet of the twentieth century.

Robert Frost wrote about characters, people

and landscapes. His poems are concerned with
human tragedies and fears, his reaction to the
complexities of life and his ultimate acceptance
of his burdens. Stopping by the Woods on a
Snowy Evening, Birches, Mending walls are a
few of his well-known poems.

In the poem A Roadside Stand, Frost presents

the lives of poor deprived people with pitiless
clarity and with the deepest sympathy and
humanity.
Theme :

The poem, ‘The Roadside Stand’ is

Robert Frost’s criticism of an
unequal society where there is a
huge division between the rich and
the poor, the haves and the have-
nots, owing to the unequal
distribution of wealth. The poem
depicts, with clarity, the plight of
the poor and the complex dynamics
of their existence. It also focuses
on the unfortunate fact that the
unequal progress and development
between cities and villages have led
to the feelings of distress and
unhappiness in the rural people.
Poem Analysis : A Roadside Stand

Form (structure or pattern) of the

poem – The poem has 56 lines
divided in 6 Stanzas.

Style (literary elements used by the

poet) of the poem – The poem is
written in a rhyme scheme of ABAB.

Tone (the poet’s or reader’s

attitude towards the subject) of the
poem – The poem has a
sympathetic tone.
First stanza
The little old house was out with a
little new shed
In front at the edge of the road
where the traffic sped,
A roadside stand that too
pathetically pled,
It would not be fair to say for a
dole of bread,
But for some of the money, the
cash, whose flow supports
The flower of cities from sinking
and withering faint.
The poem starts with the
description of the roadside stand.

A small-time farmer who puts a

little shed in part of his house
several thousands of cars speed
past it.

He desires to sell wild berries,

squash and other products. The
farmer does not like charity.

He tries to sell his products for

money. He believes that money
can give him a better lifestyle as
he saw in movies.
Second stanza

The polished traffic passed with a

mind ahead,
Or if ever aside a moment, then out
of sorts
At having the landscape marred with
the artless paint
Of signs that with N turned wrong
and S turned wrong
Offered for sale wild berries in
wooden quarts,
Or crook-necked golden squash with
silver warts,
Or beauty rest in a beautiful
mountain scene,
However, his hopes are
never fulfilled.

People in cars go past

without even giving a
cursory look at their stall
and if few of them happened
to look at it, they see how
the letters N and S had been
turned wrong.

They believe that such badly

painted signs spoil the
beauty of the countryside.
Third stanza

You have the money, but if you want to be

mean,
Why keep your money (this crossly) and go
along.
THE hurt to the scenery wouldn’t be my
complaint
So much as the trusting sorrow of what is
unsaid:
Here far from the city we make our roadside
stand
And ask for some city money to feel in hand
To try if it will not make our being expand,
And give us the life of the moving-pictures’
promise
That the party in power is said to be keeping
from us.
The farmer tells the rich to
keep their money if they are
meant to be so cruel and mean.

He is not hurt that they do not

notice the stand but he is hurt
at the way he is treated and
ignored.

He wishes for some city life and

money which he has seen in
movies and other media but the
political parties are denying him
all these plush lives.
Fourth stanza

It is in the news that all these pitiful kin

Are to be bought out and mercifully gathered
in
To live in villages, next to the theatre and the
store,
Where they won’t have to think for
themselves anymore,
While greedy good-doers, beneficent beasts
of prey,
Swarm over their lives enforcing benefits
That are calculated to soothe them out of
their wits,
And by teaching them how to sleep they
sleep all day,
Destroy their sleeping at night the ancient
way.
It is known that some good doers
plan to remove their poverty. They
aimed to buy their property on the
roadside to build theatres and
stores. Good-doers plan to shift
the villagers into the village
huddled together.

They wished to teach them the

ways that could change their good
and healthy habits. They even
aimed to teach them to sleep
during the day time.

The greedy good doers and

beneficent beasts of prey desire
to force the benefits on the poor
village people and befool them.
Fifth stanza

Sometimes I feel myself I can hardly bear

The thought of so much childish longing in vain,
The sadness that lurks near the open window
there,
That waits all day in almost open prayer
For the squeal of brakes, the sound of a
stopping car,
Of all the thousand selfish cars that pass,
Just one to inquire what a farmer’s prices are.
And one did stop, but only to plow up grass
In using the yard to back and turn around;
And another to ask the way to where it was
bound;
And another to ask could they sell it a gallon of
gas
They couldn’t (this crossly); they had none,
didn’t it see?
Frost talks about his own
personal feelings. He is
intolerable towards the
farmer’s battered hopes.

The windows of the farmer’s

house just ache to hear the
sound of a car stopping to
make some purchase.

However, they are always

disappointed as the cars stop
either to enquire about the
police or about the gas
stations.
Sixth stanza

No, in country money, the country

scale of gain,
The requisite lift of spirit has never
been found,
Or so the voice of the country
seems to complain,
I can’t help owning the great relief it
would be
To put these people at one stroke
out of their pain.
And then next day as I come back
into the sane,
I wonder how I should like you to
come to me
And offer to put me gently out of
my pain.
The poet feels quite discreet
at the pitiable sufferings of
the poor village folk.

He even had a childish

desire for all the poor to be
done away with at one
stroke to end their pain.

But he knew that it was

childish and vain. So, he
desired that someone
relieves him of his pain by
killing him.
Metaphor – A figure of speech that directly refers to one thing
by mentioning another. From the poem:
“Trusting Sorrow”

Alliteration – The occurrence of the same letter or sound at

the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words. From
the poem:
“Greedy good doers”
“Beneficent Beasts”

Personification – A literary tool where you assign the qualities

of a person to something that isn’t human. From the poem:
“A roadside stand that too pathetically piled”

Oxymoron – A figure of speech containing words that seem to

contradict each other. From the poem:
“Greedy good doers”
“Beneficent Beasts”
Expected
Questions
1. Which of these best describes the rural folk in the
following lines from the poem 'A Roadside Stand’?

Here far from the city we make our roadside stand

And ask for some city money to feel in hand
To try if it will not make our being expand,
And give us the life of the moving-pictures’ promise
That the party in power is said to be keeping from us.

A. lethargic
B. tenacious
C. submissive
D. aspirational
2. What is the poet doing in the lines below from 'A
Roadside Stand’?

While greedy good-doers, beneficent beasts of prey,

Swarm over their lives enforcing benefits
That are calculated to soothe them out of their wits,

A. He is portraying the rural folk as victims who

deserve the benefits doled out by the rich people.
B. He is exposing the foul ways in which the rich
people earn their living off of the rural folk.
C. He is showing the different ways in which the rural
folk are supported by the rich people.
D. He is revealing the philanthropy of rich people as
their way of oppressing the rural folk.
3. The poet's purpose in writing 'A Roadside
Stand' is to __________.

A. motivate city people to live as humbly as

the rural folk
B. draw attention to the glamorous life of the
city people
C. eliminate his own pain about the situation
of the poor
D. lament the pitiable condition of the rural
folk
Sample Paper
Questions

[ 2024 ]
Q. 1. Why didn’t the ‘polished traffic’ stop at
the roadside stand?

Ans. The ‘polished traffic’ sped past the

roadside stand and did not stop there as
their mind is focused only on their
destination. Moreover, they were critical of
the poor decor of the stand and complaint
that it reduced the beauty of countryside.
Previous Year
Questions

[ 2023 & 2022 ]

Q1. What news in the poem ‘A Roadside
Stand’ is making its round in the village?

A) The news is about the resettlement of

the rural people who will be resettled in
the villages, next to the theatres and the
stores.
They would be close to the cities and
would not have to worry about
themselves any more. But it was all an
activity of “greedy good-doers”.
Q2. Why do people at the roadside stand
ask for city money?

Ans. They ask for city money so that they

can lead a life of happiness as the rural
people running the roadside stand are
poor and deprived, unlike the people of
the city.
This much-needed city money can give
them a good livelihood.
Poem – 5 | Flamingo

Aunt Jennifer
Tiger
 Adrienne Rich
• American poet, essayist and
feminist.

• She talks about a woman’s

experiences in her married
life.

• She has tried to explore the

inner feelings of a woman
who is living under the
dominance of men
Poem and explanation :

First stanza

Aunt Jennifer’s
tigers prance across a screen,
Bright topaz denizens of a
world of green.
They do not fear the men
beneath the tree;
They pace
in sleek chivalric certainty.
EXPLANATION

The poet is talking about a lady

whom she addresses as aunt,
Jennifer. She is embroidering a piece
of cloth.

The pattern shows tigers who are

moving and jumping around all over
the fabric.

They are bright yellow in colour like

the colour of the topaz stone (use of
metaphor).
The dense green forest
background is their home.
They are the proud and fearless
citizens of the forest. Here is a
contrast between Aunt Jennifer
and her tigers.

The tigers are fearless but this

lady, who is embroidering them
is not so. The tigers look
elegant, shining and full of the
gentleman’s grace.
Literary devices :

Rhyme scheme : aabb

Anaphora : use of same word in two

consecutive lines (they do not … and they
pace in…)

Metaphor : Use of topaz to describe the

yellow color of tigers (Bright topaz)
SECOND STANZA

Aunt Jennifer’s
fingers fluttering throu
gh her wool
Find even the ivory
needle hard to pull.
The massive weight of
Uncle’s wedding band
Sits heavily upon Aunt
Jennifer’s hand.
EXPLANATION :

• The lady’s fingers are trembling with

the fear of her husband.

• She is pursuing her hobby in her free

time but probably, she is still afraid
of her husband who could scold her.

• Her fingers are so tired of working

endlessly all her life

• The needle is also heavy for her to

pull out of the cloth.
• The words ‘uncle’s wedding
band’ as the band was
bought by her husband, it is
his till today.

• The lady is dependent on her

husband .

• She is still burdened by the

weight of the ring. ‘weight’
means the encirclement or
trapping that has fallen upon
her by getting married to
him,
• she has been burdened by
the obligations of married
life, has become the man’s
property.

• She has been living a

demanding life due to which
she has worn out in her old
age.
Literary device:

Rhyme scheme : aabb

Alliteration : ‘f’ sound is

repeated in finger fluttering
THIRD STANZA

When Aunt is dead, her

terrified hands will lie
Still ringed
with ordeals she was
mastered by.
The tigers in the panel
that she made
Will go on prancing,
proud and unafraid.
EXPLANATION :

• Her wish to live a free,

fearless life is indicated by
her choice of design – tigers.

• It shows her innermost desire

of being strong, fearless
which has been overpowered
by her husband.

• Probably, her ordeal will end

upon her death.
• Her frightened, shaking
fingers will be put to rest.

• But still, even after death,

the ring shall remain on her
hand, i.e. her husband’s rule
over her is not yet over!

• After her death, her desire

of freedom and fearlessness
shall remain alive in these
tigers which she has
embroidered.
Literary devices :

Rhyme scheme : aabb

Alliteration : ‘p’ is repeated in

prancing proud
Expected
Questions
1. Which of the following best explains a
symbolism that has been used in the
poem 'Aunt Jennifer's Tigers’?

A. Aunt Jennifer's hands representing her

self
B. tigers representing Aunt Jennifer's
husband
C. men beneath the trees representing
humanity
D. the wedding band representing
strength and chivalry
2. What opportunity does creating the panel
or the screen give Aunt Jennifer in the poem
'Aunt Jennifer's Tigers’?

A. a way to convince herself to escape

B. a method to voice her inner desires
C. a plan to increase the joy in her life
D. a chance to instil terror in others
3. The massive weight of Uncle's wedding band...
In this line from the poem 'Aunt Jennifer's Tigers', why
has the poet used the word 'Uncle's' instead of simply
'Aunt Jennifer's' or 'her’?

A. It highlights the value of a partner's strength.

B. It reveals the extent of her fear and sadness.
C. It acts as a reminder of unseen heroes in the poem.
D. It serves to underscore her husband's power over
her.
Sample Paper
Questions

[ 2024 ]
Sample Paper Question
Q. It is clear that the speaker
in Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers has
an attitude of ………………
towards her.

a. empathy
b. wonder
c. sympathy.
d. gratitude
Previous Year
Questions

[ 2023 & 2022 ]

2023

Q- What is suggested by the image

‘massive weight of Uncle’s wedding
band’?

A. ‘Massive weight of Uncle’s wedding

band’ suggest symbolically, that the
bindings and obligations of her
marriage are so much that they have
put a lot of burden and stress on her.
Q- How do ‘denizens’ and ‘chivalric’ add
to our understanding of the tiger’s
attitudes?

Ans. The word ‘denizens’ means that

they are proud of their home, they feel
safe there and have a feeling of
belonging attached to it.
The word ‘chivalric’ shows that they
have a majestic and worthy position like
knights.
Thank-You

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