3.

1 Silver
Slowly, silently, now the moon Walks the night in her silver shoon;

This way, and that, she peers, and sees Silver fruit upon silver trees;

One by one the casements catch Her beams beneath the silvery thatch;

Couched in his kennel, like a log, With paws of silver sleeps the dog;

From their shadowy cote the white breasts peep Of doves in silver feathered sleep

A harvest mouse goes scampering by, With silver claws, and silver eye;

And moveless fish in the water gleam, By silver reeds in a silver stream.
- Walter de la Mare

Meanings
cote : small shelter for birds
moveless : still, motionless
shoon : shoes

I. Write the rhyming words and the rhyme scheme of the poem.
Ans. Rhyming words are : moon-shoon, sees-trees, catch-thatch, log-dog, peep-sheep, by-eye, gleam-
stream.
The rhyme scheme is aa, bb, cc, and so on.

II. Underline the word silver/silvery in the poem. In which lines does it occur? What pattern does it
show?
Ans. The word silver/silvery occurs in the second line of every couplet. It shows a pattern of repetition
for pleasing effect.

IV. Can you think of a parallel scene of dawn or evening when everything is steeped in golden light?

V. The same landscape appears different at different times. What message can we draw from this?

III. Answer the following question

1. Which of the objects, animals, etc. in the poem are at rest without any motion?
IV. Your own response
1. If you were asked to draw a detailed picture of the scene described in the poem, what object,
animals, natural features etc. will you show in the picture? Make a list.

2. Can you think of a parallel scene of dawn or evening when everything is steeped in golden light?

3. The same landscape appears different at different times. What message can we draw from this?

Appreciation of Poem (Point wise)

1. Title: Silver

2. Poet: Walter de la Mare

3. Theme/Central idea: The main theme of this poem is the description by the poet of the silvery
moonlight on the country side at night.

4. Rhyme Scheme: aa,bb, and so on (rhyming couplets).

5. Figure of Speech: Personification. ‘This way and that she peers and sees’. The moon is given the
human quality of peering this way and that.

6. Special Feature/Implied meaning, etc.: Poem is very rich in imagery. The poet implies that different
scenes appear different in the way light falls on it. The poet shows us the beauty of countryside and
different animals and objects reflecting the moonlight.

7. Favourite lines: This way, and that, she peers, and sees
Silver fruit upon silver trees;

8. Why I like/don’t like the poem: I like the poem because of the beautiful imagery. Words like ‘silver’
and ‘silvery’ are mentioned in the second line of every couplet.

Appreciation of Poem (Paragraph Format)

The peom ‘Silver’ is written by Walter de la Mare. The main theme of this poem is the description by the
poet of the silvery moonlight on the country side at night. The rhyme scheme is aa , bb, and so on. The
poem is in rhyming couplets. The figures of speech used by the poet is ‘Personification’. ‘This way and
that she peers and sees’. The moon is given the human quality of peering this way and that. This poem is
very rich in imagery. The poet implies that different scenes appear different in the way light falls on it.
The poet shows us the beauty of countryside and different animals and objects reflecting the moonlight.
My favourite lines are ‘This way, and that, she peers, and sees Silver fruit upon silver trees;’. I like the
poem because of the beautiful imagery. Words like ‘silver’ and ‘silvery’ are mentioned in the second line
of every couplet.