FLAMINGO (POETRY) MY MOTHER AT SIXTY SIX Introduction of the Poom ‘One of India's versatile writer, Kama Das was born on 31a March 1984. She spent her childhood in Caleutta land Malopatt. She was influenced by the weltings of her uncle Malapatt Narayan and itother Malapatt from your beloved is ness ts described by the poct which fs felt bythe aged people. The pat oth ‘lkdren for not being able tobe with thelr parents lk ako expressed, The poeth also expresses the pal of a “daughter which ahe ele the time of separation from her mother A ston meamgehas been given by the poet to the new generation, that “Do not be 40 busy in fullling your desifes thar you forget your parents Tien they need you. One should always show anes love Important Characters The Poets Mother ; The poet's mother's face was colourless. Her mother’s face was lke a corpse and symbolised teaiky, dullness, pesimisi and inactivity. The weakness of her mother could be judged by a Tock. On the other hand cheerful children and young trees symbolised energy, 2el enthusiasm, Joy and ‘Summary of the Poom (Ensiish) ‘Kamala Das was going to Cochin and white driving she noticed her mother who wa siting beside her inte ae he wat pane Yee her me's wrinkled and faded face er toners face wan pa He fa dead body. The expreadion on her Toe locked outside the car Sh hoses. The joyous her of her childhood when her mother was young. When Kamala Das was at security check, she again looked at her mother's pathetic and faded face, and her face was pale and grey like winter's moon. Kamala Das senses a familiar pain and her childhood fear of losing her mother eame back. But she controlled her painful feelings and shulingly bid goodbye. She asures her to meet her mother very 8000. Master Stroke == Inorder to understand the poetic devices ll possible examples from the poem should be picked. @ The students should read the questions property s0 a5 to provide the AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (CLASSROOM IN A SLUM) Introduction of the Poem “This poem is about the injustice prevailing in the society, The poet tells bout inequalities and dental of ‘epportunitiesto the slum dwellers. The gap between rich and poor has also been described by the poet. The poet is hiting on the economic system which helps the rich fo be feher and poor 40 be pootet. The Civil Rights Movement in America had gained speed and the poet supports it when exposes the c “haves” and “have-nots” The poem brings out the miserable conditions of children in the slum area, The por health condition and educational conditions have also been expremed and described by the poet. The racial discrimination and socialist proclamation are the two things which should be ended. A country can ‘nly prosper # education reaches tothe downtrodden in the society Important Characters > The Narrator: Spender took a keen interest in the socal and political problems of his times. As a socal reformer and pacts of his ime, he questions the value of education and the moralsand eihis of individuals, > Spender ends the poem on a positive note as he expresses his beliel that people sho are ignited by the spirit of knowledge and learning are the ones who create history, Its the moral labiity of ‘everyone to break barriers between the Raver and the have-nots and give mearingfl education to all a8 History remembers only those people whoare eckicated and have enlightened thenwelves and others for a better world Summary of the Poem (English) ‘An Elementary School Classroom In a Slum which the poet descrtber as a school of slum. The children, studying inthis poverty. In the fest stanza, the poet describes that the faces of these children are different from thatof the children of uta school, These Children ate Uke rootless weeds, withered and worn-out. They are malnourished, weak and hungry. AS there leno need of ‘weeds in the garden’, so theve children are not required inthe society. Their Faces are pole and hair are uncombed. A tall si Other students are alsoin the same con has been described. Another boy whose bones are twisled because of weakness, He has gota disease from 1s father, reciting it, gnarad dicate, A pel i lest i the world of dreams. She is looking at the squirrel her tree room Inthe second statin, the dirty classroom, walls and Dst of donors have been described. The walls have been decorated with pictures af world maps and great people but the children’s eyes cam view nly a narrow road enclosed with a dull ky. In the third stanza, the poet says that Shakespeare is wicked because he mislends the children, The poems of Shakespeare shows them a beautiful world which isnot real to them and it instigates them to escapefrom theie cramped holes. It ooks that these children wear skin, Their entire appearance necks of their deprivation, Tn the lst stanza, the poet says that there ean be no change unless a governora schon inspector visits the school, The windows of their classroom shut them and confine them to their world of poverty. The poet, ‘appeals to the powerful people to liberate these children, to break and open these windows which have Shaled the fate of these children, He wants that these children should receive education and they shoud have a carefree look. The poet earnestly desires that every child should be able wo enjoy fundamental sights of freedom. ‘Stephen Spender ends the poem on a positive note as he expresses his belief that people who are ignited by the spit of knowledge and learning are the ones who ereate history. Master Stroke == “The students should pick up points from the poem thar denote is central theme. ta The students should read the questions properly #o aa to pravide the correct answer. ® The students must lis all poetic devices, This ean be done by picking, ‘examples from the poet. KEEPING QUIET Introduction of the Poem Tn this poem the poet makes an appeal 10 take sometime for yourself from your busy schedule, Very ‘emphatically the poet advises for introspection and retrospection, He advises the reader to keep quiet so that we can take a stop our mindless activites and do a self for mental relaxatio doom. The tte “kee stopping on the activities, keeping quietin the mind andnot deinganything, The poet does not advise to be About the Poet > Pablo Neruda; PabloNeruda was born ina variety of style sich as love poeavs as in bis collection Twenty Penis of Love and Song of Despale’, surrealize poems, historical epics and overtly political manifestos. Pablo Neruda emphasises 4 unique as wwellas universal impact of having a verve of togetherness along with the need of introspection for mutual understanding, In this respect, he is ofthe opinion to bring total inactivity anvongall the people. They my rralivexome strangeness and enjoy the exote moments in their Ife, So he urges the people ofall languages to stop speaking and the fishermen are asked t0 stop harming the whales. Those who advocate deadiy vweapora to destruct the humanity huve been requested to top and save humanity, Pablo Neruda says that ‘we should not be confused with the theory of inactivity. There is no change in the laws of nature. There ‘cin be no agreement with death but sadness may trouble vs, It 8 very much essential for as that we must tnderstand ourselves because there can be life under apparent stillness and there is life beyond It also Summary of the Poem (English) this poem, the post has emphasised the need to introspect and retrospect. According to the post, there should be Brotherhood among the people of the world, The poet wants everybody tostop talking and sop ‘al their activities which are related to agitation and restlessness ill he counts up to twelve, These moments ‘OF silence would be sranggeand exotic because everybody inthis world Is earth bounded. Everybody in thie In the poets opinion, ths sudden silence would sive usan opportunity to interorpect ourselves. Since We prevail. In this way, man woul come to know of he will realise how he fs destroying his beautifial nature, ‘way everybody well experience a sense amt he peop tear senso fon the cae The cath pen : the urge For destruction, Master Stroke ‘central theme. (2 “The student should understand the literal and figurative meat ofthe poem. ATHING OF BEAUTY Introduction of the Poem “A things of beauty” kan excerpt from John Keats longer poem ‘Endymion’, A Poetric Romance’. Accord to the poet a thing of beauty ba source of Joy forever, "he sun, the moon, tees, tsk roves ane caffe foery, torlnand others wi. areal sources Of exteroal Joy for wm Important Characters > The Narrator: The narmator trough this poem highlights the importance Of nature. He 6 talking as a fturaliot andia devotes to the natsre He advocates the presence of natare area objects aroue wa which help usto Bvelife The narrator gives many examplesthat without nature, theres no survival and tie with th forever Fle respects the forefathers and fecls obliged to them til the end of the hfe‘Summary of the Poem (English) ‘A thing of beauty isa constant source of joy ts eauty keeps on increasing, It never fades It will never pass {nto nothingness. provides usa pleasant shelter—a quiet bower for us It gives us peace and a sleep full ‘of sweet creams. We are bound to the beauties of the earth. We suffer from malice and disappointment. We lack good human qualities and noble natures. We have some sad days aso, All these things make our life gory. We also develop unhealthy and evil ways that cause us suffering aad pain, Thing of beauty remove the curtain of darkness and gloom from our spits, All beautiful things of nature ate a boon for ‘humanity. The sun, the moon and old and yourys trees are the sources of happiness, They provide a shady shelter, which isa boon for simple sheep, Daffodil flowers are blooming among the green surroundings. ‘Small streams with transparent water make « cooling shelter of thickets to protect themselves from the hot ‘season. Bushes are growing in the middle ofthe forest They have been made more beautiful and grand by a sprinkling of blooming musk roses, This magnificence and beauty surpasses grandeur ofthe dooms that ‘we have imagined for our mighty dead forefathers. These beauties of nature are lovelier than all lovely tales that we have heard or read, Nature is an endless fountain, Master Stroke iz 1 The students should pick up points from the poem that denote its central theme. The students should understand the literal andl figurative meanings of the poe AUNT JENNIFER'S TIGERS: Introduction of the Poom ‘The poem ‘Aunt Jennifer's Tigers addresses the constraints of the marred life of a woman, The protagonist ‘of the poem, Aunt fennifer represents wemen all over the world. She represents the kind of women who ‘were caught under the oppressive hand of a patriarchal society. The postess, Adrienne Rich through the simple lines of the poem delineates. woman's struggles with expression and rebellion. The three quatraine ‘expose the desolating effects of patsiarchy, Important Characters, > Aunt Jennifer: Aunt Jennifer looked weak but she was strong within, She is trapped within the confines ‘of her marriage and has become her hustand’s property unlike her tigers. The tigers depict her true inner spirit—fearlessness and aim to soar high. Aunt Jennifer is forced to live in accordance with rules lid down by her husband. She does net have any freedom. > Uncle: The character of uncle shown in this poem is though not lively/physically present but his presence ‘can be noticed in Aunt Jenniter’s words and works. He i a tyrant type of a person who dominates his wite forhis satisfaction. > Adrienne Rich (Narrator): Adrienne Rich was bom in Baltiaore on May 16,1929, She was an American poet {and novelist In her poem, Aunt Jennifer’ Tigers, she has described the constraints of the married life of a ‘woman, Through her simple ines she delineate, the struggle of women. ‘Summary of the Poem (English) ‘Aut Jennifer creates an alternate world of freedom in her att, The tiger in Aunt Jennifer's stitehings are representative of her desire of a free spirit, emphasising the fact that she pines for freedom from her burdensome husband, ‘The first stanza opens with Aunt Jennifer's visual tapestry of tigers who are fearless oftheir environment. “Bright Topaz denizens of a world of green” —evoke an image that these regal tigers are unafraid of other beings in the jungle. ‘Bright’ here signifies their powerful and radiant persona, There isa sense of certainty and confidence in the way these tigers move as can be seen in the line—"They pace in sleek chivaric certainty” In the second starza, the reality of Aunt Jennifer is revealed as she is feebie, weak and enslaved. Very much the opposite ofthe tigers, she was knitting. Her physical and mental traura is depicted in the line— “find even the ivory needle hard to pull”, Even though a wedding ring doesn’t weigh much,” the massive ‘weight of uncle's wedding bang, sts heavily upon Aunt Jeaniers hand” signs the amount of dominance ‘exercised over her. This aso means that her inner free spit has been jailed by the patsiarchal society. The last stanza starts on a creepy note about Aunt Jennifer's death, Even her death would free her from the ‘ordeals she went through which can be seen in "when Aunt is dead her terrified hand willbe sill singed ‘with ordeals she was mastered by”. But her artwork which was her escape route ori a way symbolised her inner sense of freedom will ay forever proud and unafraid,1@ The students should pick up points from the poem that denote its central theme. 18 The students should understand the literal and figurative meanings of the poem, 18 The students must find out the rea fe connect ofthe poem,