APPRECIATIONS

1. The Song of the Open Road

Read the extract and write a poetic appreciation of the poem with the help of the following
points.
1. About the poet and the title
2. The Theme
3. Language, and poetic devices used
4. Special features
5. Your opinion about the poem.

Ans:

2.1The Song of the Open Road

About the poet and the poem:

This inspiring and motivational poem is written by the American poet Walt Whitman. The
poem ‘The Song of the Open Road’ is about an optimistic and energetic attitude. The poet
Walt Whitman is known for his free verse poems. The title itself signifies the optimistic
approach of the poet towards life, his carefree nature and his great confidence.

Theme:
Here the title Open Road signifies freedom,here the road refers to mobility. The poet wants
to lead a significant and free life away from any burden or restrictions he expects a
burden-free life for him.

Language Poetic Device

The language used here is quite simple and easy to understand. It is a free verse poem
meaning it has no rhyme scheme. We notice repetition in verses and transferred epithet. It is
a dramatic monologue. The first stanza is of three lines and the remaining are four lines.

Special features
The poem invites motivation for us , it is a free verse poem. It attracts readers to a new way
of life that the poet himself wants to enjoy.

Message
The Poem gives a message of self-reliance and its significance. It insists on a carefree life ,
burdened free attitude. We should not depend on fortune and its pattern. We should have
our attitude towards life.

My Opinion about the poem

It is one of my favourite poems as it teaches us the value of self-confidence and self-reality.
This Poem has taught me that we should lead an optimistic and energetic life. The poem is
short but teaches great values of life.
2.2Indian Weavers

About the poet and title:

This well-known poem is written by Sarojini Naidu who is known as the sobriquet of the
nightingale of India. She was a political activist, feminist and an important figure in the Indian
struggle for independence. Three Stanzas represent three stages of life ,they are birth,
adulthood and death.

Theme
The poem is composed in question and answer pattern ,the three different times of day are
associated with three stages of life.
Dawn (morning) – childhood
Dusk ,Evening – Adulthood
Midnight – Death
It is the cycle of life.

Language, Poetic device

The poem is full of musical rhyme, the rhyme scheme of all the stanzas is a a b b. Simile,
metaphor, inversion, alteration, interrogation etc are the figures of speech commonly used in
the poem. The sound of ‘w’ is almost used 20 times providing a great musical quality.

Special features
The poem is a beautiful presentation of imagery of Indian Weavers, and their dedication to
their work. The attribution of three times of the day to three stages of life is really impressive.

My Opinion about the poem

I think our Indian Weavers have a lion’s share to enrich Indian tradition regarding costumes
and attire. The poem is the best presentation of musical notes with its uniform rhyme
scheme.

2.3 The Inchcape Rock

About the poet and poem:

This is a ballad, written by Robert Southey. It is the story of the 14 th century attempt by the
Abbot of Aberbrothok to install a warning bell on the Inchcape , a notorious stone reef about
18 km off the east coast of Angus occupied by the Bell Rock Lighthouse . The poet was
inspired by the legendary story of a pirate who removed the bell on the Inchcape rock and
invited death for himself because of his own deed.

The Theme
The Abbot of Aberbrotok installed a bell on the Inchcape rock to alert the mariners to avoid
the collision ,the pirate plucked the bell in jealousy. In return journey ,he invited death due to
the lack of an Inchcape bell.
Poetic Device
The figure of speech used in the poem is aabb

The tone of the poem is energetic as it is a ballad. There are 4 lines in each stanza, figures
of speech like personification, simile, metaphor, beautiful word pictures of the story. We find
many old English words here.

Special features
We observe a beautiful presentation of the natural beauty of the sea, it has a sea
background . Being a baller, we find great energy while reading the poem. The poem
depicts a word of an image of marine beauty.

My opinion/message
The poem is didactic , with a great moral message
‘as we sow, so shall we reap’
This message is useful to everyone, we are responsible for our destruction. The qualities like
jealousy and hatred invite destruction for us.

2.4 Have You Earned Your Tomorrow

About the poet and poem

This is an inspirational poem written by Edgar Guest who is known as a people’s poet, for
his simple style and optimistic tone of writing. He was an American writer for newspapers
and magazines. The poet expects that we should improve our quality of life by helping others
or doing good for others.As a result we improve the quality of our future. Today’s actions are
responsible for tomorrow’s reactions.

The theme
The poet directly emphasises the question to the readers to stress his intention. He expects
that we should be careful while maintaining relationships with others because doing or
behaving well with others is indirectly inviting good for us to make our future bright.
We should be thoughtful in our everyday life ,we should avoid negative features of behaviour
like rudeness ,jealousy etc.

Poetic Device
We find 11 interrogations in the poem which clearly state the intention of the poet. The
language is very simple and clear,each stanza has a rhyming scheme to make the poem
musical, it consists of figures of speech like an interrogation, Synecdoche, alliteration, etc.

The message of the poem / my opinion

The poem gives a great message of a bright future, if our present is positive. our future will
be surely positive. Our tomorrow depends on today’s behavior. If our actions are positive
today, tomorrow we experience a bright future. In short, live today with a positive attitude,
and make your future with great goodwill.
2.5 Father Returning Home

About the poet/poem:

Dilip chitre is a bilingual poet and translator with a remarkable work in Marathi and English
.The poem depicts a portrait of a suburban commentator showing his monotonous, pitiable
daily routine. No one takes care of him. He leads a lonely life.

The Theme
Here is the story of the greatest doer of his family, The old man who works hard for his family
suffers a pitiable suburban life , his family doesn’t take care of him. He feels himself lonely in
this crowded world and finds depression.

Poetic Device
The poem is written in free verse meaning it has no rhyme scheme, the use of the present
participle is remarkable. We find examples of alliteration, simile, personification and
repetition. There is a use of continuation of sentences without a pause or a comma which is
called an Enjambment. It is a dramatic monologue.

My opinion / moral
I feel sorry for such people who are neglected by family members . Here the old man suffers
alienation or estrangement. His life is pitiable and sorrowful. We should be very kind to such
people.

2.6 Money

About the poet/poem:

This thoughtful poem is written by William Davies, a Welsh poet and writer. The poem tells
about a rich man who wants to become a poor man to get happiness. When we lose money,
we realise how important money is. When we have no money, we realise our true friends.
The poet has actually experienced the difference between the life of a poor man and a rich
man.

The theme of the poem:

When we are rich, many people try to be with us as our friends, not for us but for money.
Money is responsible for bringing people close to us, at the same time, when we don’t have
money, some limited people are with us , and poverty shows the real mentality of unreal
friends.

Poetic Device:
The poem has five stanzas of four lines each. The major figures of speech are inversion,
simile, onomatopoeia etc. stanzas 3 to 5 have the rhyme scheme abab.

Message / my opinion:
This poem states the importance of money in our life. It clearly shows poor men may be
away from money but are very close to happiness ,whereas rich people may not experience
happiness because of the influence of money. Money invites many friends but they may not
be faithful, real friends are known in our poverty.

2.7 She Walks In Beauty

About the poem / Poet/title:

This poem is written by Lord Byron , it is an ode written in praise of an unknown woman who
is undoubtedly very beautiful. Lord Byron is known as one of the greatest English poet who
uses English language effectively. Here he describes the beauty of an unnamed woman.

Theme of the poem:

Beauty is the main theme of the poem apart from other certain themes. Features of the
woman like eyes, cheek, brow, tresses colour of the skin is praised throughout the poem.
Inner beauty is also regarded as a prime factor to bliss the outer beauty. One of the themes
is harmony and balance. The beauty is compared to many elements like heaven, cloud,
clear skies. light etc

Poetic Devices, language, style: The poem is full of poetic devices like alliteration,
personification, metaphor, antithesis etc. The example of simile is like the night, alliteration is
cloudless climes, starry skies. The example of antithesis dark and bright add effect to the
theme. The language is simple and lyrical. The beauty is not only external but also internal
as the mind is calm, the heart is innocent and tender.

Special Features –
Tone and type: The tone of the poem is simple and lucid dedicated to all poetic features.
This ode (type of poem) is dedicated to an unnamed woman expressing the features of her
beauty. Actually the concerned woman is unknown, but her beauty is greatly glorified.

My opinion of the Poem / Message : The poet gives a vital message insisting that inner
beauty is more important than outward appearance. Inner beauty is divine as external
beauty is transient.

2.8 Small Town and River

About the poem/ Poet/ Title: One of the most eminent poetess Mamang Dai has written
this poem dedicated to the beauty of nature specially the river and its features. She belongs
to Arunachal Pradesh and has played a key role in the nature saving campaign. In this
poem, she describes a landscape and its immortal features where the river is the most
dominant factor.

Theme:
The poem begins with the concept of death which is quite shocking for the readers. It
mentions that the town reminds the poetess about death. Life is called temporary and rituals
are permanent, which is very true. The mentioned town is changing constantly but
development is quite active.

Poetic device, language and style: We find the poem in personified tone as the river is
personified by giving human qualities. We find use of metaphor in the poem in sentences
like the river has a soul. The sentence – is the wreath sad? shows transferred epithet. There
is an example of alliteration in examples like wanting to walk with the gods. The poem is
written in free verse. The language is easy to understand.

Special features –
Tone and Type : The poem forces us to introspect about our injustice towards nature and its
beauty. We are responsible for the destruction of our nature and invite a grim discussion
about it.

My opinion of the poem/ message : After reading the poem , we realise that we still have
time to come to the ground to save our god gifted nature. Our greedy nature is spoiling this
beautiful nature, especially the rivers. Our so-called progress is the enemy of nature.