NAGARJUNA VIDYANIKETAN

POEM: 5 SOMETHING TOLD THE

WILD GEESE
BY RACHEL
FIELD

Prepared by Ms. Nikitha

RACHEL FIELD - Rachel Lyman Field (September 19, 1894 – March 15, 1942) was an
American novelist, poet, and children's fiction writer. She is best known for the Newbery Award–
winning Hitty, Her First Hundred Years. ield also won a National Book Award, Newbery Honor
award and two of her books are on the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award list.
BRAINSTORMING- MIGRATION
AESTIVATION AND HIBERNATION

� What are the significant changes that you observe in the weather during winter?
� o How is it different from the weather during summer?
� o Which is your favourite season and why?
� o What happens during the rainy season?
SUMMER

Hot

Clothes dry very

Sky is blue fast and we sweat
a lot.

Fruits,
vegetables and Sun shines
grains are in brightly
abundance

clothes dry
very fast
AUTUMN
In autumn or fall it gets
cooler. Leaves start
changing colour and
begin to fall.

Fruits and vegetables,

such as apples, berries,
Various cultures have figs, carrots, and
celebrated bountiful pumpkins are in
harvests with annual abundance
festivals.

Animals might prepare

themselves for the
fruits, vegetables and upcoming cold weather,
grains are in abundance storing food, or
travelling to warmer
regions.
WINTER

The temperature falls some areas may

experience cold winds or snow.

Animals may hibernate

There are fewer or sleep a lot to save
plants to eat during energy or find ways to
winter months. keep themselves warm
during winter.

In snowy regions the trees and

mountains are covered with snow.
SPRING

Spring is marked by longer days and

the sun rises higher in the sky. As the
days grow longer, temperature rises
and plants begin to bud and start
their life cycles again.

Migrating animals move

Mammals give birth to their young towards north and those who
ones. Insects hatch and begin to feed. spent the winter in the north
begin to shed their winter coats.

Birds build nests, find mates, and

start their breeding seasons.
Movement in Animals

� The main difference between aestivation and hibernation is, aestivation is summer sleep

while hibernation is winter sleep in which an organism passes the winter period in deep
sleep condition. Aestivation: Aestivation is summer sleep and during aestivation, animals usually tend
to rest in a shady and cool place.

� Hibernation and migration are adaptations for animals to survive winter months when food is not
available. Hibernation is when animals rest or remain asleep during the entire winter. Migration is the
movement of animals from one place to another.
 GIST OF THE POEM:

The Poem is about the time of change in the cycle  of seasons.
Nature seems to have it's own secret and mysterious 
way of telling the Geese that winter  has almost
arrived and that they must get ready to fly to the land where the sun shines.
In spite of still seeing the golden fields of summer, can feel the urge to begin
their winter migration. Something tells them that frost and snow are on the
way and it is time to fly. Even though the summer sun is on their wings,
‘there is winter in their cry.’
 HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A FLOCK OF BIRDS FLYING AWAY TOGETHER? WHERE DO
YOU THINK THEY ARE GOING? READ THE POEM TO FIND OUT WHY THE WILD
GEESE LEAVE THE BEAUTIFUL GOLDEN FIELDS BEHIND.

Something told the wild geese

It was time to go,
Though the fields lay golden
Something whispered, ‘snow’.
Explanation:

This is trying to demonstrate that nature is calling out to the

geese. Even though it is still golden outside, there is
something that is talking about snow, which makes us think
that snowy season is approaching.
 2 Stanza
nd

Leaves were green and stirring,

Berries, luster-glossed.
But beneath warm feathers
Something cautioned, ‘frost’.
2 Stanza explanation
nd

� What do you think the climate would be?

� Yes, it is summer as the leaves are green and moving with the wind and the berries are sparkling and under
the feathers of the geese the heat is felt.
� Then, how did the geese get to know that winter is approaching?
� Probably, birds too have sixth sense that winter is approaching hence, something warned, frost.
 3rd
Stanza

All the sagging orchards

Steamed with amber spice
But each wild breast stiffened
At remembered ice.
3 Stanza Explanation
rd

� The trees were drooping or hanging down due to the weight

of the fruits. The heavy rotting of the fruit and the colour
Amber and spice is the aroma of the fruit. The heart of each
bird in the flock became stiff with the fear of the unpleasant
memory of the harsh winter when they remembered the word
ice.
 4th
Stanza

Something told the wild geese

It was time to fly,
Summer sun was on their wings,
Winter in their cry.
4 Stanza Explanation
th

� The sixth sense told the wild geese that it is time to fly
though the summer heat was felt on their wings but winter
was approaching so they had to fly south.
 Events that occurred in the poem

� 1. Something in the nature tells the geese that it is time for them to leave the current location.
� 2. Snow–Though the fields were still golden because of sun’s rays, something told the geese that
winter was nearing and it was about to snow.
� 3. Leaves and fruits–The leaves were still green and full of life and had not yet begun to wither and
the fruits were still ripe and shining. The trees were bending with the weight of the ripe fruits and the
orchards were covered with golden brown spice.
� 4. Frost–Though the feathers of the geese were still warm with the warmth of the sun, the nature
warned them that soon they would feel the cold frost beneath their wings.
� 5. Ice–The heart of each bird in the flock became stiff with the fear of the unpleasant memory of the
harsh winter when they remembered the word ice.
A quizzy Fuzzy

1) Tell the first two lines of the stanza.

2) Which are the winter words in this stanza?
Snow
3) Which season is the poet talking about?
Find the words that describe the poem.