9. THE FEED (Ahmed Nadeem Oasmi)
CONTEXT: In this poem, the poet depicts the love of a mother for her young children. They are very small. The mother sparrow brings only a grain of millet in her beak. She wants to feed them. But she is confused to think that it is not enough for them because they are ten in number.
EXPLANATION: LINES 1 TO 6: In these lines, the poet discusses that the mother sparrow is holding a grain of millet in her beak. She wants to feed her young ones, which are very small. They are crying for food. The mother sparrow has only one grain to feed her ten young ones. It shows that resources may be limited but the care of a mother for her children is unlimited. Nothing in this world can be compared to the love of a mother.
EXPLANATION: LINES 7 TO 9: In these lines, the poet says that the mother sparrow is holding a grain of millet in her beak. She wants to feed her young ones. They are ten in number. The mother sparrow is thinking about how she should feed them all with one grain. She is joining her beak with their beaks. She is tearing the grain. She is thinking to whom she should solace because they are ten in number and food is not enough for them.
EXPLANATION: LINES 10 TO 15: In these lines, the poet says that the mother sparrow addresses her children. She says that they have learned how to weep and cry in a loud tone. She is splitting the grain and says that they have learned to set life on foot. She has only one grain of food in her beak to feed her ten young ones. But her dilemma is how to feed them with this grain of millet.
Short Questions
Q.NO.1: Who has written this poem?
Answer: This poem is written by Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi. He is a Pakistani poet. He has written Urdu as well as English poetry.
Q.NO.2: What does the sparrow hold in her beak? OR How many young ones are to be fed? OR What is the dilemma of the mother sparrow? OR (BWP-08, 11, 12 DG-12, GW-10, 12, MN-11, 12RWP-11, AJK-11)
Answer: The sparrow is holding a grain of millet in her beak to feed her ten young ones. Her dilemma is how to feed all the young ones with just one grain of millet.
Q.NO.3: What is the central idea of the poem, “The Feed?” OR What is the theme of the poem? OR What is the moral lesson of the poem? OR Write a critical appreciation of the poem. OR What do you feel after reading the poem? OR What has the poet described in the poem? (BWP-11)
Answer: In this poem, the poet wants to tell that if the parents are unable to fulfill their children’s wishes, it is natural for them to be anxious.