- Short Questions Book-III Poems
SHORT QUESTIONS (Exercise Based & Past Papers)
1. The Rain
Q.No.1: Who has written the poem, “The Rain?”
Answer: The poem, “The Rain” has been written by W.H. Davies. He was a prolific poet. Most of his verses deal with nature, his own tramping adventures and the problems and hardships of the poor. He discusses both the dark and bright aspects of life and nature in his poetry.
Q.No.2: What is the theme of the poem? OR What does the poet want to convey his readers through the poem, “The Rain?” OR What is the central idea of the poem? OR Write a note on critical appreciation of the poem? (MUl-06, RWP, BP, FSD-07, AJK-08, 12)
Answer: This poem is a musical display of rain. The leaves at the upper level quench their thirst first and then transfer drop after drop to the leaves at lower level. Symbolically, the rich leaves represent the rich people and the poor leaves represent the poor people. However, the scene after the rain is enjoyed by everyone and removes class distinction.
Q.No.3.Why does the poet call the upper leaves the rich leaves? OR What does the poet mean by rich leaves? (DG-10, BP-08, GW-10)
Answer: The poet calls the upper leaves the rich leaves because they enjoy maximum raindrops. When they are over saturated, they transfer the rain drops to the leaves at lower level. Symbolically, they represent rich and elite class of society. When they have sufficient wealth, they trickle down to the poor.
Q.No.4: Why does the poet call the lower leaves the poor leaves? OR What does the poet mean by “Poor Leaves?”
Answer: The poet calls the lower leaves the poor leaves because they get the benefit of enjoying rain drops later than the rich leaves. Symbolically, they represent the poor people of society. The way the poor leaves get rain drops trickled down by the rich leaves, in the same way the poor people get charity in the form of coins one by one by the rich.
Q.No.5: What is sweet to hear? OR How does the poet feel when he hears the rain falling on the leaves? (FSD, BWP-09)
Answer: There are two types of noise to hear in the poem. The first sweet noise to hear is of the rain and the second one is the sweet noise which the upper leaves create when they trickle down water to the leaves at lower level. The poet is greatly impressed to hear this sweet and enchanting noise.
Q.No.6: How can a rainy day be enjoyed? (LHR-07, 08, DGK-08, MUL-10, SAR-11)
Answer: A rainy day can be enjoyed in different ways. We can enjoy bathing and playing. We can enjoy special dishes. We can enjoy the scene after the sun reappears. We can enjoy the scene of rainbow. We can enjoy the freshness which appears in nature and its objects.
Q.No.7: What will happen after the rain stops? OR Why does the poet hope to enjoy a lovely sight after the rain stops? OR What happens when the sun shines brightly? (FSD-11, SGR-07, 08, MN-07, LR-07, 08, FSD-11, BWP-08)
Answer: The poet hopes that the sun will shine brightly and spread its rays all around after the rain stops. The sun rays will brighten everything. They will illuminate the rain drops which start shining beautifully. Everything will wear a new outlook and become beautiful. The atmosphere will become pleasant.
2. The Night Mail
Q.No.1: Who has written the poem, “The Night Mail?”
Answer: This poem has been written by W.H. Auden. He was a poet, an author and a playwright. His greatest interest was in political and social writings. These two aspects of his poetry won great fame for him. His major weapons in poetry were language, metaphor, satire and parody. He was lively and provocative, skilled and ingenious.
Q.No.2: What kind of train has been depicted in the poem? OR What is a “Night Mail?” What is its function? OR Write a note on “Night Mail.”OR Explain the various duties that night main perform? OR What qualities of the Night Mail have been discussed in the poem? (FSD-09, GW-11, MN, LHR-11, SAR-10, 12, DGK-12, MUL-12)
Answer: The poet has depicted the Night Mail in the poem. It is a postal train. It brings cheques, love letters for the boys and girls and postal orders for the people. It meets many hurdles, but it always reaches on time. It is of great help to all and a great source of information.
Q.No.3: How do the birds and dogs react at the approach of the Night Mail? (LHR-09, BWP-08, 10, SAR, BWP, FSD-12, LR-06)
Answer: When the Night Mail approaches, the birds in the bushes turn their heads and stare at its empty compartments. However, the sheep dogs even do not bark at it because they do not have the courage to change its course. They are quite helpless before its power.
Q.No.4: What happens when a train passes by a farm? (GW-10, BWP-11)
Answer: Nothing special happens when the Night Mail passes by a farm. The people remain sleeping because they are not disturbed by its arrival and the noise it creates. However, there is one thing that happens at its arrival. A jug in the bed room shows some movement.
Q.No.5: What does the poet mean by “Blank-faced?” (SG-08, AJK-08)
Answer: Blank-faced means without any spirit or passion. So, blank-faced coaches mean that the coaches are passionless and without any spirit i.e. without any passengers in them. They are inactive, lifeless and without any feeling of pleasure.
3. Loveliest of Trees, the Cherry Now
Q.No.1: Who has written the poem, “Loveliest of Trees, the Cherry Now?”
Answer: The poem, “Loveliest of Trees, the Cherry Now” is written by A.E. Housman. Love of nature, nostalgia for the past, the dooms and disappointments of the youth in the English countryside and the pathos of man’s brief existence are prominent in his poetry. His style is derived from the old ballads and from classical poetry.
Q.No.2: Which fruit is mentioned in the poem? OR What is the cherry tree loaded with? How does the cherry look like? What does the cherry bloom? OR What does the poet depict in “Loveliest of Trees, the Cherry Now” (MUL-07, 08, 09, 12, SAR-07, LHR, AJK -08, FSD, BWP-07, 10)
Answer: The poet mentions the fruit cherry and its matchless beauty in spring. The poet declares it the most beautiful of all the trees. It is wearing white dress i.e. white snow and white flowers. It seems as if the people were wearing new and bright dress to celebrate Easter. The poet finds it a source of beauty, relief and enjoyment.
Q.No.3: What was the age of the poet when he started to love cherry? OR Why was the poet dejected? OR Why did the poet think that fifty years were not enough to enjoy the beauty of cherry? OR What does the three score and ten mean? OR How old the poet is now? (BWP, RWP-11, 12, MUl-08)
Answer: The poet is of twenty now and starts to love cherry at the same age. According to the Bible, the expected span of a man’s life is seventy years. So, the poet regrets that he has already wasted twenty years of his life and next fifty years are not enough to enjoy the enchanting beauty of cherry.
Q.No.4: What is the connection between cherry and Easter? (AJK-11)
Answer: In spring, the cherry is in its prime. Easter also comes in spring. The poet connects both the things saying that the blooming of cherry seems to be greeting the approach of Easter. The blooming of cherry and Easter both bring relief, satisfaction and joy for the poet as well as the people.
Q.No.5: Discuss the poet as a lover of nature? (DGK-11, RWP-12)
Answer: The poet is a true lover of nature. His poetry is marked with the element of love for nature. In the poem, he narrates to us the beauty of nature, especially of cherry loaded with flowers. He says that one should not miss any chance of enjoying the bloom of cherry.
Q.No.6: What is Easter? Write a note on its importance? (LR-8, FB-10)
Answer: Easter is a festival of the Christians. It has great importance for them. It is sacred for them. They celebrate it to revive the birth of Christ and his return to life once again. It takes place once in a year. The months may be March or April.
Q.No.7: How does the poet personify cherry in the poem? (RWP-10)
Answer: Personification is a device in which ideas are treated as if they were human beings, having human characteristics. For example, Keats calls “Autumn” a woman reaping and gathering the harvest. In the poem, the poet has personified cherry as if it were his beloved. The way the poet loves his beloved, in the same the poet loves cherry.
4. O Where Are You Going?
Q.No.1: Who has written the poem, “O Where Are You Going?”
Answer: This poem has been written by W.H. Auden. His greatest interest was in political and social writings. These two aspects of his poetry won great fame for him. His major weapons in poetry were language, metaphor, satire and parody . He was lively and provocative, skilled and ingenious.
Q.No.2: What is the theme of the poem? OR What is the central idea of the poem? OR What does the poet want to convey to his readers?
Answer: This poem is a dialogue between two imaginary persons i.e reader and rider. The reader threatens the rider not to continue his journey but the rider pays no heed to his threats and decides to continue his journey. The writer wants to convey the idea, “The way to glory and success is vague and uncertain, but it can be paved through with courage and perseverance.”
Q.No.3. What kind of feelings does the poet create in the minds of his readers? (GW-06, 07, AJK, GW, LR, FB, MN-08, SG-11)
Answer: The poet creates in us a strong feeling. Whenever, we are ready to start our journey, different fears and doubts surround us but we should not feel afraid of these. We must have courage to face any challenge. We must continue our struggle with the hope of achieving our goal. “Struggle is the key to unlock the locks of misfortune.”
Q.No.4: What do you feel after reading the poem, “O Where Are You Going?” (FB-09)
Answer: After reading the poem, we feel that the way to glory and success is vague and uncertain, but it can be paved through with courage and perseverance. We should not care for any challenge and continue our journey with the hope of getting our goal because the more the challenges we face, the greater will be our achievement.
Q.No.5: what does the title of the poem signify? (DG-11)
Answer: The title of the poem signifies the importance of struggle in life. A man, who does not pay attention to the dangers and cowardly words of chicken-hearted persons, remains determined with unflinching courage and strives to get success in life, always succeeds in his life.
Q.No.6: What do the reader and rider stand for? (BP-07, GW-10, DG-10, RWP-10, DGK-12)
Answer: The reader stands for the chicken-hearted and coward persons. It symbolizes the opposing forces that debar a man from doing something great. Unlike the reader, the rider stands for bold and courageous persons having perseverance, unflinching courage and the ability to show grace under pressure. They are fearless and do not care for anything and focus on their aims.
- IN THE STREET OF THE FRUIT STALLS
Q.NO. 1: Who has written this poem, “IN THE STREET OF THE FRUIT STALLS?”
Answer: This poem has been written by Jan Stallworthy. His fame lies in writing biographies. His poetry reflects highly developed technical accomplishment that is a constant feature of his literary works. He is particularly known for his work on war poetry. The poem “In the Street of Fruit Stalls” has also the theme of war.
Q.NO.2: What is the theme of the poem? OR What is the central idea of the poem? OR write a critical note on the poem.
Answer: Actually the background of this poem is war and its aftermaths. The world is threatened with all these. Poverty, misery and war have overpowered his mind. That’s why, the fruits piled up in conical form look cannon balls to the poet. However, he is happy to see the children enjoying fruits. He feels that the man’s spirit to enjoy cannot be removed.
Q.NO.3: What are the feelings of the poet standing in the dark street? (MN, FB, LR, GW-07, BP, LR, MN-08, 09, 10, SG-10, BP-11, DG-12)
Answer: Inwardly, the poet is dejected at the present condition of the world which is threatened with misery, poverty and war. Even the piles of fruit to the poet are cannon balls. However, the scene of the children enjoying the fruits satisfies the poet. He is satisfied to think that man’s quest for pleasure can never be finished.
Q.NO.4: Why has the poet used “Cannon balls” to describe the fruit? OR Why do the fruit look like cannon balls to the poet? (MN-06, RWP, LHR-07, LHR, FB, GW, MN-08, BP-10, DG-10, FB-12)
Answer: Actually, the background of the poem is war and its expected horrible destruction. The poet is sensitive to the threat of war. When he looks at the fruit piled up in conical form, he is terrified because they are in round form and look cannon balls to the poet. They appear to him the weapons of war and destruction.
Q.NO.5: Name the fruits mentioned in the poem. (SG-08)
Answer: The fruits mentioned in the poem are melon, guava, and mandarin. They are piled up in conical form. They reflect hot red and golden colours. They look to the poet as cannon balls. He thinks that they are weapons of war and destruction.
Q.NO.6: “The children forget the dark street.” What does it mean? OR Why do little black children forget all about their problems? (GW-09, FB-10)
Answer: The children are innocent and immature. They have no worries in their childhood. They have only one worry and that is hunger. They are unmindful of any type of miseries and sufferings around them. That’s why, the poet says the children forget the dark street in which the poet is standing.
Q.NO.7: How do the small children enjoy the fruit? (AJK-11)
Answer: The children visit the street of fruit stalls and stand in the light of the lanterns. They are fascinated by the beauty of fruit. They pick up a fruit and break it open. They pour the juice into their mouths. It also falls on their fingers, cheeks, noses and chains. Their faces are brightened by the light of lanterns.
Q.NO.8: Discuss the scene of the street of the fruit stalls? GW-12)
Answer: The street is full of fruit stalls. The fruits are piled up in conical shape. They reflect hot red and golden colours. The lanterns are brightening up the fruits as well as the faces of the children. The poet is also standing there with a sad and heavy heart.
6. A SINDHI WOMAN
Q.NO.1: Who has written this poem?
Answer: This poem has been written by Jan Stall worthy. He is a poet, a critic, an editor and a biographer. However, his fame lies in writing biographies. His poetry reflects highly developed technical accomplishment that is a constant feature of his literary works. He has edited several anthologies and is particularly known for his work on war poetry.
Q.No.2: What is the theme of the poem? OR What is the central idea of the poem? OR Write a critical appreciation of the poem? OR What did the poet reflect when he saw the woman? OR Why does he feel impressed by Sindhi woman? (MN, BP-08, LHR, GW-09, MUL, BP-07, SG-10, DGK, MN—12, BP-12, )
Answer: The poem is a tribute to work. Having seen a woman with a stone jar on her head and passing through the rubbish, excrement and pieces of glass, the poet is impressed by the dedication, devotion, labour, appearance and rhythm in her walk. He, with his bent body is reflecting that those who bear the burden of life are straight and strong.
Q.NO.3: What kind of picture of the Karachi slums do we get after reading the poem? (MN-08, FB-09, GW-09, BP-10, MN-10, FB-10, MN, BP, LR-11, MN-12)
Answer: The poet gives poor picture of the slums of Karachi. It clearly shows the standard of living of the people residing in those slums. In these areas, the people live in very small houses if they have any. The streets and bazaars are narrow and dirty. There are garbage, crumbs, stones and broken glasses in the streets.
Q.No.4: How does a Sindhi woman walk in the streets and bazaars? (MUl-07, SAR-12)
Answer: Sindhi woman, with steady steps and undulant grace is walking through the streets and bazaars of Karachi slums. She is carrying burden of a stone jar on her head but there is no ripple in her movement even she has to pass through the stones, garbage, excrement and crumbs but she does not care all these things.
7. TIMES
Q.NO.1: What is the central idea of the poem, “Times?” OR What is the theme of the poem? OR What is the moral lesson of the poem? (FSD, BWP-09, GW-09, 10, MUL, DGK, AJK-10)
Answer: The poet wants us to understand the basic principle of nature that everything that happens in this universe follows a specific time table. Nature has fixed an appropriate time for every thing to happen. He suggests that we should obey the law of nature and try to have a regular and scheduled life.
8. OZYMANDIAS
Q.NO.1: Who has written this poem, “Ozymandias?”
Answer: P.B. Shelley was one of the major English Romantic poets. He was a key member of a close circle of visionary poets and writers. His works show his remarkable lyrical gift, his originality and his hatred for oppression. He was a great revolutionary poet of his time. He was revolutionary not only in his poetry but in his political and social views.
Q.NO.2: What is the central idea of the poem, “Ozymandias?” OR What is the theme of the poem? OR What is the moral lesson of the poem? OR What kind of feelings does the poet create in reader’s mind? (SAR, 10, 12, LHR, 10, MUL, 09, 10, DGK, GW-11)
Answer: The reading of the poem creates great feelings in the mind of the reader. The poet describes the pride of a man and the wretched reality of this world. Man becomes proud by success but forgets that the time and life are merciless. Death is a great leveller. So, a man should be humble in his attitude.
Q.No.3: What did the traveller see in the desert? OR In what condition was the statue of Ozymandias standing in the desert? OR What did the traveller find or see in the desert or tell the poet about it? (GW-09, BP-08, DGK-10, SG, LR-11, FB-11, 12, MUL-12)
Answer: The traveller was from an ancient land. He told the poet that he saw a broken statue of a king, Ozymandias. He was lying half buried in the sand. His legs were trunkless and standing in the desert. His broken body was lying nearby. His image was skillfully drawn. The passions of vanity, conceit and pride could easily be read from its structure.
Q.NO.4: What was inscribed on the pedestal of Ozymandias’ statue? (BP-07, AJK-10, 11, 12, FB-09, 12)
Answer: The name of the king, Ozymandias and his words were inscribed on the pedestal. These words are following.
“My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!
Nothing beside remains.”
These words mean that the king was warning others not to have the feelings of pride because pride hath a fall.
Q.NO.5: How has the traveller praised the sculptor? (RWP, AJK-12)
Answer: The sculptor had clearly comprehended the king’s feelings. He drew the king’s image with his characteristics so beautifully and skillfully that the passions of vanity, conceit and pride could easily be read from its structure. He had mocked at the king’s pride and arrogance. We can say that the sculptor was a skillful artist.
9. The Feed
Q.NO.1: Who has written this poem, “The Feed?”
Answer: This poem is written by Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi who is a Pakistani. He is a poet, literary critic, short story writer, journalist and a dramatist. He has written Urdu as well as English poetry. His poetry was distinguished by its humanism. He received the awards such as “Pride of Performance” and “Sitara-e-Imtiaz” for his literary works.
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 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. She wants to feed her ten young ones, which are very small. They are featherless, weak, hungry and crying for food. The dilemma of mother sparrow is how to feed all the young ones with just one grain of millet because it is not enough for them.
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 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: Through the poem, the poet wants to tell that affection from parents for their children is a natural fact. They try their level best to provide them all necessities of life. They are ready to sacrifice their own comforts for their children. These feelings are common to all living beings.
10. THE HOLLOW MEN
Q.NO.1: Who has written this poem, “The Hollow Men?
Answer: This poem has been written by a famous poet, essayist, publisher and playwright T.S. Eliot. Optimism and idealism were the prominent elements of his poetry. His poem “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” is seen as a master-piece of “The Modernist Movement.” He was awarded the Nobel Prize for his contribution to present-day poetry.
Q.NO.2: What is the theme of the poem? OR Write a critical note on the poem? OR Why does the poet call the modern men the hollow men? OR Who have been called the hollow men? (FB-09, GW-09, 11,DGK-10, FB, SG-11, 12, MUL-11)
Answer: In this poem, the poet criticizes the modern men and calls them hollow. He tells that they are soulless, apathetic and ignorant. They do have shapes but inside there is nothing. They have meaningless life. They are stuffed men because of their cruel and slavish attitude towards the cruelties and atrocities being done to them. That’s why, they cannot make a society.
11. LEISURE
Q.NO.1: Who has written this poem?
Answer: The poem, “Leisure” has been written by a great poet, William Henry Davies. One of the major and prominent themes of his poetry is the problems of the poor. Second major theme of his poetry is nature. He discusses both the dark and bright aspects of nature in many of his verses.
Q.NO.2: What is the theme of the poem? OR Write a critical note on the poem? OR What type of delights we miss in our rushed life? OR Why do we miss some delights around us? (GW-10, 12, LR-09, MN-10)
Answer: In this poem, the poet tells that the modern man has money-oriented. He has ignored all the beautiful sights i.e. the squirrels hiding their nuts in the grass, streams full of stars like the stars at night and fascinating smile and dancing feet of a girl because he has no time to enjoy it. In this way, his life is worse than animals. He must find some time to spend in the company of nature.
Q.No.3: What is personification? Can you point out the personification used by the poet?
Answer: Personification is a poetic device in which the ideas are treated as if they were human beings having human characteristics. For example, Keats calls “Autumn” a woman reaping and gathering the harvest. In the poem, the poet has personified “Beauty’s Glance” as a beautiful girl who is smiling and ready to dance.
12. RUBA’IYAT
Q.NO.1: Who has written this poem?
Answer: Allama Muhammad Iqbal has written this poem. He wrote poetry in Urdu as well as Persian. Mysticism was the hall mark of his poetry. He also showed his love for nature. He also wrote for the children. His poetry contains Islamic outlook. His main concern was to see unity among the Muslims.
Q.NO.2: Who was Abraham (AS)? (RWP-11, BWP-11, 12)
Answer: Hazrat Abraham (AS) is the prophet of Allah. He had unflinching and strong faith in the Oneness of Allah. He asked the people of his time not to worship idols but they turned against him. They threw him into the fire but he was saved by his faith in God. His faith in Allah made the fire flowerlike for him.
Q.NO.3: What is worse than slavery? (FSD-09, GW-09, BWP-09, 10, 12, DG-10, MUL-11, 12, BP-12, AJK-11)
Answer: Faith is the power to live a life free of confused ideas. It is our faith that gives us fixed vistas. That’s why, the poet is of the opinion that to have no faith in God is worse than slavery. To get their lost glory, the Muslims should follow the footsteps of their ancestors who had firm belief in God.
Q.NO.4: Who cannot compete with the culture or civilization of Mecca? (SAR, FSD-10, AJK-11, LHR-12)
Answer: In the world, there is only one nation which has a unanimous centre like Mecca and that nation is the Muslims. This centre is the symbol of harmony among the Muslims all over the world. In this way, the Muslims are superior to all the other nations. Therefore, no other nation can compete with the culture or civilization of Mecca.
Q.NO.5: What has made the efforts of the Muslims fruitless? (AJK-10, SAR-10, DGK, LHR-11, RWP-12)
Answer: Actually, the Muslims have lost true faith and gone astray. They have fallen a victim to disunity and the liking of other civilizations. They have forgotten the teachings of Islam. We can say that faithlessness has made their efforts fruitless. They should have faith like that of Hazrat Abraham (AS) to reach their real destination.
Q.NO.6: What is the present state of the Muslims? OR What is the present state of the Muslims as given in the last stanza of the poem? OR What should the Muslims do to get their lost glory? (DG-10)
Answer: The present condition of the Muslims is very poor and miserable. They have become materialistic and care for worldly interests. They have no interest in religion. They are following the Western civilization and culture. The poet advises them to have firm belief in Allah. They must overcome their differences and display unity to gain their lost glory.
13. A TALE OF TWO CITIES
Q.NO.1: Who has written the poem, “A Tale of Two Cities?”
Answer: John Peter has written this poem “A Tale of Two Cities.”
Q.NO.2:What is the central idea of the poem, “A Tale of Two Cities?” OR What is the theme of the poem? OR What is the moral lesson of the poem? OR What kind of feelings does the poet create in reader’s mind? (FSD, 10, 11, LHR, 11)
Answer: In this poem, the poet tells us the details of horrible destruction in two cities of Japan caused by the bombing dropped by America. This bombing killed thousands of people. Thousands of people got injured. Everything was dashed to ground. However, the writer advises that such nuclear weapons should never be used. All the countries should solve their disputes through negotiations.
Q.NO.3: Why did the people of the two cities look powerless and helpless? (MN-08, BP-07, 10, DG, MN, LR-10, 12, DGK-12)
Answer: The people of the two cities looked powerless and helpless because they had faced ruthless and inhuman atomic attack of the Americans. They had lost everything. Everything was dashed to ground. Most of them had tasted death. The rest of them were severely injured. Nothing remained behind except ashes.
Q. NO.4: Describe the circumstances the victims had to pass through? OR Describe the scene of devastation. (LHR-12, MUL-09, DGK-10, FSD-12)
Answer: The victims had lost everything due to cruel and ruthless atomic attack made by the Americans. It blighted both the cities completely. It caused the death of many innocent people. Many became wounded and crippled. Those who survived died later on. Their houses had become rubble. Both the cities offered the sight of ruin owing to the wild passions of a nation.
14. MY NEIGHBOUR FRIEND BREATHING HIS LAST!
Q.NO.1: Who has written this poem?
Answer: This poem has been written by Bullah Shah. He was a Punjabi poet. Mysticism was the prominent point of his poetry. He was a true preacher of teachings of Islam. He always preached Allah’s message, His Oneness and love for Allah and human beings. His poetry has been translated into many other languages.
Q.No.2: What is the moral lesson of the poem? OR What is the central idea of the poem? (RP-12)
Answer: In this poem, the poet tells that the death of his friend has made him dejected. His friend has left him behind to mourn for him. He also wants to die in the grief of his separation. But there is one thing that consoles him and that is God’s love and mercy. He says that without God’s love, he will always be in loss.
Q.NO.3: When does a man remember God? (MUL-11, BWP-12)
Answer: A man does not remember God when he is happy but whenever some worry or grief surrounds him, he begins to remember God as he finds no other shelter except remembering Allah. His remembrance of Allah goes beyond limits when he faces death.
Q.NO.4: What is the effect of the death scene? (AJK-12)
Answer: The death scene has a great effect on the poet’s mind. He sees his friend dying and wants to go with his friend to the eternal world because he thinks that his life has become colourless and meaningless. He asks God what he should do because he is afraid but he is satisfied to think that God’s love and mercy is with him.
Q.NO.5: Why does a person feel helpless on the death of a friend? (LHR-11, 12, FSD-09, RWP-11, MUL-08)
Answer: A true friend is a blessing of God. He is with you when all are against you. However, when death which is an undeniable reality comes, it snatches everything from us. The death of a friend makes us helpless and defeated because we cannot avoid the decree of fate and have no solution to shun death.
Q.NO.6: Without whose love is Bullah in loss? (MN, SG-10, DG, GW, BP-11, DG-12)
Answer: Without God’s love, Bullah is in loss. After his friend’s death, Bullah feels dejected and sees disappointment everywhere. He is so disappointed that he is ready to leave this world with his friend. But soon God’s love overpowers him and he becomes satisfied to think that God is with him in all the circumstances. So, he should not feel worry.
15. HE CAME TO KNOW HIMSELF
Q.NO.1: Who has written this poem, “He Came to Know Himself?”
Answer: Sachal Sarmast has written this poem “He Came to Know Himself.”
Q.NO.2: What is the theme of the poem? OR Write a critical note on the poem. OR What is the central idea of the poem? OR Why does the poet emphasize on how to know himself? (GWL-09)
Answer: The theme of the poem is: “Self realization is the realization of Creator.” The poet opines that a man must know the purpose of his creation. If he knows it, he will surely recognize his Creator and start loving God. Everything of the world would lose its charm for him. Like Mansur, he will be ready to face death and to be hanged. A man must have the idea of being loved.
Q.NO.3: What makes one entangled in love? (AJK-11)
Answer: Self realization makes a person entangled in love. When he knows his self, he starts to love God. A time comes in the end, when everything loses its attraction for him. He comes closer and closer to God. The closer he comes to God, the more he gets satisfaction.
Q.NO.4: Why did Mansur mount the gallows? (MUL-09, GWL, FSD-10, SAR-11, BWP-07,09,12, LHR, AJK-12)
Answer: Mansur wanted to bring the people close to God and called himself God but the people misunderstood him. They thought that what Mansur was doing, was just a delusion and false claim. That’s why, they got ready to kill Mansur but he did not feel hesitation and surrendered himself happily to get his head cut off on the gallows.
Q.NO.5: What is the bare truth? (MUL-10)
Answer: The bare truth is that man’s stay is temporary in this world. He is to die sooner or later because man is mortal. So, he must love God. He must get ready to join another world but join it with the strong feelings of love for God because God lives in the soul of man.
16. GOD’S ATTRIBUTES
Q.NO.1: Who has written this poem?
Answer: This poem has been composed by a great and renowned Muslim poet Jalal Din Rumi. He has been famous for lyricism in poetry. Mysticism was the hall mark of his poetry. In some Muslim countries, he is accepted and revered as a saint.
Q.NO.2: What is the theme of the poem? OR How many attributes are mentioned in the poem? OR What are the effects of God’s attributes? OR How do these attributes help in refining the character of a person? (LHR-09, 11, BWP-07, 10, GW-10, DGK-10, FSD, SAR-11)
Answer: The poet in the poem describes three main attributes of God. These are ‘All Seeing, All Knowing and All Hearing.’ These attributes are not mere vain titles. They are meaningful and effective for character building. They prohibit us from committing sins, refine our character and make us God-fearing. Knowing these attributes makes us afraid of plotting an evil against others.
Q.NO.3: What makes one scared of sinning? (BWP-07, 10, SAR-10,12, GW-12)
Answer: God calls Himself All Seeing. A man’s belief in this quality makes him think that God is watching all what he is doing. He avoids committing sins. He believes that he will be rewarded if does something good. In the same way, he will be punished if he does something wrong.
Q.NO.4: Do you think that these attributes of God are remembered and kept in mind by us in our daily routine work?
Answer: No, we do not remember and keep in mind these attributes of God in our daily routine. No doubt, there are some who remember them but most of us don’t. Most of us tell lies, make evil designs,commit evil deeds and show immoral behavior. We should remember God’s attributes and avoid committing sins.
17. THE DELIGHT SONG
Q.NO.1: Who has written this poem?
Answer: This poem has been written by N.Scott Momaday. Love for nature is one of the important points of his poetry.
Q.NO.2: What is the theme of the poem? OR Discuss the poet as a lover of nature.
Answer: N. Scott Momaday is a great lover of nature. Like Wordsworth, he sees comfort and delight in the objects of nature. He says that everything in nature including beauty, living things, nature, the atmosphere and the natural phenomenon of stars and wind,etc is in complete harmony with him. A man’s good relation with the earth and the atmosphere keeps him alive and active.
Q.NO.3: What do you understand when the poet says, “I am the shadow that follows a child?” (RWP-11)
Answer: It means that the poet considers himself as happy and delightful as a child. The children are free of worries and cares of life. In the same way, the poet is also free of all the worries when he is in the company of natural objects.
Q.NO.4: How can the crust of the snow glitter? (SAR-10)
Answer: When the rays of the sun have an access to the upper surface of the snow, the upper surface of snow begins to glitter. This glittering of upper face of snow is a fascinating sight of natural beauty. The poet is enamoured of it.
Q.No.5: What is the dream of the poet? (BWP, FSD-11, DG-12)
Answer: Everything in nature is the part of the poet’s imagination. He loves all the natural things and wishes to enjoy the natural phenomena. He says that he is the dream of all the things i.e. stars, winds, sky, trees, snow, cold and lakes, etc. That’s why, his dream is all the things and all the things are dream.
Q.NO.6: What is the effect of man’s good relation with the earth and the lords?
Answer: The effect of man’s good relation with the earth and the lords is very simple and clear. It is so forceful according to the understanding of the poet that he believes that is man’s relation with the earth and the lords that keeps him active and alive.
Q.NO.7: What are the things that keep a person alive? (LHR, SAR-11, MUL-11, 12, FSD-10)
Answer: Nature has presented beauty all around us. This beauty is in the form of winds, sky, stars, snow, trees and many other phenomena of nature. If a man has harmony with all these things and loves them, they will keep him active and alive.
Q.NO.8: Which of the elements i.e. pessimism and optimism go well with this poem?
Answer: No doubt, pessimism and optimism are the two elements which go side by side. It is only a man’s attitude which may offer him pessimism or optimism. However, in this poem, the poet’s attitude is of an optimist because he looks at the bright side of all the natural things present around him. He proves himself an optimist.
18. LOVE- AN ESSENCE OF ALL RELIGIONS (Jalaluddin RUMI)
Q.NO.1: Who has written this poem?
Answer: This poem has been composed by a great and renowned Muslim poet Jalal Din Rumi. He has been famous for lyricism in poetry. Mysticism was the hall mark of his poetry. In some Muslim countries, he is accepted and revered as a saint.
Q.NO.2: What is the theme of the poem? OR What is the moral of the poem? OR What is the central idea of the poem? OR Write a critical note on the poem. OR What is the effect of love? OR Is life worth living without love? OR What is the essence of all the religions? (DGK-12, RWP-12, FSD-12)
Answer: In this poem, the poet declares love the essence of all the religions. It has a magical and miraculous effect on physical as well as spiritual objects of nature. It can change thorns into roses, vinegar into sweet wine, misfortune into fortune, a sick person into healthy person and make the king a slave. That’s why, life without love is not worth living.
Q.NO.3: What becomes of vinegar through love?
Answer: The poet in the poem expresses the power which love can exercise on all the things present in the world. He believes that love has a magical power and can convert vinegar into sweet wine.
19. A MAN OF WORDS AND NOT OF NEEDS (Charles Perrault)
Q.No.1: Who has written this poem?
Answer: This poem has been written by Charles Perrault.
Q.No.2: What is the central idea of the poem? OR Write a critical appreciation of the poem? OR What moral lesson does the poet give his readers? (DGK-11, BWP-12, SAR-12)
Answer: A person who always talks and boasts and is not involved in any deed is like a garden full of weeds. Once it is grown, it aggravates the situation like snow in winter. Life comes across different phases and in the end a person dies. The poet advises that the life should be spent in some fruitful activity so that the life may be pleasant and useful for humanity because life is the name of action not contemplation and articulation.
Q.No.3: How does the life of a man pass through from different phases?
Answer: At first stage, a talkative person impresses other with his discussion and gives the people a hope to do something. But at the second stage, he loses his respect because he does not fulfill the expectations of the people and does nothing. At the third stage, he is too helpless to do anything and dies in the end.
Q.NO.4: What happens when the life is spent with the help of words and not of deeds? (BWP-10, 11, 12, FSD-GW-11, 12, AJK, LHR-12)
Answer: When a person spends his life with the help of words and not of deeds, he cannot do anything fruitful in his life. He loses his respect in society. He should have some aim and devote his life to getting it with courage and determination because life without aim is the life of animals.
Q.NO.5: What does the garden look when the weeds start growing?
Answer: The weeds are useless plants and weaken the other plants grown in the garden. These weeds are the symbol of useless talk of an articulate person and the garden is the symbol of that man’s life. The garden with weeds presents a dull look. In the same way, a man’s life loses its charm in the eyes of others.
20. IN BROKEN IMAGES
Q.NO.1: Who has written this poem?
Answer: This poem has been written by Robert Graves.
Q.NO.2: What is the theme of the poem? OR What is the central idea of the poem? OR What is the state of two persons, one who trusts clear images and the other who mistrusts the broken images? (BWP-07, MUL-10, 12, GW-12)
Answer: The poet suggests that we must disbelieve a thing before we believe it. A person who does not trust his images of life is always active and ready to learn something new. However, the person who trusts his clear images becomes dull. We should remain thoughtful about the facts of life to have new understanding of the ground realities of life.
Q.NO.3: Why does a person question his senses when the facts fail him? (GW, DGK-10)
Answer: If a person who lives in his own world and depends on his own ideas, may fail because life has no regularity. The ideas of the people around him will definitely be different from him. So, when the facts fail him, he questions his senses.
Q.NO.4: Who is in a new confusion of his understanding? (RWP-10, SAR-11)
Answer: A person, who depends on his ideas, does not value the ideas of other people whether they are based on facts or not. He does not show any flexiblility in his ideas. This is what always keeps him in confusion of his understanding. He must have some flexibility in his ideas.