The Poem Leisure

This poem is a criticism of a busy life on modern man. The poet has used examples from our
daily life to make his point clear and significant. The poem expresses poets feelings on a needless
dedication of man for worldly affairs. The poet says that this life has no use of we don't get time
to see the beauty spread all around us.

Summary

The poem is a rhymic flow of repeated words "No time" which creates a sweet impression. The
poet poses a question at the start of the poem. He says that what could be the use of life if it is
full of worries and anxiety. This life is miserable if we fail to get time for leisure. The poem
depicts that we are always tackling with the world's problems without considering the beautiful
things around us. We have no time to stand and watch beautiful objects that nature has made
for us.

We have no time to stand under the trees like buffaloes and cows do. We have no time to see
the beautiful birds, animals, trees, and flowers around when we pass through the woods. We
ignore the little squirrel hiding its nuts in grass. We just walk hurriedly absorbed in our business.

The streams of clear water create beautiful scene reflecting the sunshine. They just look like a
starry sky at night. The poet has used a simile to compare the beauty of streams with that of a
starry night. All this is ignored because we cannot get time to see all this. Then the poet uses
personification for the beauty and says that we miss its dance. In fact, the poet wants to convey
is that beauty is beauty itself. We are deprived of such pleasant sights due to lack of time.

The poet mourns over our such harsh attitude towards nature and natural things. We have
become machines and have no emotions left in us. We have become mechanical and formal. We
are running after the money and fame but the real life exists in nature. We should spare some
time to watch the beautiful things spread around us.

The Poem New Year Resolutions

The poem is about the resolutions that the poetess makes on the New Year. The poem is an
illustration of the novel approach of the poetess. In this poem, the poetess makes some New
Year Resolutions n the arrival if the new year. She says that she would take an entirely new
approach in the new year. The poem is an apt description of the poetess's innovative thoughts.

Summary

This is a brief and interesting poem by Elizabeth Sewel. She tells us about her resolutions on the
start of a new year. Instead of celebrating and rejoicing, she is planning to be more serious and
philosophical on New year's day. She tells us that she would make some resolution on the new
year. She told us about her promises for the future year.

Her first resolution is to purify her soul. She will remain quiet and serious in the coming year.
Silence and quietness will purify her soul and will wash away her sins. She uses a simile that she
will drink long droughts of quietness. In this way, she gives us an impression that she will not
indulge in worldly affairs and will satisfy herself with what nature gives to her. This is really an
innovative and untraditional resolution.

Her 2nd resolution is to remove her all shortcomings and bad things. She says that she will
carefully examine her own soul. She will identify and remove her drawbacks and evil things to
purify her soul.

The poetess makes another resolution that she will face reality. She will be more realistic and
accepting. She will lead a simple and humble life. She will not feel proud of his beauty and
riches.

Reality is bitter. But the poetess makes a resolution to accept it as it is. She says that she will lie
on the bony arms of the reality. This is a good simile the poetess has used in the poem. She is
trying to convey us an inspiring message that we should face the reality with all its bitterness and
try to seek comfort in it.

The tone of the poetess suggests that she is willing to fulfill her new year's resolutions at any
cost. Her resolutions seem to be unrealistic and inapplicable but she seems to be determined.
The poem looks like imagery far away from reality. In real life, we are still not willing to make
such extraordinary resolutions.

The Poem Tartary

This poem is an imaginary picture of Tartary, an ideal unrealistic kingdom. The poem tells us that
there is no boundary to human thinking. The imagination is boundless. The poet sees himself as
the king of an imaginary, glorious land which he calls "Tartary". In the poem, he also mentions
the bounties, luxuries, and richness of that place. The poem is a description of poets life into his
imaginary monarchy.

Summary

This is a fantastic poet by Walter De La Mare. He considered himself the 'Lord of Tartary' an
imaginative glorious land the poet dreams of. The land 'Tartary' does not exist in reality. This is
only the poet's imagination that he sees such a grand land and thinks himself the king of that
land. He describes various types of facilities and luxuries he would enjoy as the kind of Tartary.
He says that Tartary is beautiful and fertile land. It has many delights which we haven't heard of.
He says that as the king of Tartary, he would have the bed made of ivory. He would have a golden
throne with gold leaves on it.
He describes his fancy dreamland as the most beautiful place in the world. He says that there
would be peacocks dancing in his court. Its forests will have tigers hunting the animals. It pools
will be full of great fish. he says that he would wear a grand robe adorned with golden beads. He
would hold a curved sword and would go round his realm riding a chariot with seven zebras
pulling it.

He says that there would be harp playing flutes and mandoline in his court. He says that the land
Tartary is very beautiful. He would get pleasure from all the fascinating things present there.

The poem shows the poet's lust and desire for power and might. He wishes to become the sole
and monarch king of Tartary. Tartary is a far-off full of delights and happiness. Where worries are
not allowed to enter. He describes his imaginary kingdom further. He says that there would be
lions roaring in the jungles of Tartary. The beautiful and charming fish will be swimming in its
pools. The poet wants to be the master of all pomp and show of Tartary. He says that her slaves
would give him a sweet whistle for the meal.

The night at Tartary would have even more charm than the day. There would be glowing colorful
lights which would illuminate his palace. The dancers would please him with their dance.

He would be the owner of all the things like fruits, rivers, valleys, forests, clouds, air, mountains
and flowers of Tartary. The birds, the lakes and the trees would be in his possession. The poem is
a show of internal drives of the poet. The poet wants to be an extreme ruler of the land. He does
not care for the reality and goes on with his own imagination. In fact, the poem is a beautiful
piece of art by Walter De La Mare.

The Poem Woman Work

This poem has been written by Maya Angelou, a famous American poetess. In this poem, she has
described the monotonous and busy life of a woman. She describes various household chores
that a woman does on daily basis. She remains busy washing clothes, caring for the children,
pressing clothes, mopping the floor, doing shopping etc. She is absorbed in household chores
and has no time to enjoy the life. She serves to her husband, her kids, and her family, but she
finds no one to relieve her but Nature. So, she dreams of a pleasant life. She longs for rain,
sunshine, and natural beauty. She wants to enjoy the snowfall and sunshine. She loves to see
mountains, oceans, moon etc. She expresses her deep desire to be in the arms of nature which
will give her comfort. She asks nature to rescue her from daily mechanical life. She asks the
storm to blow her away to the sky where she could rest.

Summary

In this poem, the poetess, Maya Angelou, describes the daily grinding routine of a woman. She
says that a woman spends the whole day doing various chores. She has to look after the
children. She has to mend the clothes. She buys things for the household use. She mops the
floor. She takes care of kids and makes them dry. She attends the guests and serves to them. She
prepares food for the whole family. She is also responsible for doing shopping for the family. Her
life is too fast and mechanical.

She remains busy in her work for the whole day. He life loses the charm and she feels bored and
dull. She may not show more creativity and innovation in her work. After her mechanical
household life, she wishes to spend some time with nature. She invites various natural bodies
like the sun, moon, and storms to comfort her. She asks the rain to fall on her forehead. She
invites the sun to shine on her. She asks storms to blow her to the skies. She wants to fly with air
like a light balloon. In this way, she tries to get comfortable in natural things. She wants to float
and fly in the air.

She asks the snowflakes to fall on her. She wants to play with icy gusts of air. The poetess gives
us an impression as if the woman is among the mountains spreading her arms and allowing
nature to take her anywhere. She is ready to give in before nature. She loves to be with nature
because she is fed up with boring routines of her. She believes that God has made all these
things for the comfort of the woman. She calls them her own. She expresses her possession of
the beautiful objects of nature.

The convenience of the high trees,

The air's buoyancy and the sun's ray

All an advantage to me;

The poem is an expression of a woman's struggle and her desires. The poem gives us a message
that the woman is a very hardworking human being. She needs care and comfort as she cares for
other members of her family. The poem tells us that a woman does have some desires; she
wants to enjoy nature, she wants to be famous, she wants to spare some time in which she may
live her own life. She has a desire to be given love and passion which would give her energy and
strength to do more work.

The Poem The Rebel

This poem is a criticism of the behavior of a rebel. The poet describes the attitude and point of
view of a rebel as compared with ordinary normal man. The poet says that the attitude of a rebel
is always opposing to the normal human attitude under various circumstances. The rebel always
gives an opposite opinion. He prays for rain when everyone wants the sun to appear. At the end
of the poem, the writer tells that the deviations of the rebel from norms are also beneficial for
society in a way. He tells that if there is no rebel in the society, we cannot recognize the various
opinions of the people.

The poet says:

It is very good that we have rebels

You may not find it very good to be one.

Summary

The rebel is an excellent poem by D.J Enright. The poet has beautifully described the likings and
dislikings of a rebel in the context of various social states. The poem is indeed a satire on the
attitude of a rebel. The rebels are against every situation. They want to maintain their
individuality. They are the people who are fed up with dull and boring social traditions. They
want to change social norms with their behaviour and attitude.

When people have short hair, the rebel grow his hair long. He grows his hair long and become
different from others. When the other grow their hair long, the rebel cuts his hair short. In this
way, he looks different from others and maintains his individuality.

In the class, when there is a question-answer session and students ask questions, the rebel will
not utter a word. He will be quiet listening to others carefully. But when there is a lecture and
everyone is silent listening to the lecture carefully, the rebel speaks and tries to become
outstanding. He disturbs the class but is satisfied with his acts.

In dressing, a rebel is again a strange man. He dresses differently from others. He wears colourful
clothes when others wear plain and simple dress. When others wear colorful and showy clothes,
the rebel would wear plain and simple dress. In this way, he looks different from others and is
easily recognizable.

In the company of dog lovers, the rebel would talk about cats and will show his love for cats. And
when people are talking about cats, he would say some words in favour of dogs. His sole motive
is to make himself distinct.

When the people are praying of sunlight, the rebel would demand rain and clouds. He will pray
for rain. When people want hot weather, he wants cold weather. And when people enjoy a rainy
day, a rebel will pray for the sun to come out. Similarly, when everyone stays at home, the rebel
attends functions and gatherings. And when all the people go to attend the meetings and
gatherings, the rebel stays at home. When everyone says "YES" the rebel would say "NO". Hence
every act of rebel is exactly the contradictory to what others do. This is his strange and
conflicting acts that become his identity.

The poet says that rebel is still a good thing for society. It is good to have rebels among us. They
are a source of contrast and fill colours in our life. Without rebels, the world would have only
one colour. The poet has expressed his soft feelings about the rebels. The poet wants us to
realize the feelings of a rebel when people start criticism on them. They bear the criticism with
courage. They are considered abnormal persons of society.
The Poem Patriot Into Traitor
This poem is a monologue of a leader who is now out of power. The poem reveals the frustration
and disenchants of a leader who is now regarded a traitor. His life is hit by a political turmoil and
he is out of power. His collapse is painful. Now the people who threw rose petals at him criticize
and attack him. He is waiting for the judgment of God.

The poem describes many ups and falls in the life of the leader. In the very narrow span of one
year, the glory of the leader vanishes and he is left with nothing to give to the people. The reader
enjoys every word of the poem. Every word is a story itself. This poem is a satire on so-called
democratic systems of the world.

Summary

Robert Browning is a brilliant poet. His poetry describes various social and natural aspects of
human life. In his poem "The patriot into traitor" he has also depicted the scenes of the life of a
political leader. The poem is an illustration of political immaturity of the people of 3rd world
countries.

The poem is a monologue of a political leader. He narrates his story. He says that in the early
days of his political career, he has many fans. He was a famous leader of the country. People
were willing to sacrifice their lives for him. They threw rose petals and other flowers on him.
They adorn his way with flowers. They loved him. He says that the people were crazy to see him.
They welcomed him from house-tops with flags. The leader continues to tell the story of his
political climax. He says that the bells rang for his dinners and there were servants and slaves in
his palace. If he had wished the people would have brought him the sun from the sky.

Instead of all this passion of the people. The leader demanded nothing from them, He himself
tried to help the people. He tried to make them happy and rich. He achieved for them what he
could.

Now after one year, his days have changed. He has lost his power. He is no more the darling of
the people. He finds no one on the roofs to welcome him. The people have branded him a
traitor. He is considered useless. Nobody wants to see him.

The leader tells that now he is walking in heavy rain. The people who were passionate about
him, are throwing stones at him. They are calling him a traitor. His forehead is bleeding. The
people are attacking him for his crime.

The leader fells there. he thought of his glorious regime. He reflects his success and his
marvelous entry into politics. But he met a bad end. He served the people when he was in
power. He sacrificed his everything for the people. As a result, he is treated as a traitor. The
leaders is hopeful of a nice reward from God in the life hereafter.
The poem is a criticism on democracy in the third world countries. The poet wants to clarify the
prevailing intolerance in so-called democratic practices is harmful to the soul of democracy. That
is why a political leader in power is liked and appreciated. But those who are out of power are
considered criminal. The people forget the favors and benevolence of their leaders. The poet
wants to convey us a message that we must be tolerant and mature in politics and social life.

Dramatic irony, political satire exact and realistic expression and optimistic end have made the
poem a remarkable piece of poetic art.

The Poem The Huntsman

The narrative poem “The Huntsman” is based on Kenyan folklore. The poet “Edward Lawbury”
advises us through the story of a Kenyan hunter, Kagwa who himself becomes the prey to fate, to
avoid the unnecessary talk.

Summary

In this poem, the poet Edward Lawbury has described the tale of a hunter whose too much
talking brought him to the death. Kagwa was a hunter. He used to hunt in the far-off forests with
his spear. He had a bad habit of talking too much. One day, as he was searching for some hunt in
a forest, he came across the skull of a man. Talkative as he was, he talked to the skull. He asked it
how it came there. To his amazement, the skull replied in a human voice. The sull told him that it
was its too much talking which brought him there.

Kagwa rushed to the king to tell him about this amazing discovery of his. He wanted to impress
the King by his meeting with and talking to a skull. He had also the hope of some prize from the
king. He met the king and told him the whole story. The King couldn't seem to believe. He was
not ready to believe the story until he confirms it.

The king sent his two men to accompany Kagwa to that skull. He ordered them to bring the skull
to the court if it spoke like a human. He also ordered the guards to kill Kagwa at the spot if the
skull did not speak or it did not exist.

At last, they found the skull and Kagwa asked the skull how it came there. The skull had no effect
and it did not speak. Kagwas aksed it again and the skull remained silent.

The guards of the king believed that Kagwa was wrong. Now they had to follow the command of
the king. They cut the head of Kagwa there and went away. Now the skull opened his mouth and
asked Kagwa how he came there. Kagwa told the skull that talking brought him there.

The poem tells us a strong message. The skull itself represents the consequences of senseless
and useless talking. Kagwa represents the foolishness of the people who do not understand the
hidden meanings of the words. The poem also illustrates the supreme attitude of the kings and
dictators. They do not like common people's talk.