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I. GLOSSARY
- Reluctant: Hesitant.
- Necked (verb): Stretched its neck.
- Rim: Edge.
- Humbled: Lowered dignity.
- Coarse: Rough.
- Inscribed: Wrote or carved words on something.
- Morse Code: A symbolic language using dots and dashes for communication, invented by Samuel F.B. Morse.
- Toddling: Walking with small, unsteady steps.
- Dots and pits: Short and long cries of the female bird.
- Hume’s words: Observations of naturalist Hume about the mourning behavior of cranes.
- Legends: Stories from ancient times that may or may not be true.
- Fable: A short story teaching a moral lesson.
II. COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
A. Answer briefly:
The time of the day suggested in the poem is:
Answer: c. either sunrise or sunset.The sun is described as the reluctant sun. It means that:
Answer: c. the bird feels the sun is hesitant to rise.What is the exaggeration in the first four lines of the poem?
Answer: The poem exaggerates by giving the cranes’ mourning an extraordinary and dramatic description.
Figure of speech: Hyperbole (exaggeration).How was the majestic neck humbled by the hunter?
Answer: The hunter shot the male crane, making its proud neck lie low, symbolizing defeat.The expression "picked up hands and jaws" suggests:
Answer: a. Callousness of the hunters.What is compared to "dirty linen"?
Answer: b. The dead body of the bird.The lines "and sat to hatch / the blood-stained feathers / into a toddling chick" suggest:
Answer: b. The female bird's deep love for her partner.How is the end of the female crane suggested in the poem?
Answer: Her end is suggested through her grief and her desperate search for her mate, which shows her sorrow and hopelessness.
B. Close Study:
“A wave of the seas she had never seen / came to her from far away / and carried her to him.”
a. What does "wave of the seas" refer to?
It refers to the overwhelming sadness of the female bird.
b. What hadn’t the female bird seen before?
She hadn’t seen the vastness of the sea or the unknown journey to her mate.
c. What figure of speech is used in the extract?
Personification, as the sea is given human qualities to carry her to her mate.“My legs are pillars, the body the shrine, the head a cupola of gold.”
a. How is the human body compared to a temple?
The human body is compared to a temple where the legs are the pillars, the body is the shrine, and the head is the golden dome.
b. What is the figure of speech used here?
Metaphor.
c. Why is the speaker comparing the human body to a temple?
To show that the human body is sacred and divine, like a temple.
III. PARAGRAPH WRITING
The bird-killers’ cruelty is shown through their indifference to the suffering they cause. The male crane is shot during a peaceful moment, highlighting the brutality of the act. The phrase “picked up hands and jaws” reflects their disrespect, treating the bird as mere prey. Calling the dead crane “dirty linen” further shows their lack of empathy, reducing a majestic creature to an object. This imagery underscores their heartlessness and the senseless nature of their violence.
How does the poet bring out the agony and desperation of the female crane in the poem?
The poet portrays the female crane's grief through vivid imagery. She circles the sky in sorrow, her movements reflecting her deep pain. Her cries, compared to “dots and pits like the Morse code of bird’s sorrow,” convey her emotions powerfully, as if she is communicating her anguish to the world. Her desperate attempt to hatch the blood-stained feathers into a chick symbolizes her maternal hope and helplessness, emphasizing her deep loss and despair.
Pick out any two figures of speech used in the poem and explain their effectiveness.
- Metaphor: The female crane's cries are described as “dots and pits like the Morse code of bird’s sorrow,” symbolizing her grief as a language of communication. This metaphor intensifies the emotional depth of her mourning.
- Personification: The “reluctant sun” is given human-like qualities, suggesting that nature shares the sorrow of the cranes. This personification makes the scene more poignant and connects the reader to the themes of grief and loss.
IV. PROJECT
Prepare a presentation on the life and works of Basavanna (in groups of 4-5).
Focus on:
- His life and contributions to society.
- His Vachanas and their spiritual messages.
- His role in social reform and equality.
V. NOTE ON THE POET
- Manmohan Singh was an Indian Administrative Service officer and a contemporary poet.
- His poems appeared in many magazines.
- This poem is taken from his book Village Poems.
VI. SUGGESTED READING
Read:
- "In London Town" by Mary E. Coleridge.
Summary of the Poem: "To a Pair of Sarus Cranes"
The poem by Manmohan Singh describes the tragic story of a pair of Sarus cranes, birds known for their lifelong bond. The poem begins with a peaceful morning scene where the pair is together, symbolizing love and harmony. Suddenly, hunters kill the male crane, shattering this peaceful moment.
The hunters, shown as cruel and heartless, disrespect the dead bird by handling it carelessly, comparing it to "dirty linen." The female crane is left heartbroken, expressing her grief in cries described as the "Morse code of bird’s sorrow." She mourns her mate by circling the sky and even tries to "hatch" his bloodied feathers, a heartbreaking symbol of her love and denial of his death.
In the end, overwhelmed by her sorrow, the female crane is metaphorically carried away by a “wave of the seas” to join her mate. The poem reflects themes of love, loss, and human cruelty, showing the emotional depth of animals and the insensitivity of humans.
Explanation of the Poem
The poem begins with a serene setting of dawn, symbolizing the beauty and peaceful bond between the Sarus cranes. The imagery of the "reluctant sun" adds to the calm and emotional atmosphere. However, this peace is destroyed when hunters kill the male crane, showing human cruelty. The phrase "picked up hands and jaws" highlights the disrespectful and thoughtless attitude of the hunters, who treat the majestic bird as mere prey.
The female crane’s sorrow is the main focus of the poem. Her cries, compared to "dots and pits like Morse code," show how deeply she mourns. This metaphor conveys her grief as if it were a language communicating her pain to the world. Her act of trying to "hatch" the blood-stained feathers represents her love and desperation, showing how she cannot accept her mate's death.
The poem ends with the female crane being "carried away by a wave of the seas" to reunite with her mate, symbolizing her surrender to grief. The poet contrasts the pure love and loyalty of the cranes with the hunters’ cruelty. It highlights the emotional depth of animals, teaching readers about love, loss, and the consequences of human insensitivity toward nature.
1. Who is the poet of the poem?
Answer: Manmohan Singh.
2. What is the main theme of the poem?
Answer: The main theme is love, loss, and the cruelty of humans.
3. What happens to the male crane?
Answer: The male crane is killed by a hunter.
4. How does the female crane mourn her mate?
Answer: The female crane mourns by flying in the sky and trying to hatch his blood-stained feathers.
5. What does the phrase "reluctant sun" signify?
Answer: It symbolizes the sun hesitating to rise, reflecting the sadness in the scene.
6. What do the "dots and pits" represent in the poem?
Answer: They represent the Morse code of the crane’s sorrow.
7. What is compared to 'dirty linen' in the poem?
Answer: The dead body of the male crane is compared to 'dirty linen'.
8. What is the emotion conveyed by the flying cranes?
Answer: The emotion conveyed is love and harmony before the tragedy strikes.
9. What literary device is used in "the reluctant sun"?
Answer: Personification.
10. What does the female crane try to do with the blood-stained feathers?
Answer: She tries to hatch the blood-stained feathers into a chick.
11. What does the hunter symbolize in the poem?
Answer: The hunter symbolizes cruelty and callousness towards nature.
12. Where does the female crane go at the end of the poem?
Answer: She is carried away by a "wave of the seas" to join her mate.
13. What figure of speech is used in "My legs are pillars"?
Answer: Metaphor.
14. How does the poet describe the grief of the female crane?
Answer: The grief is described as deep and intense, communicated like a code in the air.
15. Why is the death of the male crane so significant?
Answer: It signifies the destruction of love and the harshness of human actions.
1. What does the poem focus on?
Answer: The poem focuses on love, loss, and the cruelty of humans.
2. What is the role of the sun in the poem?
Answer: The sun is portrayed as reluctant, symbolizing the sadness of the moment.
3. How is the hunter described in the poem?
Answer: The hunter is depicted as callous and heartless.
4. What is the significance of the female crane's actions?
Answer: The female crane’s actions symbolize grief, love, and maternal instinct.
5. What figure of speech is used in "picked up hands and jaws"?
Answer: This is an example of personification.
6. What does the "Morse code of bird’s sorrow" represent?
Answer: It represents the way the female crane communicates her grief.
7. What happens after the male crane is shot?
Answer: The female crane mourns his loss, symbolizing deep sorrow and despair.
8. What does the "wave of the seas" symbolize?
Answer: The "wave of the seas" symbolizes the overwhelming sorrow of the female crane.
9. What does the female crane try to hatch?
Answer: She tries to hatch the blood-stained feathers of her dead mate.
10. How does the poem reflect the theme of nature's beauty and human cruelty?
Answer: The poem contrasts the beauty of the cranes with the violence of the hunter, showing nature’s vulnerability to human cruelty.
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