POETIC DEVICES

A POET IS LIMITED in the materials he can use in creating his works: all he has are words to express his
ideas and feelings. These words need to be precisely right on several levels:

• they must sound right to the listener even as they delight his ear
• they must have a meaning which might have been unanticipated, but seems to be the perfectly right
one
• they must be arranged in a relationship and placed on the page in ways that are at once easy to follow
and assist the reader in understanding
• they must probe the depths of human thought, emotion, and empathy.

Fortunately, the English language contains a wide range of words from which to choose for almost
every thought, and there are also numerous plans or methods of arrangement of these words, called
poetic devices, which can assist the writer in developing cogent expressions pleasing to his readers.

The sounds of words

Words or portions of words can be clustered or juxtaposed to achieve specific kinds of effects when
we hear them. The sounds that result can strike us as clever and pleasing, even soothing. Others we
dislike and strive to avoid. These various deliberate arrangements of words have been identified.

Alliteration: Repeated consonant sounds at the beginning of words placed near each other, usually on
the same or adjacent lines. A somewhat looser definition is that it is the use of the same consonant in
any part of adjacent words.
Example: fast and furious

Repetition: The purposeful re-use of words and phrases for an effect. Sometimes, especially with longer
phrases that contain a different key word each time, this is called parallelism. It has been a central part
of poetry in many cultures.
Example: I was glad; so very, very glad.
Example: Half a league, half a league,

Rhyme: This is the one device most commonly associated with poetry by the general public. Words that
have different beginning sounds but whose endings sound alike, including the final vowel sound and
everything following it, are said to rhyme.
Example: time, slime, mime
Double rhymes include the final two syllables. Example: revival, arrival, survival
Triple rhymes include the final three syllables. Example: greenery, machinery, scenery

Rhythm: Although the general public is seldom directly conscious of it, nearly everyone responds on
some level to the organization of speech rhythms (verbal stresses) into a regular pattern of accented
syllables separated by unaccented syllables. Rhythm helps to distinguish poetry from prose.
Example: i THOUGHT i SAW a PUSsyCAT.
Such patterns are sometimes referred to as meter. Meter is the organization of voice patterns, in terms
of both the arrangement of stresses and their frequency of repetition per line of verse. Poetry is
organized by the division of each line into “feet,” metric units which each consist of a particular
arrangement of strong and weak stresses. The most common metric unit is the iambic, in which an
unstressed syllable is followed by a stressed one (as in the words reverse and compose).
Scansion is the conscious measure of the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry.
Stressed syllables are labeled with an accent mark: / Unstressed syllables are labeled with a dash: –
Metrical feet may be two or three syllables in length, and are divided by slashes: /
There are five basic rhythms:
Pattern Name Example
–/ Iamb/Iambic invite
/– Trochee/Trochaic deadline
––/ Anapest/Anapestic to the beach
/–– Dactyl/Dactylic frequently
// Spondee/Spondaic true blue

Meter is measured by the number of feet in a line. A line with five feet is called pentameter; thus, a
line of five iambs is known as “iambic pentameter”.

The most common line lengths are:

1. monometer: one foot 4. tetrameter: four feet 7. heptameter: seven feet
2. dimeter: two feet 5. pentameter: five feet 8. octameter: eight feet
3. trimeter: three feet 6. hexameter: six feet
The meanings of words
Most words convey several meanings or shades of meaning at the same time. It is the poet’s job to find
words which, when used in relation to other words in the poem, will carry the precise intention of
thought. Often, some of the more significant words may carry several layers or “depths” of meaning at
once. The ways in which the meanings of words are used can be identified.

Denotation: The dictionary definition of a word; its literal meaning apart from any associations or
connotations. Students must exercise caution when beginning to use a thesaurus, since often the words
that are clustered together may share a denotative meaning, but not a connotative one, and the
substitution of a word can sometimes destroy the mood, and even the meaning, of a poem.

Hyperbole: An outrageous exaggeration used for effect.

Example: He weighs a ton.

Juxtaposition: It is used to place two concepts, characters, ideas, or places near or next to each other
so that the reader will compare and contrast them. The word juxtaposition comes from the Latin for
“side by side” with “position,” originally a French.
Example: All’s fair in love and war.
Example: You can’t teach an old dog new tricks

Irony: A contradictory statement or situation to reveal a reality different from what appears to be true.
Example: if it were a cold, rainy gray day, you might say, “What a beautiful day!” Or, alternatively, if
you were suffering from a bad bout of food poisoning, you might say, “Wow, I feel great today.”

Metaphor: A direct comparison between two unlike things, stating that one is the other or does the
action of the other.
Example: He’s a zero.
Example: Her fingers danced across the keyboard.

Metonymy: A figure of speech in which a person, place, or thing is referred to by something closely
associated with it.
Example: The White House stated today that... Example: The Crown reported today that...

Oxymoron: A combination of two words that appear to contradict each other.

Example: a pointless point of view; bittersweet

Paradox: A seemingly contradictory statement that on closer analysis reveals a deeper truth.
Examples:
Nobody goes to that restaurant; it’s too crowded. Water, water, everywhere and not a drop to drink.
Cowards die many times before their death. Exercising will increase your energy level

Personification: Attributing human characteristics to an inanimate object, animal, or abstract idea.

Example: The days crept by slowly, sorrowfully.

Simile: A direct comparison of two unlike things using “like” or “as.”

Example: He’s as dumb as an ox.
Example: Her eyes are like comets.

Symbol: An ordinary object, event, animal, or person to which we have attached extraordinary
meaning and significance – a flag to represent a country, a lion to represent courage, a wall to
symbolize separation.

Synecdoche: Indicating a person, object, etc. by letting only a certain part represent the whole.
Example: All hands-on deck.

Arranging the words

Words follow each other in a sequence determined by the poet. In order to discuss the arrangements
that result, certain terms have been applied to various aspects of that arrangement process. Although in
some ways these sequences seem arbitrary and mechanical, in another sense they help to determine the
nature of the poem. These various ways of organizing words have been identified.

Point of View: The author’s point of view concentrates on the viewpoint of the speaker, or “teller” of
the story or poem. This may be considered the poem’s “voice” — the pervasive presence behind the
overall work. This is also sometimes referred to as the persona (identity).
• 1st Person: the speaker is a character in the story or poem and tells it from his/her perspective (uses
“I”).
• 3rd Person limited: the speaker is not part of the story, but tells about the other characters through the
limited perceptions of one other person.
• 3rd Person omniscient: the speaker is not part of the story, but is able to “know” and describe what all
characters are thinking.

Line: The line is basic to the recognition of poetry, marking an important visual distinction from prose.

Verse: One single line of a poem arranged in a metrical pattern.

Stanza: A stanza is a group of verses.

Stanza Forms: The names given to describe the number of lines in a stanzaic unit, such as: couplet
(2), tercet (3), quatrain (4), quintet (5), sestet (6), septet (7), and octave (8)

Rhetorical Question: A question solely for effect, which does not require an answer. By the implication
the answer is obvious, it is a means of achieving an emphasis stronger than a direct statement.
Example: Could I but guess the reason for that look?
Example: O, Wind, If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?

Rhyme Scheme: The pattern established by the arrangement of rhymes in a stanza or poem, generally
described by using letters of the alphabet to denote the recurrence of rhyming lines.

Enjambment: It is the continuation of a sentence or clause across a line break.

Form: The arrangement or method used to convey the content, such as free verse, ballad, sonnet, etc.

Caesura: Occurs when a poet inserts a pause in a line of verse. This could be through the use of
punctuation.
For example: “when care is pressing you down a bit – rest if you must, but don’t you quit.”

The images of words

A poet uses words more consciously than any other writer. Although poetry often deals with deep
human emotions or philosophical thought, people generally don’t respond very strongly to abstract
words, even the words describing such emotions and thoughts.

Imagery: The use of clear language to generate ideas and/or evoke mental images, not only of the visual
sense like; visual imagery (sight)auditory imagery (sound) tactile imagery (touch) olfactory imagery
(smell) gustatory imagery (taste), but of sensation and emotion as well. While most commonly used in
reference to figurative language, imagery can apply to any component of a poem that evoke sensory
experience and emotional response, and also applies to the concrete things so brought to mind. Poetry
works it magic by the way it uses words to evoke “images” that carry depths of meaning. The poet’s
carefully described impressions of sight, sound, smell, taste and touch can be transferred to the
thoughtful reader through imaginative use and combinations of diction (words). In addition to its more
tangible initial impact, effective imagery has the potential to tap the inner wisdom of the reader to arouse
meditative and inspirational responses.

Tone, Mood: The means by which a poet reveals attitudes and feelings, in the style of language or
expression of thought used to develop the subject. Certain tones include not only irony and satire, but
may be loving, condescending, bitter, pitying, fanciful, solemn, and a host of other emotions and
attitudes. Tone can also refer to the overall mood of the poem itself, in the sense of a pervading
atmosphere intended to influence the readers’ emotional response and foster expectations of the
conclusion. Another use of tone is in reference to pitch or to the demeanor (attitude)of a speaker as
interpreted through inflections of the voice; in poetry, this is conveyed through the use of connotation,
diction, figures of speech, rhythm and other elements of poetic construction.

What Is a Sonnet?
A sonnet is a type of poem that traditionally has 14 lines that are written in iambic pentameter.

Sonnet Form and Theme:

The formal and structural elements of sonnets became standardized as the sonnet became popular. But
over time, new poets found their own ways to write sonnets. In other words, as poets have experimented
with the form and structure of the sonnet, those new approaches to writing sonnets have created new
“types” of sonnets, like the early Italian and the English sonnet.

Thematically, you can typically discover a traditional sonnet if it deals with one main thing: love.
However, like with the form and structure of sonnets themselves, the themes portrayed in sonnets have
also expanded to include topics like politics, nature, religion and spirituality, and social issues.

Italian or Petrarchan Sonnets:

The Petrarchan sonnet was popularized by the Italian poet Francesco Petrarch in the 1300s, which is
why it’s interchangeably called an Italian sonnet or Petrarchan sonnet. You’ll be safe using either name
to refer to this type of poem.
Petrarchan sonnets have 14 lines—divided into an octave and a sestet that follow the rhyme scheme
ABBAABBA CDCCDC or ABBAABBA CDECDE. Petrarchan poems are divided into two sections
so the poet can ask questions and reach an answer. Thematically, the octave, or first eight lines, often
makes a proposition, which asks a question or describes a problem. Then the sestet, or final six lines,
proposes a resolution or solution.

It’s common for the transition from the description of the question/problem to the resolution to happen
around the ninth line in Petrarchan sonnets. This shift from problem to resolution is called the “turn,”
or volta. Finally, Italian sonnets are almost always written in iambic pentameter.

Percy Bysshe Shelly

Romantic Era
Sonnet
About poet and poem:
“Ozymandias” is a sonnet written by the English Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. He wrote
“Ozymandias” in 1817 as part of a poetry contest with a friend and had it published in The Examiner
in 1818 under the pen name Glirastes. The title “Ozymandias” refers to an alternate name of the ancient
Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II. In the poem, Shelley describes a crumbling statue of Ozymandias as a
way to portray the transience of political power and to praise art’s ability to preserve the past.

Summary:
The speaker of this sonnet tells that he met a traveler who returned from an ancient country. The traveler
saw a broken statue in the desert. The statue's two legs stood on the pedestal. The body was not upon
the two legs. Near them was lying the shattered face of the statue. There were frowns, sneers and
expressions of cruel authority on the face. It seemed that the person who made the statue could
understand the king's character well and took every care to reflect it on stone. Though the sculptor and
the king died long back, the broken statue still reflects the pride and cruelty of the king. The small
platform on which the legs stood bore an inscription.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q1. What did the traveler see in the desert and to whom he told about it?
Ans. The poem has three unlike narrators; I – the speaker, the traveler and the king. The speaker
introduced ‘the traveler; who narrates what he saw in the desert. The traveler saw two vast and
trunkless legs which were made of stone standing in the desert. A half-sunk shattered face lay
close by in the sand whose frown and wrinkled lip had been captured deftly by the sculptor. He
told all the details of what he had seen in the desert to the speaker (poet).

Q2. How can you say that the sculptor was a great artist?
Ans. The sculptor was a skillful artist. His work was so fine that all the expressions in the face of
Ozymandias were reflected with all the cuts and the ups in the body of the mightiest king.
Moreover, he carved the expression of scorn and cold command on the face of the statue in
such a manner that it seemed as if the sculptor mocked the king’s self-obsession and passion.
All the attributes also reflect that he is an intellectual person as well.

Q3. What was written on the pedestal of the statue of Ozymandias?

Ans. The words on the pedestal of the statue implies the pride, arrogance and vanity of king
Ozymandias. He asked the ‘mighty ‘to look on his work and despair, because of his pride and
arrogance. He never realized that material prosperity, pomp and glory are subject to decay and
destruction. Nothing is permanent in this world. Only the ruins of the statue remained. Neither
 the king nor his empire survived the onslaught of time. The inscription on the statue merely
implies man’s hollow pride and futility.

Q4. What is the meaning of the phrase in the poem ‘the heart that fed’?
Ans. "The heart that fed" refers to Ozymandias because the sculptor "stamped" Ozymandias's
visage, hand, and heart into the statue he created. One interpretation is that the heart fed on
seeing his likeness made into a great statue. A second interpretation is that he fed on his people,
meaning he was not a kind or benign ruler, but instead exploited them.

Q5. What is ironic about the fate of Ozymandias?

Ans. The central piece of irony in this poem is that the statue of Ozymandias was constructed to
show off his power and greatness, but when the poem's narrator comes across the fact that the
mighty ruler had the following words engraved on his statue "My name is Ozymandias, king
of kings; Look upon my works ye Mighty and despair!" These words conveyed he was so
powerful that no other king could surpass him which highlights the reality that all of humankind
and our creations are temporary. No matter a person's status or power in their day, they will
eventually perish.

Q6. What is the message of the poem?

Ans. The poem Ozymandias is about the transitory nature of life. It asserts that all that we gain in
life—wealth, fame and power are all temporary and are at the mercy of greater forces. It also
highlights the irony of King Ozymandias’ arrogance. He once took great pride in his power,
but today his statue is reduced to rubble. It finally states that no matter how powerful one is,
there are powers beyond one’s realm of control that one cannot compete with.

Q7. How does the poem Ozymandias relate to your life?

Ans. The world might be a better place if every powerful person took a minute every day to mull
over this poem. This is Shelley’s magical antidote to arrogance, to vanities of the great and the
good and it is our misfortune that only a few leaders have understood. The message is that time
will turn to sand the proudest monuments and the grandest empires. All that remains is what
we remember and teach our children. I see it as a poem of hope for the many millions who are
not powerful. Have faith that your mighty oppressor will meet his end, it is only a matter of
time. Hang on and do your best, no one will escape ‘the lone and level sands’.

Q8. The proud Ozymandias lies forgotten in the desert. Comment.

Ans. King Ozymandias was a cruel king who considered himself to be the King of Kings. He thinks
himself high of all and is proud of his achievements. But pride has a fall. Everyone has forgotten
him. This story teaches us not to be prideful and the most powerful person in the world is not
yourself, but God.

A ballad is a song or songlike poem that tells a story. Ballads start quickly, without much introduction
or narration. The word ballad originally derived from an Old French word meaning “dancing song.”
Major themes found in ballads include love, revenge, courage, and death.

Traditionally passed down orally from generation to generation, they are divided into two major types:
Folk Ballads which are meant to be sung and Literary Ballads which are meant to be printed and read.

Folk ballads were originally composed by anonymous singers and were passed down orally from
generation to generation before they were written down. The English folk ballads we read today
probably took their present form in the fifteenth century originated in and around the British Isles were
collected and printed in the 1700s by Sir Thomas Percy and Sir Walter Scott.
Literary ballads are composed and written down by known poets, usually in the style of folk ballads.

The core structure for a ballad is a quatrain, written in either ABCB or ABAB rhyme schemes. The
first and third lines are iambic tetrameter, with four beats per line; the second and fourth lines are in
trimeter, with three beats per line.

Williams Wordsworth
Romantic Era
Literary Ballad
North of England, Northern Ballad
About poet and poem:
Wordsworth, popularly known as the poet of nature was born in the Lake District in northwest
England. He was the major English romantic poet who launched the Romantic age in English Literature
in 1798 with the publication of the Lyrical Ballads which is a joint work of Wordsworth and Samuel
Taylor Coleridge.

Lucy Gray is a poem published in the second edition of the Lyrical Ballads. This poem was written
based on a real-life incident heard from his sister Dorothy. The poet has portrayed Lucy Gray as a child
of nature.
Central idea:
A little girl called Lucy Gray had an accident and faced death in a snowstorm. She had gone to fetch
her mother back home but the snow storm overtook her. The parents could never find her again.
Although she died her charming memories and her sweet nature still live and people can still see her
galloping in the woods reminding them of her adorable personality.

Summary:
Lucy Gray was a good-looking small girl, she lived in a valley and had no friends. One day Lucy’s
mother went to the town and was late there. A storm was expected that evening. Lucy’s father asked
Lucy to go to the town with a lantern and bring back her mother. Saying this, Lucy’s father went away
to his work. After a while, Lucy took up the lantern and made for the town. She was very happy.
Unfortunately, the storm came before its time. Lucy could see nothing in the snow storm. She wandered
up and down, but could not find her way. She was lost and never reached the town.

When Lucy did not return, her parents came out to look for her. They cried for her far and wide but in
vain. Unexpectedly, they saw her footsteps in the snow. They followed them and arrived at the center
of a wooden bridge. The footsteps disappeared suddenly. It meant that Lucy fell down from there into
the stream.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q1. Where did lucy live and what kind of child she was?
Ans. Lucy Grey was a child who lived along with her parents on Widemoor. The used the phrases
like she had “no mate” and “no comrade” that built the strange thing to imagine; a child with
no friends, alone, and living outside but that was how the kind of lucy gray was described.
Lucy is characterized as an obedient and innocent child.
Q2. Where does the lucy’s father send her and why?
Ans. Lucy's father asks Lucy to go to the town to bring her mother back home. Lucy takes the lantern
in her hand and goes away to help her mother come back home from the town. Lucy departs
with a lantern in her hand to help her mother come back home from the nearby town.
Q3. What did Lucy mean when she said ‘yonder is the moon’?
Ans. In the last line of the fifth stanza, the phrase ‘yonder is the moon’ was added to the response to
her father’s command for going to the town to take her mother back. The phrase means to say
that there is yet enough time for the night to fall. The mentioned phrase also shows that she was
extremely brave because in-spite of the snowstorm that was about to come, she took off in
search of her mother.

Q4. Why did Lucy Gray take her lantern with her?
Ans. Lucy Gray was asked to take her mother back from the town and Lucy’s father suggested her
to take a lantern along with her because there was a chance of a storm that night. The lantern
was supposed to guide Lucy in the dark and this would be an aid while taking her mother back
home.

Q5. Do you think that tragedy would have been prevented if Lucy’s father himself had gone
to the town?
Ans. This can be considered in a way that if Lucy’s father would go instead of Lucy, she could live
but the death might be the fate of her father because of the intense storm or it could be said that
father could have managed his survival possible as he is more matured and experience person
and capable enough to deal with problematic situation. So, yes, if father would have gone
instead of the little innocent child, she had lived.

Q6. What happened to Lucy Gray while she was going to the town?
Ans. The character narrating the poem told the story of Lucy, a girl who was sent by her father with
a lantern to light the way home, for her mother in town. On her way to town, a snowstorm hits
and Lucy is never found either dead or alive.

Q7. What efforts do Lucy’s parents make in finding her?

Ans. Lucy’s parents wandered all that night to look for their daughter shouting far and wide but
found no trace of her. However, her parents manage to trace her footprints to the middle of the
bridge. The bridge must be rather old because it is described as a ‘plank.’ It is a cold and snowy
night when Lucy lost, she either died from exposure and fell off the ‘plank’ or confusion,
jumped off the plank.

Q8. What led Lucy’s parents to the bridge?

Ans. The footsteps of Lucy Gray were found in the snow that lighted the hope; she might be found
alive at the end of those footprints. Instead, the prints led the parents to the “middle of the
plank” on the bridge, and suddenly the footprints missed the point of the broken plank of wood
that indicated that Lucy was dead.

Q9. Why do people still maintain about Lucy Gray and why?
Ans. Williams Wordsworth describes the tragic death of the little girl. Lucy is no more living in the
world, yet there are some people who do not believe that she has died. They think that Lucy is
alive because they have often seen her walking and singing upon the wild fields. She sings a
song and never looks behind. The people also believe that the sweet song of Lucy Gray can be
heard when the wind is blowing. The poet means to say that Lucy has become a part of nature
after her death.

Anonymous
Olde Lyrical Ballad
Folk Ballad
South of England, Southern Ballad
About poem:
The Abbot of Canterbury is an anonymous poem. The time of the poem is Medieval England,
particularly the days of King John. Theme of the poem is England and as to type it is southern ballad.
The style is entertaining even conversational.

Who is called Abbot?

Abbot is an ecclesiastical title given to the male head of a monastery in various Western religious
traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who
is not the head of a monastery.

What is Canterbury?
Canterbury (KENT) has been a European pilgrimage site of major importance for over 800 years since
the assassination of Archbishop Thomas Becket in 1170. Today it is one of the most beautiful and
historic cities in England.

Summary:
The Abbot of Canterbury was a wealthy man. John the King of England grew envious of him. He sent
for the Abbot to his court. The king notified the abbot that if he failed to answer his three questions, his
head would be cut off from his body. The first question was to tell the exact price of the king, along
with his Crown, throne and courtiers. The second was to tell how much time it would take to go around
the world. The third was to tell what the king was thinking at that moment. The king gave a time of
three weeks to find out the answers.

The Abbot met many scholars, but no one could answer the questions. Eighteen days passed. One day
the Abbot’s shepherd asked his permission to go to London and answer all the questions. The Abbot
allowed him to do so. In the guise of the Abbot, the shepherd reached the court. In reply to the first
question, he said that Prophet Christ was sold for thirty pence and so the price of the king was twenty-
nine pence. In reply to the second question, he told that if the king got up with the sun, and travelled
with it, he would complete the journey in twenty-four hours. In response to the third, he lets know that
the king was thinking that he (the shepherd) was the Abbot, although he was his shepherd. The king
was very happy. He gave the prize to the shepherd and forgave his master.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q1. What is the dispute between the King and the Abbot?
Ans. King John was a cruel ruler of England who does not like others to live more comfortable life
than him. He becomes envious with the Abbot when King John learns about the lavish living
standard and growing rapidly fame of the Abbot of Canterbury so out of the jealousy he called
to his court and accused him of disobedience for which he decides to punish him.

Q2. What efforts did the Abbot make to save himself?

Ans. After asking the questions, the king threatens the Abbot that if he is unable to provide the right
answer, his head would be cut off. But the Abbot fails to answer the questions immediately but
he asks for three-weeks’ time to find the answers, if not answered the Abbot has to accept his
death. He visits to the scholars of Oxford and Cambridge with the hope of solution of the
problem. Even the scholars fail to solve the problem.

Q3. What were the questions that the King asked?

Ans. The Abbot of Canterbury was a wealthy man in the lights of the poem. John, the King of
England grew envious of him. He sent for the Abbot to his court. The king notified the abbot
that if he failed to answer his three questions, his head would be beheaded from his body. The
first question was to tell the exact price of the king, along with his Crown, throne and courtiers.
The second was to tell how much time it would take to go around the world. The third was to
tell what the king would be thinking at that moment. The king gave, a time of three weeks to
find out the answers.
Q4. What were the answers given by the shepherd to the King?
Ans. In reply to the first question, he said that Prophet Christ was sold for 30 pence and so the price
of the king was twenty-nine pence. In reply to the second question, he told that if the king got
up with the sun, and travelled with it, he would complete the journey of travelling across the
world, in twenty-four hours. In response to the third, he let know the king that he was thinking
that he (the shepherd) was the Abbot, although he was his shepherd. The king was very happy.
He gave the prize to the shepherd. And his master was forgiven.

Q5. How did king expressed his emotions after being answered all his questions?
Ans. Shepherd offered a scheme to the Abbot when he saw him worried. He disguised himself as the
Abbot and visited the King and when he started answering his question, the King behaved
happily. Against the answer of the first question the King swore upon saint Bittle and showed
his amazement, in the response to the send answer, the Kind swore upon saint John and to the
third answer he swore upon his people. And happily, appointed shepherd an Abbot in the place
of the Abbot of Canterbury. This was how kind showed his emotions.

Q6. Why did shepherd not accept king’s offer? How was the Abbot benefited by his
shepherd’s bold answers?
Ans. The king became happy with the shepherd and offered him a place of Abbot in Canterbury. In
return the shepherd rejected the proposal of the king saying that he was not well-educated man
to be appointed as an Abbot and only had some common sense which often worked. The king
awarded four gold coins a week to the shepherd and pardoned the Abbot of Canterbury and
withdrew all his charges.

Q7. What is the main idea of the ballad?

Ans. From the moral point of view, the poem is much impressive. Through the poem, the poet proves
that the bookish and formal education is not so much effective and useful to solve the practical
problems. On the one hand the poem reflects that an absolute king can take any immoral,
unethical, illogical, and crook measures against anyone if his position is under threat. Secondly,
knowledge is not only the personal property of intellectual scholars, and high ranked religious
people. Source of knowledge is everywhere and it comes through practical implication. Even
an uneducated people like shepherd can solve riddles that are unsolved by intellectuals. Thus,
the text has taught a great lesson that makes it clear that much is learnt through the daily life
activities than from the universities.

Q8. Critically analyze the ballad.

Ans. The poem seems to be much humorous and satirical. So far it imparts the idea of human
knowledge and wisdom, it is appropriate but in whatever way the King Abbot and the Shepherd
are presented, they don't seem believable and convincing. The poetic story is first of all hard to
believe because it creates debatable further questions. Can we imagine existence of cruel king
like John? Why the scholars from Oxford and Cambridge fail to solve the problem and can we
trust the uneducated people like shepherd in terms of intellectuality? Can a king ask such
nonsense question to a reputed Abbot? Further, the answers of shepherd are also controversial.
Since the king fails to recognize the shepherd changed as Abbot. Similarly, the shepherd is
presented in such a way that doesn't fit him to be more than that it mocks the formal education.
It is too difficult to accept it.

Sir Henry Wotton

About poet and poem:
Sir Henry Wotton was born 30 March 1568, England, United Kingdom. He was an English author,
diplomat and politician. This poem illustrates the qualities of a true and happy person. he beautifully
expresses the attributes of a great person. These attributes are; truthfulness, honesty, fearlessness,
freedom, strong believer, straightforward and hardheartedness etc.

Summary:
In this poem, ‘The Character of Happy’ poet describes the qualities of a truly happy person. The very
core qualities of such a person are fearlessness and free-thinking. He always speaks the truth and follows
the path of honesty. He is the master of his passion and soul. His passions/desires are completely under
his control and he’s never scared of death. He has no cares and doesn’t worry about what people say
about him privately. He always acts consistent with the decision of his conscience. A happy man isn’t
jealous of anybody, rather he follows the principles of honesty and thankfulness. He always prefers to
be genuine and hates flattery. A man with good attributes does not invest his time in the company of a
negative person while he loves to spend his time with good friends and a book of great ideas. He neither
wishes to urge a high office nor has his fear of his downfall. He leads a really simple and carefree life.
Though he has no worldly wealth, yet he has all the good qualities and virtues of a gentleman.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q1. What a happy man is taught from his birth? What does poet mean when he says that
happy man does not serve another’s will?
Ans. A happy man is the one who is independent in his thinking and action. He is not a slave of other
man. The poet is conveying a thought that those who serve others’ idea and avoid the discovery
the new things, they will never be able to grow and prosper in lives. No following anyone helps
in developing multiple feature that is essential for peaceful living.

Q2. Explain briefly, how Henry Wotton’s man happy man is ‘having nothing yet hath all’. OR
Discuss the poem ‘The Character of a Happy Life’ with reference to the line; “And having
nothing yet hath all.”
Ans. The language of the given verse is figurative in nature, the contradictory idea is presented in
the lights of the figurative device, called ‘paradox’. The opening of the poem says about the
upbringing and teaching that develops a series of features; he is not following anyone, he is
always honest with himself, he considers truth a skill, he is not driven by his desires, he is
always ready to die, he does not care about the world, he is not inspired by the people who
acquire success through shortcuts and schemes, he does not like to involve in gossips, his inner
voice always prevents him from the wrong path, he is always praying and showing his patience
against the God’s will, he does not fear to face failure. All the mentioned features indicates that
man has no material possessions but he has everything this paradoxical statement reflects a
figurative meaning that is; he has peace within that is more than anything in the world.

Q3. What is the central idea ‘The character of happy life’?

Ans. The Central Idea of the poem ‘Character of a Happy Life’ composed by Sir Henry Wotton is
that – In this poem the poet describes the qualities of a really happy man. A happy man is honest
and truthful. He is the master of his passions. He is not afraid of death. This man does not care
for the love of the prince or the criticism of the common people. He is free from rumors. He
depends upon the voice of his conscience. A happy man does not care for false flattery. He is
not jealous of anyone’s progress. He is a God-fearing man and remembers God day and night.
A happy man passes his time in the company of a book or a good friend. He does not care for
rise or fall in life. He is rich in heart and is Lord of himself.

Q4. What are the sources of happiness other than those mentioned in the poem?
Ans. There are many other things that can be considered for a happy and peaceful life other than the
mentioned characteristics such as; strong social relationships are the most important contributor
to enduring happiness for most people. Those who are happiest generally devote a great amount
of time to their family, friends, and colleagues. They nurture and enjoy those relationships.
 Douglas Malloch
An American Poet
Lumberman’s poet
About poet and poem:
This beautiful and concise poem written by Douglas Malloch, an influential American short story writer,
editor, and poet, first appeared in 1922 and also known as ‘Lumbermen's Poet’. The poem is about
competition and its value in life. It has won popularity on account of its motivating power.

In 'Good Timber' Malloch explores themes of struggle, fulfillment, and nature. Those who live through
“broken branches” and storms will become “Good timber.” This theme is common within Malloch's
work. He was often concerned with depicting different ways life can be lived and how the most fulfilling
lives come to be.

Summary
The poem begins with the describing how there are two types of trees and men. First, there are those
who are readily given everything they need to survive. This type of person or tree never has to worry
about where their food and water is going to come from.

On the other hand, there are the trees and men who must fight, from birth, to survive. Their broken
branches and scars are evidence of their ability to survive on and become “forest king.”

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q.1 What is the significance of the title of the poem ‘Good Timber?’
Ans. The title of the poem ‘Good Timber’ holds significance with respect to the message of the
poem. The poet has compared good timber with good men. He believes that it is not easy for
both timber and men to become good without going through hard times. It is a fact that the
more they suffer, the more they become productive for society.

Q.2 What is good timber? How does tree grow into good timber?
Ans. Adversity makes timber worth talking. It encounters the forces of nature such as strong winds
and unfavorable conditions throughout life and it makes good timber vital, good, and beneficial.
A tree can only grow into good timber when it passes through the tough test of the scorching
sun, cold and hot weather, snow, rain.

Q.3 What happen to the people who work hard?

Ans. In the lights of the poem, people who work hard can achieve the attribute of not giving up. It
builds endurance against the odds of life. They can stand the unpredictable nature of life and
become invincible. They are able to counter the failures and the low phases that challenge them
on every step they make.

Q.4 What, according to Douglas Malloch, is the fate of those people who do not work hard in
life?
Ans. According to Douglas Malloch, those people who do not work hard never excel in any field of
life. They cannot have a strong personality and can never develop their social, moral, and
economic position. Such people live and die without achieving anything significant in their life.
Q.5 How can a person achieve the true potential in life? Illustrate it with examples from the
poem ‘Good Timber.’
Ans. The achieve of potential happens when he faces hardships, difficulties and tough times with
courage and determination. According to the poet, a man becomes strong when encounters and
overcomes adversity in life. Hardships, unfavourable conditions, difficult situations enhance
abilities and capabilities. A person cannot be strong if he has all the provision of life without
strife. Douglas compares good timber with men, as timber bears harsh winds, rain, sunshine,
and snow to become good and beneficial, the same way a man can achieve the unbreakable
attitude.

Q.6 What is the central idea of the poem ‘Good Timber?’

Ans. The central idea of the poem ‘Good Timber’ is that in order to become good and beneficial one
has to face hardships and difficulties in life. Both timber and man have to overcome adversity
with courage and determination. The struggle is a key to success for a perfect and a valuable
life or both die worthless.

Q.7 Who is Douglas Malloch? Who was called Lumberman?

Ans. Douglas Malloch was a poet and short story writer from the United States. He was known as a
‘Lumberman’s Poet’. A lumberman, especially in North America, is someone who fells trees,
cuts them into logs, or transports them to a sawmill. ‘Good Timber’ is one of the most famous
poems.

Q.8 What does poet suggest people to be like good timber?

Ans. Douglas Malloch suggests the people that they should be strong at heart like good timber
because the weak persons cannot face the challenges of life. Only the people with strong hearts
have the courage to face the challenges of life. If they will to be a part of the elite league of
human race, they have to gain the strength as the good timber does.

Q.9 An extended metaphor is a poetic device in which two unlike things are compared in a
series of lines of a poem. Give the example of extended metaphor from the poem ‘Good
Timber.’
Ans. The entire poem is an example of extended metaphor as the poet has skillfully compared good
timber with man. He is of the opinion that both timber and man have to go through tough times
of life to become good and beneficial. If they do not do so they would not be able to achieve
anything significant in their life.

Q.10 What is alliteration? Give its examples from the poem ‘Good Timber.’
Ans. Alliteration is the occurrence of the same consonant sound at the beginning of adjacent or
closely connected words. The poet has used this literary technique of alliteration quite
beautifully throughout the poem; sun and sky, manly man, storm and strength, sun and snow,
good and grow, and broken branches.

Edger Albert Guest

British born, American Poet
Peoples’ poet
About poet and poem:
Edgar Albert Guest was a British-born American poet who became known as the People's Poet. His
poems often had an inspirational and optimistic view of everyday life.
It's all about perseverance, tenacity, determination and will-power to not to give up - especially when
the things are going wrong, and when one is seemingly swimming against the tide. This poem reminds
us that there are seeds of success in every failure, and that's why we mustn't quit.

Summary
'Don't Quit' is an inspirational poem that talks about perseverance. It urges the reader to keep trying,
no matter what, because you never know which blow by the hammer may break the stone. The narrator
of the poem uses many instances of misfortune like poor financial condition, slow pace, etc. to say that
none of these is a good enough reason to stop. He says that we never know how close one might be to
one's goal. In spite of how tired one might be of the journey, the narrator urges the reader to take rest
and continue, but never quit.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q.1 Success is failure turned inside out, the silver tint of the clouds of doubt. Explain these
lines.
Ans. Success and failure are the two aspects of the human life. We should not forget that no clouds
can cover the rays of the sun. It has to shine crossing the clouds. Same here, success and failure
are inside us, it depends on us how we are taking it whether in a positive way or in a negative
way.

Q.2 What is the message of the first stanza in the poem?

Ans. In the first stanzas of this poem, the speaker admits that things are going to seem “low” at points
in one’s life. One might want to be happy but also have to deal with negative circumstances out
of their control. On these occasions, he says, “rest if you must, but don’t you quit.” As the lines
progress, the speaker includes several unclear descriptions of people who have struggled, quit
without knowing how close they were to success. The poem ends on the same note in which it
began, inspiring readers to stick through the fight even when “your hardest hit.”

Q.3 Which lines of the poem do you like the most and why?
Ans. "Don't Quit" is truly an exceptionally inspiring poem, which I would like to share my favorites
line and the first one belongs to the first stanza of the poem where perseverance, tenacity,
determination and will-power to not to give up are discussed. The other line of the poem that
reminds us that there are seeds of success in every failure, and that's why we mustn't quit. I like
this poem, because it evokes the self-confidence, which essentially enables us to believe in our
abilities to achieve the goals that may appear beyond any believe, common reasoning and
normal logic. This self-confidence is particularly important in life, because it empowers us to
bring our dreams and vision to fruition.

Q.4 Write the central idea of the poem. OR What are the benefits of not quitting as suggested
in the poem? OR What is the message of the poem?
Ans. In the poem, the poet mentioned on several occasions of suffering which people may bear, such
as debt, funds being low, failure, etc. These are the points in life when a person feels
disheartened. However, the courage of failing and standing up after taking blows from life, is
the key to success. The will power of not giving up is what guides people towards success.

Q.5 How the poem helps reader to be optimistic in every situation? OR What effect does the
poem create on the readers?
Ans. Throughout ‘Don’t Quit,’ American poet Edgar Albert Guest uses simple language and diction
to convey an inspirational message to readers. He spends the four stanzas asking readers to
persevere no matter how hard their life is. It doesn’t matter what kind of situation one is in. One
needs to work hard and never give in to the desire to quit.
Q.6 Why does poet term life ‘queer with twist and turns’?
Ans. "Life is queer with its twist and turns" means living is complicated and unpredictable. Our entire
life is like a journey on a road with many turnings. We have no idea what will happen next. It
may bring good or bad things. In the journey of life, we face new things, events, discoveries,
surprises, successes, and failures. Sometimes twist and turns are important in our life to choose
right direction or path.

Q.7 What is the benefit of not quitting as suggested in the poem?

Ans. It's all about perseverance, tenacity, determination and will-power to not to give up - especially
when the things are going wrong, and when one is seemingly swimming against the tide. This
poem reminds us that there are seeds of success in every failure, and that's why we mustn't quit.

Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai

Translated by: Amina Khamisani
About poet and poem:
Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (1689-1752) was a Sindhi Sufi scholar, mystic, saint, poet, philosopher, tourist
and musician. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest poets of the world, who narrated his
message for mankind in Sindhi language. In the poem, the poet discusses about the path of Khahori life
that is full of hardships and troubles.

Summary:
The speaker of the poem is highlighting certain individuals who have come to know Allah and devote
their lives worshipping HIM and that it is quite tough to discover such people. Ascetics are also those
who renounce their domestic comforts when they are young and set their sights on a purpose which is
outside of the world that exists. Towards this objective, they look for clues in the mountains and valleys
and continue to wander without paying any attention to their physical health. Ascetics have an odd look
and they seek for hidden truths and prefer to settle there with their secret knowledge and improved
perception of the world. They travel to a region where ordinary people and even birds cannot be
seen. They continue to trek through the forest, using the sky as their refuge, never hesitating in their
pursuit of their goals. People who are always willing to give up everything to acquire about world's
unseen truths still exist, and they can identify one another.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q.1 How is Khahori’s character depicted by the poet? How do the Khahoris experience sleep?
Where and why do Khahoris spend their days and night? What reward does Khahori get
after his hardwork?
Ans. The depiction of the Khahori’s character is mysterious, they are always engaged in the thoughts
of the creator. In their outlook, they look strange and odd with torn and old slippers in their
feet. Khahori’s sleeps is uniquely presented where they spend times in worshipping their God.
They always spend their days and nights in finding out the unseen truth of the world. They are
rewarded with the unknown secrets and the hidden truths of the worlds.

Q.2 What does poet want to say when says ‘where no a trace of birds is seen, fire is lit’?
Ans. The presentation of the Khahori’s character is an odd one where normal people find no
relevance or connection with their ways of living and choices. When poet says ‘where no a
trace of birds is seen, fire is lit’? it does require deep thoughts to comprehend. It depicts an
image that the preferences of ascetics (Khahoris) are way beyond the normal or ordinary
individuals, they select the place to live where no birds can be seen because they don’t want
any kind of hindrance in perusing the practices they make in the search of the ultimate truth.

Q.3 Sur Khahori is the narration of Khahori’s struggle.

Ans. The poem's concept underlines the value of mysticism and spirituality as well as the effort
needed to reach the ultimate objective. Further, it describes the struggle Khahoris go through
as they search for the unspoken truths and Allah's love. The Khahoris are represented as having
entirely lost themselves in the sea of devotion for their beloved creator. They are fairly evident
since they have no place for material possessions other than the undeniable truth.

Q.4 What poetic devices have been used in this poetry? Write with the examples.
Ans. Let’s being with the form and structure of the poem; the poem consists of seventeen lines in
total that further divides into five tercets, three lines stanza and a couplet, two lines stanza. No
regular rhyme is observed that means no regular rhyme scheme. The language of the poem is
deep as the multiple poetic devices are used to convey the idea of the poem; the use of caesura
is observed quite persistently with the idea of giving a little pause using comma to the readers
can process their thought to produce the idea themselves as well. Metaphor is used to maintain
the depth in the meanings like ‘recognition’ is explained using the word ‘raft’. The images of
sight are also present in the context like ‘raft’, ‘ocean’, ‘jungle’, and etc. The use of hyperbole
is also observed when in the second stanza’s second line appears ‘reduced to their bone they
are’ to present the idea in exaggerated way. The repetition makes reader realise the importance
of the idea so with the use of repeated pronoun ‘those’ in an anaphoric way the idea is
emphaisied.

Poetic Analysis and reference to context

What is critical appreciation ‫?تنقیدی پذیرائی‬
A poem’s critical appreciation is the process of evaluating ‫تشخیص‬, comprehending ‫سمجھنا‬, and
interpreting ‫ تشریح‬a literary work from a DISCERNING ‫ سمجداری‬perspective. The critical appreciation
includes the meaning of the words, the form and structure, the speaker, the language, the theme, the
diction, the speaker’s tone, and other elements.
What is poetic diction ‫?الفاظ کا بر محل استعمال‬
Poetic diction refers to the operating language of poetry, language employed in a manner that sets
poetry apart from other kinds of speech or writing. It involves the vocabulary, the phrasing, and the
grammar considered appropriate and inappropriate to poetry at different times.

What is the theme ‫?خیالیہ‬

Theme is the lesson about life or statement about human nature that the poem expresses. To determine
theme, start by figuring out the main idea. Then keep looking around the poem for details such as the
structure, sounds, word choice, and any poetic devices.

What is the form and structure in poetry?

The structure of a poem involves many elements, such as the number of lines, the number of syllables
in each line, the rhyming of certain words and phrases with others, and much more.

What is language in the poem?

Poetic language (also called poetic devices) are the tools of sound or meaning that a poet can use to
make the poem more surprising, vivid, complex, or interesting. Examples of these tools include
alliteration, onomatopoeia, imagery, metaphors and similes, and allusion.

Ozymandias
Critical Appreciation:
The poem ‘Ozymandias’ by ‘Percy Bysshe Shelly’, a romantic poet uses the theme of; power of nature
and time, exotic lands and criticism on the ruling class.

The structure of the poem is an interesting aspect of it. The examination of the poem shows it is an
adaption of Italian also known as Petrarchan and English also known as Shakespearian sonnet. The
form of the poem that is octave, the eight lines stanza and sestet, the six lines stanza make it an Italian
sonnet and on the other end, the turn which is also called volta that occurs after the tenth line reflects it
as Shakespearian in nature. But the rhyme scheme of the poem is neither Italian nor English, it is own
created style of the poet.

The language of the poem is very much figurative. Irony is the main factor that makes it highlighting.
Situational irony is used by the poet to sketch the expectations and the outcome of the idea of being
remembered forever by the Egyptian, Pharaoh, Ramses II.

The elements of imagery are also present in the context of the poem that helps readers in sketching an
image of the current condition of the Ozymandias’s statue. For instances; ‘two vast and trunkless legs’,
‘Visage’ and ‘wrinkled lips’.

Alliteration is also used by the poet to acquire the attention of the readers at certain points like; cold
command, boundless and bare and lone and level.
Reference to context:
1. I met a traveller from an antique land,
2. Who said—“Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
3. Stand in the desert. . . . Near them, on the sand,
4. Half sunk a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
5. And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
6. Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
7. Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
8. The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed;
Lines 1-4 – The idea of a traveller from an antique land grabs the reader’s attention, as there is promise
of a story. ‘Antique’ suggests the subject matter is old and precious. The adjectives ‘trunkless’ ‘half-
sunk’ and ‘shattered’ describe what the ‘vast’ statues have become – they appear to be a shadow of
what they once were.

Lines 5-8 – The facial expression of the statue is described in some detail – the ‘frown’, ‘wrinkled lip’
and ‘sneer’ suggesting that the authoritative and oppressive nature of the ruler was ‘well…read’ by the
sculptor. Alliteration of the harsh ‘c’ sound is used in ‘cold command’, possibly to reflect the ruler’s
harsh command. The traveller suggests that these features of the ruler remain imprinted upon lifeless
objects, even though the ruler and the sculptor are now dead. Line 8 gives more details of the King’s
nature.

9. And on the pedestal, these words appear:

10. My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;
11. Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!
12. Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
13. Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare
14. The lone and level sands stretch far away.”

Lines 9-11 – The engraving on the pedestal gives an indication of the power that Ozymandias once had.
Whoever had the statue commissioned (likely Ozymandias himself) believed that the remnants of his
legacy would still intimidate visitors/observers far into the future. Line 11 is one of the most famous
lines in poetry – “Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!” is a proud boast of his immense power.
The imperative verb and the use of the exclamation mark gives this sense of authority and animation.

Lines 12-14 – When juxtaposed with the description of what lay around the broken statue, the ironic
truth in relation to these boasts is revealed. ‘Nothing’ and ‘decay’ are words used to demonstrate that
the ruler is no longer powerful. The ‘lone and level’ sands (a metaphor for the sands of time) remains,
and has brought the powerful ruler (literally in this case) to his knees.

Lucy Gray
Reference to context:
Oft I had heard of Lucy Gray: seeing her is worth mentioning. The first stanza
And, when I crossed the wild, simply strikes up curiosity about Lucy and sets
I chanced to see at break of day her up as an important figure.
The solitary child.
No mate, no comrade Lucy knew;
The speaker then claims that he saw “the She dwelt on a wide moor,
solitary child” right “at break of day”. At this –The sweetest thing that ever grew
point, the speaker does not reveal why he has Beside a human door!
heard of Lucy Gray. Nor does he reveal why
The speaker further explains that she has “no
mate” and “no comrade”. This corresponds Not blither is the mountain roe:
with his description of her in the previous With many a wanton stroke
stanza as a “solitary child”. The description in Her feet disperse the powdery snow,
the second line describes her a kind of feral That rises up like smoke.
child, but line three of this stanza contradicts
that idea entirely. This stanza describes Lucy as walking along
slowly and carelessly, kicking up the “powdery
You yet may spy the fawn at play, snow” as she walks, and watching it rise “like
The hare upon the green; smoke”. These descriptions of Lucy help to
But the sweet face of Lucy Gray continue to paint a picture of a sweet and
Will never more be seen. innocent child. The more the reader gets to
know Lucy, the more he feels anxious about her
Here, the speaker talks directly to the readers because the speaker has previously stated that
and says that they may “spy the fawn at play” she is to be seen no more. The image of a little
and that they may catch sight of a “hare upon girl, doing as her father asked, kicking up snow
the green” but that “the sweet face of Lucy as she walks, serves to attach the readers to
Gray will never more be seen”. With this Lucy.
stanza, the speaker reveals that something has
happened to Lucy.

To-night will be a stormy night–

You to the town must go; The storm came on before its time:
And take a lantern, Child, to light She wandered up and down;
Your mother through the snow.” And many a hill did Lucy climb:
But never reached the town.
The quotes here indicate that the speaker is now
telling a story. This perhaps is a story he has With the first line of this stanza, the speaker
heard from another. He begins to talk from reveals what will happen to Lucy. “The storm
another’s point of view. This person apparently came on before its time” and Lucy “wandered
sent the child out in the snow with a lantern to up and down” and climbed “many a hill…but
find her mother. never reached the town”. With this description,
the readers can imagine poor little Lucy, lost in
“That, Father! will I gladly do: the storm and climbing hill after hill only to be
‘Tis scarcely afternoon– lost in the storm.
The minster-clock has just struck two,
And yonder is the moon!” The wretched parents all that night
Went shouting far and wide;
The speaker has already described Lucy as “the But there was neither sound nor sight
sweetest thing” so it does not come as a surprise To serve them for a guide.
that she should respond, “That, Father! Will I
gladly do:”. This also reveals that the speaker This stanza reveals that at some point during the
within the quotes is Lucy’s father. The father night, Lucy’s mother returned home. When her
sends his daughter out at two o’clock in the parents realized that Lucy had never made it to
afternoon. He asks her to take a lantern to her town with the lantern, they were
mother. Lucy gladly goes. “wretched…all that night” as any parent would
be as they frantically search for their child.
At this the Father raised his hook, They “went shouting far and wide” but found
And snapped a faggot-band; nothing in the darkness and silence of the night.
He plied his work;–and Lucy took
The lantern in her hand. At day-break on a hill they stood
This stanza continues the story from the That overlooked the moor;
original speaker’s point of view. He says that And thence they saw the bridge of wood,
the father returned to his work as Lucy went out A furlong from their door.
with “the lantern in her hand”.
Again, the speaker mentions day-break. This is This stanza invokes the feeling of intense loss.
a significant time in the poem. This is the time While the parents follow in the footsteps of the
of day when the speaker mentions having seen child, there is hope that she might be found
Lucy Gray. This is also the time of day when alive at the end of those footprints. Instead, the
the parents realize that Lucy has probably not prints led the parents to the “middle of the
made it through the winter storm. plank” on the bridge, and suddenly the
footprints stop. The only conclusion is that
They wept–and, turning homeward, cried, Lucy fell off the bridge.
“In heaven we all shall meet;”
–When in the snow the mother spied
The print of Lucy’s feet.

At this point, the parents weep and give up their

search for Lucy. They turn home and cling to
the hope that they would meet with their
daughter again in heaven. At that moment, “the –Yet some maintain that to this day
mother spied the print of Lucy’s feet”. She has She is a living child;
been all night in the storm. She is not likely to That you may see sweet Lucy Gray
have survived. However, the sight of her Upon the lonesome wild.
footprint gives hope.
This stanza reveals to the readers that the body
Then downwards from the steep hill’s edge of little Lucy was never found. Had it been
They tracked the footmarks small; found; people would not continue to claim that
And through the broken hawthorn hedge, “she is a living child”. But they do, and
And by the long stone-wall; furthermore, they claim that she can still be
seen “upon the lonesome wild”. This suggests
With this, the parents begin to follow her that it is the spirit of Lucy that is alive and can
footprints. They see that she walked “through still be seen. This also gives more insight into
the broken hawthorn hedge and by the long the opening stanzas in which the speaker claims
stone-wall”. With hope in their hearts, they that he saw her and that she was a “solitary
continue to follow in her footsteps. By now, the child”. It was the spirit of Lucy Gray that he had
reader is likely fully sympathizing with the often heard of and which he claims to have
parents. The feeling of frantically searching, the seen.
weeping and accepting her death, and the
renewed hope at seeing her footsteps are all
feelings the readers can either relate to or at O’er rough and smooth she trips along,
least imagine. And never looks behind;
And then an open field they crossed: And sings a solitary song
The marks were still the same; That whistles in the wind.
They tracked them on, nor ever lost;
And to the bridge they came. The speaker repeats again that he has seen Lucy
Gray, and he describes her as she is now. He
The parents track her prints all the way across says that “she trips along and never looks
the field and to a bridge. The readers can behind” as she “sings a solitary song”. This
imagine the way the parents must be feeling as gives a peaceful description of Lucy and
they followed their daughter’s footprints and implies that she perhaps sang and skipped along
were forced to imagine her trudging through the before the storm took her away. It suggests that
snowstorm, lost and afraid. she was not terrified by the storm, but that she
was taken suddenly and by surprise.
They followed from the snowy bank Essentially, it suggests that she died happy,
Those footmarks, one by one, skipping along in the snow. This, of course,
Into the middle of the plank; would be what the parents would have
And further there were none! desperately hoped for after realizing that their
daughter was not alive.
Poetic analysis:
This stanza is taken/extracted from the poem ‘Lucy Gray’, a literary ballad by ‘Williams Wordsworth’, a
romantic poet and he is also known as ‘poet of nature’. This ballad was published in the second edition of
Lyrical Ballad.
The opening line of the stanza is figuratively composed in which the
Oft I had heard of Lucy Gray: image of voice is used ‘heard’, it tells the readers about the
And, when I crossed the wild, background of the narration that the poet’s sister, Dorothy told him
I chanced to see at break of day the story of lucy. Moreover, the poet also highlights the aspect of
The solitary child romanticism in the second and the third verse of the stanza by
saying, “I had seen lucy alone with the nature or he is declaring lucy
the child of nature”.

No mate, no comrade Lucy knew; The first verse of the stanza explains the phrase ‘solitary child’ using
She dwelt on a wide moor, two phrases ‘no mate’ and ‘no comrade’, ‘mate’ and ‘comrade’
–The sweetest thing that ever grew pragmatically mean, Lucy has no sibling and friends. Wordsworth
Beside a human door! believes that innocence is beauty, so he used the word ‘sweet ‘multiple
times for lucy.
The first verse of the stanza begins with the image of sight using the
You yet may spy the fawn at play,
words ‘spy’. The use of the two instances ‘fawn’ and ‘hare’, he
The hare upon the green;
highlights the significance of the innocence of the little girl, Lucy. The
But the sweet face of Lucy Gray
last verse of the stanza indicates that something strange has happened
Will never more be seen.
to the girl of nature.
That, Father! will I gladly do: The first verse of the stanza describes the obedience and the
‘Tis scarcely afternoon innocence of Lucy; she did not argue about the forecasted conditions
The minster clock has just struck but follow whatever she had been asked to do. The poet uses the
two image of sound ‘struck’ to explain the condition further. The use of the
And yonder is the moon word ‘moon’ symbolizes the rough weather was about to befall.

Not blither is the mountain roe: This stanza portrays the picture of lucy using multiple images that
With many a wanton stroke shows the innocence of the little girl. ‘Rise up like smoke’ the
Her feet disperse the powdery figurative speech ‘simile’ is used to explain the action of Lucy during
snow, her way to the town for taking her mother back. In some, Lucy is
That rises up like smoke. compared to the mountain deer in the given stanza.
This
O’er rough and smooth she trips This stanza provides an emotion outlook. The feeling of the parents is
along, shown in the last three verses of the poem that they believe, their
And never looks behind; daughter never feared dying when the storm came before the time but
And sings a solitary song she died happily that can be observed till today because she has
That whistles in the wind. become a part of the nature. The emotional significance is highlighted
using ‘alliteration’ in the last two verses of the stanza; solitary song
and whistles in the wind.

Good timber
Reference to context:
The tree that never had to fight
For sun and sky and air and light,
But stood out in the open plain
And always got its share of rain,
Never became a forest king
But lived and died a scrubby thing.

In the first stanza of this piece the speaker begins by describing one particular type of tree and the life
it lived. It is clear from the first stanza that the tree is standing in for a human being. There is an extended
metaphor that stretches the length of the poem through which Malloch uses trees to represent humans
and they different lives they lead.

He speaks first on the “tree that never had to fight.” From just this line it is clear that he is looking
down on this type of person. The “fight” already feels necessary. In the next lines he describes how the
tree, or person, who lives an easy life does not worry about resources. They have all the food, water, air
and light they need to survive. These needs don’t register for them. Additionally, due to their position,
they “always” get enough rain.

The position of the tree speaks to the way that one’s lot in life is determined by their birth. One cannot
choose the life they were born into. The tree did not have to fight for what it has. In the last two lines
the speaker reveals the outcome of such a life. This kind of tree will never become a “forest king,” or
one of the largest, strongest trees in the forest. It will live and die “a scrubby thing.” It may have a
position, but that position did nothing to further its interior strength.

The man who never had to toil

To gain and farm his patch of soil,
Who never had to win his share
Of sun and sky and light and air,
Never became a manly man
But lived and died as he began.

The speaker compares the tree to the man who never “became a manly man.” This person lived a similar
life. He never had to “toil / To gain and farm his patch of soil.” Just like the tree was given all the
elements of life it needed, so too was the man given his “share” without effort.

The last two lines solidify the comparison between the man and the tree. He “lived and died as he
began” without development. His position, socially, morally and economically did not improve because
he did not feel the need to reach beyond his readily available resources.

Good timber does not grow with ease,

The stronger wind, the stronger trees,
The further sky, the greater length,
The more the storm, the more the strength.
By sun and cold, by rain and snow,
In trees and men good timbers grow.

The third stanza of ‘Good Timber,’ is dedicated to describing what does make “Good,” or strong,
“timber.” A tree that is going to live a long and successful life “does not grow with ease.” It encounters
throughout its days “stronger wind” and “further sky” than the “scrubby” tree ever did. It also lives
through more storms and an uncertain amount of sun, cold and “rain and snow.”

The final line joins together the tree of good timber with the “manly man.” The same forces forged
both types of life.

Where thickest lies the forest growth

We find the patriarchs of both.
And they hold counsel with the stars
Whose broken branches show the scars
Of many winds and much of strife.
This is the common law of life.

The speaker goes on to describe the environment of the man and the good timber tree. Both are in the
“thickest” part of the forest. This contrasts with the tree of the first stanza. It grew in an opening in the
forest canopy. The men and trees are in the shade and far from the sun.

They are both the “patriarchs” or male leaders of their species. From where they are situated, away
from the light of the sun and city, they are able to “hold counsel with the stars.” They tap into a deeper
knowledge, and commune with forces that others cannot understand.

The tree and the man share “broken branches” and “scars.” The “strife” of their lives has become the
“common law.” It structures who they are and how they live.

The tree that never had to fight

For sun and sky and air and light,
But stood out in the open plain
And always got its share of rain,
Never became a forest king
But lived and died a scrubby thing.

The structure and the form of the stanza, it consists of six verses, that’s called sestet. And the rhyme of
the poem; fight/light, plain/rain, king/thing., it leads to the rhyme scheme of AABBCC. Enjambment
is also observed in the first two lines of the stanza that means the transition from the first line to the
second is without any punctuation. Symbolism is used to signify ideas that are different from the literal
meanings and in the given stanza words like tree and rain are the instances to the device. Imagery is
used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses such as “For sun and sky and air and
light.” Metaphor is also observed to make comparison between objects that are different in nature and
the extended metaphor of a tree to show the significance of struggle and hard work in life.

Poetic analysis:
The man who never had to toil
To gain and farm his patch of soil,
Who never had to win his share
Of sun and sky and light and air,
Never became a manly man
But lived and died as he began.
The structure and the form of the stanza, it consists of six verses, that’s called sestet. And the rhyme of
the poem; toil/soil, share/air, man/began., it leads to the rhyme scheme of AABBCC. Metaphor is also
observed to make comparison between objects that are different in nature and the extended metaphor
of a tree to show the significance of struggle and hard work in life. Imagery is used to make readers
perceive things involving their five senses such as “Of sun and sky and light and air”. Enjambment is
also observed in the first two lines of the stanza that means the transition from the first line to the second
is without any punctuation. Alliteration is also present that repeats of consonant sounds in the same line
in quick succession, such as “manly man.”

Good timber does not grow with ease,

The stronger wind, the stronger trees,
The further sky, the greater length,
The more the storm, the more the strength.
By sun and cold, by rain and snow,
In trees and men good timbers grow.

The structure and the form of the stanza, it consists of six verses, that’s called sestet. And the rhyme of
the poem; ease/trees, length/strength, snow/grow, Tt leads to the rhyme scheme of AABBCC.
Symbolism is used to signify ideas that are different from the literal meanings and in the given stanza
words like trees, wind, storm, and strength to compare them with life’s struggles. The use of repetition
can be observed in the stanza where the same phrase ‘the stronger’ and ‘the more’ are repeated to
highlight the significance of the presented idea that means; the use of anaphora. Imagery is used to
make readers perceive things involving their five senses such as “By sun and cold, by rain and snow”
and “Good timber does not grow with ease”.

Where thickest lies the forest growth

We find the patriarchs of both.
And they hold counsel with the stars
Whose broken branches show the scars
Of many winds and much of strife.
This is the common law of life.

The structure and the form of the stanza, it consists of six verses, that’s called sestet. And the rhyme of
the poem; growth/both, stars/scars, strife/life, it leads to the rhyme scheme of AABBCC. Imagery is
used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses such as “Where thickest lies the forest
growth”. Enjambment is also observed in the first two lines of the stanza that means the transition from
the first line to the second is without any punctuation.
Alliteration is also present that repeats of consonant sounds in the same line in quick succession, such
as “broken branches.”

Don’t quit
Reference to context:
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
when the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,
when the funds are low and the debts are high,
and you want to smile but you have to sigh,
when care is pressing you down a bit –
rest if you must, but don’t you quit.
In the first stanza of the poem, the reader should immediately take note of the poet’s use of anaphora.
This occurs when the writer repeats the same word or phrase at the beginning of multiple lines. In this
case, four of the five lines of the first stanza begin with the word “when.” These lines set up a series of
instances in which readers are going to have to persevere through the hardest moments in their lives.
For example, the poet says that when “the funds are low, and the deaths are high” or when “the road
you’re trudging seems all uphill,” it is important to rest “if you must, but don’t you quit.” The main
theme of the poem is revealed in the fifth line of the stanza. Readers should walk away from the poem
after they finish all four stanzas with newfound strength and determination to persevere through any
hardship they might have to deal with.

Life is queer with its twists and turns.

As everyone of us sometimes learns.
And many a fellow turns about
when he might have won had he stuck it out.
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow –
you may succeed with another blow.

In the second stanza, the speaker emphasizes how complicated life is. It is not going to play out the way
that one expects. The speaker describes a “fellow” who turns away from hardship rather than
persevering. This person would’ve “won” if he had “stuck it out.” The speaker uses this very vague
example as a way to inspire readers to persevere, no matter if the issue they’re dealing with seems
impossible.

In combination with descriptions of perseverance, the speaker uses endurance-based images that
compare working hard to get through a tough time to running at a consistent speed, or “pace.” The
second stanza ends with the speaker saying that often, the end is closer than it seems, especially when
one is “faint and faltering”

Often the goal is nearer than

it seems to a faint and faltering man;
Often the struggler has given up
when he might have captured the victor’s cup;
and he learned too late when the night came down,
how close he was to the golden crown.

The third stanza begins with the speaker saying that often, the end is closer than it seems, especially
when one is “faint and faltering”. It returns to the same images that the poet used in the previous two
stanzas, asking readers to remember how important it is to continue working hard no matter how
negative the situation is. Just like the “fellow” in the previous stanza, here, the speaker refers to a
“struggler” who would’ve captured the “victors cup” if he had not given up. The speaker also
uses metaphors like “the golden crown” to refer to success in the broadest of terms. This could be a
financial success, success in a relationship, a difficult family matter, or any other issue that one has to
deal with.

Success is failure turned inside out –

the silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
and when you never can tell how close you are,
it may be near when it seems afar;
so stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit –
it’s when things seem worst, you must not quit.

In the final stanza, the speaker says that “success is failure turned inside out.” Here, the speaker is
trying to emphasize the fact that in failure or in struggle, success is always there. One has to see the
“silver tint of the clouds of doubt” and know that happiness and success are close by. It’s when things
seem the hardest that one “must not quit.”
The poem ends with the same few words that the first stanza used in its final line. This helps create a
unified feeling and reminds readers of the central theme that they were introduced to at the beginning
of the poem.

Poetic analysis:
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
when the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,
when the funds are low and the debts are high,
and you want to smile but you have to sigh,
when care is pressing you down a bit –
rest if you must, but don’t you quit.

The use of anaphora can be observed in the commencing lines of the stanza ‘when’ that highlights the
significance of the presented idea. The first verse of the given stanza carries simile to present the idea
of ‘go wrong’. The use of caesura in the first line to let readers think about the mentioned idea. The
uniqueness of the third and the fourth verse of the stanza lies in the use of juxtaposition ‘the funds are
low and the debts are high’ and ‘you want to smile but you have to sigh’ It allows reader to maintain
the contrastive and the comparative aspect of the idea. ‘you want to smile but you have to sigh’ the
fourth line of the stanza keeps juxtaposition parallel with situational irony. The structure and the form
of the stanza, it consists of six verses, that’s called sestet. And the rhyme of the poem; will/uphill,
high/sigh, bit/quit., it leads to the rhyme scheme of AABBCC.

Life is queer with its twists and turns.

As everyone of us sometimes learns.
And many a fellow turns about
when he might have won had he stuck it out.
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow –
you may succeed with another blow.

The first verse of the given stanza is the example of the use of metaphor, ‘life’ is called ‘queer’ follows
by the use of repetition of the initial consonant sound, called alliteration ‘twists and turns’, it helps
reader to focus the idea. The ending of the fifth verse carries caesura to grab the attention and the
thoughts of the readers. The image of sight ‘pace’ is also employed to present the idea of the process
towards the goal. The use imagery triggers the readers’ senses, inspiring them to imagine the scene in
great detail. For example, “Don’t give up though the pace seems slow – you may succeed with another
blow.” The structure and the form of the stanza, it consists of six verses, that’s called sestet. And the
rhyme of the poem; turns/learns, about/out, slow/blow., it leads to the rhyme scheme of AABBCC.

Often the goal is nearer than

it seems to a faint and faltering man;
Often the struggler has given up
when he might have captured the victor’s cup;
and he learned too late when the night came down,
how close he was to the golden crown.

The use of repetition of the initial consonant sound, called alliteration ‘faint and faltering’, it helps
reader to focus the idea. The last verse of the given stanza is the example of the use of metaphor like
“the golden crown.” The structure and the form of the stanza, it consists of six verses, that’s called
sestet. And the rhyme of the poem; than/man, up/cup, down/crown, it leads to the rhyme scheme of
AABBCC.

Success is failure turned inside out –

the silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
and when you never can tell how close you are,
it may be near when it seems afar;
so stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit –
it’s when things seem worst, you must not quit.

The opening of the given lines carries metaphor where ‘success’ is called ‘failure’ and the second line
of the stanza is also a metaphorical composition ‘the silver tint of the clouds of doubt.’ The use imagery
triggers the readers’ senses, inspiring them to imagine the scene in great detail. For example, “so stick
to the fight when you’re hardest hit – it’s when things seem worst, you must not quit..” The structure
and the form of the stanza, it consists of six verses, that’s called sestet. And the rhyme of the poem;
out/doubt, are/afar, hit/quit, it leads to the rhyme scheme of AABBCC.

The character of happy life

Reference to context:
How happy is he born or taught, fame” if they want to really be prepared for
That serveth not another’s will; death.
Whose armour is his honest thought,
And simple truth his utmost skill; Who envies none that chance doth raise,
Nor vice; who never understood
In the first stanza, the speaker begins with a How deepest wounds are given by praise;
simple statement. The old-fashioned, poetic Nor rules of state, but rules of good;
diction confuses the line slightly, but overall, it
is clear. He states that “he” who is born and A good and happy man will not envy those who
learns immediately not to serve another human by luck have had their statue raised. Nor will
being is very happy. The theme of servitude they indulge in vice. He believes that “rules” of
reoccurs within the poem a number of times. good rather than rules of state should control
one’s life. There is also a warning in these lines
If “he” is going to be happy, he must have an against praise and how it can corrupt one’s good
“armour” of “honest thought”. His mind must intentions.
be pure and the man must have a willingness to
pursue truth at all costs. It is this basic, simple Who hath his life from rumours freed;
truth that is at the root of this generalized man’s Whose conscience is his strong retreat;
life. Whose state can neither flatterers feed,
Nor ruin make oppressors great;
Whose passions not his masters are;
Whose soul is still prepar’d for death, The speaker says that a happy man will free
Untied unto the world by care himself from rumours and turn to his
Of public fame or private breath; conscience when in doubt. The same man’s ego
will not be corrupted by flatterers who come
Continuing on into the second stanza, Wotton with praise. He also shouldn’t, and won’t, give
describes how “he” should regard his passions. in to oppressors who seek to “ruin” his soul.
They shouldn’t be his masters. Then, the
speaker tells the listener that one needs to Who God doth late and early pray
remove themselves from the world of “public More of His grace than gifts to lend;
And entertains the harmless day
With a religious book or friend; not have to worry about the disappearance or re-
emergence of fear or hope. These things do not
It does not take great skill or talent, the speaker bother him. All he needs is God and his own life
adds in these lines of ‘The Character of a Happy to make him happy. He is “Lord of himself”
Life,’ to live a happy life. It is only God’s grace and in control of all that he feels. The man has
that one needs, not his gifts, that will bring nothing, “yet hath all,” or everything.
pleasure. A truly happy man can entertain
himself with a friend or a “religious book”.

—This man is freed from servile bands

Of hope to rise or fear to fall:
Lord of himself, though not of lands,
And having nothing, yet hath all.

The speaker returns to the themes of servitude

Poetic analysis:
and freedom. Because this man is free, he does

How happy is he born or taught,

That serveth not another’s will;
Whose armour is his honest thought,
And simple truth his utmost skill;

The opening line of the given stanza is composed in constative and comparative way ‘born and taught’
that means; the poetic device ‘juxtaposition’ is employed. Enjambment is also observed in the first two
lines of the stanza that means the transition from the first line to the second is without any punctuation.
The use of ‘Metaphor’ is also seen in the third and the fourth line of the stanza ‘armour’ for ‘honest
thoughts’ and ‘utmost skill’ for ‘simple truth’. The stanza is consisting of four lines, called quatrain.
The rhyme of the stanza is the first line rhymes with the third and the second line rhymes with the
fourth; that leads to the rhyme scheme of ABAB.

Whose passions not his masters are;

Whose soul is still prepar’d for death,
Untied unto the world by care
Of public fame or private breath;

The use of repetition can be observed in the stanza where the same word ‘whose’ is repeated to highlight
the significance of the presented idea that means; the use of anaphora. The last line of the given stanza
is composed in constative and comparative way ‘public fame or private breath’ that means; the poetic
device ‘juxtaposition’ is employed. Enjambment is also observed in the last two lines of the stanza that
means the transition from the third line to the fourth line is without any punctuation. The stanza is
consisting of four lines, called quatrain. The rhyme of the stanza is the first line rhymes with the third
and the second line rhymes with the fourth; that leads to the rhyme scheme of ABAB.

Who envies none that chance doth raise,

Nor vice; who never understood
How deepest wounds are given by praise;
Nor rules of state, but rules of good;

The use of caesura in the second line and the fourth line to let readers think about the mentioned idea.
The use of repetition can be observed in the stanza where the same word ‘nor’ is repeated to highlight
the significance of the presented idea that means; the use of anaphora. The last line of the given stanza
is composed in constative and comparative way ‘Nor rules of state, but rules of good’ that means; the
poetic device ‘juxtaposition’ is employed. Enjambment is also observed in the second and the third
line of the stanza that means the transition from the second line to the third line is without any
punctuation. The stanza is consisting of four lines, called quatrain. The rhyme of the stanza is the first
line rhymes with the third and the second line rhymes with the fourth; that leads to the rhyme scheme
of ABAB.

Who hath his life from rumours freed;

Whose conscience is his strong retreat;
Whose state can neither flatterers feed,
Nor ruin make oppressors great;

The use of repetition can be observed in the stanza where the same word ‘whose’ is repeated to highlight
the significance of the presented idea that means; the use of anaphora. the use of repetition of the initial
consonant sound, called alliteration ‘flatterers feed’, it helps reader to focus the presented idea. The
stanza is consisting of four lines, called quatrain. The rhyme of the stanza is the first line rhymes with
the third and the second line rhymes with the fourth; that leads to the rhyme scheme of ABAB.

—This man is freed from servile bands

Of hope to rise or fear to fall:
Lord of himself, though not of lands,
And having nothing, yet hath all.

The second and the third lines of the given stanza is composed in constative and comparative way ‘Lord
of himself, though not of lands’ and ‘Of hope to rise or fear to fall’ that means; the poetic device
‘juxtaposition’ is employed. The last verse of the given stanza carries two contradictory ideas that
produce a new idea in the context called paradox. The use of caesura in the third line and the fourth
line to let readers think about the mentioned idea. The stanza is consisting of four lines, called quatrain.
The rhyme of the stanza is the first line rhymes with the third and the second line rhymes with the
fourth; that leads to the rhyme scheme of ABAB.