POETRY 1st Year (Intermediate)

1. Keep Going
6. Match Any FOUR of the following words in Column-A with their meaning/definition in
Column B [4×1=4 Marks]
Words Meanings
1. trudging walking wearily (in a tired way) with heavy, slow steps
2. queer odd, strange
3. stuck remained attached to
4. faint weak, lacking energy and courage
5. faltering wavering, moving unsteadily
6. Captured took control of; won
7. tint colour

2. Answer the following questions in about 100 words each: [ 2 x 4 = 8 Marks]

1. Keep going is a classic inspirational poem, claims many critics. Substantiate.
2. Life is queer with its twist and turns, … List a few twists as mentioned
3. It may be near when it seems afar; What seems afar and why?
4. “An easy-to-read poem, Keep Going is rich both in its content and form’. Explain the above statements with examples.

The poem “Keep Going” is written by “Edgar Albert Guest”. He was born in
England. Edgar lost his father at the age of 14. He composed his own experiences
as rhymes, he is regarded as a people’s poet.
The poet talks about the future difficulties and motivating the readers not to quit
under any circumstances. The poem opens with a warning that the path ahead has
many thorns. It keeps on advising the reader NEVER TO QUIT. Troubles may come
and stay. Golds may stand beyond your reach. Funds may be low. Needs may be
more. Yet, don’t give up. Fall is excusable. Not trying is inexcusable. “Winner never
quit. Quitters never win.” Keep going. success is sure.
Thus, this poem discusses how life might knock us down, but we must get back up
and try again to succeed.
(OR)
The poem “Keep Going” is written by “Edgar Albert Guest”. He was born in England. His father
lost his job so Edgar had to work as a copy-boy in Detroit free press. At fourteen, Edgar lost his
father. That forced Edgar to quit school and work in that press as a full-time employee. He
composed his own experiences as rhymes. He is regarded as a people’s poet who wrote easy-
to-read poems.
The poet is listing about the future difficulties and motivating the readers not to quit under any
circumstances. The poem “Keep Going” by Edgar Albert Guest has unanimously been
acclaimed as one of the classic inspirational poems, the poet motivates the reader that life is
not a bed of roses, one may encounter many different kinds of problems or hardships.
The poem opens with a warning that the path ahead had many thorns. Troubles may come and
stay. Goals may stand beyond reach. Funds may be low; needs may be more. Yet, one must
continue with one’s effort till the success greets with smile. It keeps on advising the readers,
one shouldn’t choose to give up, one must fight and face the troubles. Failures are obvious,
one has to learn from the failures and lay the path for success through continuous hard work
without giving up. The poet says that the goal is closer than it seems, especially in time when
one who is passing through a very difficult phase of life. A struggler usually opts to give up. Not
trying is inexcusable “Winners never quit, Quitters never win”.
The poet says that when everything goes wrong and every task appears to be an uphill battle.
The poet suggests that simply taking a break, rather than quitting helps to clear our minds and
bring solutions. We hadn’t considered before one can never predict what will happen next. The
poet keeps on advising “NEVER TO QUIT”.
Thus, this poem discusses how life might knock us down, but we must get back up and try
again to succeed.
YOU LEARN MORE FROM LOSING THAN WINNING.
YOU LEARN HOW TO KEEP GOING
 2. Happiness (Carl August Sandburg)
6. Match Any FOUR of the following words in Column-A with their meaning/definition in
Column B [4×1=4 Marks]
1. Professors Senior teachers in a university
2. Executives top-level administrators
3. Boss order others to work/supervise others work
4. Shook head moved head either way to say ‘no’
5. Wandered walked around without any particular purpose
6. Desplaines a river that flows through southern Wisconsin and northern
Illinois (US)
7. Keg a container
8. Accordion a portable, box-shaped musical instrumental

2. Answer the following questions in about 100 words each: [ 2 x 4 = 8 Marks]

a. Explain the narrator’s experience in finding out what happiness is?

b. Seeing helps one better in understanding than listening to justify the statement with reference to the poem
“happiness’’?

The poem “Happiness” is written by “Carl August Sandburg”. He was an American

poet. He is popular for his biography of Abraham Lincoln. The present poem
“Happiness” is a simple poem with a valuable message.
The narrator tries to find the real meaning of happiness from different people. He
consults professors and top executives; however, they could not help him. Feelings
dejected he wanders out along the Desplaines rivers on a Sunday afternoon. There
he sees a crowd of Hungarians with their women and children. They were spending
happy moments under the tree. Along with a keg of beer and an accordion. They
were happily singing and dancing in that place. He at once understands what
happiness is. Happiness is living in the present and enjoying the moment.
Thus, the poem “Happiness” explains that experience matters more than
education.
(OR)
The poem “Happiness” is written by “Carl August Sandburg”. He was the
Winner of three Pulitzer Prizes. He is popular for his biography of
Abraham Lincoln. He took up journalism and produced quite a few
poems. The present poem “Happiness” is a simple poem with a valuable
message. Happiness is from his collection of poems, Chicago Songs.
The narrator tries to find the real meaning of happiness from different
people. He consults professors and top executives. The professors
symbolize the intelligence and the executive stand for wealth and
prosperity, however they could not help him. The narrator feels deeply
disappointed that they have not answered his question. He continues his
search for the answer feeling dejected he wanders out along the
Desplaines rivers on a Sunday afternoon. There he sees a crowd of
Hungarians with their women and children. They were spending happy
moments under the tree, along with a keg of beer and an accordion. They
were happily singing and dancing in that place, they have passion to live
and feel the moment, they are the symbol of real happiness. He at once
understands what happiness is. Happiness is living in the present and
enjoying the moment. It establishes that experience matters more than
education. It also shows that man is more comfortable in the lap of
nature. Wisdom lives in the lives, but not in the libraries.
Thus, the poem “Happiness” explains that experience matters more than
education. It can’t be defined in words, it is a state of mind we can sense,
it is a feeling of bliss and emotion.

Happiness is not about getting all you want – it’s about enjoying all you
have.
3. The Beggar (Dr. Ammangi Venugopal)
6. Match Any FOUR of the following words in Column-A with their meaning/definition in
Column B [4×1=4 Marks]
Word Meaning
1. dusky having a dark shade
2. hunchback a bent curled forward back
3. blood tinged showing/having marks of blood
4. mitigate reduce, lesson satisfy
5. infinite very great in amount, without limits
6. void emptiness
7. sprout to grow from a seed, germinate
8. gobble eat hastily
9. threshold entrance, the door or gate of a house

2. Answer the following questions in about 100 words each: [ 2 x 4 = 8 Marks]

a. “Dr Ammangi Venugopal’s creativity is rooted deeply in the complexities and contradictions of modern life,”
say observers?

b. How does the poem, The Beggar describe the farmer’s pathetic physical condition?

c. List the abilities a farmer is endowed with, according to the poem?

d. The poet addresses the reader as you and talks about the farmer as my farmer. Explain the significance in a
paragraph?

The poem “The Beggar” is written by “Dr.Ammangi Venugopal”. He was born near Hyderabad.
He is a popular Telugu poet who was honoured of Kaloji Narayana Rao . The Beggar was
originally written in Telugu.
The poem “The Beggar” projects the intense grief of the farmer’s pathetic condition. A farmer
today is in misery. His eyes speak about his sorrow. It identifies farmer with dark eyes, that are
filled with shadows of the struggle. Their hands are soiled and severed and they feet bleed.
Yet, their ability to produce food and satisfy others hunger remains fully active. They meet the
hunger of even skies. They work hard. They help others. Yet, the irony is they don’t find food
for themselves.
Thus, the poem, “The Beggar” plays a significant role to think over the problem of the farmer
and finds a way-out.
(OR)
The poem “The Beggar” is written by “Dr.Ammangi Venugopal”. He born near
Hyderabad. He did his doctoral research in Osmania university, Hyderabad. A
prolific writer as Dr.Ammangi is, he has so far published five anthologies of
poems,some playlets, many essays and ten short stories. He is a popular Telugu
poet who was honoured of Kaloji Narayana Rao in 2015. The Beggar was originally
written in Telugu Poem titled as “Bichchagadu“.
The poem “The Beggar” projects the intense grief of the farmer’s pathetic
condition to create an impact on the reader and to grab the attention. Farmers, the
food providers to all, struggles to survive. They starve. Yet, they toil. Their feet
bleed. Their eyes are full of shadows of their sad stories. Their hunched backs tell
us how hard they work. Yet, their stomachs get no food. They are capable of
feeding millions. And those millions do not include in them those farmers. To
express the farmer’s infinite capacity the poet has used the expression,” ability to
mitigate the sky’s hunger “. The poet portrays our farmer’s physical appearance
frail, dark shadowed eyes, don’t misunderstand him, he is not a beggar. He is our
farmer, who can feed the world but today he is hungry and empty stomach. How
cruel the modern society responsible for this irony is! the poem shows the
complexities of current times, thus acquiring for itself universal appeal. A farmer
today is in misery, farmer’s dusky eyes are dark with shadows of their hands are
soiled and severed and their feet bleed. Yet their ability to produce food and satisfy
others hunger remains fully active. Although he satisfies the hunger of even skies,
his stomach gets no food. The modern society is playing a cruel joke on him.
Thus, the poem, “The Beggar” plays a significant role to think over the problem of
the farmer and finds a way-out.
THE FARMER IS THE ONLY MAN IN OUR ECONOMY WHO BUYS EVERYTHING AT
RETAIL, SELLS EVERYTHING AT WHOLESALE AND PAYS THE FREIGHT BOTH WAYS.
 4. The Noble Nature
6.Match Any FOUR of the following words in Column-A with their meaning/definition in
Column B [4×1=4 Marks]
1] bulk size, quantity, mass
2] doth old form of ‘does’
3] oak a large tree with hard wood
4] log the trunk of a dead tree
5] bald without leaves, flowers etc.
6] sere without moisture, dry
7] proportion quantities; measures

2. Answer the following questions in about 100 words each: [ 2 x 4 = 8 Marks]

1] Discuss the aptness of the title ‘The Noble Nature’ for the poem

2] Bulk does not make Man better be. How does the oak support this stand?

3] Explain with the example of the lily that size matters not but beauty counts a lot.

The poem “The Noble Nature” is written by “Ben Jonson “. He is regarded as the
second most popular English dramatist after Shakespeare. He is very well known
for his comedy of humour like “Every man in His Humour”.
The poem “The Noble Nature” tells us about the usefulness of our life. The poem
talks about what makes a man noble. He compares man to sturdy Oak tree and a
delicate Lily in order to do this. The Oak tree grows big and bulky and lives too long
it lives for 300 years, soon it becomes a lifeless dry, so too will be the fate of a man
who is only blessed with long life, In May, the lily flower flourishes for a day and
shines for a short while. Yet, it pleases many. It is not how long we live those
matters but how well we lived.
Thus, the poet highlights the points that quantity counts
more than quality.
(OR)
The poem “The Noble Nature” is written by “Ben Jonson “. the 17th-
century playwright. He is regarded as the second most popular English
dramatist after Shakespeare. He is very well known for his comedy of
humour like “Every man in His Humour”. As a poet, he proved his
expertise with his lyrics.
The poem “The Noble Nature” talks about what makes a man noble. The
poet employs examples from flora to drive his point becoming a great
man does not mean growing like a tree neither long life nor large size can
help one attain nobility. He compares man to sturdy Oak tree and a
delicate Lily in order to do this. The Oak tree grows big and bulky and lives
too long it lives for 300 years, soon it looks dull and unimpressive it falls
like a log-dry, leafless and sapless becomes a lifeless dry, and withered
piece of log. So too will be the fate of a man who is only blessed with long
life and physical and material well-being it is not how long we live those
matters but how well we lived, on the other hand Lily is shiny and bright
in looks In May and looks very beautiful. Although the lily flower
flourishes for a day and shines for a short while. it spreads beauty and
delight to others. Yet, it pleases many. Beauty-even in the little measures-
fills hearts with thrills. Quality adds nobility to life. Smartness, even in
small measures, impress and impacts everyone. as the famous poet John
Keats says ‘A thing of beauty is a joy forever’.
Thus, the poet highlights the points that quantity counts
more than quality. Matter matters, not the magnitude.
THE QUALITY OF YOUR LIFE IS DETERMINED BY THE QUALITY OF YOUR
THOUGHTS