Introduction

 Poetry is a beautiful use of a language to express feelings

e.g.

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high over vales and hills
When all at once I saw a crowd Poetry
A host of golden daffodils

While I was walking alone without an aim like a cloud,

Every day's
that flies high over valley and hills English
Suddenly I saw a great number
a group of the yellow flowers which are daffodils.

You can clearly see that the first lines are more beautiful. You can
also feel a kind of music in these lines.

Middle 1 Poetry Introduction & Day 1

 Some important definitions to help you while studying poetry.

The person who writes poetry.

The lines written by the poet to express his ideas.

It is a group of lines in the poems having the same idea. Some

poems are divided into stanzas but some are not.

“I am busy, “said the sea. (a)

“I am busy, think of me. (a)
Stanza
Making continents to be. (a)
“I am busy, “said the sea. (a)

"I am busy," said the rain. (b)

"When I fall it’s not in vain. (b)
Stanza
Wait and you will see the grain.(b)
"I am busy," said the rain (b)
Paraphrase:

It is the explanation of the lines in simple English.

Rhyme scheme:

It is the same sounds given at the endings of the lines. We show that
they rhyme by giving them the same symbols (Look at the above
stanzas).

Middle 1 Poetry Introduction & Day 2

Figures of speech:

They are beautiful images which the poet uses to express his
ideas clearly, more effectively and more beautifully as:

1-Simile: The poet likens people or things to another things using

as / like:
- (I wandered lonely as a cloud) The poet likens himself to a
cloud.

- (The moon like a flower) The poet likens the moon to a flower.

2-Personification: The poet gives something qualities of

people / the human characteristic to something
- (" I am busy,” said the sea.) The poet gives the sea the image of
a person who can talk.

3- Metaphor: The poet gives something the image of something

else:

- (Tiger! Tiger! Burning bright) The poet gives the tiger the
image of fire.

Middle 1 Poetry Introduction & Day 3

Devices:

They are tools of the poet he uses to make his sentences more
attractive.

1-Contrast: The poet uses words and opposites to make the

meaning clear.
(“I am busy," said the air. contrast

Blowing here and blowing there, here x there

Up and down and everywhere. ) up x down

2- Alliteration: Repeating the same consonant at the beginning

of different words on the same line to give music which appeals
our sense of hearing;

(“I am busy” said the sea.)

(Great, wide, beautiful, wonderful world)

Tasks to be done while studying a poem:

A student should know how to

1- Paraphrase: To change the language used in the poem into
simple English to make the meaning clear.
2- Elicit the rhyme scheme.
3- Find the figures of speech.
4- Comment on the structure and the language used.
5- Answer questions.
6- Give a brief account on the poet.
7- Get the main idea (theme) of the poem. Every poem has a
main idea which the main subject (theme).It is one clear
sentence to show what this poem is about. The shorter and
the clearer the main idea is, the better it is.
Middle 1 Poetry Introduction & Day 4
 By: Cecil Spring-Rice (1859 – 1918)

The poet:

Sir Ceil Spring- Rice was born on February 1859. He was

educated at Oxford. He was a famous British diplomat who held
many posts in the service of his country. He worked as a British
ambassador in the U.S.A. he was awarded many times.

The poem

Introduction

The poet talks about the work of the nature as it goes

smoothly and non-stop.
The elements of nature work systematically to keep the
perfect order of life while we sometimes do not know how
much important they are. The work of the man can finish but
the work of nature never comes to a rest.
1st stanza

“I am busy, “said the sea.

“I am busy, think of me.

Making continents to be.

“I am busy," said the sea.

Vocabulary:

Continents : large masses of land like Africa, Asia, Europe….etc.

Middle 1 Poetry Introduction & Day 5

Paraphrase:

The poet writes about some of the world’s most wonderful

workers and how busy they are. He states the various
elements that build the earth and help us to live on it. He
looks at the work the sea does, building continents that will
exist in the future. He says that the sea says that it is busy
working. We must think of its work as it is important. It
makes land to appear.
Rhyme scheme (a a a a)

Figures of speech

Personification: (said the sea)

The poet gives the sea the image of a person who can talk.

Devices

Alliteration: (said– sea). It gives music to appeal our sense of

hearing.

2nd stanza

“I am busy, " said the rain.

“When I fall it is not in vain.

Wait and you will see the grain.

“I am busy," said the rain.

Vocabulary
in vain : useless

grain : seeds like wheat, rice….etc

Middle 1 Poetry Introduction & Day 6
Paraphrase

The poet looks at what the rain does. He says that the rain
says that it is busy working. When it falls, it helps the plants
to grow. It does not fall uselessly; it does an important job.
Helping the grain to grow to feed the world.
Rhyme scheme (b b b b)

Figures of speech

Personification: (said the rain)

The poet gives the rain the image of a person who can talk.
Devices

Alliteration: (wait- will). It gives music to appeal our sense of

hearing.

3 rd stanza

“I am busy, " said the air.

“Blowing here and blowing there.

Up and down and everywhere

“I am busy," said the air.

Paraphrase

The poet continues to describe the air and its job. He says that the
air says that it is busy working. It blows here, there and
everywhere

Rhyme scheme (c c c c)

Middle 1 Poetry Introduction & Day 7

Figures of speech

Personification: (said the air)

The poet gives the air the image of a person who can talk.

Devices

Contrast: (here x down) (up x down)

4th stanza

“I am busy, “said the sun.

“All my planets, every one.

Know my work is never done

“I am busy," said the sun.

Vocabulary
Planets: earth, Mars, Venus, etc.

Paraphrase
The poet says that the sun says that it is busy working.
The sun too has important job to do and all the planets are
aware of this as they journey around the sun. Every one and
all the planets know that the work of the sun never finishes.
It always shines.
Rhyme scheme (d d d d)
Figures of speech
Personification: (said the sun)
The poet gives the sun the image of a person who can talk.
Devices
Middle 1 Poetry Introduction & Day 8
Alliteration : (said- sun). It gives music to appeal our sense of
hearing.
5th stanza
Sea and rain and air and sun,

Here’s a fellow toiler one,

Whose task will soon be done.

Vocabulary
fellow : friend, comrade
toiler : worker
task : work, job

Paraphrase
At the end of the pem,The poet talks to the elements of nature
saying that he is their friend and he works too but his work
will be finished soon. Because he will die one day .his work is
not as important or as unending as that of the sun’s or the
other things mentioned in the poem.

Commentary
The poem consists of five stanzas. The language used is
simple but beautiful. The rhyme scheme is easy,
straightforward and regular. aaaa, bbbb, cccc ,dddd, eeee.

This scheme works well because the verses are short and
simple. The poem is not trying to deliver some important and
lasting message.

The poem is similar to a song and the poet depends on the

relationship he creates between individuals words e.g. “rain,
vain, grain and rain” this relationship emphasised by the use
of identical rhymes in the first and fourth lines e.g. “rain,
Middle 1 Poetry Introduction & Day 9
rain” each of the elements is personified so that each can tell
which job it does.
Each stanza begins in the same way with the same
statements “I am busy” so that a clear and easy comparison
is made.

The poet figures of speech and devices are well. No strong

visual images are used, nor is sound patterning, (alliteration)
used. However, the poet depends strongly upon the meter in
his poem to create a chanting sound.

Questions & answers

1- What is the main idea (theme) of the poem?
The work of the nature is important and does not finish but
the work of the man can finish.

2- What is the main comparison in the poem?

The comparison is between the work of nature which never
finishes and the work of the man which can finish.

3- What is the work of the sea, according to the poem"

Day”?
It makes land.

4- What is the work of the rain, according to the poem"

Day”?
It helps the plants to grow

5- What is the work of the air, according to the poem"

Day”?
It blows everywhere

Middle 1 Poetry Introduction & Day 10

6- What is the work of the sun, according to the poem"
Day”?
It always shines.

7- How does the sea make land?

When it covers land with water it disappears but when it
goes backward the earth under it appears

8- What is similar between the poet and the elements of

nature and what is different?
They both work and do certain tasks but the poet's can
finish any time while the work of nature does not finish.

Middle 1 Poetry Introduction & Day 11

Poetry The Daffodils (By William Worsdworth) Stanza (1) I wandered
lonely as a cloud That floats on high o’er vales and hills, When all at once I
saw a crowd, A host of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the
trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. Theme: The beauty of nature
and its positive effect on the poet. Whenever the poet sits alone, in a bad
mood, far away from nature, he remembers the beauty of the daffodils
and this makes him feel happy. Paraphrase: When the poet is wandering
as a single cloud in the sky which rises high over the valley and hills, he
sees a group of fantastic daffodils under the trees, near the lake and a
gentle wind is moving them so they seem as if they were dancing. Figures
of speech:
 Simile: as a cloud: He likens to a lonely cloud.

 Personification: crowd of daffodils – dance: he gives the daffodils

human qualities.

Day
(Sir Cecil Spring Rice)
Introduction
The poet talks about the work of the nature as it goes smoothly and non-stop. The elements of
nature work systematically to keep the perfect order of life while we sometimes do not know how
much important they are. The work of the man can finish but the work of nature never comes to a
rest.

*What do you know about Sir Cecil Spring Rice?

-He was an English diplomat, who was born in London in 1859. He was educated in Oxford. He died
in 1918.
*NOTE:-
*The poem is very easy to be memorized as it is like a song.
*Each element is given a quality of human.

Middle 1 Poetry Introduction & Day 12

*The poem consists of five stanzas.
*Stanza (1)
Vocabulary:-
*continents a large masses of land.
Paraphrase:-
-The poet talks about the sea and the great work it does, as it builds up continents on which we live.
Figures of speech:-
1) Alliteration {said-sea} to give music.
2) Personification am busy” said the sea the poet personifies the sea and makes it
talking.
The rhyme scheme:- aaaa

Stanza (2)
The poet talks about the rain and the important work it does. The rain doesn't fall uselessly, but it
falls to help the crops grow in fields and feed the world.
Vocabulary: - * In vain useless=without success.
*Grain the seeds from crops as rice and wheat.
Figures of speech:
1) Alliteration wait-will}.It gives music.
2) Personification the poet personifies the rain and makes it talking in “I am busy “said the
rain.
The rhyme scheme:- bbbb

Stanza (3)
Paraphrase:- The poet talks about the air and the work it does. as it moves everywhere to cool
down the weather and makes it pleasant .it also carries clouds and helps us to breathe.
Figures of speech:-
1) contrast here# there up #down. It makes the meaning stronger ,and clearer.
2) Personification the poet personifies the air and makes it talking in “I am busy “said
the air.
The rhyme scheme:- Cccc

Stanza (4)
Vocabulary:- Planets large objects that move around the sun mars, earth…etc
Paraphrase:-The poet says that the sun also has a great work to do and its work is known by all
the other planets around it. The sun's work is never finished as if it were nothing would be existing. It
is the life source for earth. If the sun died, so would life on earth. With out sun light, plants would not

Middle 1 Poetry Introduction & Day 13

be able to complete photosynthesis! They would die. Then the human race would be threatened,
and we would die.
Figures of speech:-
1) Alliteration {said-sun} to give music.
2) Personification am busy” said the sun the poet personifies the sun and makes it
talking.
The rhyme scheme:- dddd

Stanza (5)
Vocabulary *Fellowman or a friend.
*Toiler worker.
*Task job.
Paraphrase:- The poet describes himself as a hard worker .his work unlike the elements of
nature(sea-sun-air-rain) will come to an end one day because he will die, but the work of nature is
endless ,and if it stops life will stop and end.
Rhyme scheme:- eee

Commentary
The poem consists of five stanzas. The language sed is simple but beautiful. The rhyme scheme is
easy and regular. There are some personifications and devices like alliteration and contrast.

Questions
1)What important work does the sea do?
-It builds up the continents on which we live.
2)What does the rain say?
-It says that it doesn't fall uselessly, but to help food grow in fields.
3)What are the various elements that build the earth?
-They are sea, rain, air and sun.
4)In what way man differs from elements of nature in this poem?
Man's work is important but limited and has an end, but nature's work in endless.
5) Why will the poet's task soon be done?
-Because he will die one day.
6) Who wrote the poem? What do you know about him?
-Sir Cecil Spring Rice He was an English diplomat, who was born in London in 1859.He was
educated in Oxford. He died in 1918.
7) What is the task of air?
Middle 1 Poetry Introduction & Day 14
-It cools the weather down , carries clouds and helps us to breathe.

8) Quote the lines in which the poet compares himself to the elements
of nature.
-Sea and rain and air and sun,
-Here's a fellow toiler one,
-Whose task will soon be done.

9) ‘I am busy” said the air,

‘Blowing here and blowing there,
Up and down and everywhere.
I am busy,' said the air.

a) Paraphrase this stanza.

- The poet talks about the air and the work it does. As it moves everywhere to cool down the
weather and makes it pleasant .it also carries clouds and helps us to breathe.

b)What are the figures of speech in this stanza?

1)Contrast
in : here# there up #down
2)personification the poet personifies the air and makes it talking in “I am busy “said the air.

10) What’s the theme of the poem?

The poet writes about the work of the four elements of nature and compares it to the man’s work.
The work of nature will never finish while the work of man ends because he will die one day.

11) what is the rhyme scheme of the poem?

The rhyme scheme is aaaa, bbbb, cccc, dddd, eee.

12) give examples of some figures of speech in the poem?

In the poem the poet personifies the four elements of nature as if they were people who can talk and
have jobs to do.
This is clear in ““I’m busy,” said the sea”
The poet uses the alliteration in “said the sea” to give music to the line.
The poet uses contrast in “here” “there” and “up” “down”.

Answer these Questions:-

Middle 1 Poetry Introduction & Day 15

1) give the meanings of: vain-grain-fellow-toiler-task.
……………………………………………………………………………………………….

2) how does the poem differentiate between man's work and the of the
elements of nature?
……………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………….
3)Write the lines that show the work of the SUN

……………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………….

Middle 1 Poetry Introduction & Day 16