The River

The River's a wanderer,A nomad, a tramp.He doesn't choose any one placeTo set up his camp.

The River's a winder,Through valley and hillHe twists and he turns,He just cannot be still.

The River's a hoarder,And he buries down deepThose little treasuresThat he wants to keep.

The River's a baby,He gurgles and hums,And sounds like he's happilySucking his thumbs.

The River's a singer,As he dances along,The countryside echoesThe notes of his song.

The River's a monster,Hungry and vexed,He's gobbled up treesAnd he'll swallow you next.

Exercise 1:

1. The River is compared to several personalities. Name them.

(a) _____________ (f) _____________(b) _____________ (g)_____________(c) _____________ (h)_____________(d) _____________ (i) _____________(e) _____________

2. Why is the River a winder?__________________________________

3. Why is the River a monster?__________________________________

4. Why is The River personified as a hoarder?__________________________________

5. What does the line “to set up his camp” in stanza 1 mean?

____________________________________________________________________

6. What does the expression “twists and turns” in stanza 2 mean?____________________________________________________________________

7. Give one word to replace the phrase above.__________________________________

8. What kind of things does a hoarder normally keep?____________________________________________________________________

9. What does the phrase “the notes of his song” in stanza 5 mean?____________________________________________________________________

10. Which word tells you that The River is so angry?__________________________________

11. Suggest two ways in which the poet suggests movement in the poem.

(a) _______________________________(b) _______________________________

12. What is the main theme of the poem?____________________________________________________________________

13. Which stanzas give a clear image that the river moves joyously?__________________________________

14. Why do you think the word ‘River’ is spelled with a capital ‘R’?____________________________________________________________________

15. How is the last stanza different from the other stanza?____________________________________________________________________

16. Name three poetic devices used in the poem, The River.

____________________________________________________________________

Heir Conditioning

Grand dad did you breatheBefore air cons were inventedWas it hard stayingAlive without modern inventions?Grandma weren’t you flusteredAs you fluttered with paper fans?Could you communicate beforeFaxes and long distance callsBecame basic necessities?

Grandchild we livedBefore your age. BecauseOf our ignorance,We did not knowPollution, stress, traffic jamsDestruction of forests, streams and HillsWe feared God and natureNow nature fears you andMoney is your new God.

Answer the following questions.

1. Look at the first line from the first stanza, where the grandchild says ‘did you breathe …’ This shows that the grandchild thinks that______________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Whom does the grandchild in this poem represent?__________________________________________________________________

3. What are the things that the grandchild considers as things that you must have in life?______________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. How can we describe the grandchild in stanza one?_________________________________

5. What does the young boy want to know from his grandfather?__________________________________________________________________

6. In stanza one, what does flustered mean?_________________________________

7. State a phrase from the stanza one that represents the past.__________________________________________________________________

8. How was life different for the grandfather?__________________________________________________________________

9. Do you agree with this statement? Why?__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

10. From the first three lines of the poem, we know that the grandchild ____________________________________________________________________

11. In the poem, it shows that the grandchild would find it difficult to live____________________________________________________________________

12. Which line in Stanza two means that nature is being destroyed by the young generation?__________________________________________________________________

13. Based on the stanza two, state two negative effects of modern invention.

The grandparent points out that there was no destruction of forests when he was young.

__________________________________________________________________

14. Why do you think the grandparent says that nature fears the grandchild?____________________________________________________________________

15. To the grandparents, how was life without modern invention?__________________________________________________________________