Class 9 The Brook Explanation and Summary

Class 9 The Brook Explanation

I come from haunts (places frequently visited by) of coot (a type of water bird with a white spot on the forehead) and hern (Heron) (another kind of water bird);

I make a sudden sally (emerge suddenly)

And sparkle (Shining) out among the fern (Flower Plant, Vegetation)

To bicker (flow down with a lot of noise) down (Hill) a valley.

In these lines, the brook describes its source and its passage through the valleys. It rises from a place frequently visited by water birds like coot and heron. It suddenly rushes and flows through long grass like plants. Its water shines brightly when it passes through these flowerless plants. Then it flows down a valley with a lot of noise.

5 By thirty (Many) hills I hurry down,

Or slip (Passes) between the ridges (Mountain Ranges),

By twenty (Many) thorpes (A type of village), a little town,

And half a hundred (Many) bridges.

During its journey, the brook passes by many hills, twenty villages, a small town and fifty (Many) bridges. As the brook flows through the hills, it hurries down and slips between the ridges noisily.

Till last by Philip's (A Person who own the farm) farm I flow (Passes through)

10 To join the brimming (Full of margin, till edges) river,

For men may come and men may go,

But I go on for ever.

In the end of its journey, it flows by Philip’s farm. Then it joins the brimming river. It overcomes all obstacles to reach its goal. The brook says that it is unlike men. Men are born, they grow up and die. But the brook goes on forever. Men’s life is short while the life of the brook has no end.

I chatter (To make noise) over stony ways,

In little sharps and trebles (High-pitched tunes),

15 I bubble into eddying bays (Spiral movement of water),

I babble (Sound mad when one talks jolly) on the pebbles (Shingles, Small rounded stone).

In these lines, the brook describes its journey through the stony ways. The brook makes much noise as it flows over the stones. It makes a deep gurgling sound. Sometimes it produces a soft murmur and sometimes it makes a strange and loud noise. Sometimes it produces bubbles and falls into the eddying bays. And sometimes it flows very noisily over the pebbles.

With many a curve my banks I fret (To get angry)

By many a field and fallow (land left uncultivated to regain fertility),

And many a fairy foreland (piece of land that extends into the sea) set

20 With willow-weed (Unwanted grass or plant) and mallow (plant with hairy stems and leaves and pink, white or purple flowers).

The brook moves in a zigzag manner. Thus it cuts its bank at many places and makes many curves in them. Many fields with fallow land and many beautiful forelands come in its way.

I chatter (Making Noise), chatter, as I flow

To join the brimming (Full of margin, till edges) river,

For men may come and men may go,

But I go on for ever.

The brook makes a chattering noise as it flows. It is full of joy. It goes on and on. It ever progress to join the brimming river. The brook says that it is unlike men. Men are born, they grow up and die. But the brook goes on forever. Men’s life is short while the life of the brook has no end.

25 I wind about (To move in zigzag manner), and in and out,

With here a blossom (Flower) sailing (Floating on the surface),

And here and there a lusty trout (a big freshwater fish),

And here and there a grayling (another type of fish),

In these lines, the brook describes its movement through the valleys. It flows in a zigzag manner. It winds in and out while flowing. Different beautiful flowers float on its surface. Here and there, little fish are also seen. Big freshwater fish also appear at some places in the brook.

And here and there a foamy (soapy) flake (A piece of foam)

30 Upon me, as I travel

With many a silvery waterbreak (White interruption with foam)

Above the golden gravel (Shingle, Small rounded stone),

Flakes of foam are formed here and there on the surface of the brook. When its water moves over golden gravel, it breaks into many a silvery water break.

And draw them all along (With me), and flow 

To join the brimming (Full of margin, till edges) river

 35 For men may come and men may go, But I go on for ever.

The brook takes all these things with it and flows on and on to join the brimming river. The brook says that men may come and go, but it goes on forever. It never stops. Men are born, they grow up and die. But the brook has no end. It goes on and on.

I steal (To pass silently) by lawns and grassy plots,

I slide (Slip) by hazel covers (a small tree or bush)

I move the sweet forget-me-nots (a type of flower)

40 That grow for happy lovers.

In these lines, the brook describes its passage through the plains. It flows softly by lawns and grassy plots. It sides by groves of hazel trees. It moves the sweet forget-me-nots to joy. These flowers grow near the banks of the brook. They dance with joy. The forget-me-nots are liked by lovers. These flowers symbolized faithfulness and friendship. So the lovers often go to the side of the brook for these flowers. They present these flowers to their beloveds.

I slip, I slide, I gloom (To go in dark places), I glance (Sparkle, Shine),

Among my skimming (To pass lightly) swallows (To accept easily without question);

I make the netted (Net) sunbeam (a ray of sunlight trapped in a net) dance

Against my sandy shallows (Sand at the Bottom).

Sometimes the brook slips and slides on its way. It moves slowly under the overhanging branches of trees. The branches are so thick that it becomes dark under them. At some places, the flow of the brook becomes quite swift. Swallows skip on the surface of its water. Where the water is not deep, the rays of the sun are reflected through it. The sun seems here to be caught in a net. The rays of the sun seem to be dancing on the sand at the bottom of the brook.

45 I murmur (Low sound) under moon and stars

In brambly (Thorny plant) wildernesses (Lonely place);

I linger (To move slowly) by my shingly (Covered with Shingle, Small Pabbles) bars;

I loiter (To move aimlessly) round my cresses (Leafy plant growing under water);

In these lines, the brook describes its passage till it reaches the brimming river. It murmurs under the light of the moon and stars. It moves slowly as it flows through wilderness which is covered with thorny bushes. There are shingles on its banks which create obstructions in its flow. So it lingers when it passes them. Pungent-leaved plants grooving under its water have found that the brook loiters as it flows to join the brimming river.

And out again I curve and flow

50 To join the brimming river,

For men may come and men may go,

But I go on for ever.

The brook passes through valleys, forests and plains on its way. It curves in at one place and out at the other. It flows on and on to join the brimming river. It overcomes all obstacles to reach its goal. The brook says that it is unlike men. Men are born, they grow up and die. The journey of man’s life is very short. It ends with his death. But the brook goes on forever. It flows night and day. The life of the brook has no end.

Class 9 Poetry - 1 The Brook by Alfred Lord Tennyson

Class 9 Poetry - 1 The Brook by Alfred Lord Tennyson

About the Poet

Lord Tennyson (1809-92) was born in Lincolnshire. Poet Laureate for over 40 years,

Tennyson is representative of the Victorian age. His skilled craftsmanship and noble ideals retained a large audience for poetry in an age when the novel was engrossing (Interesting) more and more readers. Tennyson's real contribution lies in his shorter poems like The Lady of Shallot, The Princess, Ulysses, The Palace of Art etc. His fame rests on his perfect control of sound, the synthesis (Mixture) of sound and meaning, the union of pictorial (Graphic) and musical.

I come from haunts (places frequently visited by) of coot (a type of water bird with a white spot on the forehead) and hern (Heron) (another kind of water bird);

I make a sudden sally (emerge suddenly)

And sparkle (Shining) out among the fern (Flower Plant, Vegetation)

To bicker (flow down with a lot of noise) down (Hill) a valley.

5 By thirty (Many) hills I hurry down,

Or slip (Passes) between the ridges (Mountain Ranges),

By twenty (Many) thorpes (A type of village), a little town,

And half a hundred (Many) bridges.

Till last by Philip's (A Person who own the farm) farm I flow (Passes through)

10 To join the brimming (Full of margin, till edges) river,

For men may come and men may go,

But I go on for ever.

I chatter (To make noise) over stony ways,

In little sharps and trebles (High-pitched tunes),

15 I bubble into eddying bays (Spiral movement of water),

I babble (Sound mad when one talks jolly) on the pebbles (Shingles, Small rounded stone).

With many a curve my banks I fret (To get angry)

By many a field and fallow (land left uncultivated to regain fertility),

And many a fairy foreland (piece of land that extends into the sea) set

20 With willow-weed (Unwanted grass or plant) and mallow (plant with hairy stems and leaves and pink, white or purple flowers).

I chatter (Making Noise), chatter, as I flow

To join the brimming (Full of margin, till edges) river,

For men may come and men may go,

But I go on for ever.

25 I wind about (To move in zigzag manner), and in and out,

With here a blossom (Flower) sailing (Floating on the surface),

And here and there a lusty trout (a big freshwater fish),

And here and there a grayling (another type of fish),

And here and there a foamy (soapy) flake (A piece of foam)

30 Upon me, as I travel

With many a silvery waterbreak (White interruption with foam)

Above the golden gravel (Shingle, Small rounded stone),                                                 

And draw them all along (With me), and flow                                                                          

To join the brimming (Full of margin, till edges) river                                                         

35 For men may come and men may go,                                                                                  

But I go on for ever.

I steal (To pass silently) by lawns and grassy plots,

I slide (Slip) by hazel covers (a small tree or bush)

I move the sweet forget-me-nots (a type of flower)

40 That grow for happy lovers.

I slip, I slide, I gloom (To go in dark places), I glance (Sparkle, Shine),

Among my skimming (To pass lightly) swallows (To accept easily without question);

I make the netted (Net) sunbeam (a ray of sunlight trapped in a net) dance

Against my sandy shallows (Sand at the Bottom).          

45 I murmur (Low sound) under moon and stars

In brambly (Thorny plant) wildernesses (Lonely place);

I linger (To move slowly) by my shingly (Covered with Shingle, Small Pabbles) bars;

I loiter (To move aimlessly) round my cresses (Leafy plant growing under water);

And out again I curve and flow

50 To join the brimming river,

For men may come and men may go,

But I go on for ever.

Class 10 The Frog and The Nightingale Summary and Word Meaning with Explanation

 Class 10 Poem – 1 The Frog And The Nightingale by Vikram Seth

Once upon a time a frog

Croaked (Deep Sound) away in Bingle (Single) Bog1 (an area of land that is very wet and muddy)

Every night from dusk (Evening) to dawn (Morning)

He croaked (Deep Sound) awn2 (On) and awn and awn.

5 Other creatures loathed3 (Hated) his voice,

But, alas (At Last), they had no choice.

And the crass (Stupidly) cacophony4 (A Loud and Unpleasant Voice)

Blared (Harsh Sound) out from the sumac tree (small tree of the cashew family)

At whose foot the frog each night

10 Minstrelled5 (Sang) on till morning night.

Neither stones nor prayers nor sticks,

Insults or complaints or bricks

Stilled (Silenced) the frog's determination (Will  Power)

To display (Show) his heart's elation6 (Great pride and joy).

15 But one night a nightingale

In the moonlight cold and pale (Light in Colour)

Perched (Came to Rest or Stay) upon the sumac tree

Casting forth (Singing aloud) her melody (Sweet Song).

Dumbstruck (Greatly Surprised) sat the gaping (Staring with an open mouth in surprise) frog.

20 And the whole admiring bog (All the creatures living in the Bog admiring the Nightingale)

Stared towards the sumac, rapt7 (totally interested),

And, when she had ended, clapped (Clapping),

Ducks had swum (Swim) and herons (Cranes like Bird) waded (walked through water)

To her as she serenaded8 (Sang Beautifully)

25 And a solitary (Lonely, Alone) loon9 (Large Water Bird)

Wept (Started Crying), beneath (Under) the summer moon.

Toads (Frog like animal) and teals10 (Small Duck) and tiddlers(Very Small Fish), captured

By her voice, cheered on, enraptured:11 (filled with fascination and delight)

"Bravo (Well Done)!" "Too divine (Classic, Excellent)!" "Encore!"12 (sing some more)

30 So the nightingale once more,

Quite unused (Had Never) to such applause (Praise),

Sang till dawn (Morning) without a pause (Stop).

Next night when the Nightingale

Shook her head and twitched (Gave a sudden jerk) her tail,

35 Closed an eye and fluffed (Spread out lightly) a wing

And had cleared her throat to sing

She was startled (Greatly Surprised) by a croak.

"Sorry - was that you who spoke?"

She enquired when the frog

40 Hopped (Came jumping with all feet together) towards her from the bog.

"Yes," the frog replied. "You see,

I'm the frog who owns this tree.

In this bog I've long been known

For my splendid baritone13 (Male singing voice)

45 And, of course, I wield (Hold) my pen

For Bog Trumpet ( An imaginary name for musical group) now and then".

"Did you… did you like my song?"

"Not too bad - but far too long.

The technique14 (a method of doing something) was fine of course,

50 But it lacked (Without) a certain force".

"Oh!" the nightingale confessed (Admitted, Accepted).

Greatly flattered (Pleased by Praised) and impressed

That a critic (a person who expresses an unfavorable opinion of something.) of such note

Had discussed her art and throat:

55 (Nightingale Said) "I don't think the song's divine.

But - oh, well - at least it's mine".

"That's not much to boast (Over Pride) about".

Said the heartless (Unkind) frog. "Without

Proper training such as I

60 - And few others - can supply.

You'll remain a mere (Only) beginner.

But with me you'll be a winner" (Better than all).

"Dearest frog", the nightingale

Breathed (Said Softly): "This is a fairy tale (Supernatural Story) -

65 And you're Mozart ( Austrian Composer , Great Musician) in disguise (Appearing As)

Come to earth before my eyes".

"Well I charge a modest (Moderate) fee.

Oh!... But it won't hurt, you'll see"

Now the nightingale inspired (Pleased),

70 Flushed15 (Excited) with confidence, and fired (Enthusiasm)

With both art and adoration (Love, Worship),

Sang - and was a huge sensation (Excitement).

Animals for miles around

Flocked (Assemble) towards the magic sound,

75 And the frog with great precision (Accuracy)

Counted heads and charged admission (Fee).

Though next morning it was raining,

He began her vocal (Singing) training.

"But I can't sing in this weather".

80 "Come my dear - we'll sing together.

Just put on your scarf and sash16 (a long piece of cloth that you wear round the waist or over the shoulder),

Koo-oh-ah! ko-ash! ko-ash!"

So the frog and nightingale

Journeyed up and down the scale17 (Practised for Singing, a sequence of musical notes that go up and down, one after the other)

85 For six hours, till she was shivering (shake slightly and uncontrollably, Trembling)

and her voice was hoarse18 (Rough) and quivering19. (Trembling)

Though subdued20 (quiet, with little energy) and sleep deprived (Not allowed to sleep),

In the night her throat revived (Regained her normal health and strength),

And the sumac tree was bowed (Bent),

90 With a breathless (Holding the breath due to excitement), titled (Honoured) crowd:

Owl of Sandwich, Duck of Kent,

Mallard (Wild Duck) and Milady (Woman of Fashion) Trent,

Martin (Bird) Cardinal Mephisto,

And the Coot (Type of water bird with a white spot on the forehead) of Monte Cristo,

95 Ladies with tiaras21 (a semicircular metal band decorated with jewels and worn by wealthy women on formal social occasions) glittering (Shining)

In the interval (Between) sat twittering -

And the frog observed them glitter (Shine)

With a joy both sweet and bitter (Jealousy).

Every day the frog who'd sold her

100 Songs for silver tried to scold her:

"You must practice even longer

Till your voice, like mine grows stronger.

In the second song last night

You got nervous in mid-flight.

105 And, my dear, lay on (Add) more trills22 (repeatedly and very quickly):

Audiences enjoy such frills (Additional Items).

You must make your public happier:

Give them something sharper (Better), snappier (Lively).

We must aim for better billings23 (publicity for a concert).

110 You still owe (Return, Give) me sixty shillings. (A former British coin and monetary unit equal to one twentieth of a pound)"

Day by day the nightingale

Grew more sorrowful (Sad) and pale (Fear).

Night on night her tired song

Zipped24 (sang quickly) and trilled (Vibrating Sound) and bounced along (Continue in a lively manner),

115 Till the birds and beasts (Animals) grew tired

At a voice so uninspired (Dull)

And the ticket office gross

Crashed (Fell Down), and she grew more morose25 (miserable, Sad)-

For her ears were now addicted (Used to)

120 To applause quite unrestricted (Unlimited),

And to sing into the night

All alone gave no delight (Happiness).

Now the frog puffed up (Breathed Loudly) with rage (Violent Anger).

"Brainless (Stupid, Foolish) bird - you're on the stage -

125 Use your wits (Cleverness) and follow fashion (In Singing).

Puff (Expand) your lungs out with your passion."

Trembling (Shook), terrified (Afraid) to fail,

Blind with tears, the nightingale

Heard him out in silence, tried,

130 (But When She) Puffed up, burst (Blast) a vein (any of the tubes forming part of the blood circulation system of the body), and died.

Said the frog: "I tried to teach her,

But she was a stupid creature -

Far too nervous, far too tense.

Far too prone to influence (Easily influenced by others).

135 Well, poor bird - she should have known

That your song must be your own.

That's why I sing with panache26 (In a Confident stylish manner):

"Koo-oh-ah! ko-ash! ko-ash!"

And the foghorn27 (a very loud, unpleasant noise) of the frog

140 Blared (a very loud) unrivalled (incomparable Singer) through the bog.