class 10 English guide / guide to all poems/interpretation of poems

 

“Leave This Chanting and Singing” – Rabindranath Tagore

Stanza 1:

“Leave this chanting and singing and telling of beads!
Whom dost thou worship in this lonely dark corner of a temple with doors all shut?”

🔹 Explanation:
Tagore tells the worshipper to stop chanting and praying inside closed temples. He questions whether God is truly present there.

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Stanza 2:

“Open thine eyes and see thy God is not before thee!
He is there where the tiller is tilling the hard ground and where the pathmaker is breaking stones.”

🔹 Explanation:
God is not hidden inside temples. He lives and works with laborers and farmers who toil honestly.

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Stanza 3:

“Put off thy holy mantle and even like him come down on the dusty soil!”

🔹 Explanation:
The poet urges the worshipper to remove religious symbols and join the working people in real service.

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Stanza 4:

“Deliverance? Where is this deliverance to be found?
Our master himself has joyfully taken upon him the bonds of creation…”

🔹 Explanation:
The poet says we don’t need to escape the world to find God. God himself is tied to the world through creation.

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Stanza 5:

“He is bound with us all forever.”

🔹 Explanation:
God lives with and within us all. He’s not separate from daily life.

🔹 Theme:
Unity with the Divine – God is present in every aspect of human life.

The Voice of the Rain” – Walt Whitman

Stanza 1:

“And who art thou? said I to the soft-falling shower,
Which, strange to tell, gave me an answer…”

🔹 Explanation:
The poet speaks to the rain. Surprisingly, it answers, saying it is born from the earth and sky.

🔹 Theme:
Nature Speaks – Even elements like rain have their own voice and purpose.

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Stanza 2:

“I am the Poem of Earth, said the voice of the rain…”

🔹 Explanation:
Rain introduces itself as the “poem of Earth,” explaining its cycle of rising as vapor, forming clouds, and returning as rain.

🔹 Theme:
Life Cycle and Renewal – Rain represents nature’s cycle, which keeps the earth alive.

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Stanza 3:

“(For song, issuing from its birth-place… duly with love returns.)”

🔹 Explanation:
Just like rain returns to the earth, a poet’s words return to the reader and give meaning. Rain is like a poem.

🔹 Theme:
Art and Nature Mirror Each Other – Both nourish and renew life.

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“Climbing” – Amy Lowell

Stanza 1:

Describes the act of climbing, with effort and slow progress.

🔹 Explanation:
The speaker struggles while climbing a mountain, showing both physical and emotional effort.

🔹 Theme:
Struggle and Determination – Growth comes through challenge.

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Stanza 2:

Describes looking back and feeling proud of progress made.

🔹 Explanation:
Though hard, climbing gives a sense of achievement and personal strength.

🔹 Theme:
Self-Discovery – Hardship teaches us about our own inner power.

Stanza 3:

“If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss…”

🔹 Explanation:
Take risks and be ready to start over without losing courage.

🔹 Theme:
Resilience and Courage

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Stanza 4:

“If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run…”

🔹 Explanation:
Use every moment wisely. If you follow all this advice, you’ll be a true, mature person.

🔹 Theme:
Maturity and Manhood (or True Character)

 5. “Weathers” – Thomas Hardy

Stanza 1:

“This is the weather the cuckoo likes…”

🔹 Explanation:
Describes joyful spring weather—sunshine, birds, and blooming flowers.

🔹 Theme:
Joy of Nature – Spring brings happiness and life.

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Stanza 2:

“But we like the weather when it is wet…”

🔹 Explanation:
Despite the rain, the speaker enjoys stormy weather for its drama and energy.

🔹 Theme:
Personal Preferences – Weather affects mood differently for everyone.

 6. “Upon Westminster Bridge” – William Wordsworth

Stanza :

“Earth has not anything to show more fair…”

🔹 Explanation:
The poet sees London in the early morning from Westminster Bridge. The city is calm, peaceful, and beautiful—almost like nature.

🔹 Highlights:

• London is quiet before the day begins.

• The river glides smoothly.

• The houses and buildings sparkle in the morning light.

• The poet is amazed by the silent beauty of the city.

🔹 Theme:
Beauty in Unexpected Places – Even a busy city like London can look serene and beautiful.