Here is a new blog post in Class 7th English. “The Pandemic” is Poem 10 taken from the newly introduced textbook Melody English for students of Class 7th of JKBOSE and Honeycomb English for NCERT students. This post concerns The Pandemic Poem 10 Summary and Question Answers. In my previous post, you read about The Story of Cricket Summary and Question Answers with you. So, let’s not waste any more time and get started with today’s post.
The Pandemic Poem 10 Summary and Question Answers
Introduction
The poem “The Pandemic” is about the effects of Covid-19 on human beings. It describes the destruction caused by Covid-19 resulting in sufferings and sorrows in human society. The poem is about the hard times people faced during the pandemic. It ends with questions about hope and whether better days will come.
The Pandemic Poem Word Meaning
Word | English Meaning | Hindi Meaning | Urdu Meaning |
---|---|---|---|
Longing | A feeling of wanting something or someone very much | लालसा | آرزو |
Siege | A situation in which an army surrounds a town for a long time | घेराबंदी | محاصرہ |
Withering | Shrinking | मुरझाना | مرجھا جانا |
Mesh | Material that is like a net | जाली | جالی |
Requiem | A religious ceremony performed for the dead | फातहा, मृत व्यक्ति के लिये ईश्वर से प्रार्थना | موت شخص کے لیے خدا سے دعا |
Pound | The sound or the feeling of your heart beating strongly | आपके दिल के ज़ोर से धड़कने की आवाज़ या एहसास | آپ کے دل کی تیز دھڑکن کی آواز یا احساس |
Tormenting | Great mental or physical pain | कष्ट पहुंचाना | اذیت دینے والا |
Wafting | To move or make something move gently through the air | हवा में किसी चीज़ को धीरे से हिलाना या घुमाना | کسی چیز کو ہوا کے ذریعے آہستہ سے حرکت دینا یا حرکت دینا |
The Pandemic Poem 10 Text
Longing for a knock at the door
This Eid too passed under siege.
Paralysed, the City of Paradise
quietly witnessed
of blossoming flowers.
Asleep, the City of Temples
alone mourned the death
of sparkling faces.
Ambushed in the mesh of fear
no requiem held for the dead.
Harassed in darkness
my pained heart pounds
at the tormenting images
flashing from the television screen.
People gasping fro breath
young bodies on ventilators
on the burning pyres
wafting into dense smoke.
There is no space
at the shamshaans
at the qabristans,
and many floating on the banks of a river.
My soul, devastated, asks,
Will the night of sorrows ever end?
Will the sun of life rise again?
Will the breeze of hope blow again?
Will the scent of flowers spread again?
Will the spring of colours splash again?
Will the bird of love sing again?
The songs of love, of joy, of life……
The Pandemic Poem 10 Summary in English
The poet begins the poem by describing how Eid, a joyous festival, was celebrated amidst a strict lockdown. Despite the festive occasion, people could only hope for a guest to visit as restrictions confined them. In the picturesque region of Kashmir, known as the paradise on earth, the lack of movement left nature untouched and unobserved. Similar conditions prevailed in Jammu, the city of temples, where people couldn’t even mourn their loved ones who lost their lives to COVID-19.
The fear that gripped the people prevented them from gathering for prayer meetings to honour the departed. The poet, watching the suffering unfold on television, feels profound pain. News channels depict the dire scenes of individuals fighting for their lives on ventilators, cremation pyres burning, and bodies floating along riverbanks due to overcrowded burial grounds.
Amidst this despair, the poet questions whether the sorrow and suffering will ever cease. He yearns for an end to this dance of death and wonders if hope will once again prevail. The poet hopes for the people to return to the simple joys of life: the scent of flowers in the air, the enjoyment of spring, and the melodies of birds bringing love, happiness, and hope to people’s hearts. In essence, the poet reflects on the collective longing for a brighter, more hopeful future amidst the current grim reality.
The Pandemic Poem 10 Explanation
Stanza 1
Longing for a knock at the door
This Eid too passed under siege.
Paralysed, the City of Paradise
quietly witnessed
of blossoming flowers.
Reference to Context: These lines have been taken from the poem “The Pan- demic” which describes the after-effects of Covid-19. In these lines, the poet talks about the effects of Covid-19 on Kashmir.
Explanation: The poet mentions that even this year, Eid was celebrated while everyone had to stay at home because of a strict lockdown. People couldn’t have guests over to celebrate Eid, and there were limitations on people going out. Kashmir, known as the paradise on earth, was quiet because people couldn’t move around, and no one was there to enjoy the beauty of the flowers that were fading away.
Stanza 2
Asleep, the City of Temples
alone mourned the death
of sparkling faces.
Ambushed in the mesh of fear
no requiem held for the dead.
Reference to Context: These lines have been taken from the poem “The Pandemic” which describes the after-effects of Covid-19. In these lines, the poet talks about the effects of Covid-19 on Jammu.
Explanation: The poet explains that Jammu, known as the city of temples, faced similar circumstances as Kashmir. People were not allowed to leave their homes, even to mourn the loss of their loved ones due to COVID-19. Fear prevented them from coming together for a prayer gathering to honour the departed.
Stanza 3
Harassed in darkness
my pained heart pounds
at the tormenting images
flashing from the television screen.
People gasping fro breath
young bodies on ventilators
on the burning pyres
wafting into dense smoke.
There is no space
at the shamshaans
at the qabristans,
and many floating on the banks of a river.
Reference to Context: These lines have been taken from the poem “The Pandemic” which describes the aftereffects of Covid-19 pandemic. In these lines, the poet describes the devastation caused by Covid-19.
Explanation: The poet is deeply saddened when he watches people suffering on TV. He sees on the news people struggling for their lives on ventilators, cremation sites overflowing with burning pyres, and dead bodies floating in a river because there’s not enough space in the cremation and burial grounds.
Stanza 4
My soul, devastated, asks,
Will the night of sorrows ever end?
Will the sun of life rise again?
Will the breeze of hope blow again?
Will the scent of flowers spread again?
Will the spring of colours splash again?
Will the bird of love sing again?
The songs of love, of joy, of life……
Reference to Context: These lines have been taken from the poem “The Pandemic” which describes the after-effects of Covid-19. In these lines, the poet asks whether the situation will ever become normal.
Explanation: The poet feels very sad and wonders if the pain and troubles will ever stop. He questions if this cycle of death and despair will come to an end and if hope will return to people. The poet hopes that everyone can once again leave their homes and enjoy the spring season. Lastly, he wishes for the joy of listening to birds singing beautiful melodies, bringing love, happiness, and hope back to people’s hearts.
The Pandemic Poem 10 Question Answers
Working with the Poem Page No. 153
1. What does the poet refer to?
Ans. The poem refers to the pandemic Covid-19. It refers to the effect of the pandemic, describing the city’s struggles, loss of lives, and the emotional toll on the speaker.
2. Comment on the mood of the poem.
Ans. The mood of the poem is that of sadness and hopelessness. The poet is sad and in despair at the devastating scene of the effects of Covid-19
3. Pick out the words which are suggestive of pathos in the poem.
Ans. The words which are suggestive of pathos in the poem are “paralysed”, “withering”, “mourned”, “death”, “ambushed”, “harassed”, “tormenting”, “burning pyres”, “devastated”, etc.
4. What do you think the questions at the end of the poem suggest?
Ans. The questions at the end of the poem suggest hope as well as despair in the heart of the poet. There is a longing for relief and hope amid the ongoing challenges due to the pandemic.
5. Do you think that the poem captures a particular point in time during the pandemic?
Ans. Yes, the poem captures a particular point of time during the pandemic which was the peak of COVID-19 when there was no vaccine and a large number of people were getting infected.) The poet is referencing events such as Eid passing under siege, bodies on ventilators, and the overwhelming situation at cremation grounds.
6. Do you think that the pandemic affected your life? Explain.
Ans. The pandemic changed our lives a lot. For two years, schools were closed, and we had online classes instead. We couldn’t go to regular classes, meet our friends, or play outside. We spent the whole day in front of screens like mobiles, laptops, or TVs. Because we couldn’t go out much, we became lazy as we didn’t get enough exercise.
That’s it about The Pandemic Poem 10 Summary and Question Answers. Hope it has helped. Do share your views about this post in the comment section below.
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