The Old Brown Horse
By W. F. Holmes
Paraphrasing
Stanza 1:
The old brown horse looks over the fence
In a weary sort of way.
He seems to be saying to all who pass:
“Well, folks, I’ve had my day-
I’m simply watching the world go by,
And nobody seems to mind,
As they’re dashing past in their motor-cars,
A horse who is lame and half-blind.”
Paraphrasing: The poem tells the tale of an old brown horse who is now past his prime. He has seen better days when he was young. Now as he has grown old, he stands near the fence and looks over as if exhausted and tired. He seems to be speaking to the people who pass by the field that he has had his day and now he was just watching everyone go about doing their jobs unconcerned about the horse’s existence. No one seems to be bothered about the horse. Now they drive their motor cars and no longer need the services of a horse; more so if he is old lame and half-blind.
Stanza 2:
The old brown horse has a shaggy coat, But once he was young and trim, And he used to trot through the woods and lanes With the man who was fond of him. But his master rides in a motor-car, And it makes him feel quite sad When he thinks of the days that used to be, And of all the times they had.
Paraphrasing: In the second stanza, the poet says that the horse is left to look after himself. His coat appears unkempt now whereas once he was well taken care of by a master who was fond of him. Now that the flow of time has left him useless, his master chooses to drive around in a motor car. This is what saddens the poor horse. As he grew old and unfit, his master became forgetful of his presence. He recalls his pleasant past and the time he and his master spent together.
Stanza 3:
Sometimes a friendly soul will stop Near the fence, where the tired old head Rests wearily on the topmost bar, And a friendly word is said. Then the old brown horse gives a little sigh As he feels the kindly touch Of a hand on his mane or his shaggy coat, And he doesn’t mind so much..
Paraphrasing: Once in a while a kind person happens to pass by. They notice the tired horse resting his head on the topmost bar of the fence. The person takes pity on the horse and say a kind word or two, soothing the horse’s pain. The person touches his mane or the sagging coat. The horse lets out a sigh as he doesn’t mind this act of kindness just like he doesn’t mind others’ neglect.
Stanza 4:
So if you pass by the field one day, Just stop for a word or two With the old brown horse who was once as young And as full of life as you. He’ll love the touch of your soft young hand, And I know he’ll seem to say “Oh, thank you, friend, for the kindly thought For a horse who has had his day.”
Paraphrasing: As the poet moves towards the end of the poem, he asks the reader to stop for a little while. If she/he happens to pass by the field where the old brown horse stands to say a few loving words. The poet remarks that the horse was once as young and lively as the person. The horse would love the generous touch of the person’s young hands and would be much grateful for the kind concern shown to a horse who is now living his final days.
A: Understanding the Poem
1. Answer the following questions in your own words.
a. What do we learn from the horse’s appearance and behaviour?
Ans: We learn that the horse is weary, old, shaggy, not very well cared for, and a bit sad; but the horse responds to human touch.
b. What does the poet ask the reader to do?
Ans: The poet asks the reader to stop by the field one day and exchange a friendly word or two with the old brown horse.
c. When does the horse feel that life is not so bad??
Ans: The horse feels good when a passer-by strokes its mane and shaggy coat.
These questions are more difficult. Discuss them first.
d. Why is the horse no longer used for riding? Give two reasons.
Ans: The horse is old; time has passed and brought new methods of transport such as the motor car.
e. Who might have been responsible for neglecting the horse? Why was it neglected??
Ans: The master is responsible for neglecting the horse because he is busy driving his motor car.
f. What would you have done to make the horse's last years comfortable?
Ans: Just like human beings, animals also deserve to be treated with love and compassion. I would have taken care of the horse, touched his mane, stopped by his stable, taken him for walks, fed him some treats. I would have made sure that the horse does not feel neglected in his last years.
2. Mark these statements as true (T) or false (F).
a. The old horse is pleased with life. F
b. The old horse likes having visitors. T
c. People who drive past are interested in the horse. F
d. The horse does not like being touched. F
3. Answer the following questions with reference to context.
a. ‘Oh, thank you, friend, for the kindly thought
For a horse who has had his day.’
Ans: The underlined phrase means c. has now grown old
4. Do you think there is a rhyming pattern in the poem? What is it?
Ans: The odd lines rhyme: a b c b d e f e
5. Which words and expressions tell us that the poet cares about the horse?
Ans: The poet makes the horse sound pitiable, and resigned to its fate through these words and expressions:
‘I’m simply watching’,
‘Nobody seems to mind…
a horse who is lame and half-blind’,
‘makes him feel quite sad’,
‘gives a little sigh’,
‘once as full of life as you’, etc.
B. WORKING WITH WORDS
Here are some words from the poem: they may be used when speaking about horses and riding. Here are some other words. Which words may be added to the list above?
Ans. Race, Stirrup, Fetlock, Saddle, Rein, Jump, Gallop, Canter, Shetland Pony, Shoe, Hoof.
C. LEARNING ABOUT LANGUAGE SENTENCES
Subject and Predicate
The subject of the sentence is what (or whom) the sentence is about.
A predicate is the part of a sentence, that tells what the subject is doing or who the subject is.
1. Add suitable predicates to the following to make sentences.
Ans:
a. We are eating biryani for lunch today.
b. That man who is the president came to our school.
c. An engine stopped working on the plane.
d. The woman with the glasses teaches us Urdu.
e. The dog without a tail was running after a cat.
2. Underline only the main noun and the main verb.
a. The boy walked along briskly.
b. His dog followed closely behind.
c. The long electric train crashed into the back of a goods train.
d. Saima and Alina are playing in the garden.
e. We heard them crying.
f. The elephant has large ears.
g. Parvez and Shahid live in Multan.
E. COMPOSITION
1. Activity.
Make a table with four columns and six rows.
Put the following phrases in Column 1 (from rows 2 to 6).
Put these words in Row 1 (columns 2–4).
When you have finished your table, think of words which could be associated with each subject in b. above. Write the words in the appropriate boxes.
2. Writing.
Complete the activity above first. Then, when you have filled in all the words you can think of, pick one subject and use the words to write a poem
The Summer Rain
The Summer rain, starts with drizzling on a warm day,
Soon grey skies pouring like cats and dogs, as we play,
It comes slashing down, in clear, silver sparkling showers,
Streets flooded with muddy streams for next few hours,
Raindrops splash and make music, like playing the drum,
Often slashing, sometimes pitter-patter, rhythm of a hum.
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