KSEEB 10th English (TL) Textbook Solution Poem 7- A Nurse’s Song

SSLC KARNATAKA 

Subject – English (3rd Language)

Textbook Solution

UNIT 7 – POEM

7- A Nurse’s Song

Summary

        The poem “A Nurse’s Song” by William Blake captures the joy and  innocence of children playing in nature. As the children’s laughter  echoes across the hills, the nurse’s heart finds peace. Despite the nurse’s initial call to return home as the sun sets, the children’s plea to  continue  playing highlights their desire to remain in the moment. The  nurse eventually relents, allowing them to play until dusk.The poem  celebrates the simple, blissful moments of childhood.

About the Poet

    William Blake (1757 1827) 

William Blake was a renowned poet, painter, engraver, and mystic born in London.Known for his profound imagination, Blake’s works  include “The Poetical Sketches” (1783), “Songs of Innocence” (1789), and “Songs of Experience” (1794). His poetry often reflected his belief in the freedom of the imagination and his prophetic visions.

Glossary

Echo: Reflection of sound repetition

The green: Green grass lawn

Breast: Bosom

Still: Silent, tranquil

Gone down: Set

Dew: Tiny drops of water that form on the grass at night

Leave off: Stop

Away: Go

Fades away: Becomes dark

I. Comprehension Questions:

A. Answer the following questions briefly:

1. Whose voices are heard on the green? 

  Ans.-  The voices of children are heard on the green.

2. Where is the laughing heard? 

  Ans.-     The laughing is heard on the hill.

3. Does the heart really take rest? If not, what is the meaning of “My heart is at rest within my breast, and everything else is still”? 

  Ans.-     No, the heart doesn’t really take rest. It means the nurse feels peaceful and calm while listening to the children’s laughter and watching them play.

4. Point out the two reasons offered by the nurse to call the children home. 

  Ans.-     The nurse tells the children to come home because: 

   1. The sun has gone down. 

   2. The night dew is rising.

5. How long, according to the nurse, should the children give up playing? 

  Ans.-     The children should stop playing until morning comes again.

6. The children offer two reasons for not giving up playing. Mention them. 

  Ans.-     The children say they don’t want to stop playing because: 

   1. It is still day, and they are not sleepy. 

   2. The birds are flying in the sky, and the hills are full of sheep.

7. The nurse gives permission to the children to play but imposes a condition. What is that condition? 

  Ans.-     The nurse allows the children to play until the light fades away and it becomes darker.

8. How do the children and the hills react to the permission to play given by the nurse?

 Ans.-     The children leap, shout, and laugh, and the hills echo with their laughter.

9. List out the rhyming words from the poem. 

  Ans.-     The rhyming words from the poem are: 

1. Green – Seen
2. Hill – Still
3. Breast – Rest
4. Away – Play
5. Arise – Skies
6. Sheep – Sleep
7. Bed – Said
8. Laugh’d – Passed

B. Answer each of the following in about half a page:

1. Describe the happiness of the children playing in nature:

  Ans.-   The children are filled with joy as they play in the open, natural surroundings. Their laughter echoes across the green hills, and the sound of their voices creates a peaceful and joyful atmosphere. They are carefree, enjoying the freedom of playing in the fields, with birds flying in the sky and sheep grazing on the hills. The happiness of the children is so pure and natural that it brings a sense of calmness to the nurse watching them. Their energy and excitement come from the simple pleasure of playing outdoors, making them want to stay longer and enjoy every moment.

2. Write the summary of the poem:

  Ans.-   In William Blake’s poem “A Nurse’s Song,” the nurse listens to the cheerful sounds of children playing outside in the hills. Their laughter and happiness fill the air, making the nurse feel peaceful and content. As evening approaches and the sun begins to set, the nurse calls the children to come home, reminding them that night is near. However, the children want to keep playing, saying that it is still daylight and that the birds are flying in the sky and the hills are full of sheep. The nurse, understanding their joy, allows them to continue playing until the light fades. The poem beautifully captures the carefree innocence of childhood and the happiness that comes from playing in nature.

C. Read the extracts and answer the questions:

1. “Come come leave off play, and let us away 

Till the morning appears in the skies.”  

   a. Who said these lines? 

    Ans.-   These lines were said by the nurse.

   b. Who are these lines said to? 

     Ans.-  These lines were said to the children who were playing.

   c. Why does the nurse say so? 

   Ans.-    The nurse says this because the sun has gone down, and it is time for the children to stop playing and go home.

2. “No no let us play, for it is yet day 

And we cannot go to sleep.”

   a. Who said these lines? 

  Ans.-     The children said these lines.

   b. Who does the word ‘we’ refer to? 

   The word ‘we’ refers to the children.

   c. Why did the children say so? 

   Ans.-    The children said this because they still wanted to play. They felt it was not too late, and they didn’t want to go to bed yet.

3. “The little ones leaped and shouted and laugh’d 

And all the hills echoed.”

   a. “The little ones” refers to —————— 

  Ans.-     “The little ones” refers to the children.

   b. What mood do the lines convey? 

   Ans.-    The lines convey a mood of happiness and joy.

   c. What did the hills echo? 

  Ans.-     The hills echoed the sounds of the children’s laughter and shouts as they played.

Here are 10 more one mark questions with answers based on  the poem  

1. Who hears the voices of children?
   1. The nurse
2. Where do the children play?
   1. On the green
3. Where is the laughter heard?
   1. On the hill
4. What happens to the nurse’s heart when she hears the children?
   1. It is at rest
5. What does the nurse ask the children to do when the sun goes  down?
   1. Come home

1. What rises in the night according to the poem?
   1. The dews
2. What are the children doing when they leap and shout?
   1. Playing
3. What do the hills do in response to the children’s laughter?
   1. Echo
4. What time of day do the children want to continue playing until?
   1. Day
5. Who allows the children to play until the light fades?
   1. The nurse

Here are 10 more one mark questions  based on the poem  “A Nurse’s Song”:

1. Who wrote the poem “A Nurse’s Song”?
2. Where do the children play in the poem?
3. What time of day is it when the nurse calls the children home?
4. What do the children say when asked to stop playing?
5. What do the hills echo?
6. What forms on the grass at night according to the poem?
7. What do the children do when they are allowed to play more?
8. In the poem, what is the nurse’s heart compared to?
9. How does the nurse feel when she hears the children’s voices?
10. What is the setting of the sun referred to in the poem?