Class 9, Poem 2: Wind

Poem 2: Wind**

By Subramania Bharati

**Thinking about the Poem**

**I.**

1. **What are the things the wind does in the first stanza?**

    * **Answer:** In the first stanza, the wind does the following things:

        * It breaks the shutters of the windows.

        * It scatters the papers.

        * It throws down the books on the shelf.

        * It tears the pages of the books.

        * It brings rain again.

2. **Have you seen anybody winnow grain at home or in a paddy field? What is the word in your language for winnowing? What do people use for winnowing? (Give words in your language if you know them.)**

    * **Answer:** (This question requires a personal response based on the student's experience and language.)

        * *Example Answer:* Yes, I have seen people winnowing grain in villages. In my language (e.g., Hindi), the word for winnowing is " बरसाना " (barsaana) or " फटकना " (phatakna). People use a winnowing fan or a shallow basket (called " सूप " - soop, or " छाज " - chhaj in Hindi) for winnowing. They toss the grain into the air, and the wind carries away the lighter chaff, while the heavier grain falls back down.

3. **What does the poet say the wind god winnows?**

    * **Answer:** The poet says the wind god winnows the weaklings – weak houses, weak doors, weak rafters, weak wood, weak bodies, weak lives, and weak hearts – and crushes them all.

4. **What should we do to make friends with the wind?**

    * **Answer:** To make friends with the wind, we should:

        * Build strong homes.

        * Fix the doors firmly.

        * Practise to firm the body.

        * Make the heart steadfast.

5. **What do the last four lines of the poem mean to you?**

    * **Answer:** The last four lines ("The wind blows out weak fires. / He makes strong fires roar and flourish. / His friendship is good. / We praise him every day.") mean that the wind (representing challenges and adversities in life) extinguishes weak and feeble things (like weak fires or weak-willed people). However, it strengthens and intensifies those who are already strong (like strong fires or strong-willed people), making them even more powerful and vibrant. Therefore, the friendship of the wind (or facing challenges with strength) is beneficial, and we should embrace it and become strong ourselves.

6. **How does the poet speak to the wind—in anger or with humour? You must also have seen or heard of the wind “crumbling lives.” What is your response to this? Is it like the poet’s?**

    * **Answer:** The poet speaks to the wind initially with a tone of annoyance or complaint ("Wind, come softly. Don’t break..."). However, as the poem progresses, the tone shifts to one of respect and understanding, almost like a challenge to humans to become stronger. There isn't outright anger or humour, but rather a direct address and then a reflective observation on its nature.

        * **(Regarding "crumbling lives"):** (This part requires a personal response.) Yes, I have heard of the wind (in the form of storms, cyclones, etc.) "crumbling lives" by causing destruction to homes, livelihoods, and even taking lives. My response to this is one of sadness and a realization of nature's immense power. It also makes me think about the importance of preparedness and building resilient communities.

        * **(Is it like the poet's?):** My response is somewhat like the poet's in that I acknowledge the destructive power of the wind. However, the poet goes further to suggest that by becoming strong, we can not only withstand this power but also benefit from it ("His friendship is good"). My initial response is more focused on the immediate human suffering, while the poet uses it as a metaphor for life's challenges and the need for inner strength.

**II.** The poem you have just read is originally in the Tamil. Do you know any such poems in your language?

* **Answer:** (This is a personal response question. Students who know poems in their regional languages about similar themes like nature's power, wind, rain, or strength in adversity can mention them.)

    * *Example if a student knows a Hindi poem:* "Yes, in Hindi, there are poems by poets like Mahadevi Verma or Sumitranandan Pant that beautifully describe various aspects of nature, including the power of wind or storms, and often carry deeper philosophical meanings about life and resilience.