WBBSE Class 9 English: Lesson 3 - Autumn by John Clare - Summary & Questions and Answers
About the Author: John Clare
John Clare (1793–1864) was an English poet known for his vivid depictions of rural life and nature. Often called the "peasant poet," he wrote about the beauty of the English countryside and the hardships faced by common people. His poetry captured the changing seasons, the struggles of farmers, and the deep connection between humans and nature.
Some of his well-known works include First Love, Snow Storm, The Village Minstrel, and Other Poems. Despite facing financial struggles and mental health issues later in life, his poetry remains highly regarded for its simplicity, emotion, and deep love for nature.
Stanza-wise Explanation of "Autumn" by John Clare
Stanza 1:
"I love the fitful gust that shakes
The casement all day,
And from the mossy elm-tree takes
The faded leaves away,
Twirling them by the window pane
With thousand others down the lane."
The poet talks about the strong autumn wind that blows suddenly and shakes the windows all day. The wind carries away the dry, yellow leaves from the elm tree, making them spin near the window. These leaves then fly down the street along with many others. The poet enjoys watching how the wind moves the leaves in a playful manner.
Stanza 2:
"I love to see the shaking twig
Dance till the shut of eve
The sparrow on the cottage rig,
Whose chirp would make believe
That spring was just now flirting by
In summer’s lap with flowers to lie."
The poet loves how the small branches of trees keep moving in the wind as if they are dancing. This happens until evening. He also notices a sparrow sitting on the roof of a cottage and chirping happily. The sound of the sparrow reminds the poet of spring, making it feel like spring had just passed and left behind the warmth and beauty of summer.
Stanza 3:
"I love to see the cottage smoke
Curl upwards through the naked trees,
The pigeons nestled round the cote
On dull November days like these;"
The poet enjoys the sight of smoke rising from the chimneys of houses, making curly shapes in the air. The trees are bare because their leaves have fallen, which shows that autumn is here. He also sees pigeons gathered around their shelter (cote) on a quiet and cloudy November day. This scene gives a calm and peaceful feeling.
Stanza 4:
"The cock upon the dung-hill crowing,
The mill sails on the heath a-going.
The feather from the raven’s breast
Falls on the stubble lea,"
The poet describes common sights and sounds in the countryside during autumn. He hears a rooster crowing while standing on a heap of dirt. The windmill in the fields keeps turning as it usually does. A feather from a raven’s body slowly falls onto a harvested field, showing how everything in nature is changing with the season.
Stanza 5:
"The acorns near the old crow’s nest
Fall pattering down the tree;
The grunting pigs, that wait for all,
Scramble and hurry where they fall."
The poet notices acorns falling from trees near a crow’s nest. As they hit the ground, they make a soft tapping sound. Some pigs are waiting for the acorns to fall so they can eat them. As soon as the acorns drop, the pigs rush to grab them. This shows how animals in the countryside depend on nature for food.
Theme of the Poem:
The poem describes the beauty of the autumn season in a village. The poet enjoys simple things like the blowing wind, falling leaves, chirping birds, and animals getting ready for winter. He shows how nature changes slowly, and he finds happiness in these small moments. The poem makes us appreciate the peaceful and natural beauty of autumn.
Important Word Meanings from "Autumn" by John Clare
- Fitful – Sudden and irregular (যা মাঝে মাঝে হয়)
- Gust – A strong rush of wind (একটি হঠাৎ জোরালো হাওয়া)
- Casement – A window (জানালা)
- Mossy – Covered with moss (শৈবালে ঢাকা)
- Elm-tree – A type of tall tree (এক ধরনের লম্বা গাছ)
- Faded – Lost color or freshness (মলিন হয়ে যাওয়া)
- Twirling – Spinning or rotating (ঘুরতে থাকা)
- Lane – A narrow road or path (সরু রাস্তা)
- Twig – A small branch of a tree (পাতলা ডাল)
- Shut of eve – The time when evening ends (সন্ধ্যা শেষ হওয়া)
- Rig – The roof of a house (ঘরের ছাদ)
- Flirting by – Passing playfully (মজা করতে করতে চলে যাওয়া)
- Lap – Resting place (কোল বা আশ্রয়)
- Cottage – A small house (ছোট কুঁড়েঘর)
- Curl – To rise in a twisting shape (কুণ্ডলী পাকানো)
- Nestled – Settled or rested comfortably (আরাম করে বসা)
- Dull – Dark and gloomy (নীরস, বিষণ্ন)
- November days – Late autumn days (নভেম্বর মাসের দিন, যখন শীত কাছাকাছি)
- Rooks – A type of black bird like a crow (এক ধরনের কালো পাখি)
- Sail by – To move smoothly through the air (বাতাসে ভেসে যাওয়া)
- Windy cry – Loud calls of birds in the wind (ঝোড়ো বাতাসে পাখির ডাক)
"Autumn" কবিতার ব্যাখ্যা (বাংলায়)
প্রথম স্তবক:
"I love the fitful gust that shakes
The casement all day,
And from the mossy elm-tree takes
The faded leaves away,
Twirling them by the window pane
With thousand others down the lane."
এই স্তবকে কবি শরৎকালের বাতাসের সৌন্দর্য বর্ণনা করেছেন। "Fitful gust" বলতে তিনি বুঝিয়েছেন হঠাৎ আসা ঝোড়ো হাওয়া, যা সারাদিন জানালার (casement) কাঁপিয়ে দেয়। এই বাতাস মসযুক্ত (mossy) এলম গাছের শুকিয়ে যাওয়া (faded) পাতা উড়িয়ে নিয়ে যায়। বাতাসে উড়তে থাকা পাতা জানালার পাশে ঘুরতে থাকে (twirling) এবং রাস্তার দিকে চলে যায়। কবি এই দৃশ্য উপভোগ করেন, যা শরৎ ঋতুর একটি স্বাভাবিক বৈশিষ্ট্য।
দ্বিতীয় স্তবক:
"I love to see the shaking twig
Dance till the shut of eve
The sparrow on the cottage rig,
Whose chirp would make believe
That spring was just now flirting by
In summer’s lap with flowers to lie."
এই স্তবকে কবি শরতের সন্ধ্যার বর্ণনা দিয়েছেন। বাতাসে গাছের ডালপালা (twig) কাঁপতে থাকে, যা দেখতে যেন নাচছে বলে মনে হয়। কবি একটি চড়ুই পাখিকে (sparrow) গ্রামের কুটিরের ছাদে (cottage rig) বসে ডাকতে দেখেন। পাখির ডাক শুনে মনে হয় যেন বসন্তকাল (spring) কিছুক্ষণ আগে চলে গেছে এবং গ্রীষ্ম (summer) ফুলের মাঝে বিশ্রাম নিচ্ছে। কবি এখানে প্রকৃতিকে জীবন্ত করে তুলেছেন, যেন ঋতুগুলো খেলারত।
তৃতীয় স্তবক:
"I love to see the cottage smoke
Curl upwards through the naked trees."
এই স্তবকে কবি শরৎকালের সন্ধ্যার আরেকটি সুন্দর দৃশ্য তুলে ধরেছেন। তিনি কুটিরের চিমনি থেকে বের হওয়া ধোঁয়ার (cottage smoke) কথা বলেছেন, যা ধীরে ধীরে আকাশের দিকে উঠে যায়। এই দৃশ্যটি শীতকালের আগমনের ইঙ্গিত দেয়, কারণ এই সময় মানুষ উষ্ণতার জন্য আগুন জ্বালায়। কবি লক্ষ্য করেন যে চারপাশের গাছগুলো পাতাহীন (naked trees) হয়ে পড়েছে, যা শরৎ শেষে শীতের আগমনের চিহ্ন বহন করে।
চতুর্থ স্তবক:
"The pigeons nestled round the cote
On dull November days like these;
The cock upon the dung-hill crowing,
The mill sails on the heath a-going."
এই স্তবকে কবি শরতের এক শান্ত পরিবেশের কথা বলেছেন। কবি দেখেন যে কবুতরগুলো (pigeons) তাদের বাসার (cote) আশেপাশে জড়ো হয়েছে। নভেম্বরের (November) ধূসর দিনে এমন দৃশ্য দেখা যায়। এছাড়া, মোরগ (cock) খামারের আবর্জনার স্তূপের (dung-hill) উপর দাঁড়িয়ে ডাকছে, এবং বাতাসে চাকা ঘুরছে (mill sails)। এই দৃশ্য গ্রাম্য জীবনের একটি চিত্র তুলে ধরে।
পঞ্চম স্তবক:
"The feather from the raven’s breast
Falls on the stubble lea,
The acorns near the old crow’s nest
Fall pattering down the tree."
এই স্তবকে কবি শরৎকালে পাখিদের কার্যকলাপ তুলে ধরেছেন। তিনি বলেন, কাকের (raven) বুকের পালক পড়ে যায় মাঠের (stubble lea) উপর। এছাড়া, পুরনো কাকের বাসার (crow’s nest) কাছাকাছি ওক গাছের ফল (acorns) নিচে ঝরে পড়ে। "Pattering" শব্দটি ব্যবহার করে কবি দেখিয়েছেন কেমন করে ফলগুলো গাছ থেকে নিচে পড়ছে। এটি শরৎ ঋতুর একটি সাধারণ বৈশিষ্ট্য।
ষষ্ঠ স্তবক:
"The grunting pigs, that wait for all,
Scramble and hurry where they fall."
এই শেষ স্তবকে কবি দেখিয়েছেন কিভাবে পশুরাও শরতের পরিবর্তন অনুভব করে। কবি লক্ষ্য করেন যে শূকরগুলো (pigs) ওক গাছের নিচে পড়ে থাকা ফল খাওয়ার জন্য ছুটে আসে। "Scramble" শব্দটি ব্যবহার করে তিনি বোঝাতে চেয়েছেন কিভাবে শূকরগুলো প্রতিযোগিতা করে খাবার সংগ্রহ করছে।
কবিতার মূল ভাব (Theme):
এই কবিতায় কবি জন ক্লেয়ার শরৎ ঋতুর প্রকৃতি এবং গ্রাম্য জীবনের সৌন্দর্য তুলে ধরেছেন। তিনি বাতাসের শব্দ, পাতা ঝরে পড়া, পশুপাখির কার্যকলাপ এবং গ্রামের সাধারণ জীবনযাত্রার ছবি এঁকেছেন। কবিতাটি পড়লে মনে হয় যেন প্রকৃতি ধীরে ধীরে পরিবর্তিত হচ্ছে, আর শরৎ থেকে শীতের আগমনের এক সুন্দর রূপ ফুটে উঠেছে।
Also read: All About a Dog – Class 9 English Lesson
Summary of "Autumn" by John Clare
John Clare’s poem "Autumn" beautifully describes the sights and sounds of the autumn season. The poet expresses his love for the changing nature during this time. He talks about the strong autumn wind, which shakes the windows and makes the dry leaves fall from the moss-covered elm trees. The leaves twirl in the air and scatter down the lanes, creating a lively scene.
He also describes how the tree branches sway in the wind, and a sparrow chirps on the roof of a cottage. The sparrow’s song reminds him of spring, making it seem as if spring has just passed and summer is resting with its flowers. The poet then notices the chimney smoke curling up into the sky through the leafless trees, signaling the approach of winter.
As the poem progresses, Clare describes pigeons huddled near their homes, a rooster crowing on a dung-hill, and a mill’s sails turning in the wind. These are common sights in the countryside during autumn. He also observes raven feathers falling and acorns dropping from oak trees, creating a rhythmic sound as they hit the ground.
In the final lines, he mentions grunting pigs rushing to eat fallen acorns, showing how animals also prepare for the coming cold. Through these vivid images, the poet captures the beauty, movement, and simplicity of rural life in autumn. The poem portrays autumn as a lively and dynamic season, full of changes and preparations for winter.
Exercise 1: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Tick the correct answer from the given alternatives:
All through the day the fitful gust shakes the
- (a) window-pane
- (b) curtains
- (c) casement ✅
- (d) door
Correct Answer: (c) casement
The word "casement" means a window. The poet describes how the strong autumn wind shakes the windows all day.The poet loves to see the shaking twig dance till the
- (a) coming of dawn
- (b) end of night
- (c) end of afternoon
- (d) shut of eve ✅
Correct Answer: (d) shut of eve
"Shut of eve" refers to evening time. The poet enjoys watching the twigs move in the wind until evening arrives.The sparrow sat on the
- (a) cottage rig ✅
- (b) house-top
- (c) mossy elm-tree
- (d) casement
Correct Answer: (a) cottage rig
The poem mentions the sparrow sitting on the "cottage rig," which means the rooftop of a cottage.The pigeons nestled round the
- (a) cage
- (b) cote ✅
- (c) branch
- (d) heath
Correct Answer: (b) cote
"Cote" is a shelter or nest for pigeons, and the poem describes them resting there.The cock was crowing upon the
- (a) dunghill ✅
- (b) lea
- (c) tree tops
- (d) mill-sails
Correct Answer: (a) dunghill
The poem describes the cock standing on a "dunghill" (a pile of farm waste) while crowing in the morning.The grunting pigs
- (a) walk slowly
- (b) scamper by
- (c) scramble and hurry ✅
- (d) dive and swim
Correct Answer: (c) scramble and hurry
The pigs rush and hurry to eat the fallen acorns, showing their excitement in autumn.
Exercise 2: Short Answer Questions
(i) What happens to the leaves of the mossy elm tree in autumn?
Answer: In autumn, the leaves of the mossy elm tree fade and fall as the strong winds shake the branches and carry them away.
(ii) What are the things the poet loves to see on November days?
Answer: The poet loves to see the pigeons near their nests, the cock crowing on the dung hill, the mill sails moving, and the falling acorns.
Exercise 3: Active and Passive Voice
State whether the following sentences are in Active or Passive Voice:
(a) Anil will visit his grandmother’s house.
Answer: Active voice
(b) The President has left his office.
Answer: Active voice
(c) The project will have been finished by the students.
Answer: Passive voice
(d) Promita’s leave has been sanctioned by the school authority.
Answer: Passive voice
Exercise 4: Voice Change
Change the voice of the following sentences:
(a) The boy has read out the letter.
Answer: The letter has been read out by the boy.
(b) I shall have bought a cricket bat by tomorrow.
Answer: A cricket bat shall have been bought by me by tomorrow.
(c) Sohini’s friends had organised a picnic.
Answer: A picnic had been organised by Sohini’s friends.
(d) The football team will put up a brave fight.
Answer: A brave fight will be put up by the football team.
Exercise 5: Direct to Indirect Speech
Change the following sentences into indirect speech:
(a) I said to him, “Will you share your tiffin with me?”
Answer: I asked him if he would share his tiffin with me.
(b) Anjan’s mother said, “Your father has left for Mumbai.”
Answer: Anjan’s mother said that his father had left for Mumbai.
(c) The girls triumphantly said, “Hurrah! We have won the match.”
Answer: The girls triumphantly said with joy that they had won the match.
(d) He says, “Let you be successful in life.”
Answer: He says that I may be successful in life.
(e) The captain informed, “The tournament was postponed last month.”
Answer: The captain informed that the tournament had been postponed the previous month.
Exercise 6: Paragraph on How to Make Paper
Paper is made through several steps. First, bamboo is cut down and converted into a soft pulp by crushing it and mixing it with water. Then, chemicals are added to the pulp to remove any impurities and make it suitable for use. After this, the pulp is rolled into thin sheets using large rollers. If needed, colours are added to give the paper a specific shade. Once the sheets are formed, they are dried properly to remove any moisture. Finally, the dried sheets are cut into the required sizes and are ready to be used for writing, printing, or packaging.
Exercise 7: Biography of Annie Besant
Annie Besant was born on 1st October 1847 in London. She was a famous British writer, social reformer, and activist. She dedicated her life to fighting for women’s rights, education, and social justice. Later, she became involved in Indian politics and actively participated in the freedom movement.
She joined the Indian National Congress and became the first woman President of the Congress in 1917. She also played a key role in the Home Rule Movement, advocating for India's self-governance. Annie Besant worked to promote education in India and was associated with the Theosophical Society, which spread spiritual and philosophical ideas.
Her contributions to India’s freedom struggle and social reforms made her a respected leader. She passed away on 20th September 1933 in Madras, India, but her legacy continues to inspire people.
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