Introduction
In the poem, the poet says that the snake tries to escape
from being hit by the stick held by a person who is trying to kill it. The poet
wants to say that all snakes are not harmful. Humans have a notion that snakes
are dangerous and try to kill them as soon as they spot one but this is not
true.
Meanings
cursing: chasing, following
curvings: twistings
glides: moves
stroke: hitting of the stick
reeds: water or marsh plants with thick stems
vanishes: disappears
Literary devices
1. Rhyme scheme is absent. The poem is written in free
verse.
2. Transferred epithet: the adjective used with a noun
refers to a noun other than the one with which it is used.
Pursuing stick - pursuing refers to the person who is
holding the stick and not the stick itself.
3. Alliteration: the repetition of a consonant sound in 2 or
more consecutive words.
He is harmless - ‘h’
Summary
In this poem, a harmless green-colored snake tries to save
itself from being hit by a person who is chasing it with a stick to kill it.
The poet says that the snake is harmless even to children. People fear snakes
and when they see one, they try to kill it with a stick. The snake tries to
save itself and hides behind the green-colored bushes of marshy plants growing
in the water. It hides in the ripples of the water body in order to save
itself. The snake disappears behind the marshy plants.
Thinking about the
poem (Page 125)
1. What is the snake trying to escape from?
The snake is trying to escape from the pursuing stick. Human
beings try their level best to kill the snake. They take it for granted that
the snake is poisonous and harmful.
2. Is it a harmful snake? What is its colour?
No, it is not a harmful snake. Its colour is green.
3. The poet finds the snake beautiful. Find the words he
uses to convey its beauty.
The poet uses the following words to convey the beauty of
the snake: beautiful and graceful, small and green.
4. What does the poet wish for the snake?
The poet wishes that the snake should be allowed to go. It
should not be killed by the perusing man.
5. Where was the snake before anyone saw it and chased it
away? Where does the snake disappear?
The snake was away from its secure area. It was basking in
the sun along the sand. Finally, it disappears in the reeds.
