2.3.2 Reading a poem – On the Grasshopper and Cricket
2.3.2 Reading a poem – On the Grasshopper and Cricket
| Read the poem. Before that read the note on the poet.
John Keats (1795-1821) was a celebrated English Romantic poet known for his poetry and tragic life. His poems are renowned for their sensual imagery and exploration of beauty and morality. Due to tuberculosis, this celebrated poet died at the age of 25. His ultimately death robbed literature of a gifted poet whose work continues to captivate readers worldwide. |
On the Grasshopper and Cricket
BY JOHN KEATS
The Poetry of earth is never dead:
পৃথিবীর কবিতার কোনো মৃত্যু নেই:
When all the birds are faint with the hot sun,
যখন সূর্যের প্রখর তাপে সমস্ত পাখিরা নিস্তেজ হয়ে পড়ে,
And hide in cooling trees, a voice will run
এবং আশ্রয় নেয় গাছের শীতর ছায়ায়, একটি আওয়াজ ভেসে ওঠে
From hedge to hedge about the new-mown mead;
সদ্যকাটা সবুজ ছোট্ট ঝোপের এক প্রান্ত থেকে অন্য প্রান্তে;
That is the Grasshopper’s—he takes the lead
এটা হলো ঘাসফড়িংয়ের স্বর-সে ই এগিয়ে আসে
In summer luxury,—he has never done
গ্রীষ্মকালকে সুন্দর ও বিলাসবহুল করে তুলতে- সে কখনো থেমে যায় না
With his delights; for when tired out with fun
তার আমোদ-প্রমোদ চলতে থাকে; ফুর্তি করতে করতে ক্লান্ত হয়ে পড়লে
He rests at ease beneath some pleasant weed.
সে আরামে বিশ্রাম নেয় মনোরম কোনো আগাছার নিচে।
The poetry of earth is ceasing never:
পৃথিবীর কবিতার কোনো অন্ত নেই:
On a lone winter evening, when the frost
কোনো এক একাকী শীতের সন্ধ্যায়, যখন তুষাপরপাত
Has wrought a silence, from the stove there shrills
নিয়ে আসে নিঃস্তব্ধতা, চুল্লি থেকে ভেসে ওঠে তীক্ষ্ম
The Cricket’s song, in warmth increasing ever,
তা ই হল ঝিঁ ঝিঁ পোকার গান, এই বেড়ে ওঠা উষ্ণতা,
And seems to one in drowsiness half lost,
আর কোনো তন্দ্রাচ্ছন্ন অবচেতন মানুষের কাছে মনে হয়,
The Grasshopper’s among some grassy hills.
ওটা ঘাসফড়িংয়ের গান ভেসে আসছে কোনো তৃণাবৃত পাহাড় থেকে
Summary:
The poem “On the Grasshopper and Cricket” suggests that the poetry of the earth is never-ending. It is continued by one or the other creatures. For instance, in the summer season when the birds lose their energy due to the hot sun and take shelter in the cooling trees, the grasshopper takes over. He can be heard singing in the summer luxury as he moves along the boundaries of the park with freshly trimmed grasses. On getting tired, he rests beneath the weeds.
The poetry of the earth is continued in the winter season by crickets. When frost covers everything and renders silence all around, one can hear the song of the cricket. As he continues singing, the warmth keeps on increasing. To someone who is half-asleep, it might sound that they are listening to a grasshopper in the grassy hills.
Theme:
The poetry of the earth is never-ending. Its beauty lies in the fact that no matter which season it is, earth’s creatures always keep it alive. For instance, when it’s summer season and all the birds have taken shelter from the heat in the cool and calming trees, one can hear the sound of a grasshopper. He can be heard as he moves along the boundary of the park whose grass and plants have freshly been trimmed. The grasshopper becomes the lead of the show in the luxuries that summer has to offer. The poet says that whenever the grasshopper gets tired of having fun here and there, he takes rest near the weed plants.
| Word | Meaning (Bengali) | Synonym | Antonym |
| 01. Captivate(v) | বিমোহিত করা, আকৃষ্ট করা | charm, allure, appeal | bore, disgust, repel |
| 02. Cease (v) | বিরত থাকা, থেমে থাকা | refrain, break off | proceed, go on progress |
| 03. Celebrated (adj) | বিখ্যাত, প্রসিদ্ধ, প্রখ্যাত | famous, renowned, eminent | notorious, obscure |
| 04. Delight (n) | আমোদ-প্রমোদ, আনন্দ, সুখ, প্রীতি, তুষ্টি | amusement, pleasure, joy | displeasure, sadness |
| 05. Drowsiness (n) | তন্দ্রাচ্ছন্নতা | sleepiness, slumber, nab | wakefulness |
| 06. Ease (n) | আরাম | comfort, relaxation, luxury | discomfort |
| 07. Faint (adj) | নিস্তেজ, দূর্বল | feeble, weak | strong, enerfetic |
| 08. Frost (n) | তুষারপাত | ||
| 09. Grassy hill (n. com) | তৃণাবৃত পাহাড় | ||
| 10. Hedge (n) | ঝোপের বেড়া | row of bush | |
| 11. Lone (adj) | নিঃসঙ্গ | lonely, solitary, sole | together |
| 12. Luxury (n) | বিলাসিতা | comfort, ease, enjoyment | austerity, poverty |
| 13. Mead (n) | তৃণভূমি | meadow, pasture | desert |
| 14. New-mown mead (n.com) | সদ্য কাটা ঝোপ | ||
| 15. Pleasant (adj) | মনোরোম, আনন্দদায়িক | enjoyable, agreeable, lovely | unpleasant, boring |
| 16. Renowned (adj) | বিখ্যাত | famous, celebrated, eminent | obscure, notorious |
| 17. Rob (v) | কেড়ে নেওয়া, হরণ করা | take away, loot, hijack, snatch | return, give back |
| 18. Seem (v) | মনে হওয়া/ করা | appear, look | be real |
| 19. Sensual (adj) | ইন্দ্রিয়কে প্রভাবিত করে এমন, আবেগপ্রবণ | voluptuous, strong emotional, sensitive, emotive | passionless/ unpassionate |
| 20. Shrill (n) | তীক্ষ্ম আওয়াজ, কর্কশ স্বর | acute piercing sound | dulcet sound |
| 21. Tuberculosis (n) | যক্ষা | ||
| 22. Untimely death (n.com) | অকাল মৃত্যু | ||
| 23. Warmth (n) | উষ্ণতা | heat | coolness |
| 24. Weed (n) | আগাছা |