To a Skylark -By Percy Bysshe Shelley

To a Skylark

-By Percy Bysshe Shelley

Hail to thee, blithe Spirit!

Bird thou never wert,

That from Heaven, or near it,

Pourest thy full heart

In profuse strains of unpremeditated art.

Higher still and higher

From the earth thou springest

Like a cloud of fire;

The blue deep thou wingest,

And singing still dost soar, and soaring ever singest.

In the golden lightning

Of the sunken sun,

O’er which clouds are bright’ning,

Thou dost float and run;

Like an unbodied joy whose race is just begun.

The pale purple even

Melts around thy flight;

Like a star of Heaven,

In the broad day-light

Thou art unseen, but yet I hear thy shrill delight,

Keen as are the arrows

Of that silver sphere,

Whose intense lamp narrows

In the white dawn clear

Until we hardly see, we feel that it is there.

All the earth and air

With thy voice is loud,

As, when night is bare,

From one lonely cloud

The moon rains out her beams, and Heaven is overflow’d.

What thou art we know not;

What is most like thee?

From rainbow clouds there flow not

Drops so bright to see

As from thy presence showers a rain of melody.

Like a Poet hidden

In the light of thought,

Singing hymns unbidden,

Till the world is wrought

To sympathy with hopes and fears it heeded not:

Like a high-born maiden

In a palace-tower,

Soothing her love-laden

Soul in secret hour

With music sweet as love, which overflows her bower:

Like a glow-worm golden

In a dell of dew,

Scattering unbeholden

Its aëreal hue

Among the flowers and grass, which screen it from the view:

Like a rose embower’d

In its own green leaves,

By warm winds deflower’d,

Till the scent it gives

Makes faint with too much sweet those heavy-winged thieves:

Sound of vernal showers

On the twinkling grass,

Rain-awaken’d flowers,

All that ever was

Joyous, and clear, and fresh, thy music doth surpass.

Teach us, Sprite or Bird,

What sweet thoughts are thine:

I have never heard

Praise of love or wine

That panted forth a flood of rapture so divine.

Chorus Hymeneal,

Or triumphal chant,

Match’d with thine would be all

But an empty vaunt,

A thing wherein we feel there is some hidden want.

What objects are the fountains

Of thy happy strain?

What fields, or waves, or mountains?

What shapes of sky or plain?

What love of thine own kind? what ignorance of pain?

With thy clear keen joyance

Languor cannot be:

Shadow of annoyance

Never came near thee:

Thou lovest: but ne’er knew love’s sad satiety.

Waking or asleep,

Thou of death must deem

Things more true and deep

Than we mortals dream,

Or how could thy notes flow in such a crystal stream?

We look before and after,

And pine for what is not:

Our sincerest laughter

With some pain is fraught;

Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought.

Yet if we could scorn

Hate, and pride, and fear;

If we were things born

Not to shed a tear,

I know not how thy joy we ever should come near.

Better than all measures

Of delightful sound,

Better than all treasures

That in books are found,

Thy skill to poet were, thou scorner of the ground!

Teach me half the gladness

That thy brain must know,

Such harmonious madness

From my lips would flow

The world should listen then, as I am listening now.

Bengali Translation:

 

অভিবাদন জানাই তোমাকে , হে প্রফুল্ল সত্তা!
না তুমি পাখি নও,
আকাশ কিংবা তার কাছ থেকে
তোমার অন্তর ঠেলে দাও
বিপুল প্রবাহে পুর্বপরিকল্পনাবিহীন শৈলীতে।

উচ্চে আরো উচ্চে
মাটির পৃথিবী হতে যেখান থেকে তোমার শুরু
রক্তিমাভ আগুনের মেঘের মত,
গভীর নীলে ডানা মেলে
গান গেয়ে আরোহন কর, এবং গান গেয়ে আরো উর্ধ্বগামী হও।

কনকাভা প্রজ্জলিত
অস্তায়মান সূর্যের—
যেথায় মেঘেরা উজ্জ্বল
সেখানে তুমি ভেসে বেড়াও
যেন এক অশরীরী আনন্দ যার যাত্রা শুরু হয়েছে।

বিবর্ন রক্তিমাভ
তোমার যাত্রার সাথে মিশে যায়
(তুমি( যেনো আকাশের তারা
প্রকাশ দিবালোকে
তুমি ছিলে অদৃশ্য, আমি তোমার তৃপ্তির আনন্দ(চিৎকার শুনেছি।

তীরের মত ধারালো
সেই রুপালী তারার আলো
যার ঘনীভূত দীপ্তি ক্ষীন হয়ে আসে,
যখন শুভ্র সকাল শুরু হয়
তারপর তোমাকে দেখি ক্বচিৎ, অনুভব করি তুমি সেথায় আছ।

সমস্ত পৃথিবী এবং সমস্ত বাতাস
তোমার ধ্বনীতে মুখরিত
মুক্ত রাতে যেনো
কোন এক নিঃসঙ্গ মেঘ থেকে
চন্দ্র তার কিরন ঝড়ায়, আর আকাশ কে প্লাবিত করে।

তুমি যে আসলে কি তা আমরা জানি না
কিইবা তোমার যোগ্য উপমা
রামধনু মেঘ হতে ঝড়ে না এমন
উজ্জ্বল ধারা
তোমার উপস্থিতিতে যেন সুরের বৃষ্টি ধারা ঝড়ে।

কবি যেমন লুকায়িত থাকেন
তার চিন্তার আলোর আড়ালে
আর গেয়ে যান অনাহুত স্তুতি
পৃথিবীকে আরো শক্ত- মজবুত করতে
আশা আর শঙ্কায় যোগাতে সহানুভূতি।

যেন উচ্চ বংশম্ভুতা কুমারি কনে
প্রাসাদ শিখরে দাঁড়িয়ে
ভালোবাসার বোঝা কমাতে
চুপিসারে আসে প্রহরে প্রহরে
প্রেমের সুমিষ্ট গান উপচে পড়ে তার কুঞ্জ হতে।

সোনালী আলোর জোনাকির মত
শিশির ভেজা উপত্যকায়,
ছড়ায় অদৃশ্যে
ইহার বাতাসী রঙ
পুষ্প, তৃণ মাঝে, তারপর দৃষ্টির আড়ালে!

কুঞ্জবনে গোলাপ যেমন
আপন পত্রে আচ্ছাদিত,
উষ্ণ বাতাসে গন্ধ ছড়ায়
ছড়ায় নিজের পাপড়ি

মিস্টি গন্ধে বিমোহিত, বাতাস হয় যে ভারী।
প্রথম পর্বের পর থেকে
বাসন্তী বৃষ্টির সুর
আলো ছায়ায় ঘাসের মাঝে
বর্ষনে জাগ্রত ফুলদলে
যেসব ছিল
উল্লসিত, পরিচ্ছন্ন, স্বচ্ছ – এসব কিছুকে ছাপিয়ে উঠে তোমার গান।

1.Answer the following questions. 2×5-10

(i) What is the significance of the metaphor ‘Bird thou never wert’ in the poem?

(ii) How does the poet explore the theme of transcendence in the poem?

(iii) What role does the imagery play in conveying the poem’s theme?

(iv) How does the poem reflect the poet’s personal experiences?

(v) How does the poem reflect on the nature of artistic inspiration?

B. Read the poem again, and identify 3 metaphors and 2 similes used in the poem. Then explain the purpose of their uses. 2×5=10

C. Read the poem again and express your feelings. 10

 

Answer:

A.

(i) In the poem, the poet uses the metaphor “Till a’ the seas gang dry” to express that his love will last forever. He means that his love is so strong and unchanging that it will continue even if the seas dry up, which is something that will never actually happen.

(ii) The poet compares his love to a “red, red rose” and a “melody.” He uses these comparisons because a rose is beautiful and fresh, just like his love, and a melody is sweet and pleasant, showing how his love feels perfect and harmonious.

(iii) The poet uses images of nature, like roses and the sea, to show that his love is beautiful, strong, and everlasting. Just as a rose blooms beautifully and the sea is vast, his love is deep and will last forever, even if time or distance separates them.

(iv) The poet shows that true love lasts forever, even beyond the end of time. He promises to love his beloved until the seas dry up, the rocks melt, and through long distances, which means love will stay strong no matter how much time passes.

(v) The poet’s promise to travel “ten thousand mile” shows how deeply he loves and cares for his beloved. It means he is willing to go through great distances and challenges just to be with her, proving his strong and lasting commitment.

B. Identifying literary figures

Metaphors:

(i)”Till a’ the seas gang dry”

Explanation: Here, the poet compares the lasting of his love to the seas drying up. which is impossible. This shows that his love will last forever, even beyond what is physically possible.

(ii) “Till the rocks melt wi’ the sun”

Explanation: The poet compares his love to rocks melting in the sun, which is not possible. This means his love is enduring and will last until even the most unlikely events occur.

(iii) “While the sands o’ life shall run”

Explanation: The poet compares the passage of time to sands running through an hourglass. It highlights that the poet’s love will last as long as life goes on.

Similes:

(i) “O my Luve is like a red, red rose”

Explanation: This means that the speaker’s love is as beautiful and fresh as a red rose that has just bloomed in June. It compares love to a flower to show its beauty and newness.

(ii) “O my Luve is like the melody”

Explanation: Here, love is compared to a sweet melody. This means the speaker’s love is as pleasant and harmonious as a lovely piece of music.

3.Writing expressions

When I read this poem, I feel that love is something beautiful and everlasting. The poet compares his love to a beautiful red rose that has just bloomed in June, showing how fresh and vibrant his feelings are. The love is also compared to a sweet melody, suggesting it’s harmonious and pleasing. The poem makes me feel that true love is endless and unwavering. The poet promises to love his beloved until the seas dry up and the rocks melt, which seems impossible, showing his commitment. Even when saying goodbye, he assures that he will return, no matter how far he has to travel. This makes me believe that real love is not just about being together but also about being dedicated and enduring through all challenges. Overall, the poem makes me see love as something eternal and full of promise.

Summary:

The skylark symbolizes the divine nature of happiness and joy. Unattainable by humans, happiness and joy can only be reached and understood through nature. The skylark provides a means by which humans can experience pure joy.

Theme:

The central thematic concerns of Shelley’s poetry are largely the same themes that defined Romanticism, especially among the younger English poets of Shelley’s era: beauty, the passions, nature, political liberty, creativity, and the sanctity of the imagination. The theme of “To a Skylark” is nature and the human spirit. The skylark symbolizes happiness, which is found in nature. The human spirit cannot attain pure happiness but can experience it through the skylark.

 

Extra Questions:

1. What was the source of the poem to a Skylark?
   Ans: The source of the poem was the song of a real skylark heard by Shelley and his wife near Leghorn in Italy in 1820.
2. What is a skylark?
   Ans: A skylark is a small bird which flies very steeply into the sky. It sings while it flies high up in the sky and often from a height where it cannot be seen but only heard.
3. What does the poet call the skylark?
   Ans: The poet calls the skylark ‘blithe Spirit’, that is, a joyous spirit or soul.
4. What is chorus Hymeneal?
   Ans: Chorus is a song sung by several persons together and Hymen is the god of marriage. So ‘chorus Hymeneal’ means a marriage song.
5. What is ‘love’s sad satiety?
   Ans: It is a feeling of distaste after an excessive enjoyment of the pleasures of love.
6. What is meant by the line “We look before and after”?
   Ans: The line means our lives are burdened with the thoughts of the past and the fears about the future.
7. What appeal does Shelley make to the skylark? Why?
   Ans: Shelley appeals to the skylark to communicate to him the half of its joy so that he can write poems which will be able to touch the heart of the listener.
8. Why does Shelley call the skylark a spirit, not a bird?
   Ans: Shelley calls the skylark a spirit, not a bird, because it rises so high in the sky that it becomes invisible to the poet. Besides, the song of the bird is so thrilling to the poet that it seems to him that the bird is a bodiless spirit of joy.
9. What is meant by ‘unbodied joy’?
   Ans: It means a bodiless spirit of joy, a happy spirit or soul that has shaken off its mortal body.
10. Why is the skylark compared to ‘an unbodied joy’?
    Ans: ‘An unbodied joy’ means a happy soul that has shaken off its mortal body. The skylark is compared to ‘an unbodied joy’ because like ‘an unbodied joy’, it is a happy soul that soars towards heaven leaving the earth.
11. Why is the skylark compared to a star of Heaven in broad daylight?
    Ans: A star in the sky is invisible during daytime. Similarly, the skylark becomes invisible as it flies higher and higher. So the skylark is compared to a star in the sky in broad daylight.
12. Why is the skylark’s song compared to moonlight?
    Ans: Just as the moon fills the whole earth as well as the sky with its soft light, the skylark fills the earth and the sky with its song. So the skylark’s song is compared to moonlight.
13. What is meant by ‘a poet hidden’?
    Ans: A poet is hidden because his world is a secret world of thoughts and fancies, which is hidden from men. His message to mankind is so new that people cannot understand it.
14. Why is the skylark compared to a poet hidden?
    Ans: The poet’s message is so obscure that people cannot easily understand it. But he goes on singing (writing) till the world is moved to sympathy with his hopes and fears. Similarly, the skylark keeps singing till we are moved to admiration for its song.
15. What, according to Shelley, is the function of a poet?
    Ans: According to Shelley, the poet’s function is to regenerate the human society. He has the mission to communicate his message to the world.
16. What, according to Shelley, is the function of poetry?
    Ans: According to Shelley, poetry lifts the veil from the hidden beauty of the world. It has the power to chasten and refine the emotions of men.
17. What is meant by ‘love-laden soul’?
    Ans: It means a heart full of the pangs of love.
18. Why does the love-lorn maiden sing?
    Ans: She sings to soothe her love-afflicted soul by giving an outlet to the intensity of her passion of love.
19. Why is the skylark’s song compared to the love-laden maiden’s song?
    Ans: As the maiden is confined in a tower, she is not visible but her song is heard by people outside. Similarly, as the skylark soars higher and higher, it is not visible, but its song is audible to us.
20. How is the skylark likened to a glow-worm?
    Ans: A glow-worm remains hidden by the grass and leaves of plants, but its presence is recognized by the light it scatters around itself. In the same way, the skylark remains invisible in the aerial regions above, but its presence is felt by the sweet music that comes from it.
21. Why does Shelley call Skylark scorner of the ground?
    Ans: Shelley calls Skylark scorner of the ground because it flies in the higher region felling contempt for the earth and mundane life.