SECTION TWO

TITLE / TYPE
LANGUAGE STUDY / WRITING SKILLS EXTENSION VALUES/
NO OF THE
POETIC DEVICES FUNCTIONAL/ CREATIVE ACTIVITIES LIFE SKILLS
TOPIC
2.1 Song of the Metaphor, Paradox, Appreciation, Composing lines/ Reading a poem as a Freedom, democratic
Open Road Free Verse, Repetition poem. Write a blog, form. Make a list of values, overcoming
Expansion of an idea proverbs and quotations obstacles, open-
on ‘Road’. heartedness

2.2 Indian Weavers Metaphor, Simile, Rhyme Scheme Appreciation, Composing lines, Information regarding Accepting life with its
Appeal, Report writing looms and weaving, career joys and sorrows,
opportunities in Small dignity of labour
Scale Industries
2.3 The Inchcape Rhyme Scheme, Expansion of an idea, Career opportunities in Benevolence, good
Rock Alliteration Appreciation Navy triumphs over evil,

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poetic justice
2.4 Have you Alliteration, Interrogation, Appreciation. Draft/Design a Information regarding Moral and ethical
Earned your Onomatopoeia Mind Map, Conduct an interview, NGOs virtues, goodness,
Tomorrow Compose a poem optimism
2.5 Father Simile, Alliteration, Counterview, Dialogues for Group Reading poems as a form, Family values, love
Returning Home Onomatopoeia Discussion Career opportunities to and concern, filial
cater the needs of senior responsibilities
citizens
2.6 Money Inversion, Simile, Repetition, Appreciation, Compose a poem. Reading poems as a form, Happiness, fulfilment,
Onomatopoeia, Antithesis, Rhyme Expansion of an idea Career opportunities in futility of materialism
Scheme Economics
2.7 She Walks in Imagery, Simile, Metaphor, Appreciation, Compose a poem, Reading poems as a form, Inner beauty, platonic
Beauty Alliteration, Personification, Expansion of an idea Collection, of poems of love, sensitivity
Antithesis famous poets
2.8 Small Towns Metaphor, Antithesis Debate, Compose lines, Information collection, Eternity and divinity,
and Rivers Appreciation, Dialogue Reading poems as a form concern for environment
 SECT ION T WO

2.1 Song of the Open Road

ICE BREAKERS

Choose the mode of travel that you would like the most for a journey.

(a) Airways (b) Waterways (c) Railways (d) Roadways

Give reasons for your preference.
(a)
(b)
(c)
 Discuss with your partner, the preparations you would like to make for the
journey chosen.
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)

Discuss the ways in which you would overcome the problems/ hindrances/
difficulties you face during your journey.
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
 During every journey we have to observe certain rules. Discuss your ideas of
the journey without any restrictions. You can begin like this-
(a) I would go alone / with selected friends/ .............
(b)
(c)
(d)

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 Walt Whitman (1819 to 1892) was an American poet, essayist and
journalist. Whitman is among the most influential poets in the American
canon and is often called ‘The Father of Free Verse.’ He grew
up in Huntington in a family with difficult economic status. His
major work ‘Leaves of Grass’ was published in July 1855. His ‘O
Captain! My Captain!’, a poem written on the death of Abraham
Lincoln, is widely popular.
The section one of ‘Song of the Open Road’ from ‘Leaves of
Grass’, is a beautiful blend of self-awareness, free will and tenderness
of heart. It gives us poet’s realization that along the journey of life one
will face a test of wisdom which is not tested in any school or university. A
road is something everyone uses, whether rich or poor and it forces all levels of people to
associate with one another. The road signifies ‘mobility.’ One can take the road as a point
to start over towards something new. Whitman talks about the people and places. He argues
against staying in one place for too long, although the hospitality may be true.

Song of the Open Road

Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road,

Guess the meaning: Healthy, free, the world before me,

choose.
whimper : make a series
of low, weak, sad cries, Henceforth I ask not good-fortune, I myself am
especially with fear and
pain good-fortune,

querulous : complaining, Henceforth I whimper no more, postpone no more,

Done with indoor complaints, libraries, querulous

criticisms,

Strong and content I travel the open road.

The earth, that is sufficient,

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 I do not want the constellations any nearer,

I know they are very well where they are, constellations : in this
context (i) fate / destiny
I know they suffice for those who belong to them. (ii) influential groups of
people
(Still here I carry my old delicious burdens,

I carry them, men and women, I carry them with me

wherever I go,

I swear it is impossible for me to get rid of them,

I am fill’d with them, and I will fill them in return.)

-Walt Whitman

BRAINSTORMING

(A1) (i) Pick out the lines showing that the poet is prepared to enjoy every moment
of his journey.
(ii) By ‘old delicious burdens’ the poet means-
(a) the luggage
(b) the food he carries
(c) the stress he bears during the travels
(d) sweet memories of the past
(iii) The poet is a person who is free from all inhibitions. Discuss how the
concept of ‘freedom’ is expressed in the poem.

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(A2) (i) Following are the activities of the poet related to his journey on the road.
Divide them into two parts as ‘activities the poet will practise’ and
‘activities he will not practise’.
(a) Walking along the road though he does not know where it reaches
(b) Complaining about the discomforts during the journey
(c) Postponing the journey
(d) Praying for good fortune
(e) Carrying the fond memories of the good people
(f) Creating contacts with famous and influential people
(g) Striving to achieve high and bright success
(h) Reflecting and developing his own ‘self’
(ii) Write down the traits the poet exhibits through following lines. One is done
for you.
(a) Henceforth, I ask for no good fortune-I myself am good fortune :
Self-confidence
(b) Henceforth, I whimper no more, postpone no more, need nothing-
(c) I do not want the constellations any nearer-
(d) I swear it is impossible for me to get rid of them-
(e) I am filled with them – I will fill them in return-
(iii) ‘Healthy, free, the world before me’.
Express your views regarding the above line.
(A3) The poet has used many describing words such as ‘healthy’ in this poem.
Make a list and classify them as -
(a) For the world
(b) For himself
(c) For the road
(A4) (i) Read the expression ‘old delicious burdens.’ A burden cannot be delicious.
The poet has used this combination of words to express that he has many
sweet memories of the people and places which he would like to remember
forever. The poet has used seemingly contradictory expressions to convey
the meaning that his heart is full of sweet memories of good and kind
people. Though he wants to be free from any type of attachment, he wants
to cherish these sweet memories in his heart forever.

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 The expression contains opposite ideas that make it seem absurd or
unlikely, although it may be true. This is called ‘Paradox.’
(ii) The road in the poem does not mean only the road to travel. The poet
wants to suggest the road of life. Explain the metaphor with the help of
the poem.
(iii) Free Verse: Free Verse is a poetry that does not rhyme or have a regular
rhythm. The features of Free Verse are-
It is a literary device that is free from limitations of regular metre or
rhythm, does not rhyme with fixed forms, and still it provides an artistic
expression. In this way, the poet can give his own shape to a poem as he
desires and can use various poetic devices to create the effect he considers
suitable for the piece.
As Free Verse gives greater freedom for choosing words and conveying
their meanings to readers, it is free from artificiality of a typical poetic
expression. This technique is commonly used in modern poetry.
Remember -
(a) Although Free Verse requires no metre, rhyme or other traditional poetic
techniques, it is the use of internal pattern of sounds, the choice of exact
words and their chosen places are the factors which attribute the Free
Verse, its lyrical or rythmic beauty.
(b) Free Verse is completely different from ‘Blank Verse’ which essentially has
to occur in iambic pentameter. Blank verse is poetry written with regular
metrical but unrhymed lines. It is described as ‘the most common’ form
of English poetry which has been influential since the 16th century.
(iv) There are certain words that are repeated in the poem.
For example, ‘no more’ (Line 7).
Find out other similar expressions. Explain the effect they have created in
the poem.
(v) The use of personal pronoun ‘I’ is evident and prominent in this poem.
Give reasons.
(A5) (i) With the help of the following points, write a poetic appreciation of the
poem ‘Song of the Open Road’.
• About the poem / poet and the title
• The theme
• Poetic style

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 • The language/ poetic devices used in the poem
• Special features
• Message, values, morals in the poem
• Your opinion about the poem
(ii) Write four to six lines of Free Verse on the topic ‘The road that leads to
my college’. Express that it is the road to knowledge and bright future.
You may begin like this: Every day I tread with the bag of books …
(iii) Write a blog on the following topic.
(a) Man is free by birth.
(iv) Expand the ideas suggested in the following lines:
(a) All roads lead to Rome.
(b) A man without liberty is a body without a soul.
(A6) (i) Take help from the sources available on the internet and make a list of
proverbs and quotations about ‘road.’
(ii) Read the poem ‘The Road Not Taken’ by Robert Frost.
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