5th poem class 10 Weather By Thomas Hardy

 Weather

By Thomas Hardy

This is the weather the cuckoo likes,
And so do I;
When showers betumble the chestnut spikes,
And nestlings fly;
And the little brown nightingale bills his best,
And they sit outside at 'The Traveller's Rest,'
And maids come forth sprig-muslin drest,
And citizens dream of the south and west,
And so do I.

II.

This is the weather the shepherd shuns,
And so do I;
When beeches drip in browns and duns,
And thresh and ply;
And hill-hid tides throb, throe on throe,
And meadow rivulets overflow,
And drops on gate bars hang in a row,
And rooks in families homeward go,
And so do I.

About the Poet: Thomas Hardy (1840–1928)

Thomas Hardy was an English novelist and poet, widely known for his deep connection with rural life and nature. Born in Dorset, England, he grew up in a countryside setting, which strongly influenced his writing.

Summary of Weather by Thomas Hardy

The poem contrasts two kinds of weather and the speaker’s feelings about them.

In the first stanza, the poet describes bright spring weather, which both the cuckoo and he enjoy. Showers fall on the chestnut trees, baby birds leave their nests, and the nightingale sings its sweetest songs. People sit outside an inn called The Traveller’s Rest, young women appear in light muslin dresses, and townsfolk dream of traveling to the south and west. All these pleasant sights and sounds give the speaker joy, and he declares that he also likes this weather.

In the second stanza, Hardy presents gloomy autumn weather, which the shepherd avoids, and the speaker also dislikes. The beech trees drip with dull brown rain, winds beat and shake the land, hidden seas surge powerfully, streams flood the meadows, raindrops hang on gate bars, and rooks (crows) fly home in groups. The scene is dreary and unwelcoming, so the poet, like the shepherd, shuns this weather.

 Find the synonyms

Stanza I

cuckoo → a bird known for its spring call (कोइली)

showers → rainfalls, drizzles

betumble → fall upon, cover, scatter over

chestnut spikes → flower clusters of chestnut trees

nestlings → young birds, chicks

nightingale → a small bird famous for its sweet song

bills → sings, calls

Traveller’s Rest → an inn or resting place

maids → young women, girls

sprig-muslin drest → dressed in light cotton clothes with floral patterns

citizens → townspeople, city dwellers

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Stanza II

shepherd → one who takes care of sheep

shuns → avoids, dislikes

beeches → large forest trees (with smooth bark)

drip → drop, trickle, leak

browns and duns → dull colors (brown, grayish-brown)

thresh and ply → beat, strike continuously

hill-hid tides → waves of the sea hidden behind hills

throb → pulsate, beat, surge

throe on throe → wave after wave, repeated force or pain

meadow → grass field, pasture

rivulets → small streams, brooks

overflow → flood, spill over

gate bars → wooden or metal bars of a gate

rooks → large black birds of the crow family

homeward → towards home

 

A. Find the words from the poem that are similar in meaning to the following words/phrases.

a. a brief and usually light fall of rain-showers

b. sings - bills

c. young women - maids

d. to tumble about; throw into disorder - betumble

e. baby birds - nestlings

f. dislikes - shuns

g. a dull greyish -brown color - duns

h. beat or sound with a strong, regular rhythm - throb

i. small rivers; streams - rivulets

B. Answer these questions.

a. What do the nestlings do in the spring?
 In the spring, the nestlings fly from their nests.

b. What does the nightingale do?
 The nightingale sings its sweetest songs.

c. How do the girls come out in spring?
The girls come out wearing sprig-muslin dresses.

d. What plan do people make?
People plan to travel to the south and west.

e. What happens to beeches in winter?
 In winter, beeches drip with brown and dull-colored leaves.

f. Where do rooks go? Why do they migrate?

Rooks go to their nests or rookeries. They might migrate for various reasons, including breeding, access to food, social bonding, and seeking suitable environmental conditions that support their survival and reproductive success.

g. Does the poet enjoy the winter or the spring? Why?

The poet enjoys the spring weather. The repetition of the phrase "And so do I" suggests that the poet shares the same preference for the weather as the cuckoo, nestlings, nightingale, maids, and citizens who dream of the south and west.