The poem “There is Another Sky” written by Emily Dickinson conveys a message of hope and positivity. The speaker describes a metaphorical place of beauty and serenity, contrasting it with the hardships of the world. They invite someone, addressed as “my brother,” to share in the tranquility and beauty of this other world, where nature is evergreen and free from frost. The poem encourages focusing on the brighter aspects of life, even in the face of challenges, and offers a sense of optimism and comfort.

Icebreaking Activities on There is Another Sky

(i) Life is an amalgam of happy and sad moments. Think of such moments in your life, pair with your classmate and share both the aspects of life.

(ii) Discuss with your partner and find proverbs, idioms or phrases of similar meaning to the one given and fill them in the stars given below:

Here are some proverbs that convey hope and optimism:

1. “Every cloud has a silver lining.”
2. “Hope springs eternal.”
3. “There’s light at the end of the tunnel.”
4. “Where there’s life, there’s hope.”
5. “Tomorrow is a new day.”
6. “The darkest hour has only sixty minutes.”
7. “After the rain comes the sunshine.”
8. “Keep your chin up.”
9. “Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.”
10. “A positive attitude can turn a storm into a sprinkle.”

These proverbs emphasize the idea that hope and optimism can lead to positive outcomes, even in challenging circumstances.

(i) When we look at the sky, we find several objects. They stand for something or the other. Complete the following table by finding the significance of the given objects. One example is given to you.

(ii) Colours mentioned in the hexagons given below, are associated with something or the other. Discuss with your partner and fill in the blanks.

Brainstorming

There is another sky,
Ever serene and fair,
And there is another sunshine,
Though it be darkness there;
Never mind faded forests, 
Austin,Never mind silent fields—
Here is a little forest,
Whose leaf is ever green;
Here is a brighter garden,
Where not a frost has been;
In its unfading flowers
I hear the bright bee hum:
Prithee, my brother,
Into my garden come!


-Emily Dickinson

(A1) (i) Imagine your younger sister is not paying attention to her studies and is seen wasting time playing games on her cell-phone. Suggest some ways that will help her to concentrate on her studies and overcome her bad habit.
Ans : Hey, Amruta, you are not paying attention to your study . It’s a bad habit to play games on cellphone. You should keep in mind that it makes one lazy for everything and busy for nothing. You should be crazy for books. Work hard to be Lord.
(ii) You have noticed that many of your classmates are not interested in outdoor games or participating in co-curricular activities. Discuss some ways in which they will be encouraged to participate in activities.
Ans: The College should organise outdoor games. Participation in at least two activities should be made compulsory. Winners should get reward and certificate. The certificate should have weightage in the exam.

Poetic Creativity

(iii) Let’s compose a poem. Two lines are given. Add two of your own.

There is another sky,
Ever serene and fair
Get up and fly
Wait not , ride on mare

(A2) (i) Discuss with your partner and complete the web, highlighting the sad and gloomy aspects of life mentioned in the first part of the poem.

(ii) The poet encourages her brother in the second part of the poem by telling him about the brighter side of life. Discuss with your partner and make a list of the expressions in the poem that mean encouragement.
(a) Brighter garden
(b) unfading flower
(c) bright bee hum
(iii) The poet has described two different shades of human feelings by using imagery of various forces of Nature in the poem. Pick out the terms or phrases that describe them. Complete the table given below. One is done for you.

(A3) ‘Never mind faded forests, Austin’. The word ‘faded’ means to become dim or faint. The word describes the forests that have become faint or dim in appearance. Now go through the poem again and complete the table.

Poetic Devices

(A4) ‘I hear the bright bee hum.’ The poet has used the word ‘hum’ that indicates the sound made by the bee. This is an example of Onomatopoeia. The poet has used different figures of speech like alliteration, inversion and hyperbole in the poem. Identify them and pick out the lines accordingly.
(a) Hyperbole – In its unfading flowers
(b) Alliteration – bright bee, faded forest
(c) Inversion – into my garden come
(A5) Imagine your friend is a table tennis champion who has won the semi-final in the inter-collegiate championship. Due to over confidence, she neither practices nor does she take her opponent seriously. This may result in her losing the final. Suggest some ways to make her aware of the importance of hard work and regular practice.

Activity Questions based on the poem

1. Complete the statement.

a) The speaker describes “another sky” as ……

b) The speaker refers to ……………as a “little forest” in the poem.

Ans : The speaker describes “another sky” as a place or state of being that is serene and beautiful.

The speaker refers to a place which is evergreen as a “little forest” in the poem.

2. Explain “There is another sunshine, though it be darkness there”.

Ans : The speaker means that even in a place or situation that might seem dark or challenging, there is a different kind of brightness or positivity that can be found.

3. Explain how the speaker encourages someone with the lines “Never mind faded forests, Austin, never mind silent fields”.

Ans: The speaker encourages someone, presumably named Austin, to not dwell on or be discouraged by the fading forests and silent fields, suggesting there’s something better to focus on.

4. Write the significance of about the line “Here is a brighter garden, where not a frost has been”.

Ans: The line “Here is a brighter garden, where not a frost has been” emphasizes the idea that this other garden is free from cold and hardship, highlighting its beauty and purity.

5. Pick out sensory imagery used in the poem to describe the garden.

Ans: The poem uses sensory imagery such as the evergreen leaves in the little forest and the sound of the bright bee humming in the unfading flowers.

6. Write the message of the poem. Or State the emotions or feelings the poem conveys.

Ans: The poem conveys a sense of optimism, beauty, and the idea that even in difficult times, there is a place of serenity and joy that can be found.

Poetic Appreciation

(A6) (i) Use the following points and write an appreciation of the poem:
• About the poem, poet and title
• Theme
• Poetic style, language, poetic devices used in the poem
• Special features
• Message/values/morals in the poem
• Your opinion about the poem

The poem ‘There is Another Sky’ written by Emily Dickinson is an inspirational poem with a message of ‘never say-die’. It is a Petrarchan sonnet with octave and sestet. The poet is communicating to her brother through a letter. She encourages her brother not to get depressed under any circumstances and pleads with him to return home. Life is full of challenges; one can tackle the challenges with a positive attitude. The poem ends on an optimistic note. The brighter garden stands for choices that life offers to all.The poem is full of nature imagery. The poem expresses feelings of serenity through them. The poet has deployed various poetic devices in the poem. They are hyperbole, alliteration, inversion, metaphor and onomatopoeia.

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Ice breakers On The Sower

Make a list of words related to agriculture.
Farm, crop, sowing, plough, cultivate, yield, seeds, grains, spade, scythe, sprout, pod, spray,
ii) Discuss the activities carried out by a farmer.

Ploughing    furrowing    sowing  cultivating 

iii) In our country engineering, teaching and medical field are much sought after. Other professions, occupations though they make a significant contribution to the society, do not get their due.

iv) ‘Agriculture is the backbone of the Indian Economy’ Fill in the boxes supporting this statement. Complete the web diagram.

Brainstorming on The Sower

(A1) There are a number of challenges a farmer in India faces. Discuss with your friend, how it is possible to improve the condition of farmers.

(A2) The poet has observed the sower closely. Express in your words the reverence the poet has for the sower.
Ans: The poet has great respect for the sower. The sower is described as hardworking and a man of patience. He is dominant.
(A3) The poet is prompted to call the sower an ‘august personality’ which means one who reached the highest position in his work place.
Explain this using the following points.
Hard work          Perseverance              Dedication
The sower is working hard. Though the working hours came to an end, he lingers in his work place. He sows the seeds and waits for the crop all the season. He works day and night to grow his crops.
(A4)I)  Pick out the examples of alliteration from the poem and write them down.
Ans: 1.  Sunlight, I see, dying fast – The consonantal sound ‘s’ is repeated pleasingly.
         2. Darkness deepens. -The consonantal sound ‘d’ is repeated pleasingly.
II) ‘Seems to touch the starry skies’. The poet has used word imagery. Describe
the idea and pick out other similar examples from the poem.
Ans:  The poet has created a mental picture of a farmer touching the sky filled with  stars .
Similar examples of word imagery are as follows: 1.Twilight hastens on to rule
     2. Marches he along the plain.

Appreciation

(A5) (i) Write an appreciation of the poem considering the following points:
 • About the poem/poet/title.
 • Theme
 • Poetic devices, language, style
 • Special features/ novelties/focusing elements
 • Values, message
 • Your opinion about the poem
The poem The Sower is translation of Victor Hugo’s French poem by Torulata Datta. Torulata Datta is a bengali poetess. She is considered as the first Indian poetess to write verses in English and French. She died at the age of 21 writing many beautiful poems and a novel.

The poem ‘The Sower’ is about an old farmer. He is working in his farm tirelessly. The speaker in the poem observes the farmer. The title of the poem refers to the farmer. He is sowing seeds in the farm.

The central theme of the poem is hard work and devotion towards work. Despite the working hours are over, the farmer is working. The darkness doesn’t matter for him. He has seen many bad harvest in his life. But he is hopeful of getting more yield this time. He scatters the seeds and hopes to get growing.

The poetess has used many effective poetic devices such as inversion(Marches he…
), alliteration (Darkness deepens), personification (Shadows run) and hyperbole (his height seems to touch the starry skies.) Nature imagery used by the poet creates the mental picture before the readers’ eyes. Alternative rhyme scheme (first line rhyming with third and the second with the fourth line.) has been used in each stanza of four lines.

Farming is as important as any other profession. Devotion, patience and hard work are necessary in human life. With these qualities one can touch the sky.

Summary of ‘The Sower’

“Sower” is a poem by Victor Hugo that celebrates the hard work and dedication of a farmer sowing seeds in a field. The poem vividly describes the sower’s actions as he scatters the seeds, emphasizing the importance of this labor in ensuring future harvests. Hugo’s poem is a tribute to the resilience and optimism of those who toil in the fields, drawing a connection between the sower’s actions and the cycle of life and rebirth in nature. It conveys themes of hope, renewal, and the enduring human spirit in the face of challenges. The poem vividly portrays the sower’s actions as he spreads the seeds, underscoring the significance of this labor in ensuring future harvests. Hugo’s poem pays homage to the determination and positivity of those who work in the fields, establishing a link between the sower’s activities and the natural cycle of life and regeneration. It communicates ideas of optimism, renewal, and the enduring human spirit in the midst of difficulties.

Activity sheet on The Sower

A1. Complete the web chart about poet’s observation.

A2. “Soon shall come a time to reap”. Name and explain the figure of speech and find one another of similar type.
Ans: Inversion : The line is not in a correct prose order. Correct order – A time shall come soon to reap.
        Other examples of inversion :1. Marches he along the plain 2. Now to sow the task is set.

A3 Pick out the line that shows evening time.
Ans: The following lines indicate evening time
         1. Sunlight, I see, dying fast
         2. Twilight hastens on to rule
         3. Shadows run across the lands
A4. Compose a poem on farmer in 4 line in continuation to the following
         Waiting for the rain
         To grow the grain.
        Eager to take world’s care.
        Does he get his fare?
        Sometimes rain makes him.
       Sometimes it takes him. 

Images and symbols

In the poem “Sower” by Victor Hugo, there are several images and symbols used:

1. The Sower: The sower in the poem is a central symbol. The sower represents the hardworking laborer, often a farmer, who toils to plant seeds. This figure symbolizes diligence, hope, and the human role in nurturing and sustaining life.

2. Seeds: The seeds that the sower scatters represent potential and new beginnings. They symbolize the effort and investment required for a bountiful harvest, and they carry the promise of the future.

3. The Field: The field in which the sower works is a symbol of the natural world and the environment in which life takes root. It represents the cycle of life and the earth’s capacity to nurture and sustain life.

4. The Act of Sowing: The act of sowing, with its rhythmic and deliberate motions, symbolizes the process of creation and renewal. It underscores the importance of human effort in bringing about growth and abundance.

5. Nature: The poem draws on the broader theme of nature, with its references to the sun, sky, and earth. Nature symbolizes the eternal cycle of life, growth, and rebirth.

These symbols collectively convey themes of hard work, hope, renewal, and the interconnectedness of humanity with the natural world. The poem celebrates the significance of human labor and the role it plays in sustaining life and ensuring a future harvest.

Cherry Tree