BRAINSTORMING of the poem Money by William H. Davies

Here you will find icebreakers, brainstorming, paraphrase, activity sets and Money poem appreciation along with poetic devices and poetic creativity from Money by William H. Davies.

Summary

“Money” by William Henry Davies is a poem that explores the complex relationship between wealth and happiness. The speaker reflects on the ways in which money can influence people’s lives, noting that while it can bring comfort and ease, it can also lead to greed, envy, and moral corruption.The poem begins by acknowledging the practical benefits of money, such as the ability to buy food, shelter, and other necessities. However, it quickly transitions to a more critical perspective, highlighting the negative consequences of a relentless pursuit of wealth. The speaker observes how money can consume people’s thoughts and desires, causing them to lose sight of what truly matters in life.Ultimately, “Money” serves as a cautionary tale about the pitfalls of materialism and the importance of finding fulfillment and contentment beyond monetary wealth. It encourages readers to prioritize relationships, values, and personal growth over the accumulation of riches, suggesting that true happiness lies in the richness of experience and the simplicity of a life well-lived.

The Poem Money Poem

(A1) (i) ‘Money does not mean everything in life’. Discuss with your partner and justify the statement by giving examples. Take help of the following points.

(a) Money cannot give you eternal happiness.

(b) Art, music and literature can give you unending happiness.

(c) Money is short-lived.

(d) Money cannot purchase happiness and contentment.

Ans : Money does not mean everything in life. Happiness cannot be bought with money. We will come across people who have all the riches but are not happy. Happiness we get with money is short-lived. Money does not bring us eternal happiness because happiness is a state of mind. Rag pickers sleep peacefully while landlords pass night sleeplessly.

 (A2) (i) State whether the following statements are True or False. Correct the False statements with the help of the poem.

(a) The poet knew no joy till he was rich. True

(b) The poet felt that he should talk about his poverty. True

(c) When poet had money, he had many true friends. False

Correct : When poet had money, he had many false friends.

(d) When poet became poor he had a few real friends. True

(ii) Write reasons for the following statements.

(a) Friends came knocking all day at the poet’s door because he had money. It is the inclination of the world to gather around the rich man.

(b) Poor men’s wives hum like bees because they suffer a lot due to poverty. They are attracted to richness.

(iii) Money makes the world go round. Explain it in the light of the poet’s experience. 

Thepoet had many friends when he had money. He could not get a time to enjoy life. He was always surrounded by false friend.

(iv) Poor men need not go up so much as rich men should come down. Express your views regarding this statement.

Ans : It is difficult for poor men to become rich. It is like a mountain top to climb. The rich came down to poverty level fast like a stone dropped from the mountain top.

(A3) (i) Find out meanings of the phrases given below and use them in your own sentences.

(a) be in the money – have or win a lot of money

(b) win lots of money – to earn money easily 

(c) for my money – in my opinion            

(d) money for old rope – reward for no effort

(e) put one’s money where one’s mouth is – take action to support one’s statements or options

(ii) Complete the crossword with the help of the clues from the poem.

Across                                                                                                                                  Down

(1) A brass musical instrument                                                                                         (5) Not imaginary

(2) A low steady continuous sound                                                                                  (6) Ponder

(3) False                                                                                                                       (7) Stinging insects

(4) Say Something                                                                                                         (8) In large number

                                                                                                                                     (9) Strike a surface noisily

Poetic Devices – Figures of Speech

(A4) (i) Complete the following table. Money poem poetic devices i.e. figures of speech

 (ii) Identify the rhyme scheme of all the stanzas of the poem Money

Abcb

Activity Sheet on Money Poem

Q.3 (A) Read the given extract from the poem Money and complete the activities given below: (10) 

When I had money, money,
 O! I knew no joy till I went poor; 
For many a false man as a friend 
Came knocking all day at my door. 
Then felt I like a child that holds
  A trumpet that he must not blow
  Because a man is dead; I dared 
Not speak to let this false world know. 
Much have I thought of life, and seen
  How poor men's hearts are ever light;
 And how their wives do hum like bees
  About their work from morn till night.
 So, when I hear these poor ones laugh,
 And see the rich ones coldly frown
  Poor men, think I, need not go up
  So much as rich men should come down. When I had money, money,
 O! My many friends proved all untrue;
 But now I have no money,
 O! My friends are real, though very few.

Set A :The Poem Money

A1 Complete the web (02)

A2 Complete the sentences. (02)

 1) The poet wanted to become poor because ……… 

2) The poet doesn’t want to speak to this fake world……………….…… 

A3 ‘Can we live without money’ write your view’s about this statement. (02) 

A4 Complete the following table. (02) .

A5 Compose four lines on ‘friendship’.

 Set B : Activity on Money Poem

Q. 1 A Read the extract from the Poem Money and do all the activities given below.

A1 Match the pairs.

A2. The poet found real happiness when he had no money. Elaborate.

A3. Give your opinion about ‘ Happiness can’t be bought with money.’

A4. ‘ Much have I thought of life.’ Name the figures of speech and find another similar example.

A5. Convert the following sentences into poetic lines.

1. I was a poor man.

2. Because I had no work.

Answers Set A The Poem Money

A1 Complete the web

A2 Ans 1) The poet wanted to become poor because he is fed up with false friends.

2) The poet doesn’t want to speak to this fake world because he is bound to behave according to their wishes.

A3. Ans: Though money is not everything in life, we need money to meet with basic needs. These basic needs are ever increasing. Along with food, shelter and clothing, education and health also are our basic needs. We need money to buy these.

A4 .

A5 

                            Friendship 

Friends are breeze in summer 

Friends are cheese in hunger.

Answers Set  B : The Poem Money

.

A2. When the poet had money many false friends gathered around him. He could not enjoy the real happiness and joy. The importance of money was realised when he lost the money. But that was real happiness for him because he had true friends around him.

A3. It is rightly said that happiness can’t be bought with money. Happiness is a state of mind. It is achieved with contentment. With money one can buy mattress but not rest.

A4. Inversion: The line is not in a prose order. The correct order is – I have thought much of life.

Another example of inversion – Then felt I like a child that holds.

A5. A poor man was I

Because no work had I. Money Poem Appreciation

Money Poem Appreciation

The poem Money is written by William H. Davies, a Welsh poet. After several years of a wandering life, he published his volume of poems. The poem ‘Money’ tells us about the rich man who wants to be a poor man to find real happiness. It is when we do not have money or have lost our money, we realize how important the money is. When the poet has money, he has lot of friends. Naturally the friends were for money. As the money is the cause of people coming now and then. They can not be considered as real friends. The poor men always keeps smiling whereas the rich frowns all the time. He wishes to be poor.

There are five stanzas of four lines each. The poet has maintained the particular rhyming pattern in the first four stanzas. The second line rhymes with the fourth line. He has made use of repetition skillfully. Poetic devices like inversion, simile, onomatopoeia and antithesis made the poem effective. The poem is closely associated with the modern world. The underlying message in the poem is money cannot give you eternal happiness.

Song Of The Open Road

Brainstorming for the Poem Money



1. Themes

Materialism vs. Happiness – The poem contrasts wealth and poverty, suggesting that money does not guarantee happiness.

Perspective on Wealth – The rich take money for granted, while the poor value even small amounts.

Freedom and Simplicity – The speaker finds more peace in a simple life than in the burden of wealth.

Regret and Realization – The poet reflects on how his perspective on money has changed over time.


2. Speaker’s Experience with Money

Starts as a wealthy person who enjoys spending freely.

Loses his wealth and experiences poverty.

Realizes that true happiness and freedom come when he has less money.

🌟 प्रिय विद्यार्थी मित्रांनो,

यश त्यांनाच मिळते जे सातत्याने मेहनत घेतात आणि जिज्ञासू राहतात. 📖✨ प्रत्येक अध्ययन सत्र महत्त्वाचे आहे, त्यामुळे एकाग्र राहा, नवीन गोष्टी शिका आणि तुमचे ज्ञान वाढवा. आजच्या अभ्यासाच्या नियोजनानुसार दिलेल्या प्रत्येक विषयावर लक्ष केंद्रित करा आणि दिलेल्या लिंकचा उपयोग करून अभ्यास वाढवा.

“ज्ञानात केलेली गुंतवणूक सर्वात मोठा परतावा देते.” – बेंजामिन फ्रँकलिन

चला, अभ्यास सुरू करूया! 🚀


📚 Study Plan for Std. 12 – English
🗓 Wednesday, 6 February 2025

“The future belongs to those who prepare for it today.” – Malcolm X


—

📖 *Poetry Section*

💰 *Money* – Does money bring true happiness?
👉 https://englishforme.in/money-poem-appreciation/2022/

⏳ *Have You Earned Your Tomorrow* – A thought-provoking poem on kindness and self-reflection.
👉 https://englishforme.in/have-you-earned-your-tomorrow/2022/


—

📚 *Prose Section*

👗 👗 The New Dress* – A deep dive into insecurities and social anxiety.
👉 https://englishforme.in/the-new-dress-summary/2022/

🌍 *Why We Travel – Travel* opens the mind and enriches the soul.
👉 https://englishforme.in/activities-on-why-we-travel/2023/


—

✍ *Grammar Section*

📊 *Degrees of Comparison* – Learn how to compare and contrast effectively.
👉 https://englishforme.in/degrees-of-comparison/2022/

🔄 *Active & Passive Voice* – Understand how sentence structure impacts meaning.
👉 https://englishforme.in/active-voice-and-passive-voice/2022/


—

📝 *Communication Skills*

🎯 *Statement of Purpose* (SOP) – Craft a compelling SOP for your future aspirations.
👉 https://englishforme.in/statement-of-purpose-sop/2023/

📖 *Summary Writing* – Master the art of writing clear and concise summaries.
👉 https://englishforme.in/summary-writing/2022/


—

💡 *Mind Mapping*

🧠 Mind Mapping – A powerful technique for organizing and recalling information.
👉 https://englishforme.in/mind-mapping/2022/


—

📚 *Novel Section – The Sign of Four*

🔎 Revisit the novel. List the characters. Observe their actions and dialogues.
👉 https://englishforme.in/the-sign-of-four/2022/

📌 “Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary.” – Jim Rohn

Prafulla Mahure
Vice Principal
Mahatma Gandhi Jr. College, Gadchandur