(a) What does the Earth teach us? (b) What does the poet mean to achieve by counting upto twelve?

Question

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:

“Perhaps the Earth can teach us

As when everything seems ****

And later proves to be alive

Now I will count upto twelve

And you keep quiet and I will go.”

(a) What does the Earth teach us?

(b) What does the poet mean to achieve by counting upto twelve?

(c) What is the significance of “keeping quiet”?

Answer 1

(a) The earth teaches us how new life springs from *** and how there is life under apparent stillness.

(b) The poet wants to achieve peace by counting upto twelve. He wants us to introspect in a moment of silence.

(c) Keeping quiet doesn’t mean being idle. It means that we should avoid all such activities, which are hurting the nature and, in turn, us.