9 Lower English: the appreciations for poems in the "My English Coursebook"

Get a complete guide to writing poem appreciations for the Class 9 English 'My English Book' of the Maharashtra State Board. Find easy-to-understand explanations, formats, and examples to score full marks in your board exams.

This blog provides a clear and easy-to-understand guide to writing poem appreciations for all the poems in the textbook. 

Std 9th Lower English poems 

Std 9th Lower English poem 1.1 "Walk a little slower ...".

Title: The title of the poem is "Walk a little slower ...".

Poet: The poet is unknown.

Rhyme Scheme: The rhyme scheme of each stanza is ABCB.

Figures of Speech:

• Metaphor: The line "I'm following in your footsteps" is a metaphor. Here, 'footsteps' refers to the parents' path and actions in life, not just physical steps.
• Apostrophe: The poem is a direct address from a child to their father, as seen in the line, 'Walk a little slower, Daddy.' 

Theme/Central Idea: The central idea is that parents are role models for their children. Children watch and follow what their parents do, so parents should set a good example.

Why I like the poem: I like this poem because it expresses a beautiful thought in a very simple and sweet way. It perfectly captures the innocent perspective of a child looking up to their parent.

Std 9th Lower English poem 1.3 "'Hope' is the thing with feathers—"

Title: The title of the poem is "'Hope' is the thing with feathers –".

Poet: The poem is by the famous American poet, Emily Dickinson.

Rhyme Scheme: The rhyme scheme is mostly ABCB.

• Metaphor: The entire poem is an extended metaphor where the abstract feeling of 'hope' is compared to a little bird that lives in the soul.
• Personification: Hope, in the form of a bird, is given the human ability to sing ("And sings the tune without the words").

Theme/Central Idea: Hope is a powerful feeling that stays inside us and gives us strength, especially during difficult times. It never asks for anything in return.

Why I like the poem: I love the beautiful and creative way the poet describes hope. The image of hope as a singing bird that never gives up is very comforting and inspiring.

Std 9th Lower English poem 2.1 "Comparisons"

Title: The title of the poem is "Comparisons".

Poet: The poet is Anonymous.

Rhyme Scheme: The poem is made of rhyming couplets and has an AABB rhyme scheme.

Figures of Speech:

• Simile: The whole poem is a collection of similes, using the word 'as' to compare different things (e.g., "Fast as a spaceship", "slow as a snail").
• Antithesis: The poem is structured around opposite ideas placed together, such as fast/slow, big/small, and fierce/gentle.

Theme/Central Idea: The world is full of different and opposite qualities. We can understand things better by comparing them to something else.

Why I like the poem: This is a fun and simple poem that I enjoy. It's a playful way to learn about adjectives and how to compare things, and its rhythm makes it easy to remember.

Std 9th Lower English poem 2.4 "Please Listen !"

Title: The title of the poem is "Please Listen!"

Poet: The poet is unknown.

Rhyme Scheme: The poem is written in free verse, so it does not have a rhyme scheme. This makes it sound like a direct and honest conversation.

Figures of Speech:

• Repetition: The phrase "When I ask you to listen to me" is repeated to emphasise the poem's central message.
• Metaphor: The line "you are trampling on my feelings" is a metaphor, comparing the act of ignoring someone's feelings to physically hurting them.

Theme/Central Idea: The main idea is that being a good listener is very important. Sometimes, people just want someone to listen to them patiently, without giving advice or judging them.

Why I like the poem: I like this poem because it teaches a very important life lesson. It helps us understand how to be more supportive and caring towards our friends and family by just listening.

Std 9th Lower English poem 3.1 "Coromandel Fishers"

Title: The title of the poem is "Coromandel Fishers".

Poet: The poem is by Sarojini Naidu.

Rhyme Scheme: The rhyme scheme of the poem is AABB.

Figures of Speech:

• Simile: The wind is compared to a child in the line, "The wind lies asleep in the arms of the dawn like a child that has cried all night."
• Metaphor: The sea is called "our mother," the cloud is "our brother," and the waves are "our comrades," showing the fishermen's deep connection to nature.

Theme/Central Idea: The poem is a call for the fishermen to wake up and start their work at sea. It describes the beauty of nature and the brave and adventurous life of the fishing community.

Why I like the poem: I like this poem for its energetic rhythm and vivid imagery. It makes me appreciate the hard work and courage of the fishermen and their special relationship with the sea.

Std 9th Lower English poem 3.3 "To a Butterfly"

Title: The title of the poem is "To a Butterfly".

Poet: The poem is by the famous nature poet, William Wordsworth.

Rhyme Scheme: The rhyme scheme is irregular, but it contains many rhyming couplets (AABB).

Figures of Speech:

• Apostrophe: The poet speaks directly to the butterfly as if it were a person: "STAY near me -do not take thy flight!".
• Metaphor: The butterfly is called a "Historian of my infancy!", meaning it is a living record or reminder of his childhood.

Theme/Central Idea: Simple things in nature, like a butterfly, can bring back sweet and happy memories of our childhood.

Why I like the poem: This is a very sweet and touching poem. I like how it shows that a small, beautiful creature can hold so many feelings and memories for a person.

Std 9th Lower English poem 4.1 "What is Success ?".

Title: The title of the poem is "What is Success ?".

Poet: The poem is by Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Rhyme Scheme: The poem is written in free verse, so it has no rhyme scheme.

Figures of Speech:

• Repetition: The poem uses the structure "To..." many times to list the different aspects of a successful life.
• Rhetorical Question: The poem starts with the question "What is success?" and then goes on to answer it.

Theme/Central Idea: True success is not about wealth or fame. It is about living a happy and honest life, being kind, appreciating beauty, and making a positive difference in the world.

Why I like the poem: I like this poem because it gives a very inspiring and true meaning of success. It makes me think about what is really important in life beyond material things.

Std 9th Lower English poem 4.3"Silver".

Title: The title of the poem is "Silver".

Poet: The poem is by Walter de la Mare.

Rhyme Scheme: The poem is written in rhyming couplets (AABB).

Figures of Speech:

• Personification: The moon is described as a person with human actions: "Slowly, silently, now the moon / Walks the night in her silver shoon".
• Repetition: The word "silver" is repeated throughout the poem to create a magical mood and a strong visual image.

Theme/Central Idea: The poem describes how the moonlight transforms a normal night-time scene into something magical and beautiful, making everything appear to be made of silver.

Why I like the poem: I love this poem for the beautiful and peaceful picture it creates. The consta

nt use of the word 'silver' makes the entire scene feel very calm and dreamlike.