The Brook: by Alfred Lord Tennyson (CBSE CLASS IX)

1.    The Brook: by Alfred Lord Tennyson

Lines 1-12: I come from haunts of coot and herns……..to join the brimming river/For men may come and men may go,/But I go on for ever.”

I come from haunts of coot and hern, 
I make a sudden sally 
And sparkle out among the fern, 
To bicker down a valley. 

By thirty hills I hurry down, 
Or slip between the ridges, 
By twenty thorpes, a little town, 
And half a hundred bridges. 

Till last by Philip's farm I flow 
To join the brimming river, 
For men may come and men may go, 
But I go on for ever. 

Word-meanings: 1. Brook: A brook may be called a narrow stream of water that runs through the narrow passages between mountains and valleys 2. Haunts: The places which are frequently (again & again) visited by animals/birds/human beings 3. Coot: it is a black-coloured bird with white beak and it lives near water 4. Hern (heron): a large bird with a long neck and long legs: It also lives near water 5. Sally: here it means to leave a place in a determined and enthusiastic way 6. Sparkle out: shine brightly 7. Fern:  a plant with tender leave and without flowers 8. Bicker: here it means to make noise 9. Ridge: mountain ranges 9. Thorpes: small villages 10. Brimming: overflowing

About the Poem:  In this poem, the brook has been personified. So it narrates its story in the first person. And tells us how it passes through the high mountains, tough terrains, deep valleys and finally overcoming all the hurdles of the way, reaches its destination, the overflowing river. The brook represents Nature and also reiterates that it is permanent while the life of human beings is impermanent. Human beings take birth on this earth, grow up and then die. But the brook goes on forever. It faces all of its obstacles boldly and keeps on moving forward with a strong determination to reach its goal.

Paraphrase: In the very first line, the brook tells us about its origin. It comes out of the places that are frequently visited by the birds like coot and heron. It may be a widely spread lake surrounded by high mountains.

Then it quickly moves forward with a strong determination and great enthusiasm. When it moves through the fern-plants, its water shines brightly with the sun rays falling on it. After that it falls down from a height creating a lot of noise to enter a valley.

It passes by thirty hills, twenty small villages, a little town and fifty bridges. During its journey, the brook moves quickly and slips (runs fast) between the ridges. Finally, it passes by Phillip’s farm (the landmark as the last point of the journey) and after that it joins the river whose water is full to its brims (edges).

The brook again says that it produces a chattering sound while moving forward. It also says that it flows for ever and its life is permanent because it represents nature. The human beings come on this earth for a short time. Their life is not permanent.

Lines 13-24

“I chatter over stony ways………But men may come and men may go/ But I go on forever.”

Word-meanings:

I chatter over stony ways, 
In little sharps and trebles, 
I bubble into eddying bays, 
I babble on the pebbles. 

With many a curve my banks I fret 
By many a field and fallow, 
And many a fairy foreland set 
With willow-weed and mallow. 

I chatter, chatter, as I flow 
To join the brimming river, 
For men may come and men may go, 
But I go on for ever. 

1.    Chatter: to talk quickly, prattle, babble: here it means to create a noise 2. Little sharps and trebles: sharp and high pitched tunes 3. Eddying: moving in a circle, swirling 4. Bays: a part of sea or a lake 5. Babble: to create a low pitch of voice as many people speak together 6. Pebbles: small pieces of stone, shingles, gravel 7. Fret: to be unhappy, not able to take rest 8. Fallow: uncultivated land 9.foreland: the piece of land that lies in front of something 10. Willow: a tree with long leaves 11. Weed: wild plants, unwanted plants 12. Mallow: a plant with stems covered with small hairs and pink, purple and white flowers

Paraphrase:

In these lines the brook describes its journey through the ways that are full of hurdles like big and small stones. While passing through, the water of the brooks strikes against the stones and creates sharp notes (sharp musical sound). The sound varies according to the speed of the water current. Sometimes a low gurgling sound is produced and some other times it seems to be a murmur. The poet calls it a ‘chatter’ and tries to stress upon the idea that one natural object communicates with other objects of nature.

The brook moves further in a curved manner, sometimes striking against the land at its banks. It passes by both fertile as well unfertile lands. Sometimes very beautiful fairy-land type places near the sea come in its way where the trees like willow and plants like mallow grow.

The willow tree

The mallow plants

The brook again says that it produces a chattering sound while moving forward. It also says that it flows for ever and its life is permanent because it represents nature. The human beings come on this earth for a short time. Their life is not permanent.

Lines 25-36

I wind about, and in and out, 
With here a blossom sailing, 
And here and there a lusty trout, 
And here and there a grayling, 

And here and there a foamy flake 
Upon me, as I travel 
With many a silvery waterbreak 
Above the golden gravel, 

And draw them all along, and flow 
To join the brimming river 
For men may come and men may go, 
But I go on for ever. 

“I wind about, and in and out………but I go on forever”

Word-meanings: 1. Wind about: move about 2. In and out: this phrase has been used to show the flow of water of the brook making curves 3. Blossom: flowers 4. Sailing: floating 5. Lusty trout: a healthy freshwater fish 6. Grayling: a kind of fish 7. Foamy: full of foam/bubbles/froth 8. Flake: piece of foam 9. Water break: It means that when the flowing water strikes against the gravel, it causes break in the flow of water and then the sun-rays are reflected in it and that seems to be silvery due to brightness. 10. Golden gravel: the gravel that has become golden due to the sunrays falling on it in the evening.

Explanation: In the above lines, the brook continues telling about its journey. It moves making curves in and out through the valley. It passes the places where several beautiful flowers float on its surface. Sometimes freshwater fish and graylings are found in its water. While moving forward, big flakes of foam gather on its surface. Sometimes golden gravel comes in its way. The flowing water of the brook strikes against it and some breaks are created due to that. The water becomes silvery bright due to sunrays falling on it. The strong current of water of the brook draws the gravel with it. It keeps on flowing to join the brimming water of the river.

It also says that it flows for ever and its life is permanent because it represents nature. The human beings come on this earth for a short time. Their life is not permanent.

Lines 36-42

I steal by lawns and grassy plots, 
I slide by hazel covers; 
I move the sweet forget-me-nots 
That grow for happy lovers. 

I slip, I slide, I gloom, I glance, 
Among my skimming swallows; 
I make the netted sunbeam dance 
Against my sandy shallows. 
Word-meaning:1. Steal by: pass by silently 2. Slide by: moved easily without any hurdle 3. Hazel: Hazel is a small sized fruit tree covers: bushes/groves: 4. Forget –me-not: a kind of flower 5. Slide: to move smoothly 6. Gloom: darkness or dark plain 7. Glance: to have a quick look 9. Skimming: moving/flying 10. Swallow: a kind of bird 11. Netted: caught in a net

12. Sunbeams: the sunrays

Explanation: In the above lines, the brook describes its journey through the plains. It passes by lawns and grassy plains. Then it moves quickly and smoothly by the hazel-tree groves. It also moves sweet smelling forget-me-not flowers that grow for the happy lovers. In this way the brook continues its journey. Sometimes it moves and slides quickly on the way to reach its destination. It passes through the gloomy shades of the trees growing on its banks. After sometimes, it comes out of the darkness and then it is able to glance here and there. The swallows also softly touch its surface. When the water of the brook becomes shallow near its banks, the sunrays seem to be trapped in its net. They seem to be dancing on the sand in the shallow water.

Lines 45-52

“I murmur under moon and stars 
In brambly wildernesses; 
I linger by my shingly bars; 
I loiter round my cresses; 

And out again I curve and flow 
To join the brimming river, 
For men may come and men may go, 
But I go on forever.“

Word-meanings: 1. Murmur: here it means to the low pitched sound  2.brambly : full of wild bushes having thorns 3.wildernesses: a large piece of land that is not used for any purpose 4. Linger: here it means to move on slowly 5.shingly: rocky or full of pebbles 6.bars: here it means hurdles created by pebbles 7.cresses: plants of small leaves, often used for salad  8.loiter: stand of wait for somebody: to move aimlessly

Explanation: In the above lines the brook continues narrating its story of journey. While reaching its destination, the brook has to continue its journey under the moon light and stars. It does not stop anywhere, but sometimes its speed gets slow when there are some hindrances like thorny bushes, rocks and shingles. Sometimes thorny bushes come in its way. Then its water starts making a whirlpool around it. At that time, It appears that the brook is wandering about to relax before joining the brimming river.

It has to curve and flow forward. Sometimes bigger hurdles come in the way of the brook. If it keeps on struggling against those hurdles and does not think about other easy option to continue its journey, it would be wastage of time. So the flowing water changes its course and in doing so, it seems that the brook is taking a curve in and out.

In life also, wise people think about other options when they face big hurdles in life.

Thus overpowering all of its hurdles, it joins the river. It also says that its journey is everlasting while man’s life ends with death. Human life is short and temporary while the brook’s life is ever going and everlasting. Its merging with the river makes it more powerful.