Write True or False.

1. The poet says that the orchard-ground is his and the butterfly’s.

2. He invites the butterfly to use the ground as its home.

3. He promises the butterfly that it won’t be mistreated.

4. The poet asks the butterfly to sit on the flowers as they talk.

Why is the poet entranced by the butterfly?

What is the poet unsure about as he watches the motionless butterfly? Why?

‘Here lodge as in a sanctuary’. What is the poet inviting the butterfly to do?

What does the poet miss about his childhood days?

Which lines tell us that the poet is no longer a child?

This plot of orchard-ground in ours;

My trees they are, my Sister’s flowers;

Here rest you wings when they are weary;

Here lodge as in a sanctuary!

Come often to us, fear no wrong;

Sit near us on the bought!

We’ll talk of sunshine and of song.

And summer days, when we were young;

Sweet childish days, that were as long

As twenty days are not.

1. What is the setting described in the stanza?

2. What does the poet mean by "orchard-ground is ours"?

3. What idea does the phrase "rest your wings when they are weary" signify?

4. How does the poet use metaphor in "lodge as in a sanctuary"?

5. What poetic device is used in "we'll talk of sunshine and of song"?

6. What is the mood conveyed when the poet invites the subject to 'come often to us, fear no wrong'?

7. What is the significance of the phrase "sweet childish days, that were as long as twenty days are not"?

8. What is the theme of this stanza?

9. How do the poet's reminiscences of 'sunshine', 'song', and 'summer days' contribute to the themes in the poem?

10. How does the stanza portray the idea of nostalgia?

Trees and forests are habitats of butterflies. However, the indiscriminative felling of trees and destruction of forests has led to a drastic decline in the population of butterflies. Write a short essay expressing your concern and views. You may use these tips.
- The essay must have the three paragraphs – introduction, body and conclusion.
- Take help from various sources such as newspaper reports, posters and television programmes.