Alfred Lord Tennyson

Alfred Lord Tennyson (6 August 1809 6 October 1892 / Lincoln / England)

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The Brook - Poem by Alfred Lord

Tennyson

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.

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.

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 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.
 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 for ever.

Alfred Lord Tennyson

THE BROOK Line by Line - Explanation CBSE CLASS IX ENGLISH

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http://www.cbsencertanswers.com/2014/06/the-brook-line-by-line-explanation-cbse.html

ABOUT THE POET

Alfred Tennyson
Born 6 August 1809, England
 Died 6 October 1892, England.
He was known as poet laureate of great Britain and Ireland and
was one of the most popular poet of the time
Notable works
a) The kraken
b) The lotos eaters
c) Ulysses
d) In memoriam
e) The eagle

LINE BY LINE EXPLANATION

STANZA 1
I come from haunts of coot and hern
I make a sudden sally,
And sparkle out among the fern,
To bicker down a valley.

The brook starts from those places which are often visited by the
coot and hern (heron). The brook emerges suddenly in this hilly
area. It moves through the ferns and sparkles when the sunshine
reflects the crystal clear water. And when the brook moves
creates a lot of noise.

Poetic devices used

I (Line-1) The whole poem brook is personified
 hern is an example of poetic license. The word heron has
been turned into hern to match the rhyming word hern.
I` ................`(Line 1)
I...............`(Line 2) Anaphora

Sudden sally (Alliteration)

Bicker (onomatopoeia)

STANZA 2

By thirty hills I hurry down,

Or slip between the ridges,
By twenty thorps, a little town,
And half a hundred bridges.

This stanza is an account of the brooks flowing through

different areas. The poet has created wonderful imageries when
we read the brook flowing by thirty hills, slipping between
ridges (long narrow hills), twenty villages, a little town and
fifty bridges.

Poetic Devises in use

1) By thirty hills I hurry down (Inversion)

2) Twenty thorpes (Alliteration)
3) By .............................(Line 1)
...................................
By (Line -3) Repetition
 STANZA 3

Till last by Philips farm I flow

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

The poet here tells us about the merging point of the brook. The
brook joins an overflowing river here Philips farm is symbolised
as a land mark of the ending of the journey of the brook. Last
two lines are the refrain bearing the main theme of the poem.
The brook is ever flowing, eternal without ceasing whereas we,
the men are ephemeral. We shall not live forever. We are subject
to decay, decline and death.

Poetic Devices in use

1. Till last by Philips farm I flow (inversion)

2. Men may (Alliteration)
3. Come ..............go (Line-3) (Antithesis)

STANZA 4
I chatter over stony ways,
In little sharps and trebles,
I bubble into eddying bays,
I babble on the pebbles.

The brook goes on the stony path creating chattering

sounds. It makes sharp high pitched sound when the brook clashes
on the side banks of the land. It makes bubbles when it falls
from height in the spiral movement. When it moves on the pebbles
it creates soft pleasing sound.

Poetic Devices in use:

1. Chatter`, trebles`, babble` - onomatopoeia.

2. Line 3 and Line 4 Anaphora.

STANZA 5

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.

The brook moves on taking many curves and creates rough and
unpleasant sound on the banks of the brook. The brook moves
 through many field and uncultivated lands. The brook goes
through the foreland i.e. the land just before the merging
point. The poet describes the land to be fairy land as with
flowers and beautiful plants like willow and mallow it looks so.

Poetic Devices in use:

1. With many a curve my banks I fret Inversion.

2. fairly foreland, with willow seed Alliteration.

STANZA 6

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.

The brook creates various sounds before merging with its

destination .The last two lines are the examples of refrain
which highlights the eternal state of the brook and its activity
and the ephemeral state of we, the humans.

Poetic Device in use :

1. Chatter chatter- Repetition
2. Chatter Onomatopoeia
3. Chatter chatter , men may Alliteration
4. .come go- Antithesis

STANZA-7
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

The brook on its way had lots of ups and downs and in its
winding movement it often falls from height and goes in deep
water and comes out to continue to flow. The brook carries
 blossoms on its way. Along with the brook there go a lot of
fishes like lusty trout and grayling.

Poetic Device in use:

1) .......................and in and out Antithesis

2) 2) .........about and Alliteration
3) Line (3) and ........................
(4) ....................... Anaphora.
4) here and there Repetition

STANZA 8

And here and there a foamy flake

Upon me, as I travel
With many a silvery water break
Above the golden gravel,

When the brook moves , the waves clash with each other and
creates bubbles and those bubbles in group make pieces of
foams.The brook moves through different curves and the clashes
creates silvery water break .These foams and silvery water break
can be visible on the surface of the water and at the base of
the brook there are golden coloured stones .

Poetic device in use

1 here and there Antithesis
2. foamy flake ,golden gravel Alliteration

STANZA-9
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.
 The brook carries fishes, foams and flowers with it to join
the brimming river. And then the refrain comes meaning the
eternal state of the river to that of transient one of humans.

Poetic device in use:

1) All along, men may Alliteration

2) Men may Repetition
3) Com ................go Antithesis.

STANZA 10

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

The brook secretly moves though the grassy plots and lawns
and moves swiftly by the bushy hazel trees. The brook shakes and
sweet forget me- not flowers which grow for happy lovers.

Poetic Devices in use.

1) I (Line 1,2 and 3) Anaphora.

STANZA 11

I slip, I slide, I gloom, I glance,

Among my skimming swallows ;
 I make the netted sunbeam dance
Against my sandy shallows.

The brook moves along making different movements like

slipping, sliding, moving through darkness and so on. And there
we find swallow birds to skim on the surface of the water for
food. The brook waves create a net like structure on which the
sunshine sparkles and it seems to us as if the sun beams are
dancing.

Poetic Devices in use

1) I slip, I slide, ZI gloom, I glance Asyndeton

2) Skimming swallows sandy shallows Alliteration

STANZA 12

I murmur under moon and stars

In brambly wildernesses ;
I linger by my shingly bars ;
I loiter round my cresses ;

At night under the moon and stars, the brook goes on moving
creating murmuring sound through the natural land where thorny
bushes grow. The brook often lingers because of the stones on
the way. The brook water moves purposelessly around the plant
named cresses.
 Poetic Device in use

1) Murmur Onomatopoeia.
2) 2) Line 2 and 3 Anaphora.

STANZA 13
And out again I curve and flow
To join the brimming river,
For men may come and men may go,
But I go on for ever.

After facing the obstacles the brook again takes a curve

and starts flowing to join the brimming river. Last two lines
refer to the refrain meaning the eternal state of the brook and
transient state of the humans.

Poetic Device in use.

1) And out again I curve and flow Inversion,

2) Menmay Alliteration
3) Men may Repetition

English Literature Made Easy for

Students

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 hern..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 Phillips
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 waysBut 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 outbut 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 mans life
ends with death. Human life is short and temporary
while the brooks life is ever going and everlasting. Its
merging with the river makes it more powerful.
2. How is the journey of the brook similar to the journey of life and
yet different?

Ans. There are various similarities between the brook and the journey of life,
e.g., both have a beginning, a middle age and an end. There are struggles in
the lives of both the human life continues inspite of struggles and ups and
downs and the brook continues to flow against all odds. But one thing is
different man is mortal, whereas the brook is eternal, man may come and
man may go but the brook goes on forever.

3. The Brook proceeds like a travelogue. Discuss the importance of

the various places that the brook encounters on its journey.

Ans. The brook travels through hills and vales, between ridges and
underbridges, beside Philips farm, fallow land and foreland, making its way
through, with a blossom here and a trout there and many a grayling through
obstructions of sand and gravel until it falls into the big river. It passes thirty
hills and fifty bridges. It chatters and babbles and creates music as it flows.
Question 11

Question: 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.

a) How does the brook behave when it has curves on its banks?

b) What is the figure of speech need in the last two lines of the above stanza?

Answer: a) The brook behaves 'angrily' when it faces curves on its banks. It is clear because
the poet has used the work 'fret' to explain the brook's feeling.

b) The figure of speech used in 'Alliteration" using the consonant sounds "f" and "w". this creates
a musical sound.

Question 12

Question: 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.

a) What does the poet want to say in "I chatter, chatter as I flow"?

b) What are the important aspects of land which have been covered by the Brook?

c) Explain the last two lines "men many come and men may go, But I go on forever".

Answer: a) The poet wants to say that the brook flows creating short repeated high pitched
noises while flowing. It is a continuous rapid talk and it appears to be communicating something
to all the things that it passes by.

b) The important aspects of land covered by the Brook till now are the hilly range and the plains
comprising Philip's farm, field and fallow as it goes on its journey.
c) This constitutes a refrain. These strike the keynote of the poem - the brook's eternity and man's
mortality.

Question 14

Question: And here and there a foamy flake,

Upon me, as I travel,
With many a silvery water break,
Above the golden gravel.

a) What occurs when the brook flows over "the golden gravel"

b) What unique quality of the brook can be imagined in it carrying so many things to the
brimming river?

Answer: a) When the brook flows over "the golden gravel" there is a break in the flow of
water which appears silvery.

b) The unique quality of the brook that can be imagined is its parental nature, that is, the brook is
the home of fishes, flowers that get carried by it which grows close to its banks. In a way, it is a
life sustaining agent of nature.

Question 15

Question: I steal by lawns and grassy plots,

I slide by hazel covers
I move the sweet forget-me-nots,
That grow for happy lovers.

a) What does the poet want to convey by using the words "steal" and "slide"?

b) Identify the rhyme scheme in the above stanza.

Answer: a) The poet wants to convey the brook's movements in the use of these words. It
moves silently without being seen when it passes by lawns and grassy plots.

b) The rhyme scheme is abab.

Question 16
Question: How is the poem a symbol of life? Pick out examples of parallelism between man's
life and the brook.

Answer: The Poem is a symbol of life. The brook's journey from its origin till its joining the
brimming river is man's journey of life from birth to death. Whatever happens to it on the way is
similar to what man encounters through his life. The brook's noisy flow is similar to mans
struggling and fretting and fuming against the odds of life. The brook slips, slides, glooms and
glances. So does man. It makes its way forcefully against odds, so does man as he struggles
through many problems. The brook carries many things with it as it flows. So does man-he meets
people - builds relationships - carries memories, collects materialistic things as he goes through
life.

The only difference between man and the brook is that man's life comes to an end. Where as the
brook lives on and on forever.

Question 13

Question: I wind about, and in and out

With here a blossom sailing,
And here and there, a busty trout,
And here and there a grayling.

a) Explain "I wind about and in and out".

b) Name the different things that are carried by the brook?

c) Where does the brook carry all, these things?

Answer: a) The picture imagined here is of rivulet flowing in a zig-zag manner. Sometimes
this enters underground and then it bubbles out into the open.

b) The different things that are carried by the brook are flowers that have fallen into it, fishes,
foam and flakes.

c) The Brook carries all these things to the brimming river which it joins.
The Brook: Summary
'The Brook' is an example of Tennyson's superb
versification. He had a rare capacity for creating music
out of simple words . Tennyson makes the brook narrate
its history- the history of its origin, its meandering and
uneven journey through forest and hills and open spaces
until it joins the 'brimming river'. The Brook originates
from a source on the highlands filled with mountain forest
cover, where the wild birds of coot (a type of duck) and
heron are found in plenty. Its rushing waters touch all the
ferns that grow on its banks till it reaches the open valley.
In its initial rushing journey, the brook passes through the
slopes of thirty hills and flows beneath more than four
dozen bridges. Then it touches twenty different villages
before reaching a little town . Before joining the main
river, the brook passes by Phillip's farm. As it comes
rushing down the hills, its waters produces different
musical notes as it dashes against the stony pebbles. The
brook makes its presence felt when it passes through the
different fields of uncultivated lands and many front lying
promontory lands where the weeping willows grow. It
winds about with immense power and its cool pleasant
waters brings all kinds of fresh water fish to a lively
activity . The brook forms the foamy flake which is
accumulated at the shores where gravels gather in plenty,
as it continues to travel down the hills. Sometimes it
overflows and incur upon the grassy plots in the lawns. It
even overflows to the grounds of Hazel plants and
touches the sweet forget-me-nots. All the different sounds
and movements that a stream makes as it flows are
charmingly conveyed through the words used with
feeling. The trees on the banks, the fish playing about, the
blossoms floating on the water, the stretches of darkness
and light are vividly reflected on the flowing verse.
Above all, the spirit of joy and freedom comes through
eloquently .Each morning when the sun rises, the rays and
the beams hit the waters and brightly reflect the shiny
dance of the active movement of the brook on the sandy
banks. When evening set sin and total darkness covers the
surroundings of the countryside, the flow of the
brook continues to murmur under the light of the moon
and stars. The effects of the brook on the shores in the
daytime is as much as in the night. Tennyson significantly
relates the brook to human life to the sad reflection that
man's life is impermanent compared with the relative
permanence of a river (men may come and men may go,
But I go on forever).
About the author Alfred Tennyson
(6 August 1809 6 October 1892) was Poet Laureate of
the UnitedKingdom during much of Queen Victoria's
reign and remains one of the most popular poet sin the
English language. Tennyson excelled at penning short
lyrics, such as "The Charge of the Light Brigade", and
"Crossing the Bar". Much of his verse was based on
classical mythological themes, such as Ulysses, although
In Memoriam A.H.H.
was written to commemorate his best friend
Arthur Hallam. Tennyson also wrote some notable blank
verse including "Ulysses," and "Tithonus."During his
career, Tennyson attempted drama, but his plays enjoyed
little success.