Strawberries
Strawberries that in garden grow
Are plump and juicy fine,
But sweeter far as wise men know,
Spring from the woodland vine.
No need for bowl or silver spoon,
Sugar or spice or cream,
Has the wild berry plucked in June
Beside the trickling stream.
Meanings:
plump – fat and fleshy.
spring from – come from or arise from or to grow.
woodland – forests
vine – stem of a creeping plant.
bowl – a round, deep vessel
spice – parts of plants that add flavor or aroma to the food.
plucked – pulled out
trickling – flowing slowly, in very small amounts.
Summary
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The poet says that the strawberries that grow in the garden and farms are very plump i.e. fat and juicy. He finds the taste of these strawberries to be fine, means they are okay in taste, not so great. But the poet say that all the wise men i.e. men who are knowledgeable, who have a lot of experience, know that the strawberries that grow wild in the woodland (forest) are much sweeter.
The poet further states that there is no need for a bowl or any silver spoon i.e. any expensive or fancy spoon to have these strawberries. Nor do you require any sugar or spice or cream to eat these strawberries that have been plucked from the vines growing besides a flowing stream in the month of June.
Things to do:
1. Learn and recite the poem.
2. Read the poem and answer the following.
(1) Which are the two different places where strawberries grow?
Ans. Strawberries grow in the garden and they also grow wild in
the woodland besides the tricking stream.
(2) What are the two different ways of eating strawberries?
Ans. Strawberries can be eaten directly by plucking them from the
vines or put in a bowl with sugar, spice and cream and eaten
with a silver spoon.
(3) Which strawberries are plump and juicy?
Ans. Strawberries that grow in the garden are plump and juicy.
(4) Which strawberries are sweeter?
Ans. Strawberries that grow wild in the woodland beside the
stream in June are sweeter.
(5) How would you like to eat your strawberries?
(Students should write in their own words)
3. Activities
(1) Find out when and where we get strawberries in Maharashtra.
Ans. In Maharashtra strawberries are grown in Mahableshwar in the winter months from November to February.
(2) Make a list of your favourite fruits and vegetables and note down the time of the year when they are available in plenty.
List of fruits / vegetables | Month when they are available |
Mango | Summer months |
Watermelon | Summer months |
Oranges | Winter months |
Guava | Winter months |
Green peas | Winter months |
Bhindi (okra) | Throughout the year |
Corn | Summer months |
(3) Have you ever eaten any fruit/vegetable picking it straight from the tree or field? Write about that experience in 3-5 lines.
Ans. Last year, I visited my uncle’s house in Ratnagiri in the month of April. My uncle who has a groove of Mango trees took my cousins and me, there. The trees were laden with ripe alphanso mangoes. My uncle told us everything about mango farming and allowed us to pick some. We ate them directly, biting into the fruit – without even cutting it. The mangoes were very juicy and tasty.
Extra Questions
1st Stanza
Strawberries that in garden grow
Are plump and juicy fine,
But sweeter far as wise men know,
Spring from the woodland vine.
Q1. What kind of strawberries grow in the garden?
Ans. The strawberries that grow in the garden are plump and juicy.
Q2. Which word tells us that the poet feels that the strawberries that grow in the garden are not so good?
Ans. The word ‘fine’ tells us that the poet feels that the strawberries that grow in the garden are not so good.
Q3. Which strawberries are sweeter?
Ans. The strawberries that grow in the woodland (forest) are sweeter.
Q4. What do the wise men know?
Ans. The wise men know that the strawberries that grow in the woodland are very sweet.
Q5. Give the meanings of the following words:
(a) plump – fat and fleshy
(b) spring from – grow
(c) woodland – forest
2nd Stanza
No need for bowl or silver spoon,
Sugar or spice or cream,
Has the wild berry plucked in June
Beside the trickling stream.
Q1. What is not needed while eating wild strawberries?
Ans. The poet says that there is no need for any bowl, silver spoon, sugar, spice or cream to eat the wild berries.
Q2. Which time of the year are strawberries plucked?
Ans. The wild strawberries are plucked in the month of June.
Q3. Where do the wild strawberries grow?
Ans. The wild strawberries grow beside the trickling stream.
Q4. Give the meaning of –
trickling – flowing slowly
Q5. Find a word from the poem that is opposite in meaning to-
tame – wild.