From a railway carriage
Video Explainer of the poem
A. Read the lines and answer the questions.
1. Faster than fairies, faster than witches, / Bridges and houses, hedges and ditches;
a. What is faster than fairies and witches?
→ The fast-moving train is faster than fairies and witches.
b. Why does the poet mention ‘bridges and houses, hedges and ditches’? Where are they?
→ The poet sees these things outside the train window. He mentions them because they appear to rush past quickly as the train moves.
2. Here is a child who clambers and scrambles, / All by himself and gathering brambles;
a. Where do you think the child is?
→ The child is probably in a field or countryside area, near bushes.
b. What does ‘gathering brambles’ mean?
→ It means the child is picking blackberries or collecting thorny bushes.
3. And ever again, in the wink of an eye, / Painted stations whistle by.
a. Explain ‘painted stations whistle by’.
→ The colourful railway stations appear and disappear very quickly, as though they are rushing past.
4. Each a glimpse and gone forever;
a. What is ‘each’ over here? Why is it gone forever?
→ ‘Each’ refers to every scene or sight seen from the moving train.
It is gone forever because the train moves so fast that the poet sees it only for a moment.
B. Answer the following questions.
1. What does ‘charges along like troops in a battle’ mean?
→ It means the train moves swiftly and powerfully, just like soldiers running forward in a battle.
2. What word could best replace ‘charges’ — marches, rushes or pushes?
→ Rushes.
3. Why does the child clamber and scramble?
→ The child climbs awkwardly because he is trying to collect brambles from bushes, which requires effort and movement.
C. Think and Write
1. Paragraph (about 50 words)
As the train speeds through the countryside, the poet sees many scenes flashing past the window. He watches horses, cattle, meadows, bridges, houses and fields. He also notices a child picking brambles, a tramp gazing, a runaway cart, a mill and a river. Each scene appears for a moment and disappears quickly.
2. Connection between rhyming words and the rhythm of the train
The poem uses strong rhyming words and a fast, steady rhythm that matches the movement of a train. The quick, bouncing rhymes sound like the continuous “tak-tak” of a train on tracks. This rhythm helps the reader feel the speed and excitement of the journey.
D. Fill in the blanks (Summary)
Ever since their introduction, trains, and their unique rhythms have inspired poets. In this poem the poet shares his experience of a train journey with us. He presents natural scenes seen from inside a railway carriage. The motion is regular and steady but the view from the window of the train is constantly changing. The poem’s rhythm and phrases bring the lively movement of a railway journey. The poet looks out of the window at the fleeting images outside. Every line we see here is a quick account of something seen for a moment. The line that best sums up is the final one: "Each a glimpse and gone forever!"
VOCABULARY
E. Find me in the poem.
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I can help you to cross the river – Bridge
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I can border your garden – Hedge
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I can alert you – Whistle
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I can carry you – Carriage / Cart
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You can ride on me – Horse
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You can climb on me – Hill
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You can lay down on me – Meadow
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You can play with me – Daisy (stringing daisies like making chains)
APPRECIATING THE POEM
F. Work in pairs
1. Similes in the poem
The poem has one direct simile:
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“Charging along like troops in a battle”
Favourite simile:
(Example) — I like “like troops in a battle” because it clearly shows the speed and strength of the moving train.
2. Rhyming words
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witches – ditches
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battle – cattle
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plain – rain
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eye – by
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scrambles – brambles
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gazes – daisies
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road – load
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river – forever
CREATIVE WRITING
G. Pick out nouns from the poem and write Cinquain poems
Nouns from the poem
Train, fairies, witches, bridges, houses, hedges, ditches, meadows, horses, cattle, hill, plain, stations, child, brambles, tramp, daisies, cart, man, load, mill, river.
Sample Cinquain Poems
1. Train
fast powerful
racing, rushing, whistling
moving across wide lands
train
2. Meadow
green peaceful
spreading, waving, shining
full of grazing animals
meadow
3. River
quiet flowing
running, sparkling, winding
bringing life to all
river
4. Child
small active
climbing, picking, moving
happy in the fields
child
5. Horses
strong graceful
galloping, grazing, moving
running across plains
horses
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