Unit 1 - Poem - Life* - Henry Van Dyke
Let me but live my life from year to year,
With forward face and unreluctant soul;
Not hurrying to, nor turning from the goal;
Not mourning for the things that disappear
In the dim past, nor holding back in fear
From what the future veils; but with a whole
And happy heart, that pays its toll
To Youth and Age, and travels on with cheer.
So let the way wind up the hill or down,
O'er rough or smooth, the journey will be joy:
Still seeking what I sought when but a boy,
New friendship, high adventure, and a crown,
My heart will keep the courage of the quest,
And hope the road's last turn will be the best.
A. Read the following lines
from the poem and answer the questions that follow.
1. Let
me but live my life from year to year,
With
forward face and unreluctant soul;
a. Whom does the word ‘me’ refer to?
The word ‘me’ refers to the poet, Henry Van
Dyke.
b. What kind of life does the poet want to lead?
The poet wants to lead a life
with a positive and fearless attitude, embracing every year with enthusiasm and
without reluctance.
2. Not
hurrying to, nor turning from the goal;
Not
mourning for the things that disappear
a. Why do you think the poet is not in a hurry?
The poet is not in a hurry
because he believes in living life at a steady pace, without rushing towards
the end goal or avoiding it.
b. What should one not mourn for?
One should not mourn for the
things that disappear in the past, as life moves forward and dwelling on lost
things is futile.
3. In
the dim past, nor holding back in fear
From
what the future veils; but with a whole
And
happy heart, that pays its toll
To
Youth and Age, and travels on with cheer.
a. What does the poet mean by the phrase ‘in the dim
past’?
The phrase ‘in the dim past’
refers to unhappy experience and memories of past.à
b. Is the poet afraid of future?
No, the poet is not afraid of
the future. He believes in embracing it with courage and optimism.
c. How can one travel on with cheer?
One can travel on with cheer
by accepting both youth and old age happily, without fear or regret, and moving
forward with a positive outlook.
4. So
let the way wind up the hill or down,
O'er
rough or smooth, the journey will be joy:
Still
seeking what I sought when but a boy,
New
friendship, high adventure, and a crown,
a. How is the way of life?
The way of life is
unpredictable, sometimes going uphill (difficult times) and sometimes downhill
(easy times).
b. How should be the journey of life?
The journey of life should be
joyful, no matter how rough or smooth the path is.
c. What did the poet seek as a boy?
As a boy, the poet sought new
friendships, thrilling adventures, and achievements (symbolized by the crown).
5. My
heart will keep the courage of the quest,
And
hope the road's last turn will be the best.
a. What kind of quest does the poet seek here?
The poet seeks a quest for a
meaningful and fulfilling life, full of courage and optimism.
b. What is the poet’s hope?
The poet hopes that the final
phase of his life will be the best and most rewarding.
6. In
the dim past, nor holding back in fear
From
what the future veils; but with a whole
And
happy heart, that pays its toll
To
Youth and Age, and travels on with cheer.
Identify the rhyming words of the given lines.
The rhyming words in the given lines are - fear - cheer,
Whole - toll.
7. Let
me but live my life from year to year,
With
forward face and unreluctant soul;
Not
hurrying to, nor turning from the goal;
Not
mourning for the things that disappear
a. Identify
the rhyme scheme of the given lines.
The rhyme scheme of the given lines is ABBA
B. Answer the following
question in about 80 – 100 words
1. Describe the journey of
life as depicted in the poem by Henry Van Dyke.
In the poem Life,
Henry Van Dyke describes life as a journey that should be lived with
enthusiasm, courage, and optimism. He encourages one to move forward without
fear, regret, or unnecessary haste. The poet emphasizes the importance of
embracing both youth and old age with a happy heart. He believes that life is
full of ups and downs, but one should continue to seek new friendships,
adventures, and accomplishments. His ultimate hope is that the final phase of
life will be the most rewarding, making the journey worthwhile.
C. Based on your
understanding of the poem, complete the following passage by the using the
phrases given in the box.
youth
to old age up or down the hill to hurry nor move away
high
adventure joyful mourn looking ahead
The poet wants to live his life __________, willing to do
something. He neither wants __________from his goal. He does not want to
_______ the things he has lost, not hold back for fear of the future. He
instead prefers to live his life with a whole and happy heart which cheerfully
travels from __________. Therefore, it does not matter to him whether the path
goes __________, rough or smooth, the journey will be __________. He will continue
to seek what he wanted as a boy - new friendship, __________ and a crown (prize).
His heart will remain courageous and pursue his desires. He hopes that every
turn in his life's journey will be the best.
Answer:
The
poet wants to live his life looking ahead, willing to do something. He
neither wants to hurry nor move away from his goal. He does not want to
mourn the things he has lost, nor hold back for fear of the
future. He instead prefers to live his life with a whole and happy heart which
cheerfully travels from youth to old age. Therefore, it does not matter to
him whether the path goes up or down the hill, rough or smooth, the journey
will be joyful. He will continue to seek what he
wanted as a boy - new friendship, high
adventure, and a
crown (prize). His heart will remain courageous and pursue his desires. He
hopes that every turn in his life's journey will be the best.
