Introduction
All of us have dreams; some that might come true in the future; some that are pure fantasies and may never come true. Read the poem given below about a child’s fantasy and then discuss in the class some of your dreams and fantasies.
Answer – Fantasy
If I were to be born
A bird,
I would fly
And fly on top of the world.
I would sing along, the rivers and ravines, in the forests of pines, and in the grapevines
like a jingle,
of the nightingale.
In a meadow of the spring,
I would sit free,
amidst the flowers of the tree,
and watch the colours,
of the changing sky.
Through the rainbow, I would fly,
and with colours,
of my own wings,
I would make him shy.
Summary
The poem “Fantasy” expresses a speaker’s vivid imagination of being reborn as a bird. If granted this wish, the speaker dreams of boundless freedom, soaring “on top of the world.” The bird would fill the air with joyful songs, echoing across rivers, through ravines, among pine forests, and even in grapevines, singing with the melodic beauty of a nightingale. The fantasy continues with the bird sitting peacefully and freely in a spring meadow, surrounded by blooming flowers, observing the ever-changing hues of the sky. The ultimate dream is to fly through a rainbow, using the vibrant colours of its own wings to outshine and “make him shy,” suggesting a playful interaction with nature’s own spectacle. The poem is a pure expression of desire for freedom, beauty, and harmony with nature.
Word Meanings
English Word | English Meaning | Hindi Meaning |
Fantasy | The faculty or activity of imagining things, especially impossible or improbable things. | कल्पना (Kalpana), फंतासी (Fantasy) |
Ravines | Deep, narrow gorges with steep sides. | घाटी (Ghati), खड्ड (Khadd) |
Pines | Evergreen coniferous trees with long, needle-like leaves. | चीड़ (Cheed), पाइन (Pine) |
Grapevines | Woody vines on which grapes grow. | अंगूर की बेल (Angoor ki Bel) |
Jingle | A light, ringing sound, or a simple, catchy tune. | झंकार (Jhankaaar), धुन (Dhun) |
Nightingale | A small, migratory thrush noted for its rich, melodious song, especially at night. | बुलबुल (Bulbul) |
Meadow | A piece of grassland, especially one used for hay. | घास का मैदान (Ghas ka Maidan) |
Amidst | In the middle of; surrounded by. | के बीच (Ke Beech), मध्य में (Madhya Mein) |
Colours | The property possessed by an object of producing different sensations on the eye as a result of the way it reflects or emits light. | रंग (Rang) |
Rainbow | An arch of colours visible in the sky, caused by the refraction and dispersion of the sun’s light by rain or other water droplets in the atmosphere. | इंद्रधनुष (Indradhanush) |
Shy | Nervous or timid in the company of other people. Here, it implies to outshine or make something seem less vibrant in comparison. | शर्मीला (Sharmila), लजाना (Lajana) |
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
- What does the speaker wish to be born as?
- a) A fish b) A bird c) A tree d) A flower
- Where does the speaker imagine flying?
- a) Under the ground b) On top of the world c) Inside a house d) On a mountain
- What kind of sound would the bird make while singing?
- a) A roar b) A jingle c) A whisper d) A scream
- Which specific bird’s song is mentioned as a comparison?
- a) Parrot b) Sparrow c) Nightingale d) Pigeon
- Where would the bird sit freely in spring?
- a) On a rooftop b) In a meadow c) In a cage d) On a fence
- What natural phenomenon does the bird wish to fly through?
- a) A cloud b) A storm c) A rainbow d) The moon
Answers to MCQs:
- b) A bird
- b) On top of the world
- b) A jingle
- c) Nightingale
- b) In a meadow
- c) A rainbow
Short Questions and Answers
- What is the central wish of the speaker in the poem? The central wish of the speaker is to be reborn as a bird.
- Where does the speaker imagine flying if they were a bird? The speaker imagines flying “on top of the world.”
- What natural elements would the bird sing along? The bird would sing along the rivers, ravines, in the forests of pines, and in the grapevines.
- What kind of sound is the bird’s song compared to? The bird’s song is compared to a “jingle” of the nightingale.
- Where would the bird sit in spring? The bird would sit freely in a meadow amidst the flowers of the tree in spring.
- What would the bird watch from its perch in the meadow? The bird would watch the colours of the changing sky.
- How would the bird try to make the rainbow “shy”? The bird would fly through the rainbow and try to make it shy with the colours of its own wings.