About the Poet:
John Clare (1793-1864) was an English poet famous for his celebratory representations of the English countryside and his lamentation of its disruption. Some of the notable collections of his poetry are ‘First Love’, ‘Snow Strom’, The Village Minstrel and Other Poems’, etc.
The following poem presents a pen picture of the mellow beauty of autumn in the countryside. As this season comes just before winter, it is characterized by falling leaves, bare branches and strong winds.
About the Text:
Clare’s love of nature and close observing mind gets expressed in the poem ‘Autumn’. A picture of windblown autumn is presented here. Autumn is a season of falling leaves, bare branches and strong winds, as after autumn the season of winter will come. So Autumn and winter create a complete desolation in nature. But in Clare’s presentation, playfulness and sportiveness are observed in Autumn.
Questions and answers:
1) What happened to the leaves of the mossy elm- tree in Autumn?
Ans- In Autumn the leaves of the mossy elm tree become faded. The gust of wind twirls them by the window – pane. Then it carries them away.
2) What are the things the poet loves to see on November days?
Ans- The Poet loves to see the cottage smoke, the pigeons round the cote, the crowing on the dunghill and the a-going mill sails on the heath.
3) What is the effect of the sparrow’s chirp on the poet’s mind?
Ans- The sparrow’s chirp creates a make-believe situation in the poet’s mind. It reminds him of the warm colorful days of summer and spring in Autumn.
4) How is the wind of Autumn?
Ans- The wind of Autumn blows in fitful gusts throughout the day.
5) Where do the faded leaves twirl?
Ans- The faded leaves twirl by the window pane.
6) Where are the sparrows found?
Ans- The sparrows are found on the cottage rig.
7) What do you mean by ‘Casement’ in the poem ‘Autumn’?
Ans- A big Window that opens on hinges like a door.
8) How is the chirp of the sparrow in the season of Autumn?
Ans- The chirp of the sparrow in Autumn is lively and full of warmth. It reminds the poet about the seasons, spring and summer.
9) What is meant by the ‘stubble lea‘ mentioned in the poem?
Ans- A lea is a meadow, a stretch of open grassland. Here the lea is full of the stumps of corn left after harvest.
10) Mention the onomatopoetic sound mentioned in the poem, ‘ Autumn‘.
Ans- In Autumn the sparrow chirps, the cock crows and the acorns fall from the tree making a patterning sound. Besides, the pigs grunt.
11) What does the chirp of the sparrow make believe?
Ans- The chirp of the sparrow makes us believe that spring was just now flirting by.
12) How many times in the word ‘Autumn’ mentioned in John Clare’s poem? Name the seasons mentioned here.
Ans- The word ‘Autumn’ is mentioned in the title of the poem only and nowhere else.
Only spring and summer are mentioned here.
13) Where does the acorn fall and what happens then?
Ans- The acorns near the old crow’s nest fall patterning down the tree. Then the grunting pigs scrambled and hurry towards those acorns.
14) What happens with the cottage smoke?
Ans- The cottage smoke curls upward through the naked trees.
15) Where was the cock found?
Ans- In the poem Autumn, the cock is found crowing on the dung-hill.
16) How is the month of November described in the poem ‘Autumn’?
Ans- In the poem ‘Autumn’, November is described as dull.
17) Describe the activities of the pigs in Autumn, after John Clare?
Ans- In Autumn the pigs wait for the acorns to fall. When they fall, the pigs scrambled and hurry to get them. At that time they grunt.