Textbook Solutions: The Mother Bird | Gul Mohar Class 7: Book Solutions, Summaries & Worksheets PDF Download

Before You Read

" A mother's love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity, it dares all things and crushes down everything that stands in its path. "

Understanding the Poem

Q2. I peered ... Find one more thing that the speaker's eyes do and one thing that the bird's eyes do in the poem. Why has the speaker used these words to describe what his eyes and the bird's eyes were doing?
Ans: The speaker’s eyes “spied” the bird; the bird’s eyes “beseeched” him. These words show curiosity and intrusion on the speaker’s part, and pleading courage on the bird’s part.

Q3. Why did the speaker think the bird to be both meek and brave?
Ans: The bird was meek because she looked small and vulnerable, yet brave because she faced the intruder boldly to protect her nest.

Q4. What was the call of the bird like? What was it not like?
Ans: The call was a sharp, solitary cry of fierce passion. It was not like the chirping of sparrows or the trill of evening birds.

Q5. Off, like a fool afraid, I sneaked
a. Why did the speaker feel 'like a fool afraid'?
Ans: Because he realized he had intruded on a sacred, private moment of motherhood.
b. Why does he describe his movement as 'sneaking off'?
Ans: Because he left quietly and shamefully, feeling unworthy in front of the bird’s courage.

Q6. At the mother bird in the secret hedge/Patient upon her lonely nest.
a. Why do you think the speaker calls it a 'secret hedge'? Why has the mother bird chosen this place for her nest?
Ans: It is “secret” because it is hidden and safe from predators. The bird chose it for safety and privacy.
b. Why is the mother bird waiting patiently?
Ans: She is waiting to guard her eggs until they hatch, showing devotion and patience.

Appreciating the Poem

Q2. One desperate, fierce, and vivid cry …
a. Why do you think the bird's cry has been described as desperate, fierce and vivid?
Ans: Because it carried all her fear and courage to defend her nest.
b. Why is it stressed that there was only one cry? How has it been stressed?
Ans: It is stressed to show its uniqueness and power. The poet highlights it by contrasting it with other bird sounds and repeating its description.

Q3. How do you think the speaker feels about the mother bird? You can choose more than one answer. Explain your choices.
a. afraid 
b. admiring 
c. sympathetic 
d. amused
In comparison, how does he describe himself in the poem?
Ans: The speaker feels admiring of the mother bird’s courage and sympathetic to her anxiety. He describes himself as big and harmless, yet a little awkward and guilty for scaring her.

Q4. Look at the way the poem is written. Identify the introduction, action and closure in the poem. Where does it all take place? How does this help in bringing out the emotions in the poem?
Ans:

• Introduction: The speaker peeps into the hedge and notices the bird.
• Action: The bird cries fiercely to defend her nest.
• Closure: The speaker sneaks away, feeling foolish.

It all takes place in a single hedge, making the moment intimate and focused on the mother bird’s emotions.