The Bridge Builder Summary Class 7 Buzzword

About the Poet

Will Allen Dromgoole was an American poet and novelist born in 1860 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. She was known for her works that often centered around themes of faith, kindness, and the human experience. Dromgoole's writing style is characterized by its simplicity and deep emotional resonance, making her works accessible and impactful to a wide audience.

Key Points of the Poem

• The poem "The Bridge Builder" by Will Allen Dromgoole consists of three stanzas.
• An old man encounters a chasm and decides to build a bridge after crossing it safely.
• Another traveler questions the old man's actions, as he may never need the bridge again.
• The old man explains that he is building the bridge for a youth who will come after him and may need it.

Detailed Summary

Stanza 1
An old man going a lone highway,
Came, at the evening, cold and gray,
To a chasm, vast and deep and wide,
Through which was flowing a sullen tide.
The old man crossed in the twilight dim;
The sullen stream had no fear for him;
But he turned, when safe on the other side,
And built a bridge to span the tide.

In this stanza, we see an old man walking along a deserted road. It was evening, and the weather was cold and dull. He reached a huge and deep chasm with a dark and gloomy river flowing through it. Despite the daunting sight, the old man crossed the chasm in the dim light of twilight without any fear. Once he safely reached the other side, instead of just moving on, he decided to construct a bridge to cross the river easily in the future.

Stanza 2
"Old man," said a fellow pilgrim, near,
"You are wasting your strength with building here;
Your journey will end with the ending day;
You never again will pass this way;
You've crossed the chasm, deep and wide,
Why build this bridge at the even tide?"

In this part of the poem, another traveler, a fellow pilgrim, questions the old man's decision to build the bridge. The pilgrim suggests that the old man is wasting his time and effort constructing the bridge since he has already crossed the challenging chasm and will not need to pass through it again. The pilgrim wonders why the old man is building a bridge in the evening, implying that it seems unnecessary and futile.

Stanza 3
The builder lifted his,old gray head:
"Good friend, in the path I have come," he said,
"There followeth after me today,
A youth, whose feet must pass this way.:
This chasm, that has been as naught to me
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be;
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building this bridge for him."

In the final stanza, the old man responds to the pilgrim by explaining his actions. He raises his head and states that he is building the bridge not for himself, but for the young people who will follow in his footsteps. He mentions a specific youth who will have to cross the same chasm. The old man recognizes that what was easy for him might be a significant challenge for others, like the fair-haired youth. Therefore, out of consideration and kindness, he is constructing the bridge to make the path easier for those who come after him. 

Theme/Message

Theme

• Selflessness and Sacrifice: The poem explores the themes of selflessness and sacrifice as the old man builds a bridge not for himself, but for future travelers.
• Legacy and Generosity: It delves into the idea of leaving behind a legacy of kindness and generosity for those who will follow in our footsteps.
• Wisdom and Compassion: The theme of wisdom and compassion is evident as the old man considers the needs of others before his own.

Message

• Importance of Helping Others: The message of the poem emphasizes the importance of helping others and making sacrifices for the benefit of those who come after us.
• Long-Term Vision: It encourages readers to have a long-term vision and think beyond their immediate needs, considering how their actions can impact future generations.
• Legacy Building: The poem conveys the idea that true fulfillment can be found in building a legacy of kindness and compassion that outlasts our own lifetimes.

Difficult Words

1. Chasm: A deep fissure in the earth, rock, or another surface.
2. Sullen: Bad-tempered and sulky.
3. Pitfall: A hidden or unsuspected danger or difficulty.
4. Twilight: The soft glowing light from the sky when the sun is below the horizon.
5. Builder: A person who constructs something by putting parts or material together over a period of time.
6. Grey: Of a color intermediate between black and white.
7. Ending: A final part of something, especially a period of time, an activity, or a story.
8. Crossed: Moved, passed, or extended across something.
9. Span: The full extent of something from end to end; the amount of space that something covers.
10. Naught: Nothing.
11. Fair-haired: Having light-colored hair.
12. Followeth: To come or go after a particular person or thing.
13. Youth: The period between childhood and adult age; young people considered as a group.
14. Traveler: A person who is traveling or who often travels.
15. Stream: A small, narrow river.