A Funny Man Class 7 Notes English Unit 2 Free PDF

Introduction

• This poem, written by Natalie Joan, is a light-hearted and funny story about a strange man who does odd things.
• The poet meets a man who wears a shoe on his head and hats on his feet, offers a bun as a rose, and hops home on his head.
• The poem uses silly actions and playful words to make readers smile and enjoy the fun of imagination.

Explanation

Stanza 1

One day a funny kind of man
Came walking down this street
He wore a shoe upon his head
And hats upon his feet.

Explanation:

The poem begins with the poet talking about a “funny kind of man” walking down the street in a strange way. He looks very odd and comical because he wears a shoe on his head instead of a hat, and hats on his feet instead of shoes. This mix-up in how he dresses catches the reader’s eye and adds humour and surprise. The man’s strange style shows that he doesn’t follow the usual rules and likes to be different. This makes him interesting and funny from the very beginning.

Q: What does the funny man's unusual way of dressing suggest about his personality?

View Answer  

His unusual way of dressing suggests that he likes to be different and doesn’t follow the usual rules.

Stanza 2

He raised the shoe and smiled at me,
His manners were polite;
But never had I seen before
Such a funny sounding sight.

Explanation:

In this part, the funny man sees the poet and politely lifts the shoe on his head like he’s tipping a hat, and smiles at her. His polite behaviour is different from how strange he looks, which makes it even more humorous. The poet is surprised by how odd this is and calls it a “funny sounding sight.” This means it feels so strange that it’s like she can almost hear how unusual it is. The poet’s reaction shows she is amazed to see something so different from normal.

Stanza 3

He said, “Allow me to present
Your Highness with a rose.
”And taking out a currant bun
He held it to my nose

Explanation:
The funny man talks politely and calls the poet “Your Highness,” a special title used for kings and queens. This makes his way of speaking playful and silly. He says he wants to give her a rose, which is a kind gift. But instead of a flower, he takes out a currant bun—a small sweet bread with dried fruits—and holds it near her nose like a flower to smell. This surprise is comical because a bun is food, not a nice-smelling gift. It shows the man’s funny and playful nature and how he likes to surprise people.

Q: What does the poet find amusing about the funny man's actions?

View Answer  

She finds it amusing that he politely lifts a shoe and offers her a currant bun instead of a rose.

Stanza 4

I staggered back against the wall
And then I answered, “Well!
I never saw a rose with such
A funny looking smell.”

Explanation:

Surprised by what the man did, the poet almost falls back against the wall. She answers in a smart way, saying she has never seen a “rose” that has such a “funny looking smell.” By calling the bun a rose, she is joining in the man’s joke and shows she is having fun. The words “funny looking smell” mix seeing and smelling in a playful way because smells are something we feel, not see. This shows the fun and happy moment between the poet and the man, where they both enjoy being silly.

Stanza 5

He then began to sing a song,
And sat down on the ground;
You never heard in all your life
Such a funny feeling sound.

Explanation:

The funny man keeps acting strange by sitting on the ground and singing a song. The poet says the song has a “funny feeling sound,” meaning it sounds unusual and makes you feel amused. The song probably has a strange tune or words that match the man’s playful personality. Sitting on the ground while singing shows he doesn’t care about rules and likes to do things his own way, unlike most people who would stand while singing. This part of the poem makes the mood more fun and invites us to laugh at the man’s happy and silly actions.

Stanza 6

“My friend, why do you wear two hats
Upon your feet?” I said.
He turned the other way about,
And hopped home on his head.

Explanation:
Curious about his strange look, the poet asks the man why he wears “two hats on your feet.” She asks kindly because she wants to understand his odd choice. Instead of answering, the man turns around and hops home on his head, which is even sillier. This is funny because he doesn’t answer the question and does something very strange—hopping on his head is not something people can really do. The poem ends with this funny picture, making us smile at the man’s playful and free-spirited way of being.

Q: What does the poet mean by a 'funny looking smell' in the poem?

View Answer  

By saying 'funny looking smell,' the poet mixes sight and smell in a playful way, highlighting the fun moment shared with the man.

Moral of the Poem

• The poem teaches us that it’s okay to be different and have fun in our own way.
• The funny man’s silly actions show that imagination and playfulness can bring joy to others.
• It reminds us to enjoy life’s light moments and not take everything too seriously.

Difficult Words

Here are the meanings of some difficult words from the poem, explained simply:

• Manners: Polite behaviour or way of acting.
• Polite: Showing respect and kindness to others.
• Present: To give something to someone formally.
• Highness: A title used to address someone important, like a king or queen.
• Currant: A small, dried fruit used in baking.
• Bun: A small, round bread, sometimes with fruits inside.
• Staggered: Moved unsteadily, as if about to fall.
• Hopped: Jumped on one foot or moved by jumping.