Paper Boats Class 7 Notes English Unit 3 Free PDF

Introduction

• This gentle and imaginative poem, written by Rabindranath Tagore, captures the simple joy of a child floating paper boats down a stream.
• The child writes their name and village on the boats, hoping someone far away will find them.
• The poem blends the child’s playful actions with dreams of connection, using nature and imagination to create a peaceful and hopeful mood.
• It reflects the innocence and curiosity of childhood.

Explanation of the Poem

Stanza 1

Day by day I float my paper boats one by one down the running stream.

Explanation:

The poem begins with the child describing how they carefully send their paper boats down a flowing stream, one at a time, every day. This simple, repetitive act shows the child’s love for this joyful routine, which brings them excitement and peace. The phrase “day by day” emphasises that this is a special part of their daily life, like a cherished ritual. The “running stream” is lively and moving, symbolising a pathway that carries the child’s boats—and their hopes—toward unknown destinations, sparking their sense of adventure and wonder.

Stanza 2

In big black letters I write my name on them and the name of the village where I live.
I hope that someone in some strange land will find them and know who I am.

Explanation:

Here, the child explains that they write their name and the name of their village in bold, big black letters on each boat. This act is like sending a message in a bottle, hoping a stranger in a faraway “strange land” will discover the boat and learn about them. The big black letters show the child’s eagerness to be noticed and remembered, making the boats personal and meaningful. This stanza reveals the child’s curiosity about the world and their longing to connect with others, even those they’ve never met, through their small creations.

Stanza 3

I load my little boats with shiuli flower from our garden, and hope that these blooms of the dawn will be carried safely to land in the night.

Explanation:

In this stanza, the child shares that they fill their paper boats with shiuli flowers from their garden, hoping these delicate flowers, which bloom at dawn, will reach another land by night. The shiuli flowers, small and fragrant, symbolise beauty, purity, and the freshness of a new day. By placing them in the boats, the child adds a precious gift to their message, trusting the stream to carry them gently. This act shows the child’s care and optimism, as they imagine their flowers travelling through the day to bring joy to someone far away, connecting their world to another.

Stanza 4

I launch my paper boats and look up into the sky and see the little clouds setting the white bulging sails.
I know not what playmate of mine in the sky sends them down the air to race with my boats!

Explanation:

As the child sets the boats afloat, they look up and see small clouds in the sky that look like they have “white bulging sails,” resembling boats racing through the air. The child imagines these clouds as playful friends sent by an unseen “playmate” in the sky, joining in a fun race with their paper boats. This vivid imagination turns a simple activity into a magical game, linking the child’s boats with the natural world. The clouds, fluffy and swift, add a joyful and dreamy element, making the child feel like they’re part of a bigger, playful adventure with nature.

Stanza 5

When night comes I bury my face in my arms and dream that my paper boats float on and on under the midnight stars.
The fairies of sleep are sailing in them, and the lading is their baskets full of dreams.

Explanation:

When night falls, the child rests, burying their face in their arms, and dreams of their paper boats continuing to float under the twinkling midnight stars. In their dream, “fairies of sleep” sail in the boats, carrying baskets filled with dreams. This magical image blends the child’s real boats with a fantasy world, where their creations travel through a starry night. The gentle fairies and baskets of dreams create a peaceful, hopeful mood, suggesting that the child’s hopes and imagination keep moving forward, spreading wonder even in their sleep. This stanza ends the poem with a calm, dreamy vision of endless possibilities.

Moral of the Poem

• The poem teaches us that even small actions, like floating paper boats, can carry big dreams and hopes.
• It shows how a child’s imagination can connect them to the world, inspiring us to stay curious and find joy in simple things.
• The poem encourages us to dream freely and believe that our small efforts can reach far and touch others.

Difficult Words

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

• Float: To drift or move gently on the water’s surface.
• Stream: A small, flowing body of water, like a tiny river.
• Shiuli: Small, white, sweet-smelling flowers that bloom in the early morning.
• Blooms: Flowers, especially when they are open and pretty.
• Dawn: The time in the early morning when the sun begins to rise.
• Launch: To send something, like a boat, into motion or start its journey.
• Bulging: Swelling or puffing out, like sails filled with wind.
• Playmate: A friend who plays games or has fun with you.
• Bury: To hide or cover, like resting your face in your arms.
• Fairies: Tiny, magical beings from stories, often kind and gentle.
• Lading: The load or items carried, like the fairies’ baskets of dreams.