Assignment for Friday 25 September for Literature

Please download the poem and either print out your answer and hand it to me in hardopy on the 28th September or send the softcopy to my email address prss.jumiah@gmail.com

Read this poem carefully, and then answer the questions that follow it.

Bird in the Classroom by Colin Thiele

The students drowsed and drowned In the teacher’s ponderous monotone – Limp bodies looping in the wordy heat, Melted and run together, desks and flesh as one, Swooning and swimming in a sea of drone.	5
Each one asleep, swayed and vaguely drifted With lidding eyes and lolling, weighted heads, Was caught on heavy waves and dimly lifted, Sunk slowly, ears ringing, in a syrup of his sound, Or borne from the room on a heaving wilderness of beds	10
And then, on a sudden, a bird’s cool voice Punched out song. Crisp and spare On the startled air, Beak-beamed Or idly tossed, Each note gleamed Like a bead of frost	15
A bird’s cool voice from a neighbour’s tree With five silver calls – mere grains of sound Rare and neat Repeated twice… But they sprang the heat Like drops of ice.	20
Ears cocked, before the comment ran Fading and chuckling where a wattle stirred, The students wondered how they could have heard Such dreary monotones from man, Such wisdom from a bird.	25

(i)            What impressions do you form of the teacher and students in the poem?

(ii)          How does the poet make the scene vivid for you in the poem?

Support your answer by close reference to the words and images that he uses.