This tutorial presents a summary of the poem from the textbook of Class 7 English Honeycomb written by Lois Brandt Phillips named 'Meadow Surprises'. We have also given a detailed account of the poem by explaining every stanza separately and the meaning of difficult words. We have also covered a brief description of the author and Through this tutorial, students will be able to get a clear concept of the poem and will also get help with their assessment.
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The poem depicts the wonderful setting of a meadow where the surprises of nature will delight the eyes of a keen onlooker. Here, the author is speaking through his experience of the meadow that this beautiful grassland has many hidden surprises one can explore if they look curiously. The speaker introduces us to the creatures living in that meadow like a hopping rabbit, a butterfly, and ants all living in the green grasses of the vast field.
There are also insect houses, flowers, trees, burrows, and many other things to see as the speaker invites readers to come and take a walk in this astonishing place. Meadow Surprises by Lois Brandt Phillips is an interpretation of the pure beauty of nature and how only a true observer can see the surprises of this heavenly place called Meadow
Stanza One
Meadows have surprises,
You can find them if you look;
Walk softly through the velvet grass,
And listen by the brook.
The first stanza takes the readers to the meadows which are full of surprises that you will find if you look properly. The author here is trying to say that meadows have many undiscovered things that one can find with a curious eye only. He says that the green grass laying on the soil of the meadow is as soft as velvet when you walk on it. One might hear the sound of water sloshing as there is a stream flowing near the meadow.
Stanza Two
You may see a butterfly
Rest upon a buttercup
And unfold its drinking straws
To sip the nectar up.
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In the second stanza, the author moves ahead toward a beautiful butterfly sitting upon a herbaceous plant of yellow cup-shaped flowers. The writer here states the proboscis of the butterfly as 'drinking straws' through which butterflies intake their food. Here the writer sees the butterfly drinking nectar, a 'sweet juice' from the buttercup flower like humans drink water from the glass through a straw.
Stanza Three
You may scare a rabbit
Who is sitting very still;
Though at first you may not see him,
When he hops you will.
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The third stanza talks about an adorable rabbit one may find in the meadow while taking a stroll. The poet says your movement might scare the little rabbit who is sitting quietly in the deep green grasses of the meadow. He also says that you may not see him there first as the rabbit would be hiding somewhere in the field but you will see him once he starts jumping around.
Stanza Four
A dandelion whose fuzzy head
Was golden days ago
Has turned to airy parachutes
That flutter when you blow.
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In the fourth stanza, the poet looks forward to a withered dandelion whose fainted top was brightly filled with golden seed heads some days ago. The writer here described the condition of a dandelion flower that was once blooming and now its golden head has turned dry. So if someone blows at the flowers their parched petals will scatter in the air as parachutes fly freely in the wind.
Stanza Five
Explore the meadow houses,
The burrows in the ground,
A nest beneath tall grasses,
The ant’s amazing mound.
There are many other things to see here in the meadow as the poet states in the fifth stanza. He calls the readers to take a tour of the meadow and see the engaging views here like the small insect houses spread on the beautiful green fields. Small holes dug by different animals on the ground to keep themselves cool and a tiny nest made by birds under the tall grasses. Also, there are stunning hills of soil that small ants make to live in which are called mounds by the poet.
Stanza Six
Oh! Meadows have surprises
And many things to tell;
You may discover these yourself,
If you look and listen well.
The final stanza again appeals to the readers to visit the meadow at least once and explore its widespread beauties. The poet ends the poem by saying there are yet many new stories and surprises that one can only discover when they experience them themselves. And so he wants the readers to look and listen carefully to find the wonders around here in the beautiful meadow.
Brook – a small stream
Fuzzy – having a blurred texture
Unfold – to open or spread
Nectar – a sweet fluid of flowers
Flutter – to move quickly
Burrow – make a hole or tunnel
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