Table of Contents
Introduction
Breezy April is a Romantic Poem which is written by Rabindranath Tagore in the praise of spring season. In this poem, the speaker is a tree which becomes thrilled and lively when the month of April comes.
The poem is an ode, divided into four stanzas having four lines each. There is no rhyme scheme. It is written in open verse.
Poem
Stanza 1
Breezy April, Vagrant April, Rock me in your swing of music! Thrill my branches with enchantment Of your touch of sweet surprises.
The tree is in conversation with the season of April and calls in breezy (full of pleasant air) and vagrant (wanderer) because it is pleasant and is not bound by anything. The tree asks the wind to rock it in its swing of music. Rock means to move gently in to and fro motion. Swing of music means the sweet sound which is produced when the breeze strikes the tree.
So, the tree is feeling as if the spring is a mother and asking her (spring) to put it (tree) into peace by singing sweet song (i.e. striking the tree gently).
In the next line, the tree asks the spring to thrill its branches with enchantment (magic) of her touch of sweet surprises. Here the spring is depicted as some fairy with magical powers. The tree requests her to thrill it by her magic touches which are sweet. The poet uses the word surprises because the breeze suddenly comes and the branches start dancing in thrill.
Stanza 2
In my idle dream by Wayside You come startling me from slumber, Wilful in your mood fantastic Tease me with inconstant courting.
In the next stanza, the tree says that it was dreaming idly (since long, because of winters) by wayside (along the road) and it (spring breeze) came and awoke it up suddenly from the slumber (sleep).
Here the poet is describing the life-giving nature of spring. The tree was dreaming i.e. it was lifeless during the winters. Spring breeze came suddenly and the tree became lively again.
In the third line, the tree describes spring breeze as a lover. According to it, spring breeze is a wilful lover and teases it with inconstant courting in its fantastic mood.
Spring breeze is described as wilful and teasing in nature because it puts its will on the tree and teases it by striking its leaves and branches.
Stanza 3
Breezy April, Vagrant April, I live with my lonesome shadows. I know all your ?tful fancies Language of your ?itting footsteps.
In the third stanza, the tree again says “Breezy April, Vargrant April” and adds that it (tree) lives with none his its own shadow i.e. in solitude. Hence it is well familiar with the fitful fancies language of its (spring breeze) flitting footsteps.
Fitful means irregular, fancies means full of decorated words, flitting means nimble-footed (without making any noise). So the lines mean that the tree knows well its language of love-making (i.e. sweet sound which is produced when the breeze strikes the leaves and branches).
The coming of spring breeze is described by the phrase “flitting footsteps” because it is soft, gentle and calm. It comes without making much noise. However it does thrill the tree.
Stanza 4
All my secrets burst in blossoms At your passing breath of whisper, And my new leaves break in tumult Of surrender of their kisses.
In the final stanza, the trees says that when the spring breeze passes like a breath of whisper (i.e. gently), the secrets (here it means buds) burst into blossoms. In other words, when the spring breeze passes through the buds of the tree, the flowers come out and start blooming.
And when the spring breeze kisses the the new leaves (when spring comes, new leaves grow on the branches), they are confused and surrender to before it.
Note that in the first stanza the spring breeze had female characteristics. However, in the rest of the poem, it is personified as a male lover and tree becomes the beloved.
Conclusion
The whole poem is thus written in the praise of the spring breeze and thus romantic in nature.
Read important questions and answers of this poem.
