Back to: Karnataka Board Class 9th Notes & Solutions
Table of Contents
Introduction
The poem “Gratefulness” has been written by Joseph T Renaldi. In the poem, the poet celebrates the priceless gifts bestowed on him by the Creator God. The poet is a sonnet having three quatrains and one couplet. The rhyme scheme of the poem is aabbccdd.
Poem
Stanza 1
I the first stanza, the poet, who is in conversation with God, says to Him that he is “grateful for the eyes” which have made him to see the world and the activities done by him. Next he thanks God “for the ears” which help him to “hear the sobbing of those” who need his help.
In this stanza, the poet seems to be a believer of God and thanks to Him for making him capable of seeing the activities (I think the Goods and Bads) and also for making his ears capable of listening to others’ sorrows and thus helping them out of there miseries.
Stanza 2
In Stanza 2, the poet says that he is grateful for the lips (or mouth)through which he can “speak words of comfort and peace” to all who seek. Next he thanks God for giving him “a mind that” helps him to know and analyze “how to aid those who meed” his help.
In this stanza, the poet again is thankful to his Creator for gifting him valuable organs like lips and mind which help him to talk well for comforting others and also help him think of others and thus bring them out of miseries.
Stanza 3
In the 3rd stanza, the poet thanks God “for the hands” through which he can do difficult as well as simple works. The difficult works may include those requiring more effort and even dangers while simple tasks are like praying, smiling, etc. Next the poet thanks God for making him able to pray so that he may get strength and guidance on daily basis.
Couplet
In the final couplet, the poet sums up the things for which he is grateful to God. According to him, he is “he is grateful for one thing” which is more than all other things. It is the heart that has been gifted by God to him so that he is able to love others and thus be able to serve them better.
