Children are Going to School Poem Summary and Line by Line Explanation in English Class 6th

Introduction 

In this poem, translated from Nida Fali’s “Bachche school ja rahe hain,” talks about education and how pertinent is is for the children to hain knowledge by going to school. 

Stanza 1 

Morning light spreads
over the earth
Once again, the Sky bows his head in respect,
For children are going to school.

In the first stanza, the poet points out the obvious reason that almost all schools begin early in the morning. When the morning light spreads the children have to wake up to go to school. Over here, the poet meant sunrise by saying the sky bows head in respect. It’s as if the sun is bowing his head in respect of the children going to school. It’s a way of the sun showing his love and affection to the children, who have waken up so early, and are now on the way to school. The poet has personified the sun in order to represent that a new day means a new beginning and opportunities for the children.  

Stanza 2 

The Sun, after his morning dip in the river
dressed up in his golden muslin turban
waits and smiles on one side of the road,
For children are going to school.

In the second stanza, the poet says when the sun sets, it looks like as if it has dipped into a river. The poet continues that after his morning dip in the river, which seems like a morning bath for the sun, the sun is dressed in his golden muslin turban. ‘Golden’ here stands for the orange hue that the sun gives out at dawn. The poet says that the sun is all ready with it’s golden turban to welcome the children going to school, with a smile. The poet once again personified the sun here by giving it human like qualities of waking up, taking a bath, dressing up, smiling and waiting at the side of the road for the children.

Stanza 3 

Through the green-topped branches,
Breezes sing their songs of blessings.
Fragrant flowers awaken the sleepy roads
with their melodies.
At the corner of the lane,
the Peepal in his lush deep foliage
waves his his hands
For Children are going to school

In the third stanza, the poet tells us that the wind passes through the trees, singing the songs of blessings. The wind is blessing the children going to school. The poet also says that the flowers awaken the sleepy roads with their melodies. The poet meant that the flowers give out a sweet fragrance in the morning as if they’re waking all the sleepy roads and getting them ready for the children to walk down the path. The Peepul tree, which is growing at the corner of the lane, waves its branches as a greeting to the children going to school. In this stanza, the poet personifies the surroundings such as the flowers, the tree and the wind to say that it’s a beautiful scene when the children go off to school.

Stanza 4 

Angels of light have set out
Every road is a-gleam.
At this hour,
every particle of the earth
throbs like a mother's heart.
Time, sitting on an old roof,
flies pigeons in the sky.
For children are going to school.

In the final stanza, poet calls all elements of nature as angels of light, who have come out to illuminate the roads for the children going to school. The poet believes that these angels of light are actually the messengers of God. It is known that “knowledge is light“, which is why the poet presents the elements of nature as a form of life- helping the children gain knowledge. The poet continues that at this hourwhen this children are going to school, every element of nature throbs like a mother’s heart. The poet implies just like a mother, because she’s anxious for her children, mother nature‘s heart is throbbing with love and affection to all the children.

Time never dies but always heals. The poet says that time, sitting on an old roof means present time is the right time for all of us and that we should not ignore it. This is the right time for the children to gain knowledge and experience life. The poet evokes the image of pigeon symbolizing peace. Releasing pigeons in the sky is sending out a message of peace and harmony to the world so that the children can go to school without worrying about anything. Through the personification of mother nature, the poet has personified the hearts of everyone who are anxious about the future and well-being of the children.

Conclusion 

Through this poem, the poet wanted to portray the theme that all the elements of nature are actually encouraging the children to go to school. This is the right time for the children to gain knowledge and not to let opportunity pass by. The poet realizes how the children’s parents might be anxious but wanted to calm them by saying that nature is looking over them and will want the best out of them. 

The poet highlights the fact that it’s very important for children around the world to get education. Education is necessary for the children to go through all kinds of hardships and experience different kinds of opportunities. Going to school is a privilege and all children should experience that, irrespective of what others might feel.