Back to: CBSE Class 7 English Summary & Notes
Table of Contents
Introduction
In the poem, The Shed, a young boy tells that there is a small shed in the garden. It’s door is closed and no one goes there. The child desires to open the door and go inside but his elder brother frightens him saying that there is a ghost inside.
The young boy knows well that there is no ghost and that his brother is only frightening him. However he does not have courage to go inside. He hopes to overcome his fear one day and see what is inside.
Poem
Video
Stanza 1
There’s a shed at the bottom of our garden With a spider’s web hanging across the door, The hinges are rusty and creak in the wind. When I’m in bed I lie and I listen, I’ll open that door one day.
The young boy says that there is a shed at the bottom (end) of their garden. There is a spider’s web hanging across its door. The hinges (joint between door and wall) are full of rust and they creak (make noise) when the wind blows.
The boy says that when he lies in the bed and listens to the noises made by the rusty door of that shed, he hopes to open that door one day.
Stanza 2
There’s a dusty old window around at the side With three cracked panes of glass, I often think there’s someone staring at me Each time that I pass, I’ll peep through that window one day.
The young boy further says that there is a dusty old window at one of its walls which has three cracked panes of glass (broken window glasses). The young boy thinks that someone stares at him from that window.
Everyday he thinks that he will peep through (look into) that broken window one day. In other words, he hopes to have enough courage to overcome his fear and see through that window.
Stanza 3
My brother says there’s a ghost in the shed Who hides under the rotten floorboards, And if I ever dare to set foot inside He’ll jump out and chop off my head, But I’ll take a peek one day.
Young boy’s elder brother often tells him that there is a ghost in the shed who is hidden under the rotten (ruined) floorboards. And that if he (the young boy) dares to go inside, the ghost will come out and cut his (young boy’s) head. However, the young boy again says that he will see inside from the window, one day.
Stanza 4
I know that there isn’t really a ghost, My brother tells lies to keep the shed for his den; There isn’t anyone staring or making strange noises And the spider has been gone from his web since I don’t know when, I’ll go into that shed one day soon, But not just yet...
The young boy says that he knows that there is no ghost inside the shed. His brother tells him lies because he (elder brother) uses the shed for hiding his things. Moreover no one stares at him and even makes strange noises. The spider would also have gone away from its web since long.
But, he still does not have courage to go inside but he hopes to overcome his fear one and he will definitely open the door and go into the shed.
