The Laburnum top is silent, quite still
In the afternoon yellow September sunlight,
A few leaves yellowing, all its seeds fallen.
Explanation (English):
The poet describes the laburnum tree in the September sunlight. It is completely silent, still, and almost lifeless. Its yellowing leaves and fallen seeds indicate autumn, symbolizing decay and emptiness.
Explanation (Hindi):
कवि लैबर्नम के पेड़ का वर्णन करते हैं। सितंबर की पीली धूप में यह बिल्कुल शांत और निश्चल है। इसके पत्ते पीले हो रहे हैं और बीज गिर चुके हैं। यह नीरसता और जीवनहीनता का प्रतीक है।
Till the goldfinch comes, with a twitching chirrup
A suddenness, a startlement, at a branch end.
Then sleek as a lizard, and alert, and abrupt,
She enters the thickness, and a machine starts up
Of chitterings, and a tremor of wings, and trillings —
The whole tree trembles and thrills.
Explanation (English):
The silence breaks when a goldfinch arrives with sudden chirrups. Like a lizard, she moves quickly and enters the dense branches. The nestlings respond with noises, wings, and trillings, making the whole tree vibrate with life and energy.
Explanation (Hindi):
मौन टूटता है जब एक गोल्डफिंच (छोटी चिड़िया) अचानक चहचहाकर आती है। छिपकली की तरह तेज़ी से वह डालियों में घुस जाती है। उसके बच्चों की चहचहाहट, पंखों की फड़फड़ाहट और आवाज़ों से पूरा पेड़ जीवंत और कंपन से भर जाता है।
It is the engine of her family.
She stokes it full, then flirts out to a branch-end
Showing her barred face identity mask.
Explanation (English):
The goldfinch is compared to the engine of a machine, giving life to her family. She feeds her young ones, fills them with energy, and then sits on a branch, her striped face visible like a mask of identity.
Explanation (Hindi):
गोल्डफिंच को अपने परिवार का इंजन कहा गया है। वह अपने बच्चों को भोजन कराकर ऊर्जा देती है और फिर डाल पर आकर बैठ जाती है। उसका धारीदार चेहरा उसकी पहचान का मुखौटा बन जाता है।
Then with eerie, delicate whistle-chirrup whisperings
She launches away, towards the infinite
And the laburnum subsides to empty.
Explanation (English):
With soft, delicate whistle-like sounds, the bird flies away into the endless sky. The tree, once vibrant, becomes silent and empty again, returning to its earlier lifelessness.
Explanation (Hindi):
धीरे-धीरे सीटी जैसी मधुर आवाज़ें निकालते हुए गोल्डफिंच उड़ जाती है और अनंत आकाश की ओर बढ़ जाती है। पेड़ फिर से शांत और सुनसान हो जाता है, जैसे पहले था।
1. Who wrote "The Laburnum Top"?
a) William Wordsworth
b) Ted Hughes ✅
c) Robert Frost
d) Keats
2. What season is described in the poem?
a) Winter
b) Autumn ✅
c) Spring
d) Summer
3. Which bird visits the tree?
a) Sparrow
b) Pigeon
c) Goldfinch ✅
d) Dove
4. What happens when the goldfinch comes?
a) Tree becomes alive ✅
b) Tree dies
c) Nothing changes
d) Leaves fall
5. What is the goldfinch compared to?
a) Sunlight
b) Machine ✅
c) Cloud
d) River
6. What does the tree symbolize at the start?
a) Energy
b) Lifelessness ✅
c) Happiness
d) Prosperity
7. Where does the bird go after feeding?
a) Sky ✅
b) Nest again
c) Ground
d) River
8. What do the yellow leaves indicate?
a) Growth
b) Autumn and aging ✅
c) Summer
d) Winter
9. What is the main theme of the poem?
a) Friendship
b) Life and energy cycle ✅
c) Wealth
d) Politics
10. What does the tree become after the bird leaves?
a) Alive
b) Empty and silent ✅
c) Green
d) Fresh
Q1. Describe the laburnum tree in the beginning.
Ans: The laburnum tree is silent, still, and lifeless. Its leaves are yellow, showing autumn season. The tree appears empty and symbolizes decay and stillness.
Q2. How does the goldfinch bring change to the tree?
Ans: The arrival of the goldfinch fills the tree with movement, energy, and sound. Her chirping and activity transform the lifeless tree into one full of joy and vitality.
Q3. Why is the goldfinch compared to a machine?
Ans: The bird is compared to a machine because her arrival suddenly activates the tree. Her movements bring vibrations and energy like a machine starting up with force.
Q4. What role does the goldfinch play for her family?
Ans: The goldfinch feeds and nourishes her young ones. She is compared to an engine that provides energy, showing the importance of a mother’s care in the survival of her family.
Q5. What happens when the bird leaves the tree?
Ans: When the bird leaves, the tree becomes silent and lifeless again. The earlier vibrancy disappears, symbolizing the cycle of life between stillness and energy.
Q6. What do the yellowing leaves symbolize?
Ans: The yellow leaves symbolize the autumn season, aging, decline, and the approach of death. They show the temporary nature of life and the passage of time.
Q7. Why does the poet call the tree empty after the bird flies away?
Ans: The bird brings energy, but when she leaves, silence returns. The tree without the goldfinch feels deserted and empty, highlighting the importance of presence in giving meaning.
Q8. What is the central theme of the poem?
Ans: The poem highlights the cycle of life, the bond of family, the nurturing role of the mother, and how energy and vitality are temporary but meaningful.
Q9. How does the poet use imagery in the poem?
Ans: The poet uses autumn imagery like yellow leaves, machine-like energy, and trembling branches to create a vivid picture of change, life, and emptiness in the laburnum tree.
Q10. What message does the poem give us?
Ans: The poem conveys that life is a cycle of energy and emptiness. Nature shows vitality through small moments, but silence and decay are equally important aspects of existence.
Q.1 What do you notice about the beginning and the ending of the poem “The Laburnum Top”?
Ans: The poem begins with a picture of lifelessness and silence. The laburnum tree is described as quiet, still, and almost empty under the September sunlight. Its leaves are yellowing and seeds have fallen, showing a sense of decay and inactivity.
However, the arrival of the goldfinch suddenly transforms the tree. Her movements, chirrups, and feeding of the young ones bring life, energy, and excitement. The tree trembles and thrills with activity.
In contrast, the poem ends as it began—with silence. Once the goldfinch departs towards the infinite, the tree again becomes empty and lifeless.
Thus, the poem starts and ends with stillness, highlighting the cycle of life: energy is temporary, but silence and emptiness return after it passes.
Q.2 To what is the bird's movement compared? What is the basis for the comparison?
Ans: In the poem “The Laburnum Top”, the bird’s movement is compared to that of a lizard. The poet says the goldfinch moves “sleek as a lizard, alert and abrupt.” This comparison is based on the quick, sudden, and cautious movements of both the bird and the lizard. Just like a lizard moves swiftly, carefully, and with alertness, the goldfinch enters the thick branches of the tree with sharp, sudden actions. The simile emphasizes her agility, watchfulness, and the sudden energy she brings to the otherwise still laburnum tree.
Q.3 Why is the image of the engine evoked by the poet in the poem “The Laburnum Top”?
Ans: The poet compares the goldfinch to the engine of a machine because she is the source of energy and life for her family. When she enters the nest hidden in the laburnum tree, the young ones start chittering, fluttering their wings, and making noises, just like a machine starting to work. The mother bird provides food and strength to her chicks, keeping the “engine” of the family running. Without her presence, the tree and the nestlings remain silent and lifeless. This image shows how the goldfinch acts as the central power, driving force, and source of vitality for her family, just as an engine runs a machine.
Q.4 What does the phrase “her barred face identity mask” mean in "The Laburnum Top"?
Ans: The phrase “her barred face identity mask” describes the goldfinch’s striped face. These stripes are natural and make her easy to recognize, like a mask showing her identity. The poet uses this description to show the bird’s unique appearance and character. It helps the reader clearly imagine the goldfinch while she moves and feeds her young ones. The “mask” also emphasizes her role in giving life and energy to the tree and her family.
Q.5 Describe the transformation of the laburnum tree in the poem.
Ans: The poem begins with the laburnum tree standing silent, still, and lifeless in the September sunlight. Its leaves are turning yellow, symbolizing autumn and decay. Suddenly, the goldfinch arrives, breaking the silence with her chirping and quick movements. The bird enters the nest hidden in the branches, and the tree, which seemed dead, trembles and becomes vibrant with life and energy. The poet compares the goldfinch to a machine, as her arrival instantly activates the tree like an engine. She feeds her young ones, providing warmth and nourishment. However, once she flies away into the open sky, the tree returns to its previous state of silence and emptiness. This transformation reflects the cycle of life: moments of energy followed by stillness. The poem symbolizes vitality, motherhood, and the transient yet meaningful beauty of life.
Q.6 What role does the goldfinch play in the poem?
Ans: The goldfinch is the central figure in the poem as she brings vitality and energy to the laburnum tree. Initially, the tree is silent and lifeless, but the arrival of the bird completely changes the scene. The poet compares her to a machine that suddenly starts working, as her chirping and movement bring the tree alive. She enters the nest, feeds her young ones, and acts like an engine that provides energy and life to her family. The goldfinch symbolizes motherhood, care, and nourishment, showing the importance of a mother’s role in a family’s survival. Once her work is done, she flies away, and the tree becomes silent again. Thus, the goldfinch represents vitality, energy, and the fleeting nature of life.
Q.7 Explain the significance of imagery in the poem.
Ans: Imagery plays a crucial role in Ted Hughes’ poem “The Laburnum Top.” The poet uses the image of a laburnum tree in September with yellowing leaves to symbolize stillness, decay, and the passage of time. The arrival of the goldfinch creates another striking image, as her chirping and movement are compared to a machine starting suddenly. This imagery conveys vitality and activity within the tree. The trembling and thrilling of branches further create a visual picture of the transformation from silence to life. The final image of the bird flying away, leaving the tree empty again, symbolizes the cycle of energy and stillness. Through vivid imagery of nature, the poet communicates themes of motherhood, vitality, and transience of life.
Q.8 Discuss the theme of the poem.
Ans: The main theme of “The Laburnum Top” is the cycle of life and the nurturing role of motherhood. The laburnum tree initially represents lifelessness and decay, but it is transformed when the goldfinch arrives. Her presence fills the tree with movement, sound, and vitality, symbolizing the life-giving power of a mother. The bird is compared to a machine or engine that energizes her family by feeding her young ones. However, once she flies away, the tree returns to silence, reflecting the temporary nature of life’s energy. The poem highlights the contrast between stillness and activity, emptiness and vitality. It teaches that life is a balance of moments of joy and silence, and that motherhood is central to sustaining life.
Q.9 What message does Ted Hughes convey in “The Laburnum Top”?
Ans: Ted Hughes conveys a deep message about the cycle of life, motherhood, and the transience of energy. The laburnum tree stands silent and lifeless until the goldfinch arrives. Her arrival transforms the tree, making it vibrant and alive with movement. The bird represents a mother who provides nourishment, energy, and strength to her young ones, symbolizing the role of care and responsibility in family life. However, once she flies away, the tree returns to emptiness and silence. This shows that energy, vitality, and joy are temporary but meaningful aspects of life. The poet highlights the importance of nurturing relationships and how life constantly shifts between silence and activity. The message is that love, care, and vitality give life meaning, even though they may not last forever.