Question

Read the extract and write the appreciation of the poem:

Weavers, weaving at break of day, Why do you weave a garment so gay?..... Blue as the wing of a halcyon wild, We weave the robes of a new-born child Weavers, weaving at fall of night, Why do you weave a garment so bright?..... Like the plumes of a peacock, purple and green. We weave the marriage veils of a queen. Weavers, weaving solemn and still, What do you weave in the moonlight chill..... White as a feather and white as a cloud, We weave a dead man’s funeral shroud.

Answer 1

The poem “Indian Weavers” is written by Sarojini Naidu. It beautifully describes the three important stages of human life: birth, marriage, and death, through the work of weavers.

The poem has a simple question-and-answer form. In each stanza, the poet asks the weavers what they are weaving, and they reply. The garments they weave symbolise different stages of life: a bright blue robe for a newborn child, a colourful marriage veil for a queen, and a white shroud for a dead man. The colours used in the poem are symbolic and meaningful.

The poet has used figures of speech, such as similes, for example, “Blue as the wing of a halcyon wild” and “White as a feather and white as a cloud.” The poem also has a musical quality with rhyme scheme aa bb in each stanza.

The language of the poem is simple, rhythmic and rich in imagery. The poem conveys a profound message: life moves in a cycle from birth to death, and each stage has its own significance. I like the poem for its simplicity and meaningful theme.