Question

c
I chatter, chatter, as I flow
To join the brimming river,
For men may come and men may go,
But I go on for ever
(a) Who does ‘I’ refer to in the given lines?
(b) How does it ‘chatter’?
(c) Why has the poet used the word ‘brimming’? What kind of a picture does it create?
(d) Explain the last two lines of the stanza.

Answer 1

(a) T refers to the brook in the given lines.
(b) The flowing motion of the brook creates a chattering sound. It appears as if it is talking sofly and constantly in a friendly manner with anything that obstructs its flow.
(c) The poet has used the word ‘brimming’ for the bigger river the brook is ultimately going to join in. It creates a picture of a big river filled with water up to the brim.
(d) The refrain in the poem presents a striking contrast. Men may come and go in and out of this world. Their existence is transitory. However, the brook presents a picture of eternity. It will flow forever