Question

Some are meet for a maiden's wrist,
Silver and blue as the mountain mist,
Some are flushed like the buds that dream
On the tranquil brow of a woodland stream,
Some are aglow with the bloom that cleaves
To the limpid glory of new born leaves

Read the lines given above and answer the question that follow.

Explain with reference to context.

Answer 1

The lines given above are from the poem The Bangle sellers by Sarojini Naidu. This poem stands out as a social message that not only discusses the lives of Indian women but also the lives of bangle sellers. Although the poem focuses extensively on the stages in the life of women, it portrays the lives of the bangle sellers as well.

In stanza 2, the bangle-seller says that they carry different kinds of bangles, each catering to different types of women with different needs and preferences.
He says that some are blue and silver like the mist in the mountains, which are fit for a maiden’s wrist. Some bangles are of reddish hue like the flushed buds found along a stream. Some of the bangles glow like newborn leaves, owing to the dew and water from the stream. These are all representative of a young girl in her prime.