Question

But must I confess how I liked him,
How glad I was he had come like a guest in quiet, to drink at my water-trough
And depart peaceful, pacified, and thankless,
Into the burning bowels of this earth ?

(a) Who does ‘him’ refer to ? 

(b) What dilemma did the poet face ?

(c) Pick out and explain the figure of speech used in line 2.

(d) Explain : ‘burning bowels of this earth’.

Answer 1

(a) ‘Him’ refers to the snake.

(b) What dilemma did the poet face ?

(c) 1. Alliteration – Alphabet “h” is repeated.
2. Simile – Word “Like” is used to show direct comparison between the (person) poet and the snake. 

(d) ‘Burning bowels of this earth’ means the snake enters the hole inside the earth’s crust which was hot.