TRAINS BY HUMAYUN KABIR HUMAYUN KABIR - PowerPoint Presentation

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TRAINS

BY HUMAYUN KABIR

HUMAYUN KABIR

Humayun

Kabir

belongs to the pre-independence era, when freedom struggle was in its full swing and a sense of revolt was sprayed in the air against the colonists.

Humayun

Kabir

is not only recognized as a poet but also as an essayist, philosopher, administrator and parliamentarian. Apart from this he was also a member of

Sahitya

Academy and the President of All India Writer's Convention, Delhi, in 1956. He had been the Minister of Education and was actively connected with Bengal's politics as a leader of a newly formed party.

INTRODUCTION

Life is a kind of journey where a person feels excited as well as tired. The poem 'Trains' expresses this idea convincingly. In the poem, the poet is imaginatively engaged in observing the trains which move tediously towards their destiny without rest. He wonders where the trains come from and where they go.

THEME

Through this poem, the poet wants to say that life is a journey. Trains move tediously day and night facing different terrains. They keep moving until they reach their destination. Human beings also come across hindrances and challenges in life. But they should not give up or feel helpless. ‘The only impossible journey is the one you never begin.’

SYNOPSIS

FIRST STANZA

In the first stanza the poet tells his mother that he sits by his window and enjoys watching the trains for a long time. He observes that some trains are dark and move tiresomely. Actually he sees goods trains which are without windows, doors and lamps. In fact, the goods trains carry a lot of things which make their movement slow. He compares the goods trains to huge elephants because both a herd of elephants and the wagons of goods trains are huge in size and move slowly one after the other. They move like dark figures at night. He feels that the trains get tired of running. He is not aware that they run on engines. He describes the running trains as per his perception.

SECOND STANZA

In the second stanza he mentions about a passenger train which comes at great speed with flashing lights. It has lots of windows and is well-lit too. The lamps dance and whirl with prompt movement as the train moves fast. The passenger train seems to be a wedding procession to him because it has bright lights and loud music. Shrill whistle of the train rises above the sound of the revolving wheels.

THIRD STANZA

In the third stanza the poet gives a very authentic picture of a hot afternoon when everyone goes to sleep. Not only human beings but crows and dogs also take rest in shade; yet the train marches on and on along its iron road. To stay indoors or to cool oneself in the shade is a preference for all.

FOURTH STANZA

In the fourth stanza we see that sometimes at night he hears the low distant rumble of the train. He rubs his eyes and sits upon his bed and far away he sees a long train moving like a huge serpent crawling through the night.

FIFTH STANZA

In the fifth stanza the poet says that he has heard from his mother that trains move on their way through hills, roar over bridges, cross mighty streams, crash through forests and vast plains. He wonders at the end of their restless travelling where do they go and finally rest.

POEM ( WITH EXPLANATION)

Mother

, I sit by my window for hours on end - The poet tells his mother that he sits by his window for long hours. And watch the long trains rumble past. - He watches the long trains passing by. Some are dark and journey tediously, -He observes that some trains are dark and move tiresomely. No doors, no windows, no shining lamps. - without windows, doors and lamps Slowly they move: like huge elephants -These trains move slowly like huge elephants

That move like shadows in the shadowy dark. - that move like dark figures at night. Sometimes a train comes flashing past - Sometimes a train comes at great speed with flashing lights. With many windows lit by many lamps - It has many windows lit by many lamps. That dance and whirl with movement swift - The lamps dance and turn promptly as the train moves fast.

A marriage procession with music loud, - It has bright lights and loud music. It looks like a wedding procession. Shrill whistles that rise above the din -Shrill whistle of the train rises above the sound Of the rhythmic beat of wheels revolving fast. - of the revolving wheels which are moving fast. On hot afternoons you go to sleep -The poet talks to his mother and says when you go to sleep on hot afternoons. And with dizzy heat swoons all the world, -The entire world feels dizzy and tired due to excessive heat.

Even the crows doze and forget to caw, - Even the crows take a nap and forget to caw. The dog lies in the shade with hanging tongue. -The dog lies lazily in the shade with its tongue hanging out. I watch for hours and still the tireless trains -The poet watches the trains moving for long hours. March on and on along their iron road. - They move tirelessly on the railway tracks.

Sometimes at night in my sleep I hear - Sometimes at night in his sleep he hears The low distant rumble of the train. - a series of long low sound of the train which is far-off. I rub my eyes and sit upon my bed - He rubs his eyes and sits upon his bed. And beneath the light of the flickering moon - And under the wavering light of the moon Moves the long shadowy outline far away - moves the long dark outline of the train

Like a huge serpent crawling through the night.- It looks like a huge serpent crawling/slithering through the night. Where do all these trains go day and night? - The poet asks his mother where do the trains go day and night. You say they bore their way through hills, - The poet’s mother has already told him that they make their way through the hills. They roar over bridges across mighty streams, -They move across the mighty rivers at high speed making a loud roaring sound. They crash through forests and vast plains, -They move violently through forests and extremely large area of flat land. But at the end of their restless journeying - The poet asks a question to his mother that at the end of their restless travel Where do they go and finally rest? - Where do they finally rest ?

POETIC DEVICES

Simile (a) Slowly they move: like huge elephants. (b) Like a huge serpent crawling through the night

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2. Alliteration (a) That move like shadows in the shadowy dark. (b) Of the rhythmic beat of wheels revolving fast.

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