Q. Who is the speaker in the poem?
Ans. Shel Silverstein, the poetess, is the speaker in this poem.
Q. With your partner list out the happenings the speaker is worried about.
Ans. The speaker is worried about the following happenings.
- She becomes dumb.
- The swimming pool is closed.
- She fails in the examination.
- She gets beaten up.
- Her parents get divorced.
- She is hit by lightning.
- She gets sick and dies
Q. Why do you think she/he has these worries? Can you think of ways to get rid of such worries?
Ans. Most of our worries are born out of baseless fears. With a strong will power and the right positive attitude to life, one can get rid of such worries.
Q. Read the following line.
Some Whatifs crawled inside my ear.
Can words crawl into your ear? This is an image. The poet is trying to make an image of what she/he experiences. Now with your partner try and list out some more images from the poem.
Ans. We all think in terms of words. Our mind remains active all the 24 hours. It doesn’t rest even at night. It is crowded with ideas, both sweet and bitter. In this way words, creating a picture or scene, enter one’s mind and ears. Dreams are also action packed scenes. We talk, shout, tremble with fear and sweat at night.
Q. In groups of four discuss some more ‘Whatifs’ that you experience in your day to day life and list them out.
Answer
- The thieves and killers sometimes force their way into house.
- Supposing a mechanic or telephone lineman or an electrician knocks on the door.
- Strangers, salesmen and vendors press the call-bell to gain entry.
- Beggars and fakirs also frighten me.
- Then there are nasty monkeys and cats entering the kitchen through the half closed door.
- What will happen in case an earthquake comes or lightning strikes us?