Back to: Maharashtra Board Class 10th English Guide & Notes
Table of Contents
Introduction
The poem is written in the Dogri language by Sunil Sharma. This poem is an appreciation of the beauty of the moon and also a humble request to the moon to light up the darkened paths in the lives of the villagers. The child’s imagination shows concern for others. The little boy wants to sow the seeds of moonlight on the sides of the road so that his father and the villagers will be able to return home safely.
Stanza 1
O moon, give me moonlight, basketful or two baskets full, with seeds of moonlight.
The poem takes up a child-like narrator who is praying for moonlight. He says to the moon that he needs seeds of moonlight. He requests the moon to send him a basketful or two baskets full of moonlight seeds. The childlike innocence in the narrator of the poem raises him to request moon to send to moonlight seeds as if it’s something that can be planted.
Stanza 2
From the city to my village, on the sides of the path I want to sow many, small, small moons of light. The whole village goes to the city daily to work.
In the second stanza the narrator lays down the need for the moonlight seeds. He says that every day the villagers go to the city for work. The narrator wishes to plant the seeds of the small, small moons of light on the sides of the path. He hopes to create light amidst the darkened roads that leads to his village from the city. The moonlight seeds is actually for the villagers and their safe return.
Stanza 3
It becomes dark on its way back as my village is quite far. The route is tough and full of snakes and scorpions. Neither bus nor cart plies. When my father returns home I am asleep. And he goes back early in the morning while I am sleeping.
In the third stanza, the narrator describes the route from the city to the village. He says due to the distance being too much, the villagers return home in the evening when it gets dark. The way back home is complicated and dangerous, and full of snakes and scorpions.
Even the vehicles are of no use in bringing the villagers safely to their homes and they have to come back walking, facing all the difficulties on the road. The narrator cares about everyone and also about his father. He says that his father arrives when he is sleeping and then goes back early in the morning to the city while he still sleeping.
Stanza 4
O moon give me a basketful of moonlight on loan. I want to light the dark route so that my father returns early. I too want to hear fairy tales and stories from him.
The narrator bemoans the fact that he’s unable to spend time with his father and wishes for the moon to give him seeds of moonlight. He wants many small moons on the way to illuminate the path to his village. He even requests the moon to give him basketful of moonlight on loan as he’s willing to repay them. The narrator hopes that in this way if he’s able to light up the path, his father will return home early. He wants his father to come back home early to spend more time with him and hear fairy tales and stories from him.
Stanza 5
O moon, give me a basketful of moonlight. I want to sow seeds of moon on the sides of the path.
The poem once again ends with a plea to the moon. The narrator requests the moon to give him a basketful of moonlight so that he could sow seeds of moon on the road from the city to the village. He hopes to bring a change in the life of the villagers, and his father who works very hard day and night. The boy shows concern for each and everyone, and wishes to solve the problem of his village by sowing the seeds of light.
Conclusion
The poem is based on a child’s imagination as he wants to help his father and other villagers to return home safely. The child intends to do so by lighting their path with seeds of moonlight. The poem is an appreciation to the moon and requests the moon to light up the dangerous path, so that everyone could return home early and safely. He even agrees to take a loan from the moon and repay it if he gets his father’s time. The poem shows concerns of a little boy and his selfless thought for others.
