Back to: Tamil Nadu Class 9 English Guide & Notes
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Introduction
The Comet by Norman Littleford is a poem describing the aesthetics of a comet. The poet shares his fondness for watching comets as they speed by. It is a rather simple poem and, in a sense, scientific too. The poem is divided into six stanzas, and each stanza has four lines. The rhyme scheme of each stanza is abcb
Stanza 1
Rampaging through the heavens never stopping day or night, a spectacle of a lifetime a comet in full flight.
The comet travels speedily from the heavens. It neither stops during the day nor the night. The poet expresses how a comet in full flight is a spectacle to be watched.
Stanza 2
Faster than a cheetah with a tail that's miles long, bigger than a mountain so powerful and strong.
Here the poet shares that a comet is faster than even a cheetah and has a very long tail. The comet is bigger than a mountain and very powerful and strong.
Stanza 3
The outer ice is melting causing vapour from the force, and leaves a trail behind it as it travels on its course.
The poet explains how the ice melts and from the comet’s exterior and turns into vapour. This leads to a trail behind the comet and becomes its tail.
Stanza 4
If one should come too close to earth the atmophere will shake, with shockwaves reaching to the ground causing the land to quake.
The poet warns the readers of the possible dangers of what would happen if a comet comes too close to the earth. The atmosphere will shake and these shockwaves would cause earthquakes.
Stanza 5
Scientists say the chemicals in the dust they leave behind, could have started life on earth which resulted in mankind.
According to scientists, the chemicals in the comet’s dust could have been the major factor in the creation of mankind. They are attributed as the factor that started life on the earth.
Stanza 6
I cannot say if this is true I do not have the right, but I know no better spectacle than a comet in full flight.
The poet says that he can not confirm how true this theory is as he does not own the right. However, he does confirm that he is not aware of a more beautiful sight than a comet in full flight.