A Night in June Poem Meanings Summary and Solutions

‘A Night in June’ poem was written by William Wordsworth. Here are given the word meanings, summary. solutions of ‘Wind Chimes’ book. This study material is to help the children but they should produce their own answers as well.

Summary: A Night in June

‘A Night in June’ was written by William Wordsworth, Nature proved to be a pervasive theme of throughout his literary career and ‘a Night in June’ is no exception here. The poet who paints a dreamy picture of an English summer evening in this poem. The sun has long been set yet, the poet mentions, various birds are busy with echoing their songs. The poet calls the cry of the cuckoos as ‘sovereign’ i.e. louder and superior than other birds as it rules by resonating in the hollowness of the sky to fill it.

The poet captures the music in the notes of the blowing wind and the flowing water. He ends with a pointed and clear question: how could someone prefer parading to sophisticated, urbane merriments like masquerading to the innocent joy of a night in June, spent close to nature?

The poet successfully brings the ‘innocent blisses’ of nature as far superior and pure than the human invented party culture or the likes of it to get enjoyment and happiness.

Meanings: A Night in June

piping – singing in a high voice

thrush – a small brown bird with spots on its front

rush – to move fast with great speed

gush – to flow out suddenly and in large amounts

sovereign – majestic, loud, authoritative and superior than others

hollow – empty space, clear and blank, unfilled

masquerading – a formal dance and party where people wear masks and unusual cloths.

soft – cool, soothing

innocent – not guilty, pure, untainted, natural

Bliss – great and extreme happiness

innocent blisses – beauty of nature freely available to enjoy

Solutions: A Night in June

AnswersA.

1. a. The cuckoo’s sovereign cry fills the hollow of the sky.
   b. The sky is called hollow because it is large and mostly empty and from the Earth, looks curved
   out like one.
   c. It fills the sky because everything is so quiet that even a slight sound travels far and wide and
   seems to resonate through the space.
2. a. The innocent blisses are the simple joys of nature that the poet notices, such as the starlight,
   the birdsong and the music of blowing wind and flowing streams.
   b. They are innocent because they are devoid of pretence. They are not tainted by human
   corruption.
   c. Parading and masquerading, that is, strutting about showing oneself off and going to parties,
   are the not innocent blisses.
3. a. The quotes emphasise the fact that such pleasures are the opposites of the ones offered by
   nature on a night in June.

Answers.B.

1. There are few stars in the sky showing night time but birds are still singing that shows that it is not late night.

2. The poet uses sound imagery to create melodious atmosphere that kills the tranquillity in the atmosphere.

3. The poet refers to parading and masquerading in London

4. The ‘sovereign’ here signifies the majestic ruling of a ruler with freedom with authority felt and observed by people around. In the poem it is used because the cuckoos’ sound is clear, bold, ringing and melodious that resonated in the atmosphere. Its melody rules over the people who love music and melody.

5. The Nature is same for us with cuckoos and the moon. The modern-day life is hectic but enjoying nature and its simple joys would generate emotions as described in the poem. The melody of cuckoos and half-moon would beautify the nature as described in the poem. We only need to pause from hectivity for such beauties if nature to have emotional effect on us.

Poetry Appreciation

Answers: A. The five sentences of personifications with wind are given below.

1. The wind gently touched her cheeks
2. The wind leaped through the open window
3. The wind dashed on the ocean water
4. The wind roared through the jungle.
5. The wind is friendly today though it was punishing yesterday enough to damage some trees.