Snow Poem by  Vijay Nambisan – Notes & Explanation Stanza wise | Glossary | Poetic Devices

Here is given a comprehensive explanation (Paraphrasing) of the poem “Snow’ by  Vijay Nambisan. Glossary and poetic devices are also given along with stanzas. The poem “Snow” is a simple but evocative poem about a child’s anticipation and joy for their first experience with snow. The language is clear and straightforward, but the speaker’s use of imagery, enjambment, and other poetic devices creates a sense of wonder and excitement. The poem captures the innocence and joy of a child’s first encounter with something new and beautiful.

Summary

The poem “Snow” by Vijay Nambisan describes a child’s first encounter with snow. The child, unfamiliar with the phenomenon, observes its appearance and texture, imagining its feel and taste. Anticipating the morning, the child envisions waking up to a world covered in snow, ready to play and roll in the “stuff” with unrestrained joy. The poem captures the child’s wonder, excitement, and innocence, celebrating the beauty and novelty of a simple experience.

Snow Poem Stanza Wise Explanation

Along with paraphrasing, glossary is also given. This glossary aims to provide clarity on the specific words and expressions used in each stanza, helping to enhance understanding of the poem “Snow” by Vijay Nambisan.

Stanza 1

Crisp in the winter’s morning,
Softly all through the night,
What is this without warning,
Falling and white?

Glossary:

• Crisp: Fresh and firm, often with a slight crackling sound.
• Softly: Gently and quietly.
• Without warning: Unexpectedly or suddenly.
• Falling and white: Describing the nature of snow—falling from the sky and having a white colour.

Explanation:

• The speaker wakes up on a crisp winter morning. Something white has fallen softly all through the night. The speaker doesn’t know what it is because it came without warning.

The speaker describes the snow as being crisp in the winter mornings and falling softly throughout the night. The speaker wonders about its sudden appearance and its characteristic colour, which is white.

The poet uses sensory details to create a vivid image of snow. The crispness and softness evoke a tactile sense, and the whiteness of the snow emphasizes its purity. The question at the end of the stanza adds an element of speaker’s curiosity, anticipation and suspense and sets the stage for the exploration of snow in the following stanzas.

Poetic Device:

• Rhyme Scheme: The rhyme scheme in this stanza is ABAB, contributing to the poem’s rhythmic flow.
• Imagery: The words “Crisp in the winter’s morning”, “Softly all through the night”, “falling” and “white” create a vivid image of the snowfall.
• Personification: Winter is given the human quality of “morning” suggesting its arrival.
• Rhetorical question: “What is this without warning?”
• Alliteration: The repetition of the “w” sound in “What is this without warning” enhances the musical quality of the line.

Stanza 2

I have never seen snow
But I can imagine it quite—
Not how it tastes, but I know
It falls and is white.

Glossary:

• Imagine: To form a mental image or concept.
• Quite: Completely or fully.
• Tastes: Referring to the flavour, though in this context, the speaker acknowledges not knowing how snow tastes.
• Falls and is white: Repetition of the fundamental characteristics of snow, emphasizing its descent and colour.

Explanation:

• The speaker admits to never having seen snow before. However, they can imagine its appearance based on what they’ve heard. While they haven’t tasted snow, they know it’s white and falls from the sky.
• This stanza reveals the speaker’s innocence and wonder.
• The use of the dash in “not how it tastes” suggests a playful interruption of thought.
• The repetition of “white” further emphasizes the speaker’s focus on the colour.

The speaker admits to never having seen snow but can imagine it well. The imagination is limited to its falling and being white; the speaker doesn’t know how it tastes.

This stanza emphasizes the power of imagination and the child’s excitement for something new and unknown. The poem uses the contrast between the speaker’s lack of experience and their vivid imagination. This suggests a sense of wonder and excitement about the unknown.

The use of the word “quite” suggests that the speaker’s imagination is limited, but still powerful. The contrast between “imagine” and “know” creates a sense of both wonder and certainty.

The speaker may lack direct experience with snow, but the ability to imagine it highlights the universal fascination with this natural phenomenon i.e. the popular description about snow that the speaker has heard but never saw it in real.

Poetic Device:

1. Imagery: The speaker’s ability to imagine snow falling and being white emphasizes the power of imagination.
2. Contrast: “never seen” vs. “can imagine”
3. Juxtaposition: “Not how it tastes, but I know” contrasts the unknown with the known, highlighting the child’s curiosity.
4. Alliteration: The repetition of the “s” sound in “seen snow” enhances the musical quality of the line. The same is with the repetition of the “i” sound in “imagine it quite”.
5. Enjambment: The lines in this stanza continue to the next lines without ant pause. The continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line contributes to the poem’s flowing and conversational tone.

Stanza 3

One morning I’ll open the door
To bring in the morning’s milk,
And all around there’ll be snow—
Fallen and still.

Glossary:

• Morning’s milk: The milk brought in during the morning, possibly a routine task symbolizing the beginning of the day.
• All around: Referring to the surroundings or environment.
• Fallen and still: Describing the state of the snow, having fallen and remaining motionless.

Explanation:

• The speaker envisions a future morning when he opens the door to fetch the morning’s milk i.e. the daily routine sunny day and finds the landscape covered in snow, which has fallen and remains still.
• This stanza emphasizes the anticipation and excitement of experiencing snow for the first time. The words “morning’s milk” add a detail of routine and normalcy, contrasted with the unusual and unexpected sight of snow.

This stanza creates a sense of anticipation and a potential moment of discovery for the first snowfall. The use of the word “morning” suggests a fresh start and new beginnings. The act of bringing in the morning’s milk is a routine task that becomes extraordinary with the unexpected presence of snow. The description of the snow as “fallen and still” emphasizes its purity and peacefulness.

Poetic Device:

• Imagery: The image of opening the door to find snow all around contributes to the anticipation and excitement of the scene. The words “fallen and still” create a peaceful and quiet image of the snow-covered world.
• Personification: “morning’s milk”
• Metaphor: “door” as a barrier to the outside world
• Enjambment: The lines flow seamlessly into each other without a pause at the end, creating a sense of continuity and expectation.

Stanza 4

How I’ll roll in the stuff!
How I’ll tumble and spin!
Until the neighbours cry, Enough!
And send me back in.

Glossary:

• Roll: To turn over or rotate.
• Tumble: To fall or roll end over end.
• Spin: To turn rapidly around a central axis.
• Enough: A sufficient quantity or degree.
• Neighbours cry, Enough!: Imaginary neighbours expressing a limit to the speaker’s exuberance in the snow, suggesting a playful exaggeration.
• Send me back in: Suggesting a return indoors, possibly due to the neighbours finding the speaker’s excitement excessive.

Explanation:

• The speaker describes how they will play in the snow. He imagines rolling in the snow, tumbling and spinning. They believe they will play until the neighbours become annoyed and send them back inside.

The speaker excitedly imagines rolling, tumbling, and spinning in the snow until the neighbours intervene and insist that enough is enough, sending the speaker back indoors.

This stanza captures the playful and joyous aspect of encountering snow for the first time. The stanza contrasts the peaceful image of the snow with the playful energy of the speaker. The speaker’s enthusiasm expressed through the use of verbs like “roll,” “tumble,” and “spin” emphasizes the speaker’s desire for fun. The reaction and intervention of the neighbours adds a touch of humour & reality and suggests that the speaker’s delight might be a bit overwhelming for others.

Poetic Device:

1. Imagery: The speaker’s vivid imagination of rolling, tumbling, and spinning in the snow creates a playful and joyful image.
2. Alliteration: The repetition of the “t” sound in “How I’ll tumble and spin!” adds emphasis and rhythm.
3. Exclamation: The use of exclamation marks in “How I’ll roll in the stuff!” and “And send me back in” conveys the speaker’s enthusiasm.
4. Dialogue: “Enough!”
5. Hyperbole: The speaker’s exuberance is heightened with the hyperbolic expression, “How I’ll roll in the stuff!” emphasizing the joy of the imagined experience musicality.
6. Humour: The speaker’s expectation of being reprimanded for their playfulness adds a light-hearted touch to the poem

Poetic Devices:

1. Imagery: The poet uses vivid descriptions to create mental images, such as “crisp,” “softly,” and “fallen and still,” enhancing the reader’s sensory experience.
2. Repetition: The repetition of the idea that snow is white and falls reinforces the simplicity and purity of this natural occurrence.
3. Enjambment: The continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line contributes to the poem’s flowing and conversational tone.
4. Rhyme Scheme: The poem follows an ABAB rhyme scheme, contributing to its rhythmic and melodic quality.
5. Symbolism: Snow can be seen as a symbol of purity and newness, and the speaker’s excitement symbolizes the childlike joy associated with encountering something for the first time.

Central Idea of The Poem ‘Snow’

The central idea of the poem “Snow” by Vijay Nambisan revolves around the anticipation, imagination, and joy associated with the prospect of experiencing snow for the first time. The speaker expresses a childlike wonder and excitement at the idea of snowfall, even though they have never personally witnessed it. The poem explores the power of imagination to evoke the sensory qualities of snow, emphasizing its purity and the transformative effect it can have on the ordinary moments of life. The anticipation builds throughout the stanzas, culminating in a playful and exuberant vision of the speaker rolling and tumbling in the snow, capturing the delight that such a simple and natural occurrence can bring. Overall, the poem celebrates the magic and joy of encountering the unfamiliar and the beauty of imagination in creating a world of wonder.

Theme of the Poem ‘Snow’

The poem “Snow” by Vijay Nambisan explores several themes, including:

1. Imagination and Anticipation: The poem emphasizes the power of imagination as the speaker vividly envisions the characteristics of snow despite never having seen it. There is a sense of anticipation and wonder associated with the imagined experience of snowfall.
2. Childlike Joy and Playfulness: The speaker’s excitement and enthusiasm in imagining playing in the snow convey a childlike joy. The playful imagery of rolling, tumbling, and spinning in the snow captures the carefree and exuberant spirit often associated with childhood.
3. Natural Beauty and Purity: Snow is portrayed as a symbol of natural beauty and purity. The whiteness of the snow is emphasized, and the stillness after it has fallen adds a sense of calm and tranquillity to the surroundings.
4. Unexpected Delight in Everyday Life: The poem suggests that moments of unexpected beauty can transform the mundane aspects of daily life. The ordinary act of opening the door to fetch morning milk becomes extraordinary when surrounded by the beauty of snow.
5. Community and Neighbourly Interaction: The playful antics of the speaker in the snow prompt a reaction from the neighbours, reflecting a sense of community and social interaction. The neighbors’ response adds a humorous element to the poem.
6. Symbolism of Snow: Snow serves as a symbolic element representing something new, fresh, and transformative. It becomes a metaphor for the potential for joy and beauty in life’s ordinary moments.

These themes collectively contribute to the overall mood of the poem, which is one of wonder, delight, and an appreciation for the imaginative capacity to find joy in the simple and natural occurrences of life.

Message of The Poem ‘Snow’

The poem “Snow” by Vijay Nambisan conveys several key messages:

1. The power of imagination: The child’s ability to imagine snow, even without ever having seen it before, speaks to the power of imagination. It shows us how we can experience the wonder of the world, even before we encounter it firsthand.

2. The joy of new experiences: The poem captures the pure joy and excitement that a child feels when encountering something new and beautiful. It reminds us to appreciate the simple pleasures in life and to embrace new experiences with open arms.

3. The importance of wonder and curiosity: The child’s wonder and curiosity about the snow are essential for their learning and growth. It reminds us to retain our sense of wonder at the world around us and to be curious about the unknown.

4. The innocence of childhood: The poem captures the innocence and naivety of childhood. It reminds us to cherish these qualities and to see the world with the same fresh eyes and open hearts as children do.

5. The beauty of nature: The poem describes the snow as “white” and “still,” highlighting the beauty and serenity of nature. It reminds us to appreciate the natural world and to find peace and solace in its beauty.

Overall: The poem “Snow” is a celebration of innocence, curiosity, and the joy of new experiences. It reminds us to appreciate the simple things in life and to find wonder in the world around us.