Coromandel Fishers

Coromandel Fishers

by Smriti Pradhan

​ Appreciation of Poem

​Title: Coromandel Fishers

  Poetess : Sarojini Naidu

  Rhyme Scheme: The rhyme scheme of the poem is ‘aabb’.

  Favourite Lines:

 Come, let us gather our nets from the shore and set our catamarans free,

 To capture the leaping wealth of the tide, for we are the kings of the sea!

​ Appreciation of Poem

​Theme/Central Idea : The theme of the poem is that when human beings come together for a common purpose, nothing can block their way. There could be risks in any challenging enterprise, but human progress depends on facing them courageously. The fishermen in the poem prove this fact.

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​ Figures of Speech :

 a) Simile – In the line “The wind lies asleep in the arms of the dawn like a child that has cried all night,” the wind is compared to a child using the word ‘like’.

​ Appreciation of Poem

​ b) Metaphor – In the expression ‘Sea is our mother’, sea is compared to a mother.

 c) Personification- The wakening skies pray to the morning light, the poetess has personified the line by using wakening (a human activity) for the sky (a non-living thing).

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​ Special Feature :  It is an instructive poem that is aimed at imparting certain advice or some moral principles. “When we come together for a common purpose and put our faith in God, we can accomplish great things. ” This is the moral principle of this poem.

Why I like the poem : This is an inspiring poem with a strong message written beautifully with some visual treat.

​The lines in the poem that refer to-

​(a) early morning: Rise, brother, rise; the wakening skies pray to the morning light.

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(b) evening: What though we toss at the fall of the sun where the hand of the sea-god drives?

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​(b) full moon light: And sweet are the sands at the full o’ the moon with the sound of the voices we love.

​In the last stanza, two lines refer to a landscape, and two lines refer to a ‘seascape’. Which are they?

​Landscape-

​1) Sweet is the shade of the coconut glade, and the scent of the mango grove.

​2) And sweet are the sands at the full o’ the moon with the sound of the voices we love.

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​Seascape-

​1) But sweeter, brothers, the kiss of the spray and the dance of the wild foam’s glee;

​2) Row, brothers, row to the edge of the verge, where the low sky mates with the sea.

Multiple Choice

Come, let us gather our nets from the shore and set our catamarans free,

To capture the leaping wealth of the tide, for we are the kings of the sea!

As the sea-gull flies away calling it appears as though he is showing the way-

What does the way lead to?

• To the sea where plenty of fish can be caught.

• To the horizon where the sky meets the sea.

• To the shades of the coconut tree.

• I don't know.

Multiple Choice

What though we toss at the fall of the sun where the hand of the sea-god drives? He who holds the storm by the hair, will hide in his breast our lives.

Who holds the storm by the hair?

• The sun

• The sea-god

• I don't know

Multiple Choice

Come, let us gather our nets from the shore and set our catamarans free.

What type of boat do the fishermen use?

• Houseboat

• Deck boat

• Catamaran boat

• I don't know

Multiple Choice

He who holds the storm by the hair, will hide in his breast our lives.

This line shows that the fishermen are not afraid of the sea or of drowning.

True or False?

• True

• False