MP Board 10th English First Flight A Ball Poem Question Answer : “The Ball Poem” by John Berryman is about a young boy who loses his ball. This loss represents a deeper lesson about dealing with loss and growing up. The poem reflects on how we come to terms with our losses and learn to move on with life.
Summary: The poem “The Ball Poem” by John Berryman describes a boy who is saddened by the loss of his ball. The ball’s loss teaches him a valuable lesson about the nature of loss and how it is an inevitable part of growing up. It emphasizes the importance of accepting and coping with such experiences.
A boy loses a ball. He is very upset. A ball doesn’t cost much, nor is it difficult to buy another ball. Why then is the boy so upset? Read the poem to see what the poet thinks has been lost, and what the boy has to learn from the experience of losing something.
A Ball Poem
What is the boy now, who has lost his ball,
What, what is he to do? I saw it go
Merrily bouncing, down the street, and then
Merrily over — there it is in the water!
No use to say ‘O there are other balls’:
An ultimate shaking grief fixes the boy
As he stands rigid, trembling, staring down
All his young days into the harbour where
His ball went. I would not intrude on him;
A dime, another ball, is worthless. Now
He senses first responsibility
In a world of possessions. People will take
Balls, balls will be lost always, little boy.
And no one buys a ball back. Money is external.
He is learning, well behind his desperate eyes,
The epistemology of loss, how to stand up
Knowing what every man must one day know
And most know many days, how to stand up.
………………….. JOHN BERRYMAN
Explanation of the Poem “The Ball Poem” by John Berryman
This poem by John Berryman describes a boy who loses his ball and is very upset. The ball might not cost much, but its loss is significant to the boy because it represents something more than just a toy. It symbolizes his childhood memories and innocence. The boy watches the ball bounce away and fall into the water, feeling deep sorrow as he realizes it’s gone.
The poet observes the boy and understands that telling him there are other balls is pointless. The loss of this particular ball introduces the boy to the reality of loss and responsibility. This experience teaches the boy that material things can be lost, and no amount of money can replace the emotional value attached to them.
The poem emphasizes the importance of learning to cope with loss and understanding that possessions are temporary. The boy is learning an important life lesson that everyone must learn at some point – how to stand up and continue living despite experiencing loss.
यह कविता जॉन बेरिमन द्वारा लिखी गई है और एक लड़के के बारे में बताती है जिसने अपनी गेंद खो दी है और बहुत उदास है। गेंद की कीमत बहुत अधिक नहीं है, लेकिन उसके लिए इसका महत्व बहुत अधिक है क्योंकि यह केवल एक खिलौना नहीं है। यह उसके बचपन की यादों और मासूमियत का प्रतीक है। लड़का गेंद को उछलते हुए देखता है और फिर पानी में गिरते हुए देखता है, और उसे महसूस होता है कि वह हमेशा के लिए खो गई है।
कवि लड़के को देखता है और समझता है कि उसे यह कहना बेकार है कि और भी गेंदें हैं। इस विशेष गेंद का खोना लड़के को हानि और जिम्मेदारी की वास्तविकता से परिचित कराता है। यह अनुभव लड़के को सिखाता है कि भौतिक चीजें खो सकती हैं, और पैसे से उन भावनात्मक मूल्यों की भरपाई नहीं हो सकती है जो उनसे जुड़ी होती हैं।
कविता इस बात पर जोर देती है कि हानि का सामना कैसे करना है और यह समझना महत्वपूर्ण है कि संपत्ति अस्थायी होती है। लड़का एक महत्वपूर्ण जीवन पाठ सीख रहा है जो हर किसी को किसी न किसी समय सीखना चाहिए – हानि का सामना करके जीवन में आगे बढ़ना।
Questions and Answers
- Why is the boy upset about losing the ball?
The boy is upset about losing the ball because it symbolizes his childhood and innocence. The loss is his first experience of the harsh realities of life and the concept of loss.
लड़का गेंद खोने से इसलिए दुखी है क्योंकि यह उसके बचपन और मासूमियत का प्रतीक है। यह उसका जीवन की कठोर सच्चाइयों और हानि की अवधारणा के साथ पहला अनुभव है। - What does the ball symbolize in the poem?
The ball symbolizes the boy’s childhood, innocence, and the experiences associated with it. It represents the simplicity and carefree nature of his younger days.
कविता में गेंद लड़के के बचपन, मासूमियत और उससे जुड़ी अनुभवों का प्रतीक है। यह उसके छोटे दिनों की सादगी और बेफिक्री का प्रतिनिधित्व करती है। - What lesson does the boy learn from losing the ball?
The boy learns about responsibility and the nature of possessions. He understands that material things are external and replaceable, but the emotional lessons from loss are invaluable.
लड़का जिम्मेदारी और संपत्ति की प्रकृति के बारे में सीखता है। वह समझता है कि भौतिक चीजें बाहरी और बदलने योग्य हैं, लेकिन नुकसान से मिलने वाले भावनात्मक पाठ अमूल्य हैं। - How does the poet describe the boy’s reaction to losing the ball?
The poet describes the boy’s reaction as one of deep grief and shock. The boy stands rigid, trembling, and staring at the harbour where his ball went, reflecting on his past.
कवि लड़के की प्रतिक्रिया को गहरे दुख और सदमे के रूप में वर्णित करता है। लड़का सख्त खड़ा होता है, कांपता है, और उस बंदरगाह को देखता है जहाँ उसकी गेंद चली गई, अपने अतीत पर विचार करता है। - What does the poet mean by “Money is external”?
By saying “Money is external,” the poet means that money and material possessions are not as important as the emotional and experiential lessons we learn in life. Money can buy new things, but it cannot replace the feelings and memories associated with what is lost.
“Money is external” कहकर कवि का मतलब है कि पैसा और भौतिक संपत्तियाँ जीवन में मिलने वाले भावनात्मक और अनुभवात्मक पाठों जितनी महत्वपूर्ण नहीं हैं। पैसा नई चीजें खरीद सकता है, लेकिन यह खोई हुई चीजों से जुड़े भावनाओं और यादों को बदल नहीं सकता।
Thinking About the Poem
- Why does the poet say, “I would not intrude on him”? Why doesn’t he offer him money to buy another ball?
• The poet says “I would not intrude on him” because he knows the boy needs to learn to deal with his feelings on his own. Offering money for a new ball won’t help the boy understand the lesson of dealing with loss. - “… staring down/All his young days into the harbour where/His ball went …” Do you think the boy has had the ball for a long time? Is it linked to the memories of days when he played with it?
• Yes, the boy has had the ball for a long time. It is connected to his childhood memories and the fun times he had playing with it. - What does “in the world of possessions” mean?
• “In the world of possessions” means in a world where people own and value things. It shows that things can be lost, and we must learn to accept that. - Do you think the boy has lost anything earlier? Pick out the words that suggest the answer.
• It seems like the boy hasn’t lost something important before. The phrase “first responsibility” suggests this is his first big loss. - What does the poet say the boy is learning from the loss of the ball? Try to explain this in your own words.
• The poet says the boy is learning how to cope with loss. He understands that things can be lost, and he must learn to move on even when that happens. - Have you ever lost something you liked very much? Write a paragraph describing how you felt then, and saying whether — and how — you got over your loss.
• (Example Paragraph) When I was a child, I lost my favorite toy car. It was small and red, and I played with it every day. I felt very sad and helpless when I couldn’t find it. Over time, I realized that my memories of playing with the car were more important than the car itself. I started to cherish those memories, and slowly, I got over the loss. This experience taught me that while we can lose things, the memories and lessons stay with us.
Central Idea of the Poem “The Ball Poem” by John Berryman
The poem “The Ball Poem” by John Berryman highlights a significant moment in a young boy’s life when he loses his ball. The ball represents more than just a toy; it symbolizes the boy’s childhood and innocence. The loss of the ball introduces the boy to the harsh realities of life, teaching him about loss and the inevitability of growing up. Through this experience, the boy learns about responsibility and the nature of possessions. The poem emphasizes that material things are external and replaceable, but the emotional lessons we learn from loss are invaluable and shape our understanding of life.
जॉन बेरिमन की कविता “The Ball Poem” एक छोटे लड़के के जीवन के महत्वपूर्ण क्षण को उजागर करती है जब वह अपनी गेंद खो देता है। यह गेंद सिर्फ एक खिलौना नहीं है; यह लड़के के बचपन और मासूमियत का प्रतीक है। गेंद का खोना लड़के को जीवन की कठोर सच्चाइयों से परिचित कराता है, उसे नुकसान और बड़े होने की अनिवार्यता के बारे में सिखाता है। इस अनुभव के माध्यम से, लड़का जिम्मेदारी और संपत्ति की प्रकृति के बारे में सीखता है। कविता इस बात पर जोर देती है कि भौतिक चीजें बाहरी और बदलने योग्य हैं, लेकिन नुकसान से मिलने वाले भावनात्मक पाठ अमूल्य हैं और हमारे जीवन की समझ को आकार देते हैं।