I Am Every Woman (Poem)
Class 10 | English | Unit 3
I am Every Woman
Poem by Rakhi Nariani Shirke
This poem talks about the multifaceted nature of women. Today's women are empowered, brave, strong and resolute. They are always ready to take up new ventures. They are persistent and work tirelessly to prove what they are capable of. Women have to be treated respectfully for the growth of a nation.
A woman is beauty innate,
A symbol of power and strength.
She puts her life at stake,
She's real, she's not fake!
The summer of life she's ready to see in spring.
She says, "Spring will come again, my dear.
Let me care for the ones who're near."
She's The Woman โ she has no fear!
Strong is she in her faith and beliefs.
"Persistence is the key to everything,"
says she. Despite the sighs and groans and moans,
She's strong in her faith, firm in her belief!
She's a lioness; don't mess with her.
She'll not spare you if you're a prankster.
Don't ever try to saw her pride, her self-respect.
She knows how to thaw you, saw you โ so beware!
She's today's woman. Today's woman, dear.
Love her, respect her, keep her near...
About the Poet
Rakhi Nariani Shirke is an academician with a passion for writing poems as a medium of self-expression. She is a post graduate, with a Bachelor's degree in Education.
Glossary
- groans (v) - complaints and grumbles
- innate (adj) - inborn and natural
- moans (v) - grieves
- stake (n) - risk
- mess with (ph.v) - meddle or interfere with
- persistence (n) - determination
- sigh (v) - emit a long, deep audible breath expressing sadness, relief or tiredness
- prankster (n) - a person who acts mischievously
A. Read the lines and answer the questions.
1. The summer of life she's ready to see in spring.
She says, "Spring will come again, my dear
Let me care for the ones who're near."
- a) What does the word summer mean here?
- b) How does she take life?
- c) What does she mean by "spring will come again?"
2. Strong is she in her faith and beliefs.
"Persistence is the key to everything," says she.
- a) What is she strong about?
- c) How does she deal with the adversities in life?
3. Despite the sighs and groans and moans,
She's strong in her faith, firm in her belief!
- a) Is she complaining about the problems of life?
- b) Pick out the words that show her grit.
4. Don't ever try to saw her pride, her self-respect.
She knows how to thaw you, saw you โ so beware!
- a) What do the words thaw and saw mean here?
- b) What is the tone of the author?
5. She's today's woman. Today's woman dear.
Love her, respect her, keep her near...
- a) Is the poet talking about the women of the previous generation?
- b) How should a woman be treated?
B. Read the lines and identify the figure of speech.
1. A woman is beauty innate,
A symbol of power and strength.
She puts her life at stake,
She's real, she's not fake!
- a) Pick out the rhyming words from the given lines.
- b) Add another word that rhymes with 'strength'.
- c) Give the rhyme scheme for the given lines.
2. She's a lioness; don't mess with her.
She'll not spare you if you're a prankster.
- a) Pick out the line that has a metaphor in it.
- b) Give your examples of metaphor to describe the qualities of a woman.
3. She's strong in her faith, firm in her belief!
- a) Pick out the alliterated words from the given lines.
- b) Pick out other alliterated words from the poem.
C. Fill in with a word in each blank to complete the summary of the poem.
Use the help box given below.
Help box: dignified, healthier, today's, persistent, care, symbol, innate, fake, adversity, hope, life, disgrace, prankster, woman, near, faith, optimistic, quitter, thaw, respect, lioness, fear, beliefs, self respect, saw, strength
Every woman is beautiful (1) She is the (2) of power and (3) She is prone to put her (4) at risk. Every woman is true in expressing her love and she is never (5). She is very (6) in her approach even at times of (7) she finds a ray of (8) and she continues to (9) for her (10) ones. She is the (11) and she has no (12). She is forceful in her (13) and (14) She is never a (15) and she is (16) She is ferocious like a (17) it's better for the (18) to stay away from her. Never should one try to bring (19) to her pride and (20) for she knows how to (21) and (22) them. She is (23) woman. It is (24) to love her (25) her and to keep her (26).
D. Answer the following in a paragraph in about 80 to 100 words.
- How are today's women portrayed by the poet?
- What qualities have made women powerful?
Practice Practice Exercises
a. What does the word summer mean here?
b. How does she take life?
c. What does she mean by โspring will come againโ?
a. What is she strong about?
c. How does she deal with the adversities in life?
a. Is she complaining about the problems of life?
b. Pick out the words that show her grit.
a. What do the words thaw and saw mean here?
b. What is the tone of the author?
a. Describe today's woman according to the poet.
b. How should a woman be treated?
a. Pick out the rhyming words from the above lines.
b. Add another word that rhymes with strength.
c. Give the rhyme scheme for the above lines.
a. Pick out the line that has a metaphor in it.
b. Give your examples of metaphor to describe the qualities of a woman.
a. Pick out the alliterated words from the above.
b. Pick out other alliterated words from the poem.
Every woman is beautiful She is the of power and She is prone to put her at risk. Every woman is true in expressing her love and she is never . She is very in her approach even at times of she finds a ray of and she continues to for her ones. She is the and she has no . She is forceful in her and She is never a and she is She is ferocious like a it's better for the to stay away from her. Never should one try to bring to her pride and for she knows how to and them. She is woman. It is to love her her and to keep her .
1. How are today's women portrayed by the poet?
2. What qualities have made women powerful?