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Animal Planet by Manohar Shetty

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  1. About the Author: Manohar Shetty Manohar Shetty is an Indian poet writing in English, born in 1953 . He has published several poetry collections, including Domestic Creatures , Body Language , Living Room , and Creatures Great and Small . His poetry often reflects themes of nature , ecology , human cruelty , urban disconnection , and subtle social critique . Known for his precise language and dark undertones , Shetty’s poems frequently explore the tension between civilization and the wild , much like in Animal Planet . His work has appeared in leading Indian and international journals, and he has also edited poetry anthologies. Manohar Shetty currently lives in Goa , India. 2. Detailed Summary: Animal Planet "Animal Planet" by Manohar Shetty is a powerful ecological and satirical poem that critiques human cruelty toward animals and the destruction of natural habitats . The poem envisions a future where animals, having been displaced, hunted, and mist...
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Tribute to Papa" by Mamta Kalia

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  About the Author: Mamta Kalia Mamta Kalia (b. 1940) is a renowned Indian poet, short story writer, novelist, and playwright , writing mainly in Hindi and English. She is known for her bold, witty, and ironic style , often addressing issues of middle-class life , urban existence , women's struggles , and family dynamics . Her works reflect realistic , sometimes rebellious emotions , and challenge traditional values . Some of her major works include Bekhabar Nagri , Dukkham Sukkham , Suno Kahani , and Idiot Box . In English, her poems, like "Tribute to Papa," reflect youthful anger against parental authority and social expectations . She has been awarded prestigious awards like the Vyas Samman and the Sahitya Akademi Award . 2. Detailed Summary: "Tribute to Papa" "Tribute to Papa" is a dramatic monologue where the daughter speaks to her father, expressing frustration, rebellion, and disappointment . The speaker feels that her fath...
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"Feeding the Poor at Christmas" by Eunice de Souza

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  1. About the Author: Eunice de Souza Eunice de Souza (1940–2017) was a well-known Indian English poet , novelist, and academic from Goa, India. She was recognized for her sharp, direct, and often ironic style . De Souza's poetry often addresses social issues , women’s experiences , and the hypocrisies of society with wit and bitterness . Some of her famous poetry collections include Fix , Women in Dutch Painting , and Learn From the Almond Leaf . Her work reflects her Catholic upbringing , Goan roots , and a strong feminist voice . She also wrote children’s books and edited several anthologies of Indian English poetry. 2. Detailed Summary: "Feeding the Poor at Christmas" This poem is a satirical commentary on the false charity and superficial kindness shown by the rich towards the poor during Christmas . The speaker describes how every Christmas , the wealthy organize an event to "feed the poor" . However, their attitude is far from genu...
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"Felling of the Banyan Tree" by Dilip Chitre

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  1. About the Author: Dilip Chitre Dilip Purushottam Chitre (1938–2009) was an important Indian poet, translator, painter, and filmmaker. He wrote mainly in Marathi and English , and is known for exploring urban alienation , loss of cultural roots , and personal identity in his works. Chitre often portrayed the struggles of modern life and the conflict between tradition and modernization . His major works include Father Returning Home , Travelling in a Cage , and translations like Says Tuka (a collection of poems by Sant Tukaram). His poetry is known for being simple in language but deep in meaning , filled with powerful imagery and emotional impact . 2. Detailed Summary: "Felling of the Banyan Tree" The poem describes a deeply personal and emotional experience — the cutting down of an ancient banyan tree at the poet’s ancestral home in Baroda . The speaker's father orders the tenants to vacate the houses surrounding their family house on a hill. ...
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"Looking for a Cousin on a Swing" by A.K. Ramanujan

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  1. About the Author: A.K. Ramanujan Attipate Krishnaswami Ramanujan (1929–1993) was an Indian poet, scholar, linguist, and translator. He wrote poems mainly in English , Kannada , and Tamil , bridging Indian themes with Western poetic forms. Ramanujan is known for exploring themes of memory, identity, culture, childhood, family life , and innocence vs experience . His style is simple but emotionally deep , often mixing the personal with the universal. Some of his famous works include Relations , Second Sight , and The Striders . He received several honors, including the Padma Shri from the Government of India. 2. Detailed Summary: "Looking for a Cousin on a Swing" In this poem, A.K. Ramanujan captures a delicate childhood memory that blends innocence and budding awareness . The speaker (probably a grown woman) recalls when she was about four or five years old . She sat on a village swing , and her cousin , slightly older, sat behind her. With every movem...
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"Spring" by Gerard Manley Hopkins

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  1. About the Author: Gerard Manley Hopkins Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844–1889) was a 19th-century English poet and Jesuit priest. He is famous for his innovative use of rhythm, imagery, and sound in poetry, known as "sprung rhythm." Hopkins's poetry often explores nature, religion, beauty, and the presence of God in the world . Though much of his poetry was published after his death, today he is celebrated as one of the most important Victorian poets. His major works include Pied Beauty , God’s Grandeur , and The Windhover . 2. Detailed Summary: "Spring" In "Spring," Hopkins expresses a deep admiration for the beauty and freshness of nature during the spring season. He opens the poem by claiming that nothing is more beautiful than spring . He describes the weeds growing thick and lush , the thrush’s eggs looking like tiny blue heavens , and the thrush singing so powerfully that it feels like lightning striking the ear . Hopkins pa...
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A Christmas Carol by Christina Rossetti

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  About the Author: Christina Rossetti Christina Rossetti (1830–1894) was a major English poet of the Victorian era. She is known for her religious devotion , lyrical beauty , and emotional depth in her poetry. Rossetti often wrote about themes of faith, love, loss, and nature . Some of her famous works include Goblin Market , Remember , and A Birthday . Her deep Christian faith greatly influenced her writing, and "A Christmas Carol" is one of her beloved Christmas hymns , reflecting the spirit of humility, devotion, and pure love for Christ. 2. Detailed Summary: "A Christmas Carol" In "A Christmas Carol," Christina Rossetti paints a vivid and touching picture of the first Christmas , focusing on the humble birth of Jesus Christ and the devotion of simple hearts . The poem opens with a description of a harsh, cold winter —"earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone," and snow upon snow covering the landscape. This bleaknes...
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