Get summaries, questions, answers, solutions, notes, extras, PDFs, and guides for the poem A Baby Running Barefoot MBOSE Class 11 Alternative English textbook Imprints, written by DH Lawrence, which is part of the syllabus for students studying under the board. These solutions, however, should only be treated as references and can be modified/changed.
If you notice any errors in the notes, please mention them in the comments
Summary
The poem captures the innocence and beauty of a baby running barefoot on grass. The poet compares the baby’s movements to elements of nature, illustrating the delicate and transient qualities of childhood. The baby’s white feet are likened to white flowers swaying in the wind and puffs of air passing over water. These comparisons highlight the grace and lightness of the baby’s steps.
The poet also associates the sight of the baby playing with cheerful and gentle images, such as a robin’s song or butterflies settling momentarily. These metaphors evoke the charm and fleeting nature of the scene, emphasizing the purity and joy the baby brings to the observer.
The poet yearns for the baby to come closer so that he can hold her soft, tiny feet. He describes their texture using natural imagery, such as syringa buds in the morning and young peony flowers. These comparisons underline the coolness, smoothness, and delicacy of the baby’s touch, conveying a sense of tenderness and admiration.
Through vivid imagery and similes, the poem paints a picture of innocence and the transient beauty of early childhood. The natural comparisons not only enhance the tactile and visual experiences but also reflect the poet’s deep appreciation for the simplicity and charm of life’s small moments. The baby’s running, with its lightness and rhythm, almost seems unreal, creating an ethereal atmosphere that lingers in the reader’s mind.
Video tutorial
Line-by-line summary
When the white feet of the baby beat across the grass / The little white feet nod like white flowers in a wind,
The baby’s small, pale feet move quickly and softly on the grass. The poet compares them to white flowers swaying gently in the breeze, showing how delicate and beautiful her movements are.
They poise and run like puffs of wind that pass / Over water where the weeds are thinned.
The baby’s feet seem to pause briefly before moving again, like a gentle breeze that glides over a clear patch of water. This gives the impression that her steps are light and smooth, almost like she’s floating.
And the sight of their white playing in the grass / Is winsome as a robin’s song, so fluttering;
Watching her little feet move on the grass is as delightful and charming as hearing the cheerful song of a robin. The word “fluttering” suggests her movements are quick and playful, just like a bird’s.
Or like two butterflies that settle on a glass / Cup for a moment, soft little wing-beats uttering.
The poet compares the baby’s feet to butterflies that gently land on a glass cup, stay for a short time, and then flutter away. This highlights how her movements are delicate and light, much like a butterfly’s wings.
And I wish that the baby would tack across here to me / Like a wind-shadow running on a pond, so she could stand
The poet wishes the baby would move towards him as easily as the shadow of the wind gliding over a pond. This shows how the poet sees her movements as magical and effortless.
With two little bare white feet upon my knee / And I could feel her feet in either hand.
The poet imagines the baby standing on his knee, with her small, bare feet in his hands. He wants to hold her feet, appreciating their softness and coolness.
Cool as syringa buds in morning hours, / Or firm and silken as young peony flowers.
The poet compares her feet to cool flowers in the morning and to smooth, soft petals of a peony. This shows how much he admires the freshness and tenderness of her feet.
Textbook solutions
Answer these questions briefly
1. What quality does the colour used to describe the baby’s feet bring to mind?
Answer: The colour white used to describe the baby’s feet brings to mind purity and innocence.
2. How does the baby run? Pick out the verbs that tell you so.
Answer: The baby runs by nodding, poising, and running.
3. What aspects of nature does the poet compare the swift running of the baby to?
Answer: The poet compares the swift running of the baby to puffs of wind passing over water where the weeds are thinned and the fluttering of robins or butterflies.
4. Does the running of the baby seem almost unreal? Which line alludes to this?
Answer: Yes, the running of the baby seems almost unreal. The line “Like a wind-shadow running on a pond” alludes to this.
5. How does the poet describe the beauty of the baby’s touch against his skin? What does he compare this sensation to?
Answer: The poet describes the baby’s touch as cool as syringa buds in the morning. He compares the sensation to firm and silken young peony flowers.
Answer these questions in detail
1. Discuss how Lawrence’s descriptions of the baby’s delicate foot movements create an atmosphere of childlike innocence and beauty.
Answer: Lawrence’s descriptions of the baby’s delicate foot movements create an atmosphere of childlike innocence and beauty by likening the baby’s white feet to natural and tender images. He compares them to “white flowers in a wind,” emphasizing their delicate and gentle nature. The movement of the feet is compared to “puffs of wind that pass,” suggesting lightness and freedom. These comparisons evoke the purity and unspoiled charm of a young child, as the descriptions focus on the tenderness and fleeting beauty of the baby’s actions.
2. The poet uses many images from nature in the poem. Do you think the poet is a nature lover? Comment on the poet’s use of nature imagery in the poem, with the help of suitable examples.
Answer: The poet appears to be a nature lover, as the poem is rich with nature imagery that conveys his admiration for the natural world. Lawrence compares the baby’s feet to “white flowers,” “puffs of wind,” and “butterflies,” drawing on delicate and beautiful elements of nature to emphasize the baby’s innocence and grace. These images suggest a deep appreciation for nature’s purity and gentleness. The use of “syringa buds” and “young peony flowers” further reveals the poet’s ability to connect the tactile and visual aspects of nature with human experience, showing his affinity for natural beauty.
3. The imagery in A Baby Running Barefoot creates a tactile experience. Discuss.
Answer: The imagery in A Baby Running Barefoot creates a tactile experience by using vivid and detailed descriptions that appeal to the sense of touch. The poet compares the baby’s feet to “cool as syringa buds in morning hours” and “firm and silken as young peony flowers,” evoking sensations of coolness, firmness, and silkiness. These tactile comparisons allow the reader to imagine the physical sensations of touching the baby’s feet, bringing the scene to life and enhancing the emotional connection to the poem.
Appreciating form and language
Simile
List the similes in the poem and explain the meaning of any two in context.
Answer: The poem “A Baby Running Barefoot” by D.H. Lawrence contains several similes:
- “The little white feet nod like white flowers in a wind.”
- “They poise and run like puffs of wind that pass over water.”
- “The sight of their white playing in the grass is winsome as a robin’s song.”
- “Or like two butterflies that settle on a glass.”
- “Cool as syringa buds in morning hours.”
- “Firm and silken as young peony flowers.”
Alliteration
An example of alliteration in the poem is ‘wind-shadow wandering’. Identify one more instance of alliteration in the poem and explain its meaning in context.
Answer: “White feet of the baby beat across the grass.”
The repetition of the “b” sound in “baby beat” creates a rhythmic, almost musical effect that mimics the soft and playful tapping of the baby’s feet on the grass. It highlights the lively, joyous movement of the child and evokes an atmosphere of innocence and delight, reinforcing the imagery of the baby’s carefree exploration.
Extras
Additional questions and answers
1. Who is the poet of “A Baby Running Barefoot”?
Answer: The poet of “A Baby Running Barefoot” is D.H. Lawrence.
9. How does D.H. Lawrence personify elements of nature in the poem?
Answer: D.H. Lawrence personifies elements of nature by giving them human-like qualities, such as the “white feet nod[ding] like white flowers” and the wind-shadow that “runs on a pond.” These personifications create a harmonious relationship between the baby’s movements and the natural world, blending the two seamlessly to emphasize innocence and beauty.
Additional fill in the blanks
1. The baby’s feet are compared to delicate and fleeting elements of nature like ______. (butterflies/rocks)
Answer: butterflies
10. The delicate nature of the baby’s feet is emphasized through comparisons to ______ elements in nature. (fragile/immovable)
Answer: fragile
Additional true and false
1. The poet compares the baby’s feet to puffs of wind passing over water.
Answer: True
10. The baby’s touch is described as firm and silken, like peony flowers.
Answer: True
Ron’e Dutta is a journalist, teacher, aspiring novelist, and blogger who manages Online Free Notes. An avid reader of Victorian literature, his favourite book is Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë. He dreams of travelling the world. You can connect with him on social media. He does personal writing on ronism.
Get notes of other boards, classes, and subjects