Nature has always been a source of inspiration for poets, and Christina Georgina Rossetti beautifully captures its charm in her poem "The Rainbow." Featured in the Class 6 MPBSE English textbook, this poem invites readers to compare the beauty of man-made wonders like boats and bridges with the enchanting elegance of natural elements like clouds and rainbows. Through simple yet vivid imagery, the poet reminds us that the creations of nature often outshine everything built by human hands. Let's explore the deeper meaning and joy hidden in this short yet delightful poem.
Boats sail on the rivers,
And ships sail on the seas;
But clouds that sail across the sky
Are prettier far than these.
There are bridges on the rivers,
As pretty as you please,
But the bow that bridges heaven,
And overtops the trees,
And builds a road from earth to sky,
Is prettier far than these.
Summary (सारांश)
The poet describes the beauty of nature by comparing man-made things with natural wonders. She talks about boats that sail on rivers and ships on seas, which are quite beautiful. But then she admires how clouds sail across the sky and finds them even more beautiful.
Next, she describes the bridges built across rivers which are charming. Yet, she believes that the rainbow which looks like a bridge connecting earth and heaven and rising above the trees is far more beautiful than any man-made creation.
The poem celebrates the magnificence of the rainbow, showing how nature’s creations are more wonderful than human ones.
कविता "The Rainbow" में कवयित्री क्रिस्टीना जॉर्जिना रोसेटी प्रकृति की सुंदरता की प्रशंसा करती हैं। वह कहती हैं कि नदी में तैरती नावें और समुद्र में चलने वाले जहाज़ सुंदर होते हैं, लेकिन आकाश में तैरते बादल उनसे भी अधिक सुंदर होते हैं। इसी प्रकार, नदियों पर बने पुल देखने में अच्छे लगते हैं, लेकिन इंद्रधनुष, जो आकाश में एक पुल जैसा दिखाई देता है और पेड़ों के ऊपर से होकर जाता है, सबसे अधिक सुंदर होता है। यह कविता हमें यह सिखाती है कि प्रकृति की सुंदरता मानव निर्मित वस्तुओं की तुलना में कहीं अधिक आकर्षक होती है। इंद्रधनुष, जो धरती से आकाश तक एक मार्ग जैसा लगता है, उसका सौंदर्य अद्वितीय है।
Line-by-line Explanation
1. Boats sail on the rivers,
English: Boats move and float on the rivers.
Hindi: नावें नदियों पर तैरती और चलती हैं।
2. And ships sail on the seas;
English: Big ships sail on the oceans and seas.
Hindi: बड़े जहाज़ समुद्रों पर चलते हैं।
3. But clouds that sail across the sky
English: But the clouds that move across the sky look more beautiful.
Hindi: लेकिन आकाश में तैरते बादल इन सबसे अधिक सुंदर लगते हैं।
4. Are prettier far than these.
English: The clouds are far more beautiful than boats and ships.
Hindi: बादल नावों और जहाज़ों से कहीं ज़्यादा सुंदर होते हैं।
5. There are bridges on the rivers,
English: We build bridges over rivers to cross them.
Hindi: नदियों पर पुल बनाए जाते हैं ताकि हम उन्हें पार कर सकें।
6. As pretty as you please,
English: These bridges are also very beautiful and pleasant to look at.
Hindi: ये पुल भी देखने में बहुत सुंदर और मनभावन होते हैं।
7. But the bow that bridges heaven,
English: But the rainbow, which looks like a bow in the sky, connects heaven and earth.
Hindi: लेकिन इंद्रधनुष, जो आकाश में एक धनुष की तरह दिखता है, स्वर्ग और धरती को जोड़ता हुआ प्रतीत होता है।
8. And overtops the trees,
English: It rises above the trees and looks majestic.
Hindi: यह पेड़ों के ऊपर तक ऊँचा होता है और भव्य दिखाई देता है।
9. And builds a road from earth to sky,
English: The rainbow looks like a magical road from earth to the sky.
Hindi: इंद्रधनुष ऐसा प्रतीत होता है जैसे वह धरती से आकाश तक एक जादुई रास्ता बना रहा हो।
10. Is prettier far than these.
English: The rainbow is much more beautiful than bridges, boats, or ships.
Hindi: इंद्रधनुष पुलों, नावों या जहाज़ों से कहीं अधिक सुंदर होता है।
Solution
Listen and Repeat:
A) You have read the poem. Find out which lines end with similar sounds.
Ans:
Seas – These
Please – Trees – these
B) Listen to the sentences given below carefully and then choose the words that
rhyme and write them in the table given.
1. I like to bake a birthday cake.
2. Once a king learnt how to sing.
3. A cat sat on a mat.
4. The little boy danced with joy.
5. A hen wrote with a pen.
6. The frog sat on a log.
Ans. 
Comprehension
Choose the correct option:
(i) What do you think the poem is about?
The poem is about
(a) clouds
(b) bridges
(e) rainbow
(ii) Where do boats and ships sail?
boats sail on – ships sail on
(a) road – river
(b) sky – sea
(c) river – anywhere
(iii) The rainbow makes a bridge
(a) over trains
(b) from the earth to the sky
(c) over tall buildings
(iv) The prettiest bridge is .................
(a) made by clouds
(b) made by a rainbow
(c) made over rivers
(v) The rainbow is the ....................
(a) prettier
(b) pretty
(c) prettiest
Word Power
A) Pick the odd word out and encircle it as given in the example:
B) Use the following words appropriately in the sentences given below:
pretty, pleases, rainbow, clouds, sail
(1) Ships sail on seas.
(2) I saw a rainbow in the sky yesterday.
(3) Clouds are often seen in the sky in the rainy season.
(4) Namrata is a pretty girl.
(5) Natural beauty always pleases me.
