Lesson 2: A Poem

A Read the following poem titled "Solitude" by Ella Wheeler Wilcox and answer the questions that follow.

Solitude By Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Laugh, and the world laughs with you; Weep, and you weep alone; For the sad old earth must borrow its mirth, But has trouble enough of its own.

Sing, and the hills will answer; Sigh, it is lost on the air; The echoes bound to a joyful sound, But shrink from voicing care.

Rejoice, and men will seek you; Grieve, and they turn and go; They want full measure of all your pleasure, But they do not need your woe.

Be glad, and your friends are many; Be sad, and you lose them all, There are none to decline your nectared wine, But alone you must drink life's gall.

Feast, and your halls are crowded; Fast, and the world goes by. Succeed and give, and it helps you live, But no man can help you die.

There is room in the halls of pleasure For a large and lordly train, But one by one we must all file on Through the narrow aisles of pain.

B Look up the dictionary for the meaning of the following words and make a sentence with each of them.

Weep Shrink Decline Rejoice Nectar Gall Mirth Succeed

C Answer the following questions from your understanding of the poem you have just read.

1. Explain the following lines in your own words i) "Laugh, and the world laughs with you; Weep, and you weep alone:" ii) "Succeed and give, and it helps you live, But no man can help you die."
2. Why do the mountains echo the songs that we sing but not our sighs?
3. When do you have many friends and when do they leave you?
4. Write a summary of the poem in your own words (100 words).

D Write a letter to your best friend about your activities when you feel lonely.