Cheat sheet · Class 11 · CBSE · Commerce English
Hornbill (Poem): The Laburnum Top cheat sheet
The whole chapter on one page: key formulas, facts and the points to remember, for quick revision before a test.
CBSE Class 11 · English
Cheat sheet
Chapter 8The Laburnum Top
Still tree → goldfinch arrives → tree comes alive → bird leaves → stillness again.
1. About
Poet: Ted Hughes. A nature poem about a laburnum tree and a goldfinch.
2. Summary
- In late summer the laburnum tree is silent and still, with yellow leaves.
- A goldfinch arrives; its chirping and movement bring the tree to life as the nest's family wakes.
- The bird is compared to an engine powering its family.
- When it flies away, the tree returns to silence.
3. Devices
- Imagery of sound and colour.
- Metaphor: the bird as an engine.
- Contrast of silence and activity.
4. Themes
- nature
- life and stillness
- cycle of activity
5. Key Points
- Setting: September afternoon.
- Goldfinch's nest is in the tree.
- Stillness – life – stillness structure.
- Sensory language.
Remember: Silent tree | goldfinch as engine | silence again
Hornbill (Poem): The Laburnum Top: questions and notes
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