Q1.
Let us Recite — Gilli Danda. Read the poem aloud and enjoy it.
Answer
Here is the whole poem. Read it aloud twice. The first time, read it slowly to get the words right. The second time, read it fast and happily, as if you are really in the playground.
In the playground, we gather around,
With a stick and a small gilli to throw,
Gilli Danda, our game is so sound!
We play with joy, watch it go!
One, two, three, swing and hit,
With our friends, we never quit!
With every swing, we feel so free,
Oh, what fun it is, you see!
The small gilli, up high it flies,
Underneath the bright blue skies.
Laughing, playing, having fun,
Under the golden rays of the sun!
With a stick and a small gilli to throw,
Gilli Danda, our game is so sound!
We play with joy, watch it go!
One, two, three, swing and hit,
With our friends, we never quit!
With every swing, we feel so free,
Oh, what fun it is, you see!
The small gilli, up high it flies,
Underneath the bright blue skies.
Laughing, playing, having fun,
Under the golden rays of the sun!
What happens, stanza by stanza:
- Stanza 1 — the children meet. They come together in the playground. They bring one long stick and one small gilli. They say their game is a very good game.
- Stanza 2 — the big hit. They count “one, two, three”, swing the stick and hit. They never give up. Every swing makes them feel free and happy.
- Stanza 3 — the gilli flies. The little gilli shoots up into the blue sky. The children laugh and play in the golden sunshine.
Rhyme: In the first stanza, lines 1 and 3 rhyme — around / sound — and lines 2 and 4 rhyme — throw / go. In the second and third stanzas the lines rhyme in pairs: hit / quit, free / see, flies / skies, fun / sun. The rhyme is what makes the poem bounce along like the gilli itself.
Tip for reciting: Say “One, two, three” slowly and loudly, as you really would before a hit. Then say “swing and hit” quickly. On the line “The small gilli, up high it flies”, lift your voice higher and higher. Bring it down gently on the last line.
Why the poem feels so cheerful: Almost every line has a happy word in it — joy, fun, free, laughing, playing, golden. The poet has also used short lines and strong rhymes, so the poem moves fast, just like the game.