Jammu and Kashmir Board Class 9 English Tulip Book Poem 2 To Blossoms Question Answers
To Blossoms Question Answers: Looking for important questions and answers of JKBOSE Class 9 English Tulip Book Poem 2 To Blossoms? Look no further! Our comprehensive compilation of important questions will help you brush up on your subject knowledge. Practicing JKBOSE Class 9 English question answers can significantly improve your performance in the board exam. Improve your chances of scoring high marks by exploring To Blossoms Question answers now. The questions listed below are based on the latest JKBOSE exam pattern. All the exercises and Questions Answers given at the back of the lesson have also been covered.
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Jammu and Kashmir Board Class 9 English Tulip Book Poem To Blossoms Textbook Questions
Understanding the Poem
1. In what way are the blossoms pledges of the fruitful tree?
Ans. Blossoms are called “pledges” of the fruitful tree because they are promises or signs of the fruit that will come later. When a tree blooms with flowers, it is pledging that it will bear fruit in the future, just as a pledge is a serious promise. However, the irony is that these beautiful pledges fall away quickly before they can fulfill their promise completely. Similarly, human life and beauty fade before achieving their full potential.
2. What is the poet’s wish about blossoms?
Ans. The poet wishes that the blossoms would stay longer and not fall so quickly. He wants them to remain on the tree for a while longer so they can continue to “blush and gently smile”, meaning to display their beauty and color. The poet feels sad that such beautiful flowers fade away so rapidly and wishes they could extend their brief existence, enjoying their moment of glory a little longer before departing. This wish reflects the universal human desire to prolong beauty, youth, and life itself.
3. What does the poet mean by saying ‘why do you fall so fast’?
Ans. When the poet says “why do you fall so fast,” he is expressing his sorrow and surprise at how quickly the blossoms wither and drop from the tree. He is questioning why such beautiful flowers have such a brief lifespan, they bloom beautifully but fall away almost immediately. This question reflects the poet’s lament about the transience of beauty and life. The phrase carries a tone of regret and complaint, as if the poet is protesting against nature’s law that makes all beautiful things temporary and short-lived.
4. Why does the poet compare human life to blossoms?
Ans. The poet compares human life to blossoms because both share the quality of being beautiful but extremely brief and temporary. Just as blossoms bloom with beauty and color but quickly wither and fall, human life too experiences youth, beauty, and vitality for a short time before aging and death arrives. Both blossoms and humans bloom with promise, show their worth proudly for a while, and then inevitably “glide into the grave”, returning to the earth from which they came. This comparison serves as a memento mori (reminder of mortality), teaching us that life is precious because it is short, and all earthly beauty and pride are temporary.
5. Name some blossoming trees in the state of J&K.
Ans. The state of Jammu and Kashmir is famous for its beautiful blossoming trees, including apple trees (producing white and pink blossoms), cherry trees (with delicate pink and white flowers), almond trees (blooming with white and pink blossoms), and apricot trees (displaying lovely white flowers). Other blossoming trees include peach trees (with beautiful pink blossoms), plum trees (producing white flowers), and walnut trees with their distinctive flowers. The famous Mughal Gardens in Srinagar and the fruit orchards of Kashmir Valley present a spectacular sight during the blossoming season in spring.
6. What is ‘pity’ referred to in second stanza?
Ans. The “pity” referred to in the second stanza is the poet’s sense of sadness and regret that Nature brought forth such beautiful blossoms only for them to exist for such a brief time, just “an hour or half’s delight.” The poet feels it is unfortunate and wasteful that Nature creates something so beautiful merely to show its worth for a fleeting moment and then loses it completely. It seems unfair that blossoms are created with such beauty and potential only to fade away so quickly. The pity is that the purpose of their creation appears to be only temporary display rather than lasting existence.
Learning about the literary device
Personification: It means the representation of an abstract quality as human; a representation of an abstract quality or notion as a human being, especially in art or literature.
Personification
Personification means the representation of an abstract quality as human; a representation of an abstract quality or notion as a human being, especially in art or literature. It is giving human qualities, characteristics, emotions, or abilities to non-human things, animals, or abstract ideas.
1. What is personified in the poem?
Ans. In the poem “To Blossoms,” the blossoms (flowers) are personified throughout. The poet treats the flowers as if they were human beings capable of understanding, feeling, and making decisions. He addresses them directly, asking questions like “Why do ye fall so fast?” as if they could answer. The blossoms are described as able to “blush and gently smile,” which are human expressions and emotions. They are given human qualities of having a “date” (appointed time), being able to “stay,” and making decisions about when to “go.” By personifying the flowers, the poet creates an emotional connection, making us empathize with the blossoms as if they were humans facing mortality, which makes the poem’s message about the brevity of life more powerful and relatable.
Discussion
What is your idea of a beautiful life? Do you think life can be beautiful even though short?
Ans. A beautiful life is not measured by its length but by its depth, meaning, and positive impact. A truly beautiful life includes living with purpose and clear values, creating deep connections with family and friends, showing kindness and compassion to others, continuously learning and growing as a person, finding joy and gratitude in everyday moments, and contributing positively to society. It means being authentic and true to ourselves, living according to our conscience, and maintaining balance between work, relationships, health, and personal interests. Beauty in life comes from how we treat others, the love we share, the dreams we pursue, and the legacy of goodness we leave behind.
Can life be beautiful even though short? Yes, absolutely.
Ans. The poem “To Blossoms” actually teaches us this profound truth. Quality matters more than quantity, a short life lived with intensity, purpose, and love can be far more beautiful than a long life lived without meaning. The blossoms, though they last only briefly, bring immense beauty and joy during their short existence. Their beauty is not diminished by their brevity; in fact, their temporary nature makes them more precious. Many people who lived relatively short lives created lasting beauty and impact, Mozart died at 35 but left immortal music, Anne Frank died at 15 but her diary inspired millions, and many activists and heroes who died young left legacies of courage and sacrifice.
Nature itself teaches us this lesson. Cherry blossoms in Japan are celebrated precisely because they are temporary. The Japanese concept of “mono no aware” finds beauty in impermanence, the falling cherry blossoms are considered more beautiful because they are fleeting. Knowing that life is short actually makes it more beautiful because it teaches us to cherish each moment rather than taking time for granted, express love and gratitude immediately rather than postponing, pursue our dreams now rather than waiting, and appreciate the present rather than always living in the future.
Jammu and Kashmir Board Class 9 English Tulip Book Poem To Blossoms Extra Question and Answers
Extract-Based Questions
A
“Fair pledges of a fruitful tree,
Why do ye fall so fast?
Your date is not so past
But you may stay yet here a while,
To blush and gently smile;
And go at last.”
Q1. Who does the poet address in these lines?
Ans. The poet addresses the blossoms (flowers) directly, calling them “fair pledges of a fruitful tree.”
Q2. What does “fair pledges” mean?
Ans. “Fair pledges” means beautiful promises or signs. The blossoms are promises that the tree will bear fruit in the future.
Q3. What is the poet’s complaint in these lines?
Ans. The poet complains that the blossoms fall too quickly. He questions why they cannot stay longer to display their beauty before finally departing.
Q4. What does “blush and gently smile” refer to?
Ans. “Blush and gently smile” refers to the beautiful appearance of the flowers, their pink color (blush) and their lovely blooming form (smile), which are personified as human expressions.
Q5. What does the poet wish for the blossoms?
Ans. The poet wishes that the blossoms would stay on the tree for a while longer to display their beauty before they finally fall and die.
B
“What were ye born to be
An hour or half’s delight,
And so to bid goodnight?
‘Twas pity Nature brought ye forth
Merely to show your worth,
And lose you quite.”
Q1. What question does the poet ask the blossoms?
Ans. The poet asks whether the blossoms were born only to provide an hour or half’s delight and then die (bid goodnight).
Q2. What does “bid goodnight” mean in this context?
Ans. “Bid goodnight” is a euphemism (gentle expression) for dying or departing from life.
Q3. What does the poet find pitiful?
Ans. The poet finds it pitiful that Nature created such beautiful blossoms merely to show their worth for a brief moment and then lose them completely.
Q4. What emotion does the poet express in these lines?
Ans. The poet expresses sadness, regret, and frustration that such beautiful creations exist for such a short time and seem to be wasted.
Q5. What does “lose you quite” mean?
Ans. “Lose you quite” means to lose the blossoms completely and entirely, they disappear forever after their brief existence.
C
“But you are lovely leaves, where we
May read how soon things have
Their end, though ne’er so brave:
And after they have shown their pride
Like you a while, they glide
Into the grave.”
Q1. What does the poet call the blossoms in these lines?
Ans. The poet calls the blossoms “lovely leaves,” using a pun where “leaves” means both flower petals and pages of a book where we can read a lesson.
Q2. What lesson can we read in the blossoms?
Ans. We can read the lesson that all things, no matter how beautiful or brave, come to their end very soon and eventually die.
Q3. What does “ne’er so brave” mean?
Ans. “Ne’er so brave” means “never so beautiful” or “no matter how beautiful they are.” Here “brave” means beautiful or splendid.
Q4. What does “shown their pride” refer to?
Ans. “Shown their pride” refers to displaying youth, beauty, and glory, the period when blossoms (and humans) are at their peak and show their worth proudly.
Q5. What is the final fate of all beautiful things according to the poet?
Ans. According to the poet, all beautiful things, after showing their pride for a while, eventually “glide into the grave”, they die and return to the earth.
D
“Your date is not so past
But you may stay yet here a while,
To blush and gently smile;
And go at last.”
Q1. What does “your date” mean?
Ans. “Your date” means the appointed time or destined lifespan of the blossoms, when they are supposed to fall and die.
Q2. What does the poet say about the blossoms’ time?
Ans. The poet says that their time (date) is not completely finished yet, so they could stay a little longer before falling.
Q3. What literary device is used in “blush and gently smile”?
Ans. Personification is used, the blossoms are given human characteristics of blushing (showing color) and smiling (blooming beautifully).
Q4. What does “go at last” suggest?
Ans. “Go at last” is a euphemism for dying or falling from the tree. It suggests eventual departure or death after staying for a while longer.
Q5. What tone does the poet use in these lines?
Ans. The poet uses a pleading, wishful tone, requesting the blossoms to stay longer and expressing his desire to prolong their brief beauty.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Q1. Who wrote the poem “To Blossoms”?
A. William Wordsworth
B. Robert Herrick
C. John Keats
D. William Shakespeare
Ans. B. Robert Herrick
Q2. “Merely to show your worth, And lose you quite” emphasizes
A. Leaves are valuable
B. life’s fleeting beauty
C. nature’s cruelty
D. Growth of trees
Ans. B. Life’s fleeting beauty
Q3. What was the title of Herrick’s published collection of poems?
A. Songs of Innocence
B. Hesperides
C. Paradise Lost
D. The Tempest
Ans. B. Hesperides
Q4. In which year was “Hesperides” published?
A. 1640
B. 1648
C. 1655
D. 1660
Ans. B. 1648
Q5. What are the blossoms called in the first line?
A. Beautiful flowers
B. Fair pledges of a fruitful tree
C. Lovely leaves
D. Nature’s gift
Ans. B. Fair pledges of a fruitful tree
Q6. What does “pledges” mean in the poem?
A. Gifts
B. Promises or signs
C. Decorations
D. Colors
Ans. B. Promises or signs
Q7. What is the poet’s main complaint about the blossoms?
A. They are not beautiful
B. They fall too fast
C. They don’t bloom
D. They are too colorful
Ans. B. They fall too fast
Q8. What does “blush and gently smile” refer to?
A. Human emotions
B. The beautiful appearance and colors of flowers
C. Sad expressions
D. Angry reactions
Ans. B. The beautiful appearance and colors of flowers
Q9. What does “bid goodnight” mean in the poem?
A. Say goodbye in the evening
B. Go to sleep
C. Die or depart from life
D. Close the petals
Ans. C. Die or depart from life
Q10. According to the second stanza, how long do the blossoms provide delight?
A. A whole day
B. An hour or half’s delight
C. A week
D. A month
Ans. B. An hour or half’s delight
Q11. What does the poet find pitiful about the blossoms?
A. Their color
B. That Nature created them only to show their worth briefly and then lose them
C. Their size
D. Their smell
Ans. B. That Nature created them only to show their worth briefly and then lose them
Q12. What does “ne’er so brave” mean?
A. Never so cowardly
B. Never so beautiful
C. Never so strong
D. Never so old
Ans. B. Never so beautiful
Q13. What can we “read” in the lovely leaves (blossoms)?
A. Stories
B. How soon things have their end
C. Poetry
D. Science lessons
Ans. B. How soon things have their end
Q14. What do all things do after showing their pride?
A. Stay forever
B. Grow stronger
C. Glide into the grave
D. Become immortal
Ans. C. Glide into the grave
Q15. What does “glide into the grave” suggest?
A. Quick movement
B. Gentle, smooth movement toward death
C. Dancing
D. Flying away
Ans. B. Gentle, smooth movement toward death
Q16. What is the main theme of the poem?
A. The beauty of nature
B. The transience of life and beauty
C. The changing seasons
D. Agricultural practices
Ans. B. The transience of life and beauty
Q17. What literary device is primarily used in the poem?
A. Simile
B. Personification
C. Alliteration
D. Onomatopoeia
Ans. B. Personification
Q18. To what are the blossoms compared in the poem?
A. Birds
B. Stars
C. Human life
D. Butterflies
Ans. C. Human life
Q19. What does the poem serve as?
A. A celebration of life
B. A memento mori (reminder of mortality)
C. A gardening guide
D. A love poem
Ans. B. A memento mori (reminder of mortality)
Q20. What is the tone of the poem?
A. Joyful and celebratory
B. Angry and bitter
C. Melancholic and reflective
D. Humorous and light
Ans. C. Melancholic and reflective
True or False
State whether the following are true or false-
1. Robert Herrick was born in Cheapside, London.
2. Herrick’s collection of poems was titled “Paradise Lost.”
3. The blossoms are called “fair pledges” of the fruitful tree.
4. The poet is happy that blossoms fall quickly.
5. Bid goodnight” is a euphemism for dying.
6. The poet feels it is pitiful that blossoms exist only briefly.
7. “Brave” in the poem means cowardly.
8. All things eventually “glide into the grave” according to the poem.
9. The poem uses personification to give human qualities to blossoms.
10. The main theme of the poem is the permanence of beauty.
Answers:
1. True
2. False (It was titled “Hesperides”)
3. True
4. False (He wishes they would stay longer)
5. True
6. True
7. False (“Brave” means beautiful)
8. True
9. True
10. False (The theme is the transience/impermanence of beauty and life)
Fill in the Blanks
1. Robert Herrick was born in __________, London.
2. Herrick’s collection of poems was titled __________.
3. The blossoms are called “fair __________” of a fruitful tree.
4. The poet asks the blossoms, “Why do ye fall so __________?”
5. The poet wants the blossoms to stay longer to __________ and gently smile.
6. According to the poem, blossoms provide only “an hour or __________” delight.
7. The poet says “‘Twas __________” that Nature brought forth blossoms only briefly.
8. In the poem, “ne’er so brave” means “never so __________.”
9. After showing their pride, all things “glide into the __________.”
1O. The main literary device used in the poem is __________.
Answers:
1. Cheapside
2. Hesperides
3. pledges
4. fast
5. blush
6. half’s
7. pity
8. beautiful
9. grave
10. personification
Extra Questions
Answer the following questions-
Q1. What does the poet mean by calling blossoms “fair pledges”?
Ans. The poet calls blossoms “fair pledges” because they are beautiful promises or signs of the fruit that will come later. When a tree blooms, it pledges that it will bear fruit in the future, just as a pledge is a serious promise.
Q2. Why does the poet question “Why do ye fall so fast”?
Ans. The poet questions why the blossoms fall so fast because he is expressing sorrow and surprise at how quickly they wither and drop. He laments that such beautiful flowers have such a brief lifespan and fade away almost immediately.
Q3. What does the poet wish for the blossoms?
Ans. The poet wishes that the blossoms would stay longer on the tree and not fall so quickly. He wants them to remain for a while longer to display their beauty, to “blush and gently smile”, before finally departing.
Q4. What is the “pity” mentioned in the second stanza?
Ans. The pity is that Nature created such beautiful blossoms only for them to exist for a very brief time, just “an hour or half’s delight.” The poet regrets that something so beautiful is created merely to show its worth briefly and then be lost completely.
Q5. What does “bid goodnight” mean in the poem?
Ans. “Bid goodnight” is a euphemism (gentle expression) for dying or departing from life. The poet asks if the blossoms were born only to provide brief delight and then die.
Q6. What lesson can we learn from the “lovely leaves” (blossoms)?
Ans. From the lovely leaves, we can learn how soon all things come to their end, no matter how beautiful they are. The blossoms teach us that life is temporary and all beautiful things eventually die.
Q7. What does “shown their pride” mean in the poem?
Ans. “Shown their pride” means displaying youth, beauty, and glory at their peak. It refers to the period when blossoms (and humans) are at their most beautiful and show their worth proudly.
Q8. How does the poet describe the process of dying?
Ans. The poet describes dying as gently gliding “into the grave.” This suggests a peaceful, smooth, and graceful movement toward death rather than something harsh or violent.
Q9. Why does the poet compare human life to blossoms?
Ans. The poet compares human life to blossoms because both are beautiful but extremely brief and temporary. Just as blossoms bloom beautifully but quickly fade, human life experiences youth and beauty for a short time before aging and death arrive.
Q10. What is the main message of the poem?
Ans. The main message is that all beautiful things, whether flowers or human lives, are temporary and must eventually die. Life is precious because it is short, and we should appreciate beauty while it lasts, knowing that everything must eventually “glide into the grave.”