Introduction of the Poem: In this poem, a young woman recalls how she would sit on a swing when she was four or five years old with her cousin, who was six or seven. Now she looks for swings in the suburb of a city and is filled with desire for her cousin. Critical … Read more
Introduction of the Poem: “Breaded Fish” is based on the poet’s actual experience as a boy when his mother had thrust a piece of breaded (roasted) fish into his mouth. Though eager to eat it, he could not do so because he suddenly recollected the sight of a half – naked dead woman lying on … Read more
Introduction of the Poem: The Striders, taken from Ramanujan’s first volume of poetry The Striders (1966), is a short poem of fifteen lines. Most of the lines consist of just one or two words in this poem. Critical Summary: The poem describes the behaviour of a certain kind of water bug. It shows Ramanujan’s … Read more
Introduction of the Poem: “After Reading a Prediction” has been taken from Ezekiel’s Collected Poems (1989). It is about the daily, weekly, monthly or annual forecasts of various zodiac signs published in newspapers and magazines, and describes the poet’s reaction as well as resolve as he reads a prediction about his own zodiac sign. … Read more
Introduction of the Poem: This poem appears in Ezekiel’s Collected Poems (1989). It is about a woman who ensnares and discards men, regardless of how deeply they love her. She is a sorceress who attracts men and the poet, despite his reservations, is drawn to her . It appears as if she is keeping a … Read more
Introduction of the Poem: An early poem, My Cat appeared in Ezekiel’s first anthology, Sixty Poems (1953). Here the poet describes an unusual cat he had as a pet when, during his student days in England (1948-52), he lived in a basement room in London. Critical Summary: Lines 1-4: Ezekiel’s pet cat in his … Read more
Two Nights of Love Introduction of the Poem: Written in free verse, Two Nights of Love appeared in Ezekiel’s second anthology, Sixty Poems (1953). Here we have curious combination of the sensuous and the spiritual, of the secular and the religious of the earthly and the heavenly. It is an interesting and intriguing poem of … Read more
Introduction of the Poem: In this monologue from Ezekiel’s Collected Poems (1989), a railway clerk expresses his discontent and unhappiness at the kind of life he has to lead and the difficulties and problems he faces. Even though he carries out the orders of his superiors, he is criticized when anything goes wrong. It is … Read more
Introduction of the Poem: Case Study, which appeared in The Unfinished Man, is the portrait of a man who could not make up his mind about his career or mission in life; he is, indeed, the unfinished man— weak – willed, wavering and irresolute. Believed to be the poet himself in disguise, he arouses considerable … Read more
Introduction of the Poem: The poem appeared in The Unfinished Man (1965). It deals with the ecstasies of marriage in the beginning and the disillusionment that sets in later, Ezekiel, however, does not go into the causes of disillusionment in married life. Critical Summary Lines 1-4: When a man and a woman are in … Read more