Q. What happened to the birds when autumn came? (2marks) (2015)
-> In the autumn season, the birds go away from far off places as if they spend time in exile. No birds can be seen on the trees and the song of birds could not be heard.
Q. Oh, God of May have Mercy,
Bless these withered bodies
With the passion of your resurrection
Make their dead veins flow with bold again. (2016)
a) Whose ‘withered bodies’ is the poet referring to? (1mark)
-> The poet is referring to the “withered bodies” of the trees during autumn season.
b) What mercy is the poet seeking? (1mark)
-> The poet is seeking for the mercy of the god of many to the withered bodies so that they can get back their life.
Or
What blessing is the poet asking for? (1mark)
c) Describe in your own words the lifeless trees of autumn. (3marks)
-> During autumn season the condition of the trees is pitiable. They are stripped down to the skin and their ebony and naked. Their leaves turned yellow and fell all over the ground. No birds can be seen on the trees.
Or
How does the poet personify autumn in the lines quoted above? (3marks)
-> These lines have been taken from the poem “When Autumn Came” composed by Faiz Ahmed Faiz.
Through this stanza the poet prays to the God of spring to have mercy on the trees and to bless them with a new life. The poet prays to the God of May (spring) to revive the revolutionaries and to rekindle their dead bodies. The poet prays to God for life, regeneration, happiness and shared prosperity so that the exploited trees can be brought back to life again. The poet wants to see vegetation full of life again and coming back to colorful days among those victims of exploitation. The poet feels that a classless society is the need of the hour.
Q. What happens to the leaves in autumn? (2marks) (2016)
-> The leaves of the trees turn yellow and fall from the trees and scatter over the ground. The trees are stripped down to the back. No birds can be seen on the trees.
Q. For what does the poet pray to the God of May? (2marks) (2017/2018)
-> The poet prays to the God of May to give back life to the lifeless trees so that the trees get back their leaves and again the birds can perch on the tree, branches and sing merrily.
Q. Attempt a critical appreciation of “when Autumn Came’? (6marks) (2015)
-> “When the autumn came” by Faiz Ahmed Faiz is a metaphoric personification of change having a huge impact on something near and dear to him. This is a revolutionary poem. Through this poem, the poet expresses his voice against exploitation of the poor people (the Laborers or workers) by the rich or capitalist class people. The rich people led a luxurious life at the cost of the poor people. However the workers and laborers worked hard and got nothing and the poor did nothing but looted everything from the poor. The workers' voice is not in position to protest against any exploitation because they have to survive. The same condition happens with the trees with the coming autumn season. Tress is lifeless and their leaves turn yellow. The birds forget to sing merrily. Here autumn represent the exploiter and the trees are being exploited.
Therefore the poet prays to the god of May to give back life to the lifeless trees so that the trees get back their leaves and again the birds can sing merrily. With such expression the poet praises god to renew the life of the poor laborer with life and hope so that they can have a meaningful life. Their lives should not more be dried as dust and fresh blood should flow through their views. So that on one should be exploited by anybody. He wants to see a young and energetic one.
Q. Describe in your own words the autumn season as described by Faiz Ahmed Faiz in When Autumn Came. (5marks) (2017)
-> When autumn came the trees became lifeless. Autumn comes like a monster and uncovers the trees and makes them naked. Their yellow leaves fall off the trees and those are scattered over the ground. Trees are exploited in such a way but they could not raise their voice against such exploitation. Even birds that are known as the proclaimed of colorful days are sent away so no such voice can be raised. The poet prays to the God of May to have mercy and begs blessings to the exploited so that they can be brought back to life again. Only the power of God can save the exploited from the exploitation and they can come back to life.
The poet wants to see trees with life which are full of green leaves so that birds can sing again. The poet wants to see a colorful day among those victims of exploitation.
