Fog - Carl Sandburg

  First Flight - Poem. No. 8 Fog - Carl Sandburg. The Poem, Glossary, Summary, Questions, and Answers. The Poem-  THANKS, NADINE MARFURT htt...

 First Flight - Poem. No. 8

Fog - Carl Sandburg.

The Poem, Glossary, Summary, Questions, and Answers.

The Poem- 

THANKS, NADINE MARFURT

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The fog comes

On little cat feet

It sits looking

Over harbour and city

On silent haunches

and then moves on.

Glossary - 

1. fog - mist, haze.

2. harbour - anchored ground.

3. On haunches - sitting with knees bent.

Summary -

"Fog" is a famous poem written by Carl Sandburg. It is a brief and evocative piece that captures the mysterious and ethereal nature of fog.

The poem opens with the assertion that fog is like a cat, creeping silently and stealthily through the city streets. It is described as being on little cat feet, emphasizing its quiet and unobtrusive presence.

The fog is then personified as a cat that sits on its haunches, covering the entire city with its hazy embrace. The streets and harbor are enveloped in its misty veil, blurring the boundaries and obscuring the familiar landmarks.

As the poem progresses, Sandburg compares the fog to a stealthy cat moving on silent paws, coming in silently and covering everything in its path. It obliterates the visual clarity and creates a sense of mystery and disorientation.

In the final lines of the poem, Sandburg suggests that the fog metaphorically represents the insidious influence of uncertainty and confusion in life. It conveys a sense of the unknown, where familiar landmarks are hidden and the path ahead is unclear.

Overall, "Fog" is a concise and vivid poem that uses the imagery of a cat and fog to convey the atmosphere and disorienting effect of this natural phenomenon. It captures the essence of fog as a mysterious and transformative force that alters our percep

Thinking about the poem -

1. What does Sandburg think the fog is like?

Ans - Sandburg thinks the fog is like a cat that comes silently.

2. How does the fog come?

Ans - The fog comes silently like a cat whose arrival can not be predicted.

3. What does 'it' in the third line refer to?

Ans - It in the third line refers to 'fog'.

4. Does the poet say that the fog is like a cat? Find three things that tell us that the fog is like a cat?

Ans - Yes, the poet actually says that the fog is like a cat and the following lines say that -

1. It comes silently.

2. It sits silently.

3. It moves away quickly and silently.

5. You know that a metaphor compares two things by transferring a feature of one thing to the other.

1. Find metaphors for the following words and complete the table below. Also, try to say how they are alike.

Ans - Storm - tiger - pounces over the fields, growls.

Train - snake - moves its body quickly, and slithers.

Fire - anger - destroys surroundings, burns.

School - temple - imparts value and wisdom, educates.

Home - nest - provides shelter, warmth, and safety, survives.

2. Think about a storm. Try to visualize the force of the storm, hear the sound of the storm, feel the power of the storm, and the sudden calm that happens afterward. Write a poem about the storm compared with an animal.

Ans -

In the tempest's wild embrace, behold the storm,

A fearsome beast, its might takes form.

With thunder's roar and lightning's flare,

It rages through the heavens, a force to beware.

The winds, they howl like a mighty beast,

Thrashing and tearing, never to cease.

Raindrops, like feral tears, cascade and pour,

Battering the earth, a relentless downpour.

Oh, storm, you are a creature untamed,

A creature of fury, never to be named.

Your power is unmatched, your presence immense,

Yet beneath your wrath, lies a hidden sense.

When the storm has had its fill,

And all its fury has begun to still,

A calm descends upon the land,

As if a gentle touch from nature's own hand.

The skies clear, the air grows serene,

The aftermath of chaos is a tranquil scene.

And just as a beast retreats to its lair,

The storm too departs, leaving naught but a prayer.

For in the storm's wake, there lies a rebirth,

A chance to heal, to mend the earth.

So let us marvel at the storm's might,

As it echoes the essence of nature's own flight.

For in its force and sudden calm,

The storm reveals a beauty, a healing balm.

A creature of chaos, yet also of grace,

Forever captivating, in its wild embrace.

3. Does this poem have a rhyme scheme?

Ans - This poem does not have a rhyme scheme, it is in free verse.