This page features a video of the poem “Sonnet”, prescribed under the Karnataka State Syllabus for 7th Standard English First Language. Along with its summary in three languages and transliterated songs. It serves as a valuable learning resource for students and parents, with each song accompanied by its respective lyrics for easy sing-along. The synchronized lyrics help learners follow and recite the song as it progresses, making memorization and learning by heart easier, more effective, and enjoyable.
Lyrics
English
A sea of foliage girds our garden round,
But not a sea of dull unvaried green.
Sharp contrasts of all colours here are seen:
The light-green graceful tamarinds abound,
Amid the mango clumps of green profound,
And palms arise, like pillars gray, between,
And o’er the quiet pools the seemuls lean,
Red-red, and startling like a trumpet’s sound.
But nothing can be lovelier than the ranges,
Of bamboos to the eastward, when the moon,
Looks through their gaps, and the white lotus changes,
Into a cup of silver. One might swoon,
Drunken with beauty then, or gaze and gaze,
On a primeval Eden, in amaze.
But not a sea of dull unvaried green.
Sharp contrasts of all colours here are seen:
The light-green graceful tamarinds abound,
Amid the mango clumps of green profound,
And palms arise, like pillars gray, between,
And o’er the quiet pools the seemuls lean,
Red-red, and startling like a trumpet’s sound.
But nothing can be lovelier than the ranges,
Of bamboos to the eastward, when the moon,
Looks through their gaps, and the white lotus changes,
Into a cup of silver. One might swoon,
Drunken with beauty then, or gaze and gaze,
On a primeval Eden, in amaze.
Summary
The poem celebrates the rich and varied beauty of the plants surrounding the poet's garden. The garden is not a dull mass of green because trees and flowers display many contrasting colours. Graceful tamarind trees, deep green mango trees, grey palms, and bright red silk-cotton flowers create a striking landscape. The bamboo groves become especially beautiful when moonlight passes through them and makes the white lotus look like a silver cup. The poet is so overwhelmed by this natural beauty that he compares the scene to a primeval paradise.
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