The Kite — Study Notes

1. Introduction

"The Kite" is a delightful poem by Harry Behn, included in the NCERT Honeysuckle textbook for Class 6. The poem paints a vivid picture of a kite flying high in the sky on a bright blue day. The poet describes how a kite behaves when it is carried up by the wind, dancing and bobbing in the air, and how beautiful it looks as it sails far above the ground.

The poem shows that a kite, though made of paper and string, has a life of its own when the wind lifts it. It rides the breeze, dips and soars, and seems to be having a grand adventure in the sky. The poet uses the word 'planks' to describe the kite's wooden frame, which keeps the paper stretched so that it can fly properly.

The poem also warns that a kite is a fragile thing. When the wind becomes too strong or the string weakens, the kite may tumble, fall and finally lie torn on the ground. The poem ends with a gentle picture of the kite resting quietly after its flight, showing the joy of flying and the tenderness of watching something so light and delicate.

2. About the Poet

Harry Behn (1898-1973) was an American poet, writer and screenwriter. He is best known for his poetry for children, which is full of imagination, rhythm and love for nature. His poems capture simple, happy moments of childhood with musical language. 'The Kite' is one of his popular poems, loved by young readers for its vivid description of a kite's flight in the blue sky.

3. Summary of the Poem

The poem opens with a bright picture: a kite is flying in the blue sky, carrying its long string behind it. The wind lifts the kite up, and it begins to dance in the air. The poet describes how the kite seems to shake and bob, moving gracefully as the breeze carries it higher.

The kite has a frame of thin wooden planks that keeps the paper tight and helps it glide. As the wind blows, the kite dips and rises, making its string jerk in the hands of the child flying it. The poet says the kite looks like a beautiful bird sailing in the sky, riding on the wind's back.

The poem then describes the kite's fragile nature. When the wind blows too hard, or when the string becomes weak, the kite can lose its balance. It tumbles, spins and falls from the sky, finally lying torn and still on the ground. The kite that once danced proudly now rests quietly, its adventure over for the day.

Through this simple story of a kite's rise and fall, the poet captures the joy of flying kites and the gentle sadness of seeing a kite come down. The poem reminds us of the delight of watching small, lovely things and the balance of joy and loss in life.

4. Stanza-wise Summary

1. First Stanza: The poet describes the kite flying in the blue sky, carrying its string, lifted by the wind.
2. Second Stanza: The kite's wooden frame keeps it stretched; it dips and soars as the wind blows.
3. Third Stanza: The kite's string jerks, and it looks like a bird riding the wind.
4. Fourth Stanza: When the wind is strong or the string weak, the kite falls, tumbles and lies torn on the ground.

5. Theme and Moral

The theme of the poem is the joy and beauty of flying a kite, and the delicate nature of things. The poem celebrates the happiness of watching something light and beautiful rise into the sky. It also gently reminds us that nothing lasts forever, as the kite eventually falls and comes to rest. The moral is to enjoy the simple joys of life, like flying a kite, and to accept that all beautiful moments have their end.

6. Literary Devices

1. Personification: The kite is given human qualities - it dances, dips, soars and seems to have its own adventure.
2. Simile: The kite is compared to a bird riding the wind.
3. Vivid Imagery: The blue sky, the dancing kite and the fallen kite are described with strong pictures.
4. Rhyme: The poem has a lively rhyme scheme that mirrors the movement of the kite.
5. Contrast: The soaring kite is contrasted with the fallen, torn kite on the ground.

Quick Revision Tables

Table 1: Key Images in the Poem

Table 2: The Kite's Journey

Mind Map

Important Diagrams (SVG)

Diagram 1: The Kite's Flight

Diagram 2: Up in the Sky - Down on the Ground

Common Mistakes

1. Students often think the kite is described as flying only high; the poem also shows it falling and resting on the ground.
2. Some believe the kite has a steel frame; it has a light frame of wooden planks that keeps the paper stretched.
3. Learners may miss that the poet compares the kite to a bird riding the wind.
4. It is wrong to say the poem has no rhyme; it has a lively rhyme scheme.
5. Some forget the author's name, Harry Behn, or confuse him with other poets.
6. Students often ignore the gentle sadness of the kite falling, which is part of the poem's message.

Exam Tips

1. Remember the poet's name, Harry Behn, and the poem's vivid description of a kite's flight.
2. Quote the simile: the kite looks like a bird riding the wind.
3. Explain how the wooden planks keep the kite stretched.
4. Describe the kite's fall when the wind is strong or the string weak.
5. Mention the rhyme scheme and imagery of the poem.
6. Practise the theme: joy of simple pleasures and acceptance of their end.

Conclusion

"The Kite" by Harry Behn captures the pure happiness of a kite dancing in the blue sky and the tender moment when it finally falls to the ground. Through simple words and lively rhyme, the poet makes us see the kite's graceful flight, its wooden frame, its long string, and its fragile fate. The poem teaches us to enjoy the small, beautiful joys of life and to accept that every bright moment, like a kite's flight, must eventually come to an end.