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New Oxford Modern English
David Horsburgh, Nicholas Horsburgh, Claire Horsburgh, Oxford Un
The West-Wind
About
John Masefield (1878-1967) was born in England. Early on, Masefield embarked on a wandering life which took him to America, Before he reached his twentieth birthday he returned to England with a wealth of experience oi people, places and life on the sea. He worked for some time for a newspaper, and in 1902 he began to write poems and stories.
The language and the content of ‘The West Wind' are easily understood; the poet has followed a simple rhyme pattern but you will notice that the lines are not always uniform in their metre. The poet is reminded of his homeland when he hears the west wind blowing. The west wind brings back memories of the beauties of nature, and seems to speak to him, calling him 'brother'. to entice him home. The message is one which can be understood by anyone who has been away from borne for a long time.
It's a warm wind, the west wind, full of birds' cries;
I never hear west wind but tears are in my eyes.
For it comes from the west lands, the old brown hills
And April's in the west wind, and daffodils.
It's a fine land, the west land, for hearts as tired as mine,
Apple orchards blossom there, and the air's like wine.
There is cool green grass there, where men may lie at rest.
And the thrushes are in song there, fluting from the nest.
will ye not come home, brother? Ye have been long away,
It's April, and blossom time, and white is the may;
And bright is the sun, brother, and warm is the rain,-
Will ye not come home, brother, home to us again?
The young corn is green, brother, where the rabbits run,
it's blue sky, and white clouds, and warm rain and sun.
It's song to a man's soul, brother, fire to a man's brain.
To hear the wild bees and see the merry spring again.
'Larks are singing in the west, brother, above the green wheat,
So will ye not come home, brother, and rest your tired feet?
I've a balm for bruised hearts, brother, sleep for aching eyes,’
Says the warm wind, the west wind, full of birds’ cries.
It's the white road westwards is the road I must tread
To the green grass, the cool grass, and rest for heart and head,
To the violets and the warm hearts and the thrushes' song,
In the fine land, the west land, the land where I belong.
Available Answers
- 1.
Why does the poet welcome the west wind?
- 2.
What kind of life does the poet say he is leading at the time the west wind is blowing?
- 3.
What are the good things in the west which the poet is reminded about?
- 4.
How do we know that the poet is from the west? Pick out the lines or phrases in the poem which tell us this.
- 5.
What is the meaning of the following?
- It's song to a man's soul, brother, fire to a man's brain.
- I never hear the west wind but tears are in my eyes.
- 6.
What conclusion does the poet reach in the end?
4 more answer(s) available.