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Asleep in the valley- (Description and word meanings)

ASLEEP IN THE VALLEY

A small green valley where a slow stream flows

And leaves long strands of silver on the bright
Grass; from the mountaintop stream the Sun's
Rays; fill the hollow full of light.

A soldier, very young, lies open-mouthed,
A pillow made of fern beneath his head,
Asleep; stretched in the heavy undergrowth,
Pale in his warm, green, sun-soaked bed.

His feet among the flowers, he sleeps. His smile
Is like an infant's - gentle, without guile.
Ah, Nature, keep him warm; he may catch cold.

The humming insects don't disturb his rest;
He sleeps in sunlight, one hand on his breast;

At peace. In his side there are two red holes.



There is a small green valley where a river chants, wildly, catching rags of silver on the water plants; Where the sun shines from the proud hill’s height, There is a small valley brimming with the sunlight. A young soldier sleeps, open-mouthed, bare head, His nape by the cool watercress of the river bed. Asleep; under the sky, upon the grass, he lies, Pale, in his green sun-soaked bed where rays fall from the skies. his feet stretched among the flower, sleeping still. Smiling in his sleep, as a child does. The poet says Earth, do keep him warm. Be kind. He is cold. His nostrils don’t quiver with the fragrant wind; His One hand is across his breast, he sleeps in the sun, He is at peace. In his right side, there are two red holes depicting that he is no more.

Word Meanings

Asleep- To sleep soundly/Here it means to sleep in death

green valley- The valley is green with vegetation and foliage

the valley-a low area between the hills

A slow stream- A small river flows slowly.

Long strand of silver-  The river looks silvery, ribbon-like from the top of the hill

 Strand - Thread or fiber 

Bright- Radiant (the grasses look bright in the valley because of the sunlight)

Mountain top- the top of the mountain

 Stream the sun's rays- The sun's rays flows down in the valley

Fill the hollow-  Here hollow refers to the valley as it is not dominated by anyone (human being). The sun's rays come down and fill the valley.

Full of light- The valley is filled with light / bathed in with warm sun rays

Open-mouthed- The soldier is lying open-mouthed/ agape

A pillow made of fern- Fern made a pillow

Stretched- Extended

Undergrowth - Bushes or vegetation grew in plenty number of

Pale - Colourless / no life so looking colorless.

Sun-soaked bed-   The energy and vitality of the sun, soaked in the green bed in the valley where the soldier was lying.

Feet among the flower- The soldier was sleeping with his feet among the flower.

Infant- child 

Gentle - Mild 

Gentle, without guile - soldier was looking gentle and innocent having no trick on the face.

He may catch cold - The soldier might catch cold as he was sleeping in the open 

Nature keep him warm- nature is supposed to be our mother  so the poet calls her to keep the soldier warn 

Humming - A slow continuous sound 

Humming insects don't disturb his rest- Insects were not disturbing his rest as he was no more live

Two red holes - It suggests that he was shot two bullets in to his chest and he was dead. He had been the victim of war.





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