Evening, Ponte Al Mare, Pisa
by Percy Bysshe Shelly
The Poem:
"The sun is set; the swallows are asleep;
The bats are flitting fast in the gray air;
The slow soft toads out of damp corners creep,
And evening's breath, wandering here and there
Over the quivering surface of the stream,
Wakes not one ripple from its summer dream.
There is no dew on the dry grass to-night,
Nor damp within the shadow of the trees;
The wind is intermitting, dry, and light;
And in the inconstant motion of the breeze
The dust and straws are driven up and down,
And whirled about the pavement of the town."
Summary of the poem :
In this poem the poet is presenting us a vivid description of a tranquil evening in Pisa, Italy. The poet was present in the moment and he was completely feeling each movement around him as it occurred. The swallows are asleep and the bats are flying playfully in the air as the sun is set. The toads has come out of their damp corner to hunt their food. There is no wave on the surface water of the stream as if they are in their summer dream. The grass and the shadow of the trees are dry. There is no trace of dew. The dry wind is blowing interruptedly. The dust and straws are driven up and down in the air. They are also whirling about the pavement of the town.
Comprehension :
1. The poet has used some interesting adjectives to create a detailed image of an evening. Write the adjectives used for the following nouns.
a. Slow soft toads;
b. Damp corners;
c. Quivering surface of the water;
d. Intermitting wind;
e. Inconstant breeze;
2. Which season is being described here? Why do you think so?
= The summer season has been described here.
At the beginning of the first para, the poet has described about all the animals coming out of their abodes in the evening in glee. They are expressing their joy. At the last line of the first para, the poet refers to the summer dream of the ripples of the stream.
In the second para, the poet describes the dryness of the atmosphere around. The blowing of the wind and the whirling of the dust and straw definitely draws the picture of the summer season.
3. "And evening's breath, wandering here and there
Over the quivering surface of the stream,
Wakes not one ripple from its summer dream."
a. What is the 'evening's breath'?
= The 'evening's breath' is the mild breeze blowing in the evening.
b. What effect does it have on the stream?
= It does not have any effect on the stream as there was no ripple on the surface of the water of the stream.
c. The stream has been personified here. What is it described as doing?
= The stream is described here to be in its summer dream, i. e. the stream is dreaming in the summer so there was no ripple on its surface in spite of the breeze.
4. How does the poet indicate that the weather is very dry?
= Basically, the poet indicates that the weather is very dry in the second para of the poem. He says that the grass is dry that night as there is no dew. The shadow of the trees is also no t damp. The intermitting wind is dry. As a result of it, the wind is light.
5. "And in the inconstant motion of the breeze
The dust and straws are driven up and down,
And whirled about the pavement of the town."
a. What kind of breeze is said to be blowing?
= Inconstant breeze is said to be blowing. It is frequently changing its course.
b. What is the effect of the breeze?
= The dust and straws are driven up and down due to the inconstant breeze. It also whirled about the pavement of the town.