The Water Cycle
by Helen H. Moore (Roots)
The Poem :
"When I was young
I used to think
that water came from
the kitchen sink.
But now I'm older,
and I know,
that water comes
from rain and snow.
It stays there, waiting,
in the sky,
in clouds above
our world so high.
And when it falls,
it flows along,
and splashes out
a watery song.
as each raindrop
is joined by more
and rushes to
the ocean shore,
or to a lake,
a brook, a stream,
from which it rises,
just like steam.
But while it's down here
what do you think?
Some DOES go to
the kitchen sink!
Summary of the Poem :
At the very young age, the narrator used to think that water comes from the kitchen sink.
Then the narrator is older and she knows that water comes from rain and snow.
Rain stays in the clouds high up in the sky.
When it rains, it flows along splashes of water and seems singing songs.
Each raindrop joins with more and flows to the ocean shore.
Rain water rushes to lake, brook and to streams. The rain water rises in the form of steam from them.
It rains again after the water cycle completes. The narrator vey amusingly says that some water goes to the kitchen sink when it rains.
Comprehension
1. Where is the water just before in rains?
a. in clouds. [✓]
b. in lakes. [ ]
c. none of the above. [ ]
2. Where do the raindrops rush to?
a. streams. [ ]
b. oceans. [✓]
c. both of the above. [ ]
3. Describe the whole journey of water.
= Rain stays in the clouds high up in the sky.
When it rains, it flows along splashes of water and seems singing songs.
Each raindrop joins with more and flows to the ocean shore.
Rain water rushes to lake, brook and to streams. The rain water rises in the form of steam from them.
It rains again after the water cycle completes.
4. The poem starts and ends with the narrator talking about the kitchen sink. Why?
= The poem starts and ends with the narrator talking about the kitchen sink. At the very young age, she used to stay at home. She only saw that water comes from the kitchen sink. That is why she started the poem mentioning about kitchen sink. At the end of the poem, the narrator mentions it once again to make the poem more interesting and funny.
5. How old do you think is the narrator of the poem? Give reasons.
= I think the narrator of the poem is of our age. She is narrating the poem in a very simple and most easy way. Only an innocent child of our age can think that water comes from the kitchen sink.