Poem: The Child's Prayer

 The Child's Prayer

By

Sir Muhammad Iqbal

Translated from Urdu by Prof. G. R. Malik

My tender hopes arise to the lips I pray:

 Kindly candle light may my life be! 

May through me world’s darkness vanish away 

And every corner fill with light of day! 

May I adorn my land, to me so dear 

Even as the blossoms make the garden fair! 

As the moth goes round the shining light in zest 

So let me love the candle of knowledge best! 

To love and serve the poor my mission be; 

For the weak and those in pain my sympathy! 

Save me, my God, from all snares of evil: 

To walk the virtuous ways, grant me the will!

Theme

The poem is about the pious and virtuous wishes of the child. He wants to serve the nation and  help the needy.

Summary

The sonnet " The Child's Prayer" is about the devout wishes of blameless kid. It starts with the honorable words in which the kid communicates his heart. He says that his desires go to his lips as a request. He implores God that he aches to turn into a flame so he can evaporate the cloudiness of the world and fill it with light. The essayist really plans to express that he might transform into an enlightened person with the objective that he can oust the obliviousness of the world. He wishes to enlighten the whole world with his insight. He wishes to be a light that benefits others while it is waxing. He in like manner needs to adorn his nation as blossoms beautify a nursery. The youngster petitions that he might become like a magnificent bloom so he can decorate his dearest land with his awesome presence and aroma of information like the sprouts embellish the nursery. 

He needs to adore information with the very energy and zing that we find in a month for a light. He entreats that his energy to cherish the flame of information resemble that of a moth which circumvents the focusing light in zing and enthusiasm. 

The youngster yearns to turn into a minister. He beseeches God that he might serve needy individuals and the penniless and it may turn into the primary mission of his life. He similarly should be insightful towards the feeble and those in torture. 

In the last line, the youngster asks God to shield him from all catches of wickedness. He petitions God for a strong will and confidence with the objective that he could lead his life in the moral ways.

Glossary

Word	Meaning
adorn	decorate
kindle candle light	soft gentle light of candle
snares	traps
virtuous	good;pious
zest	passion

Understanding the poem

1. Who is the speaker in the poem and to whom is it addressed?
Answer: The speaker of the poem is an innocent child and the poem is addressed to God.
 

2. What does the child wish to be?List his wishes in the order they are described in the poem. 
Answer: The child's wishes are:
1. To become candlelight so that he can banish the darkness of the world.
2. He wants to beautify his motherland like the flowers beautify the garden.
3. He wants to become a missionary so that he can help the poor and those in pain.
4. He wants to keep himself away from all the snares of evil.
5. Above all, he wants to walk on the virtuous ways in his life.

3. Why does the  child want to be : a) candle; b) moth; c) blossom? 
Answer:  

• (a) The child wants to be like a candle so that he could end the darkness of the world.
• (b) He wants to love the candle of knowledge with the similar passion and zest as the moth goes around the shining light.
• (c) He wants to be like a blossom so that he could beautify his motherland like the flowers adorn the garden and make it pleasant and beautiful.

4. What is the child’s mission? 
Answer: The child’s mission in life is to love and serve the poor and needy. He is equally thoughtful towards the weak and those in pain.

Learning about the literary devices 

1. Identify metaphors and similes in the following lines: 

My tender hopes arise to the lips I pray: 
Kindly candle light may my life be! 
As the moth goes round the shining light in zest 
So let me love the candle of knowledge best! 
Save me, my God, from all snares of evil: 

Answer: 
(1) Metaphor: A metaphor is a figure of speech or literary device in which a name or a descriptive word or phrase is transferred to an object or action different from, but analogous to that to which it is literary applicable.
Some metaphors used in the given lines are:
a) Tender hopes rise to the lips.
b) Kindly candlelight may my life be.
c) The candle of knowledge
d) Snares of evil
(2) Simile: A figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another of a different kind, as an illustration.
There is one simile used in the given lines which is:
a). As the moth goes round the shining light.

Discussion 

What are the various prayers that you make in the morning assembly at the school? Discuss their meaning with your class

Answer: Students are supposed to do it themselves.