Do you remember poring over verses, dissecting stanzas, and getting lost in the worlds crafted by words? For many Indian students who took the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) exam, the mere mention of poetry conjures up a wave of nostalgia. This is especially true when thinking about a collection of short stories and poems ICSE guide pdf, a key resource for students. But why do these literary works stick with us long after the exams are over?
My brother and I were recently reminiscing about our school days. He mentioned a poem, “On Killing a Tree” by Gieve Patel, which led to a delightful conversation about the poems and short stories we studied for our ICSE exams. This conversation made me think about the lasting impact of the literature we encountered during those formative years.
Our discussion centered around “Panorama – A Selection of Poems,” a poetry textbook that many ICSE students remember fondly. This wasn’t just a collection of words on a page; it was a gateway to understanding different cultures, emotions, and perspectives.
“What were the other poems?” my brother inquired, sparking a vibrant exchange of memories. “Wasn’t there ‘Daffodils’ by William Wordsworth?”
Indeed, “Daffodils” was a part of the larger collection, though not specifically in our exam syllabus. This triggered a 30-minute journey down memory lane, filled with laughter and shared recollections.
Like many students, my textbooks were hand-me-downs. My copy of “Panorama” bore the marks of previous use. My brother had diligently annotated the margins with explanations and definitions. To prolong its life, I reinforced the cover with cardboard from an old notebook, binding it together with cloth and glue. These small repairs ensured the book lasted through my years of study.
The Allure of ICSE Literature: Beyond the Syllabus
The ICSE syllabus wasn’t limited to poetry alone. We also delved into an unabridged Shakespearean play (for my batch, it was “The Merchant of Venice”), a collection of short stories titled “Tales From Far and Near,” and Robert Louis Stevenson’s adventure novel, “Treasure Island.” The specific poems selected for the exam varied from year to year, resulting in some differences between my brother’s syllabus and mine. While we shared several common works, others were unique to our respective batches.
I remembered studying “The Pied Piper of Hamelin” by Robert Browning and “Lochinvar” by Sir Walter Scott in eighth grade. Later poems in ninth and tenth grade were more challenging. “Ode to a Nightingale” by John Keats, with its references to Greek mythology, required careful study and the aid of my brother’s notes and Fr. Coelho, our English teacher’s explanations.
Our conversation continued, with each of us recalling a poem and then digressing into related anecdotes. My brother possessed an uncanny ability to remember details, including the names of poets and characters.
“’After Blenheim’, by Southey,” I prompted.
“Ah yes, Old Kaspar!” he responded.
“The Village Schoolmaster,” I added, scanning the list of poems.
“Oliver Goldsmith!” he replied instantly, reciting lines from the poem.
The Enduring Power of Verse
Years later, I sought out a copy of “Panorama” and found it on Amazon India. While the edition I purchased seemed to be a simplified version, lacking some of the poems we had studied, it still held a special significance.
During a corporate training session many years ago, the instructor explained a policy and said, “Ours not to reason why.” Instinctively, I completed the line: “Ours but to do and die!” The instructor smiled, recognizing the reference to Tennyson’s “Charge of the Light Brigade”.
On a walking tour at the Boston Common, our guide, a Paul Revere detractor, asked if anyone remembered the signal from “The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. I softly recited:
“One if by land, and two if by sea;
And I on the opposite shore will be.”
These instances highlight how deeply ingrained these poems became, surfacing unexpectedly in various situations.
“Panorama,” with its diverse selection of themes, served as a valuable introduction to poetry. While it may not have ignited a lifelong passion for poetry in everyone, it undoubtedly left a mark on many. The collection included famous Indian poets like Sarojini Naidu, Michael Madhusudan Dutt, Rabindranath Tagore, and Nissim Ezekiel.
Ezekiel’s “Night of the Scorpion” vividly portrays a mother’s suffering after being stung by a scorpion. The poem concludes with her saying, “Thank God the scorpion picked on me And spared my children.”
Tagore’s “Where the mind is without fear” left a deep impression on me. In a moment of inspiration, I printed the poem, laminated it and carried it in my wallet.
Reflections on Nostalgia and Literature
Kipling’s “If” encapsulates the virtues of character and resilience. The opening lines of his “The Ballad of East and West” also remain vivid.
The ICSE Board likely achieved its objectives to leave an impact. Many of us revisit these poems and short stories occasionally.
Our conversation made me wonder if the poems’ intrinsic qualities or our shared carefree past made us remember them so vividly.
We don’t reminisce about Newton’s Laws of Motion or Coordinate Geometry with the same fondness. The memories that “Panorama” rekindled are wonderful, and sharing them with a kindred spirit like my brother is priceless.
That night, I read Gieve Patel’s “On Killing a Tree”.
It takes much time to kill a tree,
Not a simple jab of the knife
Will do it…
I still don’t like cutting down trees. For those looking to revisit these cherished works, searching for “a collection of short stories and poems ICSE guide pdf” online can be a great starting point. These resources often contain the complete texts and helpful analysis.
