Hornbill-Poem 4: Childhood

Summary

In the poem, the poet wonders when he lost his childhood and the innocence he had. He became conscious that he no
longer sees the world as he did earlier and he can sense the hypocrisy in people. He recalled many instances in his life
when he could have lost his childhood. He wondered if it was the day he ceased to be eleven or he realized that Hell and
Heaven didn’t exist in this world and no one could find them in the geography books and maps.

Next, he talks about the possibility when he realized that adults are not what they seemed to be and they are
hypocrites. They talk and preach of love but their actions don’t say so. Was it the day when he realized that his mind
was his own and capable of producing his own thoughts. No one could own his mind and he is an individual with his
particular personality.

In the last stanza, he talks about the whereabouts of his childhood. He concludes that it has gone to some forgotten
place and it can only be found in the innocent face of an infant.

Poem and Explanation

When did my childhood go?

Was it the day I ceased to be eleven,

Was it the time I realised that Hell and Heaven,

Could not be found in Geography,

And therefore could not be,

Was that the day!

Ceased – come to an end

In the above lines, the poet wonders about when his childhood came to an end. He asks himself if it was the day he was
no longer eleven years old, or the day when he realized that Hell and Heaven could not be found in geography or on the
map. He realizes they are imaginary places that actually do not exist in this world.

When did my childhood go?

Was it the time I realised that adults were not

all they seemed to be,

They talked of love and preached of love,

But did not act so lovingly,

Was that the day!

Preached – talked or spoken

In the above stanza, the poet again repeats the same question about when his childhood went. He wonders about the
day when he started seeing the world with a new perception that adults are hypocrites and are not how they seemed to
be. The adults who talked of love and preached of love, never behaved so lovingly. They are double-faced in reality.
Maybe that the day when his childhood was lost.

When did my childhood go?

Was it when I found my mind was really mine,

To use whichever way I choose,

Producing thoughts that were not those of other people

But my own, and mine alone

Was that the day!

In the third stanza, the poet deliberates on the same question about when he lost his childhood. He wonders about the
day he realized that his mind was his own and he could use it the way he wants; when he realized that he could produce
his own thoughts which were not controlled by anyone; when he sensed his own individuality and a separate
personality, if that was the day he lost his childhood.

Where did my childhood go?

It went to some forgotten place,

That’s hidden in an infant’s face,

That’s all I know.

Infant – new born baby

In the last stanza, the poet recalls his lost childhood and wonders where it has gone. He concludes that his childhood
has gone to some forgotten place and will never come back. He cherishes his innocence which has vanished now and
can be only seen in a baby’s face. He only has sweet memories of his childhood which would soon fade away. He also
conveys a message that the innocence of childhood stays till the time one is an infant.

Literary Devices

1. Rhyme Scheme – The rhyme scheme used in the 1st stanza is ABBCCD and of the 4th stanza is ABBA (Closed Rhyme)

2. Refrain – A group of words or a phrase which is repeated in the poem

Ex: 1) When did my childhood go?

2) Was that the day!

3. Antithesis – Where two opposite words are used together in a sentence in a poem

Ex: Hell and Heaven

4. Alliteration – The occurrence of the same letter of sound at the beginning of closely connected words

Ex: Hell and Heaven, my mind, whichever way

5. Anaphora -- The repetition of words or phrases in a group of sentences

Ex: 1) Was it the day I ceased to be eleven,

Was it the time I realised that Hell and Heaven

2) That’s hidden in an infant’s face,

That’s all I know

6. Inversion – When the subject-verb order is reversed

Ex: To use whichever way I choose

7. Imagery -- A vivid and vibrant form of description that appeals to readers' senses and imagination

Ex: It went to some forgotten place,

That’s hidden in an infant’s face

8. Metaphor -- An indirect comparison between two things that aren't alike but do have something in common

Ex: 1) mind producing thoughts, like machines

2) an infant’s face is compared to or represents the innocence of children

9. Personification – An idea or thing is given human attributes and/or feelings or is spoken of as if it were human

Ex: Childhood has gone somewhere (an infant’s face)

Question and Answers

Question 1:
Identify the stanza that talks of each of the following:
Individuality, rationalism, hypocrisy
Answer:
The stanzas that talk of each of the quality in questions are given below:

 individuality: Third stanza

 rationalism: First stanza

 hypocrisy: Second stanza

Question 2:
What according to the poem, is involved in the process of growing up?
Answer:
According to the poem, the loss of childhood is involved in the process of growing up.
This loss is compensated by some gains which come with adolescence. These are: increase in understanding, power of
rationalising and discrimination as well as a sense of individuality and self-confidence.

Question 3:
What are the poet’s feelings towards childhood?
Answer:
The poet regards childhood as an important stage in the process of growing up. Childhood is a period of make-believe.
Children readily accept whatever the elders say. The poet does not feel any regret or sense of loss on losing his
childhood. He believes that childhood is found in the innocence of an infant.

Question 4:
Which, do you think are the most poetic lines? Why?
Answer:
The following lines in the poem are most poetic:
Where did my childhood go?
It went to some forgotten place,
That’s hidden in an infant’s face,
That’s all I know.
These lines beautifully sum up the process of growth and the disappearance of a particular stage of life. The infant’s
innocent face hides many things behind its smiles. Perhaps the childhood lies hidden in some forgotten place lying
buried deep inside a child’s consciousness.
This stanza has the literary devices of anaphora, poetic imagery and rhyme scheme which is closed rhyme, abba.