Poem Midnight Wood by Raymond Wilson - Summary Q&A Word meanings - Class 6 Literary Reader Chapter 5: A child-friendly guide with meanings, solved answers, and a quick quiz for revision.
Table of Contents
Summary of the Poem Midnight Wood
The poem takes the reader into a dark forest at midnight, asking what the eyes see, the ears hear, and the river hides. Strange shapes, whispering plants, and shrieking owls make the forest feel dangerous. The final warning from owlets suggests that anyone entering must choose the wood or river—and may be lost forever.
The poem shows how fear grows in darkness: normal things seem scary, and sounds feel louder. It is not only the forest, but the night and imagination that create a chilling mood.
Word Meanings of the Poem Midnight Wood
| Word/Phrase | Meaning (Simple English) | Meaning (Simple Hindi) |
|---|---|---|
| Mist | Very light cloud near the ground that makes it hard to see | हल्का कुहासा, जमीन के पास हल्का धुंध |
| Hunchback shapes | Shapes that look bent or hunched, like curved backs | झुकी‑झुकी आकृतियाँ, कूबड़ जैसी |
| Frond | Large leaf, usually of a fern or palm | बड़ी पत्ती (आमतौर पर फर्न/खजूर की) |
| Fern | A plant with feathery leaves that grows in shade | फर्न—छाँव में उगने वाला पौधा |
| Clutching grass | Grass that seems to grab or hold as one walks | पकड़ने जैसा लगता घास |
| Snigger | To laugh quietly in a rude or teasing way | दबी हँसी, खिल्ली उड़ाना |
| Otter | Water animal with webbed feet and brown fur | ऊदबिलाव |
| Owlets | Baby owls | उल्लू के बच्चे |
| Whispering fear | Soft sounds that make one feel scared | धीमी आवाज़ें जो डर पैदा करें |
| Drift | To float and move with water or wind | बहना, सरकना |
| Shriek | To cry out in a loud, high-pitched voice | चीखना |
| Dead of night | The darkest, quietest time late at night | रात का सबसे गहरा समय |
Let's enjoy the poem (Q&A)
1. Did you notice that each of the four stanzas in the poem describes one group of things that might make us afraid when we are alone in a wood at night? Can you list them?
- a. The things we see: mist, moonlight, star, cloud, hunchback shapes.
- b. The sounds we hear: thin wind, frond and fern, clutching grass sniggering.
- c. The things the river hides: otter, water‑rat, old can, bones of fish and man.
- d. The threats we face: owlets warn that whoever comes is lost forever.
2. What do these phrases mean?
- a. ‘hunchback shapes’: bent, crooked shapes that look like hunched backs in the dark.
- b. ‘clutching grass’: grass that feels like it is grabbing at one’s feet while walking.
3. Look at stanza 3. Which of the objects mentioned would you normally not expect to see in a river? How do you think they got there?
The “old can” and “bones of man” are unexpected in a river; the can suggests human littering, and “bones of man” is likely an imagined fear image, used to make the scene feel dangerous and mysterious.
4. If you believe what the owlets are actually saying, would you want to go to the wood?
No, because the owlets warn that whoever enters must choose between wood and river and will be lost, which makes the place feel unsafe at night.
5. Why do you think the poet repeats the phrase ‘dark in the wood’ several times?
The repetition builds rhythm and a strong mood of fear, reminding that darkness changes normal sights and sounds into something scary.
6. Are the sounds and sights described in the poem frightening in themselves? Does darkness have something to do with the way we feel in a wood at night?
Most things are ordinary (plants, wind, river, owls), but in the dark they seem dangerous. Yes, darkness and imagination make everything feel scarier.
7. If you found yourself all alone in a wood at midnight, would you be frightened?
Yes, because limited light and unfamiliar sounds can cause fear; staying calm, using a light, and thinking logically would help reduce that fear.
