Four Level of Piano

Literal Comprehension

In this poem, the poet describes that on the evening poet hears a woman (might be poet’s mother) singing a melodious song with playing the piano. The poet and the woman are in comfortable room. It is cold outside because it is sunday evening in winter season. By hearing that women’s song and the sound of piano the poet starts thinking about his past. In his past when he was child, his mother used to sing melodious hymns songs by playing a piano on Sundays evening. At that time, poet used to go under the piano and touch his mother toes and feet and after seeing her son (poet) mother used to give him a smile. By seeing smile poet used to be very happy and entertained fully. Although poet didn’t understand the meaning of song, he used to be fully entertained by his mother’s song and her smiles. Now, he is lost in the flood of remembrance. He feels it is useless to sing the song for him as he become man and can’t be a child. However, he could not control his emotion and wept like a child for past.

Interpretation

This poem conveys a tension between the speaker’s desire to be a man and to return to childhood. Between these two desires, his desire to return to childhood seems stronger. As the woman sings the song and plays the piano, he loses his manhood and weeps like a child forgetting his present situation. Together with this, the poem tells us that childhood is the one of the most memorable phase of life. Some moments of our childhood becomes so memorable and important like in the poem when he (poet) heard a woman singing a song recalls his past days. He entertains himself and gets refreshed recalling his past childhood memories. Through the poem, the poet may be trying to tell us that the music has the potentiality to entertain the people of all ages. It can make us fell relief. Likewise this poem tells us that mothers are so great because they give us lots of love and care and make our life beautiful. Even if they are not with us, the time we spent with our mother is so special and memorable which can make us happy for a while in life.

Critical thinking

The poem has nostalgic feeling of the poet. The speaker recollects his past life. Although I agree with the moral of this poem that music has potentiality to entertain the people of all ages and some incidents recalls their past life. I found some parts of the poem really unconvincing. Do all people get fully entertained by the music as poet does in the poem? Do all people have happy childhood that they want to recall? Does any responsible person want to be a child without caring present life and his responsibility? Is it better to guide by emotion rather than wisdom for a matured person? Isn’t it an odd or shameful for one adult man to weep like a small child recalling his past?

Assimilation

I completely agree with the poet. I also give much more importance to music and childhood experiences. Sometimes we have nostalgic feeling and music can make us feel relief and can fascinate people of any age. We cannot avoid it. We can be physically and mentally refreshed by enjoying music. Moreover, we can entertain ourselves even for a while by remembering our joyous childhood in this busy life. I also sometimes remember my childhood days. I used to listen Radio Nepal particularly on Saturdays and take enjoys with various national songs and other programs. More importantly, I used to listen ‘Bal Karyakram’ by Basudev Munal on Radio Nepal. Similarly, I used to travel new places with my parents. So, sometimes when I became alone and recall my childhood memories, I wish to be a child once again.