A Bird Came Down the Walk-Summary and Question & Answer

A Bird Came Down the Walk: Nature’s Intricacies Revealed

About the Poet

Emily Dickinson was a renowned American poet. Her writings often explore the themes of death, immortality, and nature. Interestingly, most of her poetry was published posthumously, gaining recognition only after her death.

About the Poem

• A Bird Came Down the Walk was written by Emily Dickinson in 1862 and later published in the Second Series of Dickinson’s Poems in 1891.

• The poem illustrates a seemingly simple yet profound observation of a bird, revealing the complex interplay of survival, fear, and grace in the natural world.

• Composed of five quatrains, the poem follows iambic trimeter, offering a rhythmic yet gentle tone.

• The language used is lucid and precise, making the imagery vivid and relatable.

Word Meanings

• bit – to hit with teeth

• angle-worm – earthworm used as fishing bait

• dew – morning drops of water on grass

• hopped – moved with small jumps

• sidewise – towards the side

• glanced – looked quickly

• stirred – moved slightly

• cautious – careful, alert

• unrolled – unfolded or spread out

• seam – a line where two edges meet

• leap – jump

• plashless – without creating a splash or disturbance

   

Substance and Analysis of A Bird Came Down the Walk

The poet saw a bird in her walkway, but the bird did not know about her presence. He bit an angleworm, broke it into two pieces, and ate it. Then he drank a dew from grass which is nearby to him. He jumped with slight movement and went aside so that a beetle could pass. He moved his eyes quickly and looked at his surroundings. His eyes seemed to be frightening beads. He moved his head which was as soft as velvet. He was alert as if he was in danger. Then the poet provided him with a piece of bread, but the bird opened his feathers and flew. The bird used his feathers to fly as a boatman uses the oars of the boat to move on, but his movement of flying in the sky is more graceful than the movement of the boat in the ocean. His movement is so graceful that it did not make a seam. Even his movement is more graceful and glamorous than the butterflies which leap at the riverbank in the afternoon in such a way that they seemed to be swimming.
The poem ‘A Bird Came Down the Walk’ portrays Nature and the existence of life on the earth. It depicts the life of every entity and his struggle to survive on the earth through the various activities of a bird. Here the bird ate an angel-worm to live, eating it was his need for survival, but he snatched life from an angel-worm to survive. The bird’s activities prove that we have to be violent for our survival, again we cooperate with others so that many like us can survive. On the other hand, the bird co-operates with the beetle by hopping sideways so that he could pass as humans need to cooperate with others to live on the earth and let others live. The bird became afraid of his surroundings, as he had a fear of losing his life to others. We also need to be alert about our surroundings as we face many harmful consequences due to others. When a crumb is offered to the bird, he rejected to eat it because he got his food in Nature. It also portrays how Nature acts as a mother to all creatures providing what her children need.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. The word ‘crumb’ means –
   a) a piece of bread
   b) wings
   c) beak
   d) feathers

2. The speaker observed –
   a) a bird
   b) a beetle
   c) a worm
   d) a bead

3. The eyes of the bird looked like –
   i) pearls
   ii) frightened beads
   iii) fiery ringlets
   iv) stones

4. “And he unrolled his feathers And rowed him softer home,” – The bird is:
   i) rowing a boat
   ii) swimming away
   iii) cleaning his feathers
   iv) flying quietly away

5. Emily Dickinson was a/an _____ poet.
   i) Spanish
   ii) Italian
   iii) British
   iv) American

6. The bird hopped sidewise to –
   i) let a worm pass
   ii) let a butterfly pass
   iii) let a beetle pass
   iv) eat a beetle

7. Identify the figure of speech in “he drank a dew.”
   i) Simile
   ii) Personification
   iii) Apostrophe
   iv) Alliteration

8. The bird stirred –
   i) his velvet head
   ii) frightened beads
   iii) beak
   iv) legs

9. The bird drank dew from –
   i) a convenient grass
   ii) a cup
   iii) a glass
   iv) a jug

10. The bird glanced with –
    i) a glass
    ii) rapid eyes
    iii) a slow look
    iv) a bright look

11. Poems of Emily Dickinson was first published in –
    i) 1950
    ii) 1951
    iii) 1956
    iv) 1890

12. What did the bird stir?
    i) his velvet head
    ii) his wings
    iii) his feathers
    iv) his eyes

13. The bird bit an angle-worm in –
    i) double
    ii) halves
    iii) many parts
    iv) a few parts

14. The bird did not know –
    i) the poet watched him
    ii) how to survive
    iii) how to cooperate
    iv) how to live without violence

15. What does “plashless” mean?
    i) with hurry
    ii) without disturbance
    iii) slowly
    iv) silently

Short Answer Type Questions

1. What did the bird’s eyes look like?
Ans: They sparkled with fright and looked like frightened beads.

2. What does the bird symbolize in the poem?
Ans: The bird symbolizes wild nature — alert, ungraspable, and distant from human intrusion.

3.What did the bird do when it came down the walk?
Ans: It caught and bit an angle-worm into halves and ate it raw.

4.How did the bird quench its thirst?
Ans: It drank a drop of dew from a blade of grass.

5.Why did the bird hop sideways?
Ans: To let a beetle pass by, showing courtesy unlike its earlier violent act of eating the worm.

6.Why is the bird’s head called a ‘velvet head’?
Ans: Because it was soft, smooth, and delicate, much like velvet.

7.What did the bird do to let the beetle pass?
Ans: It hopped sidewise, allowing the beetle to cross peacefully.

8. What did the poet offer the bird? Did it accept it?
Ans: The poet offered a crumb, but the bird did not accept it and flew away.

9. How is the bird’s flight described?
Ans: It is compared to a boat rowed without sound and butterflies leaping plashlessly.

10. When did the bird unroll its feathers?
Ans: When the poet offered a crumb, the bird unrolled his wings and flew away quietly.

11. What did the butterflies do in the afternoon?
Ans: They leapt from the banks gracefully, without creating a splash.

12.Why is the grass called ‘convenient’?
Ans: Because it conveniently held dew for the bird to drink.

13 Who gave a crumb to the bird?
Ans: The poet offered the crumb.

14. How are the bird’s wings compared to oars?
Ans: They are like oars that row without cutting the surface, flying more smoothly than a boat moves on water.

15.What was unknown to the bird?
Ans: The bird did not know that the poet was watching him.

16.Where did the bird drink the dew from?
Ans: The bird drank the dew from a convenient blade of grass.

17. Name two notable works of Emily Dickinson.
Ans: Two notable works of Emily Dickinson are Because I could not stop for Death and Hope is the Thing with Feathers.

18.What do you mean by “velvet head”?
Ans: “Velvet head” refers to the bird’s soft and smooth head, indicating its delicate and graceful appearance.

19. How did the bird react after rejecting the crumb?
Ans: After rejecting the crumb, the bird spread its wings and flew away.

20. What did the poetess observe in the poem?
Ans: The poetess observed a bird walking down the path and its various natural activities.

21. What did the bird do to let a beetle pass?
Ans: The bird hopped sideways to let the beetle pass.

22. What is the poet describing in the last stanza of the poem?
Ans: In the last stanza, the poet describes the bird’s silent and graceful flight using soft and delicate imagery.

23 What did the bird do to make the way for the beetle?
Ans: The bird moved aside and hopped to let the beetle pass.

24. “Than oars divide the ocean” – What is being referred to here?
Ans: The motion of the bird’s wings is being compared to oars dividing the ocean.

25.What did the bird eat raw in the poem?
Ans: The bird ate a raw angleworm.

Long Answer Type Questions

a) How was the bird’s flight?
or,
Describe the concluding stanza of the poem ‘A Bird Came Down the Walk.’
or,
Describe the imagery used in the last stanza of the poem ‘A Bird Came Down the Walk.’

Ans:
In the concluding stanza of the poem ‘A Bird Came Down the Walk’, Emily Dickinson uses a series of vivid images to describe the bird’s flight and the beauty of nature. She compares the bird’s wings to oars that row it home, likening the bird to a boat and the sky to the ocean. According to the poet, the movement of the bird’s wings is even more silent than oars cutting through water.

She then evokes the image of butterflies gliding along the banks of a river at noon. Their movement is fluid, smooth, and without a splash. Yet, she observes that the bird’s flight is even softer than the splash-less swimming of the butterflies.

b) Describe the activities of the bird in the poem ‘A Bird Came Down the Walk.’
or,
What does the poem reflect about the nature of the bird in ‘A Bird Came Down the Walk’?

Ans:
In the poem ‘A Bird Came Down the Walk’, Emily Dickinson portrays the nature of a bird by narrating its various activities. A bird came down the walkway, bit an angleworm in half, and ate it raw. Then it drank a dew-drop from a convenient blade of grass. After that, it hopped sideways to let a beetle pass, looked around with quick, alert eyes, and moved its head carefully. When the poet offered the bird a crumb, it refused and spread its little wings to fly away.

Through these observations, Dickinson illustrates different aspects of the bird’s character—its predatory instinct, its polite gesture towards the beetle, its cautious nature around humans, and its independent spirit as it takes flight.

c) ‘A Bird Came Down the Walk’ is a poem about the poet’s interaction with a bird. Justify the statement with close reference to the text.

Ans:
In the poem ‘A Bird Came Down the Walk’, Emily Dickinson describes her encounter with a bird. She observes it walking on her path, eating a worm, drinking dew, and letting a beetle pass. Eventually, she tries to interact by offering it a crumb, but the bird refuses and flies away.

This interaction reflects both the poet’s curiosity and gentleness and the bird’s instinctive caution. The presence of the poet influences the bird’s behavior, and the poet’s offer, though kind, disturbs the natural rhythm. Thus, the poem beautifully portrays a subtle and delicate interaction between a human and a creature of nature.

d) “Nature is self-sufficient.” – Explain.

Ans: Nature, like a nurturing mother, takes care of all her creatures with affection and care. Every being in nature can live peacefully without human interference. However, humans often fail to understand this harmony and tend to intrude, disturbing the natural balance.

In ‘A Bird Came Down the Walk’, Dickinson presents this idea vividly. The poetess observes a bird and offers it a crumb. But the bird, relying on nature’s provisions, refuses the human offer and flies away. This simple act highlights that nature’s creatures do not need human aid—they thrive independently.

Through this, Dickinson emphasizes that nature is self-sufficient, and human attempts to intervene are unnecessary and often disruptive.

e) Why did the bird come down the walk? What did he do there?
Ans: The bird came down the walk in search of food. He bit an angleworm in half and ate it raw. Then he drank dew from the grass and hopped sideways to let a beetle pass. He looked around cautiously with quick eyes and moved his head gently. When the poet offered him a crumb, he flew away without accepting it. His actions reflect a natural, self-sufficient lifestyle, unaffected by human presence.

f) Why did the bird refuse to take food from the speaker? How did he look at his surroundings?
Ans: The bird refused the crumb offered by the speaker because he was cautious of human interaction and preferred to rely on nature. He looked around with sharp, rapid eyes that moved restlessly, indicating his alertness and sensitivity to his environment. His behavior suggests an instinctive fear of the unknown and a desire to remain independent and undisturbed in his natural surroundings.

g) Who was frightened? Why was he frightened? What did he do after being frightened?
Ans: The bird was frightened when the poet offered him a crumb. He perceived the human gesture as a threat or intrusion. Startled by the unexpected approach, he quickly spread his wings and flew away silently. His reaction shows how delicate and cautious creatures of nature are when humans interfere in their world.

h) Write in brief about the bird in the poem ‘A Bird Came Down the Walk.’
Ans: The bird in the poem is portrayed as a natural and independent creature. He comes down the path, eats an angleworm, drinks dew, and politely lets a beetle pass. He is observant, cautious, and avoids human contact. When offered a crumb, he refuses and flies away gracefully. Through his actions, Dickinson illustrates the bird’s natural instincts, self-sufficiency, and quiet elegance.

i) Nature is self-sufficient – How does Dickinson convey this through the poem?
Ans: Dickinson shows that nature is self-sufficient through the bird’s actions in the poem. The bird finds his own food, drinks dew, and coexists peacefully with other creatures. When the poet offers him a crumb, he declines and flies away. This suggests that the bird does not need human help and is content within the ecosystem. Dickinson’s portrayal emphasizes that nature sustains itself without human interference.

j) What are the implications of the various images used in the poem?
Ans: The poem uses vivid imagery to illustrate the beauty and delicacy of nature. The bird’s wings are compared to oars, and his flight to butterflies swimming without a splash. These images convey smoothness, grace, and silence. The poet also describes the bird’s quick eyes and polite gesture toward the beetle. Such imagery emphasizes the complexity of natural behavior and the poet’s deep appreciation for nature’s quiet elegance.

k) ‘A Bird Came Down the Walk’ is a poem about the poet’s interaction with a bird. Justify the statement with close reference to the text.
Ans: The poet observes a bird walking on her path, eating, drinking, and interacting with other creatures. She then tries to offer him a crumb, but he flies away, afraid. This brief but meaningful exchange reflects the poet’s curiosity and the bird’s independence. The mutual awareness and subtle reaction between the poet and the bird highlight a unique and delicate interaction that defines the theme of the poem.

l) How does the poet present the bird as both predator and prey in the poem ‘A Bird Came Down the Walk’?
Ans: The poet presents the bird as a predator when it bites an angleworm in half and eats it raw. However, the bird also appears as prey when it becomes frightened by the poet’s presence and flies away. This dual portrayal highlights the bird’s role in the natural food chain and its instinct for survival. Dickinson captures both the fierceness and vulnerability of the bird, reflecting the complexity of life in nature.

Do as directed:

a) I offered him a crumb. He unrolled his feathers.(Combine into complex)
Ans: When I offered him a crumb, he unrolled his feathers.

b) A bird came down the walk. He did not know I saw.(Combine into complex)
Ans: A bird came down the walk, not knowing that I saw him.

c) He bit an angleworm in halves. He ate the fellow, raw.(Combine into Simple sentence)
Ans: Biting an angleworm in halves, he ate the fellow raw.

d) The poet said, “He glanced with rapid eyes.”(Change the mode of narration)
Ans: The poet said that he glanced with rapid eyes.

e) Like one in danger, Caution, I offer him a crumb.(Correct the error)
Ans: Like one in danger, cautiously, I offered him a crumb.

f) He did not know I saw.(Split into two sentences)
Ans: He did not know. I saw him.

g) He glanced with rapid eyes that hurried all abroad.(Split into two sentences)
Ans: He glanced with rapid eyes. They hurried all abroad.

h) They look like frightening beads.(Correct the error)
Ans: They look like frightful beads.

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