Stanza One
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Line no.
|
Line
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Interpretation
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1
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Now why
so loving, darling,
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The persona, who is the
parent(father/mother), is asking his/her child the reason for being in a
loving mood
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2
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And why
the sudden kiss?
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The child does not usually
kiss his/her parent, so the sudden kiss is a surprise
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3
|
You’d
help me with some little jobs?
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The persona/parent asks if
the child wants to help him/her
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4
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For
goodness sake, what’s this?
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The persona/parent finds
the child’s behaviour quite strange / not normal
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Stanza Two
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Line no.
|
Line
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Interpretation
|
1
|
Your
face is clean for once, dear.
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The child’s face is
normally dirty but not today
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2
|
Your
clothes without a crease.
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His/her clothes are neat
and not crumpled/creased
|
3
|
You
saved your luncheon money?
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The persona/parent is
shocked that the child does not spend all the money given to him/her to buy
lunch
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4
|
Will
wonders never cease?
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The persona/parent finds it
amazing and still cannot believe what he/she sees
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Stanza Three
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Line no.
|
Line
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Interpretation
|
1
|
No
dropping of your school books,
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Usually, the child would
just drop his/her schoolbooks when he/she gets home
|
2
|
No
shrieking, childish treble.
|
and would be making a lot
of noise
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3
|
Today,
you are a lamb, love,
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but today, he/she is very
well behaved – just like a lamb
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4
|
Where
yesterday a rebel.
|
It was just yesterday when
the child was behaving badly
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Stanza Four
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Line no.
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Line
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Interpretation
|
1
|
But
surely you’re some stranger,
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The persona/parent still
cannot believe that the child is very good today – almost like a stranger
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2
|
No rage
or hullabaloo.
|
The child is not angry or
making a fuss
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3
|
Come
closer, let me look, dear,
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The persona/parent asks the
child to come nearer to him/her
|
4
|
Can
this be REALLY you?
|
Still, the persona/parent
cannot believe the changes in the child today (sudden & drastic changes)
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Stanza Five
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Line no.
|
Line
|
Interpretation
|
1
|
Now
were you struck by lightning
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The persona/parent asks
jokingly if the child was struck by lightning (something very tragic or
dramatic)
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2
|
Or were
you stunned at sport?
|
Or maybe the child was
shocked or surprised by bad sports
news
|
3
|
Ah…now I see the reason.
|
Now, the persona/parent
realises the reason for the child’s strange but good behaviour today
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4
|
You’ve
brought your school report!
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The child has brought home
his/her school report, and from his/her good behaviour, it seems that he/she
does not want to be scolded by his/her parent
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Note
: ‘darling’, ‘dear’ & ‘love’ are terms used by most parents when talking to
their children.
.
