Educational Notes

a. Who is the speaker in the poem?

Ans: The speaker in the poem is the Coronavirus, personified as if it is talking directly to humans, explaining its purpose and impact on the world.

b. Who claims that they are superior to all?

Ans: Humans claim to be superior to all other living beings, believing they have control over the Earth and everything on it.

c. Why has the speaker come to the Earth?

Ans: The speaker says it has come to teach humans a lesson for their arrogance, carelessness, and harm they have caused to nature and other living things.

d. What positive changes have occurred on Earth after the speaker's visit?

Ans: Due to the virus's arrival, people stayed indoors, pollution reduced, nature began healing, and animals roamed more freely. The Earth got a temporary relief from human activities.

a. What does the speaker mean when he says:
But have you ever counted
How many have died so far
Because of you and your wars?

Ans: The speaker criticizes humans for the destruction and deaths caused by their wars and violence, pointing out that human actions have brought far more suffering than the virus itself.

b. Explain the following:
I will depart one day.
But remember
There're many others like me.
They'll come too.
If you don't get rid of your inflated ego,
You'll be back to your cave time
That you endured
Long, long, long ago …

Ans: The speaker warns that if humans do not change their arrogant and harmful ways, more disasters and pandemics will occur. If lessons are not learned, humans might regress into a primitive and harsh state like their ancient ancestors.

c. What does the speaker mean in the following lines? Explain:
The earth is not your property alone –
It's as much ours as yours.

Ans: The speaker emphasizes that humans do not own the Earth exclusively. The planet belongs to all living beings, including animals, plants, and microbes. Humans must respect and coexist responsibly with other life forms.

a. What human behaviours are responsible for suffering in people's lives?

Ans: Human behaviors such as greed, selfishness, exploitation of natural resources, pollution, deforestation, war, and lack of compassion lead to suffering by disturbing the natural balance and causing environmental and social crises.

b. How does an epidemic differ from a pandemic? Briefly explain the impact of Coronavirus on human life and environment.

Ans: An epidemic is a sudden outbreak of disease limited to a particular region, whereas a pandemic spreads across countries and continents globally. The Coronavirus pandemic disrupted daily life, caused many deaths, and affected economies. However, it also temporarily reduced pollution, improved air quality, and allowed nature to recover in many places.