🌫️ Fog – Poem Summary & Explanation (Class 10 English)
Detailed expanded summary of the poem "Fog" by Carl Sandburg, with Hindi translation, key points, and related posts for Class 10 (CBSE/MP Board).
👤 Author Introduction – Carl Sandburg
Carl Sandburg (1878–1967) was an American poet, writer, and editor. He was awarded three Pulitzer Prizes for his poetry and biography. Known for his simple yet profound style, Sandburg often wrote about ordinary life, nature, and American culture. His short poem “Fog” is a famous example of his ability to use minimal words to create powerful imagery.
Image: Illustration – Fog entering silently like a cat
📖 Expanded Summary in English
Carl Sandburg’s poem “Fog” is a short, six-line poem that uses a striking metaphor to describe how fog appears and disappears. The poet compares fog to a cat, which moves silently and mysteriously.
Just like a cat arrives quietly without making noise, the fog comes suddenly and softly. It sits on its "silent haunches," which means the fog rests still, covering the harbour and the city, just as a cat sits quietly watching its surroundings. This creates an image of nature being alive, behaving like an animal.
After resting for a while, the fog gradually moves on, just like a cat that silently gets up and leaves without disturbing anyone. The comparison makes readers visualize fog not as a weather condition but as a living creature with graceful movements.
Central Idea: The poem shows the quiet, unpredictable, and transient nature of fog. It teaches us to observe the beauty of nature and the way it comes and goes silently, leaving an impression of mystery and calmness.
📖 Summary in Hindi (English Translation)
कार्ल सैंडबर्ग की कविता “Fog” केवल छह पंक्तियों की छोटी कविता है, जिसमें कवि ने कोहरे की तुलना एक बिल्ली से की है।
जैसे बिल्ली धीरे-धीरे और चुपचाप आती है, वैसे ही कोहरा अचानक और शांति से आ जाता है। वह बंदरगाह और शहर पर ऐसे बैठता है मानो कोई बिल्ली अपने पंजों पर टिककर चारों ओर देख रही हो।
कुछ देर ठहरने के बाद, कोहरा भी बिल्ली की तरह बिना आवाज किए आगे बढ़ जाता है। यह तुलना हमें कोहरे को केवल मौसम की घटना न मानकर एक जीवित प्राणी की तरह देखने पर मजबूर करती है।
मुख्य विचार: कविता कोहरे की शांति, रहस्य और अस्थायी स्वभाव को दर्शाती है। यह हमें प्रकृति की सुंदरता और उसकी अद्भुत शक्ति की ओर ध्यान दिलाती है।
Image: Illustration – Fog covering harbour and city
📝 Key Points for Exams
- The poem compares fog to a cat.
- Fog arrives quietly, rests for a while, and then leaves silently.
- Imagery: “Fog sits on silent haunches like a cat.”
- Theme: Nature is mysterious, quiet, and transient.
- Poet: Carl Sandburg, American poet, known for simplicity and strong imagery.