The Letter - MARGARET G. RHODES

Summary: The poem 'The Letter' vividly captures the innocent joy and meticulous care of a child as they write a letter to their mother, the person they love most. The child begins by thoughtfully noting the date and address, and addresses the letter warmly with 'Dearest Mummy,' showing affection right from the start. Every action in the letter-writing process is described with attention to detail: the child writes slowly to keep the handwriting neat, carefully uses pink blotting paper to dry the ink, and continues writing on the next page until all thoughts are expressed. To conclude the letter, the child adds ten kisses, symbolizing love and affection, before preparing the envelope and placing a stamp. Finally, with excitement and a sense of accomplishment, the child runs to the post-box and sends the letter, reflecting both the care and anticipation involved in sending a heartfelt message. The poem beautifully conveys themes of love, thoughtfulness, and the simple pleasures found in small acts of care.


Exercises

A. Questions

1. Who is writing a letter to whom?

Answer: The child is writing a letter to their mother, whom they care for the most.

2. Why does the writer write slowly?

Answer: The writer writes slowly to keep the letter neat and carefully express their thoughts.

3. How does the writer end the letter?

Answer: The writer ends the letter by adding kisses—ten in total—showing affection and love.

4. What do you think was written in the letter?

Answer: The letter likely contains loving words, greetings, and personal messages for the mother, expressing the child’s care and affection.


B. Reference to context

Read these lines from the poem, then answer the questions.

1. It is to the person/I care for the most.

a. What does 'it' refer to?

Answer: ‘It’ refers to the letter that the child is writing.

b. Which person is cared for the most?

Answer: The child cares for their mother the most.

c. What does the speaker also remember?

Answer: The speaker remembers to write the date, the address, and the greeting properly.

2. Till lastly come kisses

a. How many kisses?

Answer: There are ten kisses added to the letter.

b. How are these put on the letter?

Answer: The kisses are put at the end of the letter as a sign of love and affection.

c. Why does the speaker say 'lastly'?

Answer: The speaker says ‘lastly’ because the kisses are the final thing added to complete the letter before sending it.

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