Summary: “My Land” is a short, song-like patriotic poem by the Irish poet Thomas Osborne Davis, given as Lesson 4 (Poem) in the ASSEB (Assam State School Education Board) Class 6 English textbook Rainbow. In the two stanzas printed in the textbook, the poet pours out his love, pride and devotion for his native land. He calls his country a rich, rare, fresh, fair and dear land, praises the bravery of its men and the unwavering courage of its women, and says he would freely die to save her and think such a death his “lot divine”. This page gives the printed poem text, word meanings, and answers to every printed Activity for Class 6 English Poem 4.
About the Poet
Thomas Osborne Davis (1814–1845) was a famous Irish poet, writer and political leader. He was born on 14 October 1814 at Mallow, in Ireland. Davis is remembered as one of the founders of the “Young Ireland” movement and as a co-founder of the nationalist newspaper The Nation. Through his poems, songs and essays he tried to inspire patriotism and a sense of unity among the Irish people. Among his best-known works are the stirring songs A Nation Once Again and The Battle of Fontenoy. Although he died young, on 16 September 1845 at the age of only 30, his patriotic poems and songs have continued to inspire readers in Ireland and across the world. “My Land” is one of his short patriotic poems, in which he celebrates the beauty and bravery of his native country.
Central Theme
The central theme of the poem “My Land” is patriotism — a deep, sincere love for one’s native land. In the two stanzas of the poem, the poet is filled with pride for his country and praises its richness, its rareness, its freshness, its fairness and its dearness. He also praises the bravery of its men and the unwavering courage of its women. Another important theme is sacrifice for one’s motherland: the poet says he would freely (willingly) give up his own life to save his country, and he would consider such a death his “lot divine” — the highest and most sacred honour. Through repetition, refrain and musical alliteration, Davis shows that love for one’s homeland is a feeling that springs naturally and joyfully from the heart.
The Poem
She is a rich and rare land:
Oh! she’s a fresh and fair land;
She is a dear and rare land
This native land of mine.
No men than hers are braver,
Her women’s hearts ne’er waver;
I’d freely die to save her
And think my lot divine.
— Thomas Osborne Davis
Stanza-by-Stanza Explanation
Stanza 1
In the first stanza, the poet praises his native land with a string of warm adjectives. He calls his country “rich and rare”, “fresh and fair” and “dear and rare”. Notice how he uses the pronoun “she” for his land — this is personification, and it shows that the poet looks at his country with the same love and respect a child has for a mother. The repeated line “This native land of mine” makes us feel the poet’s deep personal attachment to his country.
Stanza 2
In the second stanza, the poet praises the people of his land. He says that no men anywhere are braver than the men of his country, and that the hearts of the women of his land never waver — that is, they are firm, strong and full of courage. The poet’s love is so deep that he says he would freely (willingly, happily) die to save his motherland, and he would consider such a death his “lot divine” — a fate as great and sacred as that of a god. This stanza shows the poet’s spirit of sacrifice and patriotism.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Rich | Full of valuable things; wealthy; abundant |
| Rare | Unusual; uncommon; something not seen very often |
| Fresh | New; pure; clean and lively |
| Fair | Beautiful; pleasing to look at; lovely |
| Dear | Loved very much; precious |
| Native land | The place/country where one is born and lives for the first few years of life; motherland |
| Braver | More courageous; more fearless |
| Waver | To become weak or unsteady; to lose courage |
| Ne’er | Poetic short form of “never” |
| Freely | Willingly; happily; without hesitation |
| Lot | Fate; destiny; what happens to a person in life |
| Divine | Wonderful; god-like; sacred; connected with good |
Question Answers
Let’s Talk (Pre-reading)
Look at the picture and tell your friend what you can see. Tell your friend how you feel when you see the Indian National Flag flying high in the sky.
Answer (guidance): In the picture we can see people hoisting the Indian National Flag. Students in uniform and elders are standing near a flag-post and saluting the tricolour flying high in the sky. When we see our National Flag flying high, we feel proud, happy and full of love for our country. It reminds us of the freedom, unity and sacrifice of our nation.
Activity 1 — Answer the following questions
(a) According to the poet, who are the bravest men?
Answer: According to the poet, the bravest men are the men of his own native land. He says, “No men than hers are braver,” which means that no men of any other country are braver than the men of his motherland.
(b) When will the poet consider his lot divine?
Answer: The poet will consider his lot (fate) divine when he dies while saving his native land. He says, “I’d freely die to save her / And think my lot divine,” which means he would willingly sacrifice his life for his country and treat such a death as the highest, most sacred honour.
(c) How do you know that the poet loves his country?
Answer: We know that the poet loves his country because throughout the poem he praises it with warm adjectives — calling it rich, rare, fresh, fair and dear. He also praises the bravery of its men and the courage of its women. Above all, he says he would freely give his life to save his motherland and would consider such a death divine. All this shows his deep love and pride for his country.
(d) What is the poem about?
Answer: The poem is about the poet’s deep love, pride and devotion for his native land. He praises the beauty and richness of his motherland and the bravery of its men and women, and he says he is ready to die willingly to save it. In short, the poem is about patriotism — sincere love for one’s own land.
Activity 2 — Write ‘T’ for the correct statement and ‘F’ for the incorrect statement
| Statement | T / F |
|---|---|
| a) The poet’s native land is rich and rare. | T |
| b) The women of the poet’s native land are courageous. | T |
| c) The poet is in praise of the men and women of his native land. | T |
| d) The poet will die to save his native land unwillingly. | F |
| e) The poet does not love his native land. | F |
Activity 3 — Identify and write the stanza number for each explanation
| Explanation | Stanza |
|---|---|
| The poet says that the men of his native land are braver than those of other lands. The women are courageous. The poet will die willingly to save his native land and will consider his lot divine if that happens. | Stanza 2 |
| The poet is all praise for his native land. He says that his native land is rich and rare, fresh and fair, dear and rare. He takes pride in the uniqueness of his native land. | Stanza 1 |
Activity 4 — Write the rhyming words from the poem
| Given Word | Rhyming Words from the Poem |
|---|---|
| fare | rare, fair |
| saver | braver, waver |
| shine | mine, divine |
Activity 5 — In group, discuss what you have understood from the poem and share with the class
Answer (guidance): This is a group speaking activity. In your discussion you may say that the poem “My Land” teaches us to love and be proud of our own native land. The poet praises the richness, beauty and rareness of his country and the bravery of its men and women, and he is even ready to die to save it. After discussing in your group, each group shares its ideas about patriotism and love for one’s country with the whole class.
Activity 6 — Find out some examples of alliteration from the poem
Answer: Alliteration is the repetition of the same beginning consonant sound in two or more nearby words. Examples from the poem are:
- “rich and rare land” — repetition of the /r/ sound
- “fresh and fair land” — repetition of the /f/ sound
- “dear and rare land” — the /r/ sound of “rare” echoing the other /r/ words
Activity 7 — Adjectives used to describe the Native Land
(a) The poet has used a few adjectives to describe his Native Land. Write the adjectives.
Answer: The adjectives the poet uses to describe his native land are: rich, rare, fresh, fair and dear.
(b) Now, write a few sentences using the words you have listed above to describe the poet’s Native Land.
Answer (sample):
- The poet’s native land is a rich land, full of valuable things.
- It is a rare land, unlike any other country.
- It is a fresh land, pure and full of life.
- It is a fair land, beautiful to look at.
- Above all, it is a dear land, loved very much by the poet.
Activity 8 — Show love and respect for our country in daily life
We can show love and respect for our country in our daily life by doing small acts. Two acts are given below; add a few more such acts.
- Helping to keep the park, roads, schools, offices, etc. clean. (given)
- Conserving electricity by turning off lights and fans when not in use. (given)
- Planting trees and taking care of them.
- Not throwing rubbish in public places.
- Saving water and not wasting it.
- Respecting our National Flag and our national symbols.
- Obeying traffic rules and other civic rules.
Activity 9 — Listening (Bhogeswari Phukanani)
Listen to the text read out by your teacher and write down the answers.
(a) Where was Bhogeswari Phukanani born?
Answer: Bhogeswari Phukanani was born in a noble Ahom family of Nagaon.
(b) When did the Quit India Movement start?
Answer: The Quit India Movement started in 1942.
(c) When did Bhogeswari Phukanani die?
Answer: Bhogeswari Phukanani died a martyr’s death on 20 September 1942. (She was a leader of the women’s wing of the movement in Barhampur near Nagaon.)
Activity 10 — Guess what I am
I am the symbol of might and light, / Of unity and freedom that flies high. / The wheel in my heart represents progress, / Courage, peace and prosperity in three colours. Now, write what I am.
Answer: I am the Indian National Flag (the Tricolour). It has three colours — saffron, white and green — and a blue wheel (the Ashoka Chakra) in its heart.
Draw and colour me: Draw the Indian National Flag with three horizontal bands — saffron on top, white in the middle and green at the bottom — and a navy-blue Ashoka Chakra with 24 spokes at the centre of the white band.
Activity 11 — Historical monuments and the letter
Write the names of a few historical monuments of Assam.
Answer: A few historical monuments of Assam are the Rang Ghar, the Kareng Ghar (Talatal Ghar), the Charaideo Maidam, the Kamakhya Temple, Agnigarh and the Da-Parbatia stone carvings.
Read the letter and find out who the writer of the letter is and what the matter of pride is that the writer is talking about.
Answer: The writer of the letter is Pihu. The matter of pride she talks about is the Charaideo Maidam, which she visited with her parents and which has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Activity 12 — Write a letter to your friend about your visit to a place
Answer (sample letter):
Nagaon
15 July 2026
Dear Rahul,
How are you? I hope you and your family are doing well. I am writing to tell you about my recent visit to the Charaideo Maidam. Last week I went there with my parents. The Charaideo Maidam is the burial place of the Ahom kings, and it has recently been included in the UNESCO World Heritage list. It is a matter of great pride for all of us in Assam. The green mounds and the calm, beautiful surroundings made the visit unforgettable. You must visit this place some day. I am winding up for today. Convey my regards to your parents.
Your loving friend,
Rohit
Activity 13 — Read the conversation and play roles
Read the conversation between Jennisha and her grandmother, and then take turns in pairs to play the roles.
- Jennisha: Grandma, my friend Pihu went to Charaideo Maidam.
- Grandmother: Did she? We will also go to Charaideo Maidam soon.
- Jennisha: I want to see the Rang Ghar too.
- Grandmother: Rang Ghar is a historical monument.
- Jennisha: I saw the photo of Rang Ghar.
- Grandmother: That’s nice.
Answer (guidance): This is a speaking activity. Sit in pairs and read the conversation aloud, one student playing Jennisha and the other playing the grandmother. Then swap the roles so that each partner gets a turn.
Activity 14 — Work in groups: historical monuments and places of importance of Assam
Answer (guidance / sample): This is a group activity. After discussing, you may write about monuments and places of importance such as:
- Rang Ghar (Sivasagar) — one of the oldest amphitheatres in Asia, built by the Ahom kings.
- Kareng Ghar / Talatal Ghar (Sivasagar) — the royal palace of the Ahom rulers.
- Charaideo Maidam — the burial mounds of the Ahom kings, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Kamakhya Temple (Guwahati) — a famous temple on the Nilachal Hill.
- Kaziranga National Park — home of the one-horned rhinoceros.
- Majuli — one of the largest river islands in the world.
Activity 15 — Pronunciation of ‘s’, ‘sh’ and ‘ch’
Say these words aloud and notice the sound of ‘s’ in ‘save’, ‘sh’ in ‘fresh’ and ‘ch’ in ‘rich’. Now practise saying the following words correctly, grouped by their sound:
| Sound | Example | Practice words |
|---|---|---|
| /s/ | save | sun, sea |
| /sh/ | fresh | sure, wish, share, shine |
| /ch/ | rich | touch, change, each |
Activity 16 — Grammar: forming adverbs by adding ‘-ly’
(a) In the line “I’d freely die to save her…”, the ending ‘-ly’ is added to the adjective free to make the new word freely. “Freely” is an adverb.
(b) Add ‘-ly’ to each of these adjectives to make adverbs:
| Adjective | Adverb |
|---|---|
| rare | rarely |
| fresh | freshly |
| fair | fairly |
| dear | dearly |
| divine | divinely |
(c) Choose one adjective and the adverb formed from it, and make sentences (sample):
- dear (adjective): This native land is very dear to the poet.
- dearly (adverb): The poet loves his motherland dearly.
Activity 17 — Project work
Answer (guidance): Collect old magazines, newspapers, etc. and cut out images that represent the landscapes, food, clothing and cultural symbols of your native land. Paste these cut-outs neatly on a piece of cardboard to make a collage, and display it in the classroom.
Additional Important Questions and Answers
The questions below are extra practice for revision. They are not from the printed textbook exercises.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Who wrote the poem “My Land”?
(a) William Wordsworth (b) Thomas Osborne Davis (c) Rabindranath Tagore (d) Robert Frost
Answer: (b) Thomas Osborne Davis
2. Thomas Osborne Davis was a poet from —
(a) England (b) Ireland (c) India (d) America
Answer: (b) Ireland
3. In the line “I’d freely die to save her”, the word ‘her’ refers to —
(a) his mother (b) his sister (c) his native land (d) a woman soldier
Answer: (c) his native land
4. The poet speaks of his native land as —
(a) “he” (b) “it” (c) “she” (d) “they”
Answer: (c) “she” (this is personification)
Fill in the Blanks
- The poet says his land is a __________ and rare land. (rich)
- “No men than __________ are braver.” (hers)
- The poet would think his __________ divine. (lot)
- “Her women’s hearts ne’er __________.” (waver)
True or False
- The poem “My Land” is written by an Indian poet. — False
- The poet is ready to die willingly for his native land. — True
- The poet uses the pronoun “she” for his country. — True
Short Answer Questions
Q1. Why does the poet use the pronoun “she” for his country?
Answer: The poet uses “she” for his country because he treats his motherland as if she were a living, loving woman — like a mother. This poetic device is called personification. It shows the poet’s deep emotional bond with his country: he sees it not as a piece of land but as a beloved mother whom he must love, respect and protect.
Q2. What does the line “I’d freely die to save her” mean?
Answer: It means that the poet is willing to give up his own life happily and without any hesitation to save his motherland from danger. The word “freely” shows that he would not die unwillingly or by force — he would do so out of true love for his country, treating such a sacrifice as a great honour.
Q3. What is the meaning of “lot divine”?
Answer: “Lot” means a person’s fate or destiny, and “divine” means god-like, sacred or heavenly. So “lot divine” means a sacred, most honourable fate. The poet says that if he dies while saving his country, he would consider his fate a sacred, god-like one — the highest honour a person can have.
Q4. How does the poem make us feel about our own country?
Answer: The poem fills us with a strong sense of love, pride and respect for our own country. Reading about the poet’s love for his land, his praise of its beauty and brave people, and his readiness to die for it, we begin to think of our own motherland with similar feelings. The poem inspires us to be patriotic and to do our duty for our nation.