Summary: “Friends” is a gentle, child-friendly nature poem by the American poet Abbie Farwell Brown, prescribed as Lesson 8 (Poem) in the ASSEB Class 6 English textbook Rainbow (SCERT Assam). In this short four-stanza poem, the speaker — a small child — lies on the grass under a leafy tree and looks up through the branches into the sky. As the child rests there, the natural world around becomes alive and friendly. The Sky bends sweetly over the child like a kind, smiling face. The Sunshine flickers down through the lacy gaps in the leaves and gently kisses the child’s face, just as a loving mother kisses her child before bedtime. The Wind sweeps softly across the grass and whispers pretty things into the child’s ear, and even though the wind cannot be seen, the child can feel the touch of its careful, invisible wings. In the closing lines, the poet draws a beautiful conclusion: so many gentle friends — the sky, the sunshine, the wind, the trees, the grass — surround a child everywhere, even though they cannot easily be seen. Therefore, a child should never feel afraid, no matter where he or she may be. The poem teaches young readers that nature is a loving companion and a constant friend.
About the Poet
Abbie Farwell Brown (1871–1927) was an American author and poet from Boston, Massachusetts. She is especially well known for her stories and poems written for children. Brown studied at the famous Girls’ Latin School in Boston and later wrote for children’s magazines such as St. Nicholas and Youth’s Companion. Her popular works include The Lonesomest Doll, In the Days of Giants, and the poetry collection A Pocketful of Posies. The poem “Friends” was first published in her collection The Garden of Years and Other Poems (1904). Her writing for children is gentle, comforting, and full of love for nature.
Central Theme
The central theme of the poem “Friends” is that nature is a kind, loving, and invisible friend who is always with us. Through the simple image of a child lying under a tree, the poet shows that the sky, the sunshine, and the wind behave like protective companions — smiling, kissing, and whispering to the child. The poem also carries a comforting message: a child is never truly alone in the world, because nature is everywhere and always cares for us. Therefore, a child should never be afraid. The poem celebrates the closeness between a child and the natural world, and it gently teaches young readers to feel safe, happy, and loved when they are out in nature.
The Poem
How good to lie a little while
And look up through the tree!
The Sky is like a kind big smile
Bent sweetly over me.
The Sunshine flickers through the lace
Of leaves above my head,
And kisses me upon the face
Like Mother, before bed.
The Wind comes stealing o’er the grass
To whisper pretty things;
And though I cannot see him pass,
I feel his careful wings.
So many gentle Friends are near
Whom one can scarcely see,
A child should never feel a fear,
Wherever he may be.
Stanza-by-Stanza Explanation
Stanza 1
The poet says how pleasant it feels to lie down for a little while and look up through the branches of a tree. As the child gazes upwards, the wide, blue Sky appears like a kind, big smile gently bent down over him. The poet uses a simile here — the sky is compared to a smile — to show that the sky looks friendly, soft and protective, as if it is a loving face watching over the child.
Stanza 2
The Sunshine flickers (shines with quick, wavering light) through the “lace” of leaves above the child’s head — meaning the leaves overlap like a patterned lace cloth, with little gaps between them through which the sun’s rays pass. The sunshine touches the child’s face, as gently and lovingly as a mother kisses her child before bed. This stanza shows the warmth and motherly love of nature.
Stanza 3
The Wind comes quietly (“stealing”) over the grass and whispers pretty, sweet things to the child. Although the child cannot see the wind go past, he can feel the soft touch of its “careful wings” — as if the wind were a gentle bird or angel passing by. The poet uses personification: the wind is treated as a living, caring friend.
Stanza 4
In the final stanza, the poet brings out the message of the poem. So many gentle friends — the sky, the sunshine, the wind, the trees, and the grass — are around us all the time, even though they can scarcely be seen. Because such loving, invisible friends are always near, a child should never feel afraid, no matter where he is. The poem ends with a comforting promise: nature itself is a child’s eternal friend.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Lie | to rest the body flat on a surface |
| A little while | for a short period of time |
| Look up | to raise the eyes and look above |
| Sky | the open space above the earth |
| Kind | gentle, caring, friendly |
| Big smile | a wide, happy expression on the face |
| Bent | leaned downward; curved over |
| Sweetly | in a pleasant, loving manner |
| Sunshine | the light and warmth of the sun |
| Flickers | shines with a quick, wavering, unsteady movement |
| Lace | a delicate fabric with patterns of holes; here, the pattern of leaves with gaps |
| Leaves | the flat green parts that grow on trees |
| Above | over; higher than |
| Kisses | touches gently and lovingly |
| Upon | on |
| Face | the front part of the head |
| Mother | the female parent |
| Before bed | just before going to sleep |
| Wind | moving air |
| Stealing | moving very quietly and softly, without being noticed |
| O’er | poetic short form of “over” |
| Grass | green plants that cover the ground |
| Whisper | to speak very softly |
| Pretty | beautiful; lovely |
| Things | words; matters |
| Pass | go by |
| Feel | to sense by touch |
| Careful | gentle; taking care not to harm |
| Wings | the parts a bird uses to fly; here, suggesting a soft, flying touch |
| Gentle | kind, soft, mild |
| Friends | companions one cares about |
| Near | close by |
| Scarcely | hardly; almost not |
| Child | a young boy or girl |
| Fear | the feeling of being afraid |
| Wherever | in any place |
Question Answers
Q1. Who is the poet of the poem “Friends”?
Answer: The poet of the poem “Friends” is Abbie Farwell Brown, an American writer (1871–1927) who is well known for her poems and stories for children.
Q2. Where is the poet (the child) lying?
Answer: The poet (the child speaker) is lying on the grass under a tree, looking up through the leaves and branches at the sky.
Q3. What does the poet see when he looks up through the tree?
Answer: When the poet looks up through the tree, he sees the wide blue sky between the leaves. The sky appears to him like a kind, big smile bent sweetly down over him.
Q4. How is the sky described in the poem?
Answer: The sky is described as “a kind big smile / Bent sweetly over me.” It is compared to a kind, smiling face that is gently bent down over the child. This makes the sky seem friendly, loving, and protective.
Q5. What does the sunshine do in the second stanza?
Answer: In the second stanza, the sunshine flickers through the lace-like pattern of leaves above the child’s head, and falls upon his face. The poet says the sunshine “kisses” his face just like his mother kisses him before bed. The sunshine is shown as warm, gentle and motherly.
Q6. To what does the poet compare the sunshine?
Answer: The poet compares the sunshine to a mother. Just as a mother kisses her child upon the face with love before he goes to sleep, the sunshine kisses the child’s face gently as it falls through the leaves.
Q7. Why does the poet compare the leaves to “lace”?
Answer: Lace is a delicate fabric that has small holes and a patterned design. The leaves on the tree above the child’s head also overlap and leave small gaps between them, allowing the sunshine to come through in small, scattered bits. That is why the poet calls the leaves a “lace” of leaves — the sunshine flickers through them just as light passes through the holes of lace cloth.
Q8. What does the wind do in the third stanza?
Answer: In the third stanza, the wind comes softly and quietly over the grass, as if “stealing” along, and whispers pretty, sweet things to the child. Though the child cannot see the wind, he can feel the gentle touch of its “careful wings” as it passes by.
Q9. What does the phrase “the Wind comes stealing o’er the grass” mean?
Answer: The phrase means that the wind comes very softly and quietly over the grass, almost without being noticed — like someone moving secretly. The word “stealing” here does not mean theft; it means “moving silently or unnoticed.” “O’er” is a poetic short form of “over.”
Q10. What are the “careful wings” of the wind?
Answer: The “careful wings” of the wind refer to the gentle, soft touch of the wind as it passes by — as if the wind were a kind bird or a careful angel flying close to the child without disturbing or hurting him. The poet uses this image to show that the wind is invisible but loving and gentle.
Q11. Who are the “gentle Friends” the poet talks about?
Answer: The “gentle Friends” the poet talks about are the things of nature — the Sky, the Sunshine, the Wind, the trees and the grass. They are everywhere around us. Even though we cannot easily see most of them, they behave like loving, caring friends to a child.
Q12. Why does the poet say that a child should never feel a fear?
Answer: The poet says that a child should never feel afraid because so many gentle friends from nature — the sky, the sunshine, the wind, and others — are always near him, no matter where he goes. These unseen friends watch over him with love and care. Since a child is never really alone, there is no reason for him to feel any fear.
Q13. Can you consider the sky, the sunshine and the wind as friends? Give reasons.
Answer: Yes, we can consider the sky, the sunshine and the wind as friends. The sky bends over us like a kind, smiling face and gives us shelter; the sunshine warms us, lights up our world and touches our faces with love like a mother; the wind whispers pretty things and gives us cool, gentle comfort. Like true friends, they are always with us, give us happiness and protect us. So they are indeed our gentle, unseen friends.
Q14. What is the central message of the poem?
Answer: The central message of the poem “Friends” is that nature is a constant, loving friend of every child. The sky, sunshine and wind are like gentle companions who smile, kiss and whisper to a child. Because so many such friends are always near us, even though we cannot see them, we should never feel afraid or lonely. The poem teaches us to love nature and trust in its protection.
Q15. How many stanzas are there in the poem? How many lines are there in each stanza?
Answer: The poem “Friends” has four stanzas. Each stanza contains four lines. So there are sixteen lines in the poem in total.
Q16. Find pairs of rhyming words from the poem.
| Stanza | Rhyming Pair 1 | Rhyming Pair 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Stanza 1 | while – smile | tree – me |
| Stanza 2 | lace – face | head – bed |
| Stanza 3 | grass – pass | things – wings |
| Stanza 4 | near – fear | see – be |
Q17. Identify the rhyme scheme of the poem.
Answer: The rhyme scheme of every stanza in the poem is abab. The first line rhymes with the third line, and the second line rhymes with the fourth line. For example, in stanza 1: “while” (line 1) rhymes with “smile” (line 3), and “tree” (line 2) rhymes with “me” (line 4).
Q18. Pick out one example of simile and one example of personification from the poem.
Answer:
Simile: “The Sky is like a kind big smile” — the sky is compared to a kind smile using the word “like.” Another simile: “kisses me upon the face / Like Mother, before bed” — the sunshine’s touch is compared to a mother’s kiss using “like.”
Personification: “The Wind comes stealing o’er the grass / To whisper pretty things” — the wind is given the human qualities of moving softly and whispering. Similarly, the sky “smiles,” the sunshine “kisses,” and the wind has “careful wings” — all are examples of personification, where non-human things are described as if they were living beings.
Q19. Write the meanings of the following words: flickers, whisper, scarcely, gentle.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Flickers | shines with a quick, wavering, unsteady light |
| Whisper | to speak in a very soft, low voice |
| Scarcely | hardly; almost not |
| Gentle | kind, soft, and mild in nature |
Q20. Use the following words in sentences of your own: smile, whisper, gentle, fear.
Answer:
Smile: My mother gave me a warm smile when I came back from school.
Whisper: The teacher told the children not to whisper during the examination.
Gentle: The nurse spoke to the patient in a gentle voice.
Fear: A child should not have any fear when his parents are with him.
Q21. Write the full forms of the contractions: o’er, can’t.
| Contraction | Full Form |
|---|---|
| O’er | Over |
| Cannot / Can’t | Can not |
Q22. What does “stealing” mean in the line “The Wind comes stealing o’er the grass”?
Answer: In this line, “stealing” does not mean taking something that belongs to someone else. Here it means moving very softly, quietly and secretly — almost without being noticed. The wind moves so silently over the grass that it seems to be sneaking by.
Q23. Why does the poet feel safe and unafraid?
Answer: The poet feels safe and unafraid because he believes that so many gentle, loving friends from nature — the sky, the sunshine, the wind, the trees and the grass — are always near him. They protect him with their kindness and care. Even though most of them cannot be seen, the poet feels surrounded by their love. This belief makes him feel that no child should ever be afraid, no matter where he is.
Q24. Who, according to the poem, are gentler — visible friends or unseen friends? Why?
Answer: According to the poem, the unseen friends — the sky, sunshine and wind — are very gentle. The poet says, “So many gentle Friends are near / Whom one can scarcely see.” These friends do not speak loudly or push us; they smile softly, kiss gently and whisper sweet things. Their touch is invisible but full of love, and that is why they are so gentle.
Q25. What lesson do you learn from the poem “Friends”?
Answer: The poem teaches us that nature is our greatest friend. The sky, the sunshine, the wind and other elements of nature are always with us, loving us and protecting us silently. We should respect and love nature, and we should not feel afraid or lonely, because so many gentle friends are always near us. The poem also teaches us to be observant and thankful for the simple, beautiful gifts of nature around us every day.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. The word “flickers” in the poem means —
(i) shines steadily
(ii) shines with a quick, wavering movement
(iii) shines dimly
(iv) disappears
Answer: (ii) shines with a quick, wavering movement
2. To “whisper” means —
(i) to shout loudly
(ii) to speak very softly
(iii) to sing
(iv) to cry
Answer: (ii) to speak very softly
3. The word “gentle” means —
(i) harsh and rough
(ii) kind and soft
(iii) loud and strong
(iv) angry
Answer: (ii) kind and soft
4. The word “scarcely” means —
(i) hardly / almost not
(ii) very much
(iii) quickly
(iv) slowly
Answer: (i) hardly / almost not
5. “Bent sweetly over me” suggests that —
(i) the sky is angry
(ii) the sky looks kind and protective
(iii) the sky is far away
(iv) the sky is broken
Answer: (ii) the sky looks kind and protective
6. The sunshine is compared to —
(i) a friend
(ii) a mother
(iii) a teacher
(iv) a tree
Answer: (ii) a mother
7. The unseen friends in the poem are —
(i) scary
(ii) gentle and caring
(iii) imaginary
(iv) noisy
Answer: (ii) gentle and caring
8. The central theme of the poem is —
(i) fear and loneliness
(ii) nature’s friendship and comfort
(iii) adventure and travel
(iv) noise and chaos
Answer: (ii) nature’s friendship and comfort
9. The poem encourages children to —
(i) be afraid of nature
(ii) understand that they are never alone
(iii) avoid the outdoors
(iv) stay quiet
Answer: (ii) understand that they are never alone
10. The sky’s “kind big smile” gives the poet a feeling of —
(i) fear
(ii) comfort and happiness
(iii) sadness
(iv) anger
Answer: (ii) comfort and happiness
Figures of Speech in the Poem
| Figure of Speech | Example from the Poem | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Simile | “The Sky is like a kind big smile” | The sky is compared to a smile using the word “like.” |
| Simile | “And kisses me upon the face / Like Mother, before bed” | The sunshine’s gentle touch is compared to a mother’s kiss using “like.” |
| Personification | “The Sky is like a kind big smile / Bent sweetly over me” | The sky is given the human action of smiling and bending over the child. |
| Personification | “The Sunshine … kisses me upon the face” | The sunshine is described as a person who kisses. |
| Personification | “The Wind comes stealing o’er the grass / To whisper pretty things” | The wind is given human actions — moving secretly and whispering. |
| Metaphor | “the lace / Of leaves above my head” | The pattern of leaves is called a “lace” (a delicate fabric) — leaves are described as if they were lace. |
| Metaphor | “his careful wings” (of the wind) | The invisible touch of the wind is described as “wings,” as though the wind were a bird or angel. |