“The Snake Trying” is a short but deeply meaningful poem written by W.W.E. Ross (William Wrightson Eustace Ross), a pioneering Canadian poet often regarded as one of Canada’s first modernist poets. The poem is included in the NCERT Beehive textbook for Class 9 English (Poem 9). In this poem, the poet observes a small, green, harmless snake trying to escape from a person chasing it with a stick. Through vivid imagery and compassionate observation, the poet admires the snake’s graceful beauty and appeals for its safety, challenging the common human fear and hatred of snakes. This article provides a complete summary, stanza-wise explanation, and answers to all textbook and additional questions as per the ASSEB Class 9 syllabus.
The Poem — The Snake Trying
by W.W.E. Ross
The snake trying
to escape the pursuing stick,
with sudden curvings of thin
long body. How beautiful
and graceful are his shapes!
He glides through the water away
from the stroke. O let him go
over the water
into the reeds to hide
without hurt. Small and green
he is harmless even to children.
Along the sand
he lay until observed
and chased away, and now
he vanishes in the ripples
among the green slim reeds.
Summary / Central Idea
“The Snake Trying” by W.W.E. Ross is a short, imagistic poem that captures a single vivid scene: a small, green snake attempting to escape from a human being who is chasing it with a stick. The poet watches this scene and, instead of sharing the common human fear or disgust towards snakes, he is struck by the creature’s elegance and grace. As the snake curves its thin, long body and glides swiftly through the water, the poet exclaims at its beauty — “How beautiful and graceful are his shapes!” The poet then makes a heartfelt appeal — “O let him go” — urging the pursuer to spare the snake. He points out that the snake is small, green, and completely harmless, posing no danger even to children. Before being noticed and chased, the snake had been resting peacefully along the sand. It finally disappears safely into the green, slim reeds by the water. The central idea of the poem is a plea for compassion and coexistence with nature. The poet asks us to look beyond fear and prejudice, to appreciate the natural beauty of even those creatures that humans typically fear or despise, and to allow them to live in peace.
Stanza-wise Explanation
Stanza 1 (Lines 1–5)
“The snake trying / to escape the pursuing stick, / with sudden curvings of thin / long body. How beautiful / and graceful are his shapes!”
The poem opens in the middle of an action. A snake is desperately trying to escape from someone who is chasing it with a stick. The poet uses the word “pursuing” to describe the stick, which gives a sense of active, relentless threat — the stick is being wielded by a human intent on harming the snake. As the snake flees, it twists and curves its thin, long body in sudden, rapid movements. Instead of seeing this as frightening, the poet sees it as beautiful. The exclamation “How beautiful and graceful are his shapes!” is the poet’s admiring response to the snake’s fluid, curving movements. The word “shapes” refers to the different forms the snake’s body takes as it twists. The stanza challenges the reader’s usual reaction to a snake — fear — and replaces it with wonder and aesthetic appreciation.
Stanza 2 (Lines 6–11)
“He glides through the water away / from the stroke. O let him go / over the water / into the reeds to hide / without hurt. Small and green / he is harmless even to children.”
The snake moves from the land into the water, gliding smoothly away from the “stroke” — the blow of the stick that the pursuer tries to land on it. The word “glides” beautifully conveys the effortless, smooth motion of the snake through the water. The poet then makes a direct emotional appeal: “O let him go.” The exclamation “O” adds urgency and passion to the plea. The poet wants the snake to be allowed to cross the water and disappear into the reeds, where it can hide safely “without hurt.” The poet then offers a rational reason for sparing the snake: it is small, green, and “harmless even to children.” By mentioning children, the poet makes the strongest possible case — even the most vulnerable members of society have nothing to fear from this creature. The snake’s green colour blends with the natural environment, suggesting it belongs to the world of nature and not the world of human threat.
Stanza 3 (Lines 12–16)
“Along the sand / he lay until observed / and chased away, and now / he vanishes in the ripples / among the green slim reeds.”
In the final stanza, the poet describes what the snake was doing before this commotion began. It was simply lying along the sand — resting peacefully, doing no harm to anyone. It was only when a human being noticed it that the trouble started; the snake was “observed and chased away.” The contrast between the snake’s peaceful rest and the sudden violence of being chased highlights the injustice of the human reaction. The poem ends on a note of relief and resolution: the snake “vanishes in the ripples among the green slim reeds.” The word “vanishes” suggests it has disappeared completely and safely, blending back into its natural habitat. The alliteration of “green slim reeds” creates a gentle, musical sound that mirrors the peaceful setting. The poet’s appeal — “let him go” — has been answered by nature itself.
Thinking about the Poem (Textbook Questions)
Q1. What is the snake trying to escape from?
Answer: The snake is trying to escape from the pursuing stick — that is, from a human being who is chasing it with a stick and trying to strike it. The word “pursuing” suggests the stick is being actively and aggressively used to harm the snake. The snake twists and curves its body as it tries to flee, first across the ground and then through the water, to reach the safety of the reeds.
Q2. Is it a harmful snake? What is its colour?
Answer: No, the snake is not harmful at all. The poet explicitly describes it as “harmless even to children,” meaning it poses no danger even to the most vulnerable people. It is a non-venomous, harmless species. Its colour is green. The green colour is mentioned twice in the poem — once to describe the snake itself (“Small and green”) and once to describe the reeds in which it hides (“the green slim reeds”) — suggesting that the snake naturally blends into its green, watery environment.
Q3. The poet finds the snake beautiful. Find the words he uses to convey its beauty.
Answer: The poet uses the following words and phrases to convey the snake’s beauty:
- “beautiful and graceful are his shapes” — the poet directly uses the words “beautiful” and “graceful” to express his admiration for the snake’s form as it twists and curves.
- “sudden curvings” — this phrase describes the quick, fluid, elegant movements of the snake’s body as it tries to escape.
- “glides” — this verb conveys the smooth, effortless, almost dance-like way the snake moves through the water.
- “thin long body” — this description creates a visual image of the snake’s slender, streamlined physique.
- “small and green” — the smallness and green colour paint a picture of a delicate, natural creature rather than a threatening one.
Q4. What does the poet wish for the snake?
Answer: The poet wishes for the snake’s safety and freedom. He appeals passionately — “O let him go” — urging the pursuer to stop chasing the snake and allow it to escape. Specifically, the poet wishes for the snake to go over the water, into the reeds, and to hide there “without hurt” — meaning without being injured or killed. The poet wants the snake to be left in peace to return safely to its natural habitat. The poem ends with the wish fulfilled: the snake vanishes safely among the green slim reeds.
Q5. Where was the snake before anyone saw it and chased it away? Where does the snake disappear?
Answer: Before anyone saw it and chased it, the snake was lying quietly and peacefully along the sand — it was simply resting on the sandy bank near the water, doing nothing harmful. It was only when a human observed it that the trouble began. After being chased, the snake eventually disappears safely in the ripples among the green slim reeds — it crosses the water and vanishes into the reeds growing along the bank, blending back into its natural environment where it is hidden and protected.
Additional Questions and Answers
Short Answer Questions
Q1. Who is the poet of “The Snake Trying”? Give a brief introduction.
Answer: The poet of “The Snake Trying” is W.W.E. Ross (William Wrightson Eustace Ross, 1894–1966), a Canadian poet. He is considered one of the pioneers of Canadian modernist poetry. Ross was strongly influenced by the Imagist movement in poetry, which focused on capturing precise, concrete images from nature rather than abstract ideas. His poems are typically short, direct, and rich in natural imagery. “The Snake Trying” is a fine example of his style — a vivid snapshot of a moment in nature, told with economy and emotional force.
Q2. What is the central message or moral of the poem “The Snake Trying”?
Answer: The central message of the poem is a plea for compassion, coexistence, and an unbiased view of nature. The poet urges us to overcome our irrational fear and prejudice towards snakes and other creatures that humans typically consider dangerous or unpleasant. He shows that even a snake — an animal most people fear — can be beautiful, graceful, and harmless. The moral is that we should not harm creatures out of ignorance or fear. We should observe nature with open eyes and an open heart, and allow all living things to exist in peace in their natural habitat.
Q3. How does the poet use the word “glides” to describe the snake’s movement? What effect does it create?
Answer: The word “glides” is a carefully chosen verb that describes the snake’s movement through the water as smooth, effortless, and elegant — like a dancer moving across a stage. It creates the effect of graceful, flowing motion without any friction or struggle. The word “glides” contrasts sharply with the aggressive, violent action of the stick trying to strike the snake. While the pursuer’s action is associated with force and destruction, the snake’s movement — described by “glides” — is associated with natural beauty and ease. The word invites the reader to admire the snake rather than fear it.
Q4. Why does the poet say the snake is “harmless even to children”? What is the significance of mentioning children?
Answer: The poet mentions children specifically because children are considered the most vulnerable members of society — the ones most in need of protection. By saying the snake is “harmless even to children,” the poet is making the strongest possible argument for sparing the snake: if it cannot harm even a child, there is absolutely no justification for killing it. The mention of children also evokes tenderness and innocence, which creates an emotional contrast — this gentle, harmless creature is being cruelly chased by an adult with a stick. The line reinforces the poem’s message that the human fear of snakes is exaggerated and unjustified.
Q5. How does the poet create a contrast between the snake and its pursuer?
Answer: The poet creates a clear contrast between the snake and its pursuer throughout the poem. The snake is described as beautiful, graceful, small, green, and harmless — a peaceful creature that was simply lying along the sand before being disturbed. Its movements are described with admiring words: “sudden curvings,” “glides,” “beautiful and graceful shapes.” In contrast, the pursuer (the human with the stick) is associated with aggression, violence, and irrational fear. Words like “pursuing stick,” “stroke,” and “chased away” convey the threatening, violent nature of the human action. The contrast shows that it is the human, not the snake, who is the aggressor in this scene.
Q6. What is the significance of the snake disappearing “in the ripples among the green slim reeds”? What mood does it create?
Answer: The ending image — the snake vanishing “in the ripples among the green slim reeds” — is deeply satisfying and creates a mood of peace and relief. The word “vanishes” suggests that the snake has safely and completely disappeared back into nature, where it belongs. The ripples on the water and the slim green reeds paint a picture of a quiet, natural scene that the snake has now become a part of. The alliteration in “green slim reeds” gives the line a gentle, musical quality that matches the tranquil mood. The ending suggests that the poet’s wish — “let him go” — has been answered. Nature has reclaimed its own, and the snake is safe at last.
Q7. What literary device is used in the line “How beautiful and graceful are his shapes”? Explain.
Answer: The line “How beautiful and graceful are his shapes!” uses the literary device of exclamation (or exclamatory sentence), which conveys the poet’s sudden, spontaneous admiration for the snake’s beauty. It is an outburst of genuine aesthetic appreciation. The line also uses imagery — the “shapes” of the snake’s body as it twists and curves create a vivid visual picture. The word “his” is also notable: by using the masculine pronoun, the poet gives the snake individuality and dignity, treating it as a specific, living being rather than a nameless, threatening creature. This humanising touch is part of the poem’s larger appeal for compassion towards the snake.
Long Answer Questions
Q8. “The Snake Trying” is a poem about beauty, fear, and compassion. Discuss with reference to the poem.
Answer: “The Snake Trying” by W.W.E. Ross is a poem that interweaves three powerful themes: beauty, fear, and compassion, and it uses the image of a fleeing snake to explore all three.
Beauty: The poem’s most striking quality is the poet’s ability to see beauty where others see only danger. As the snake twists and curves its thin, long body to escape, the poet is moved to exclaim: “How beautiful and graceful are his shapes!” The verb “glides” further captures the snake’s fluid, elegant movement through the water. The snake’s small, green body, blending with the slim green reeds, becomes part of a larger natural picture that the poet finds deeply beautiful. The poem challenges us to look at nature without the filter of fear and to appreciate its inherent grace.
Fear: The poem implicitly critiques the irrational fear that drives human beings to attack snakes on sight. The person chasing the snake with a stick represents this instinctive, unreflective human response — kill first, ask questions later. Yet the poet points out that this particular snake is “harmless even to children.” The fear is therefore not based on actual danger but on prejudice and habit. The poem suggests that this fear is not only misguided but cruel, because it leads to the needless suffering and death of harmless creatures.
Compassion: The emotional heart of the poem is the poet’s compassionate appeal: “O let him go / over the water / into the reeds to hide / without hurt.” This is not just a wish but a moral argument — the snake deserves to live in peace because it is harmless and beautiful. Compassion here means extending our circle of empathy beyond human beings to include all living creatures. The poem ends with the snake safely disappearing into the reeds, and this resolution gives the reader a feeling of relief and moral satisfaction. The poet’s compassion — and the safety of the snake — is the poem’s quiet triumph.
Q9. How does the poet use nature imagery in “The Snake Trying”? What effect does it create?
Answer: W.W.E. Ross was strongly influenced by the Imagist movement in poetry, and “The Snake Trying” is a masterpiece of natural imagery. Every significant detail in the poem is drawn from the natural world, and together these images create a vivid, almost cinematic picture of a moment in nature.
The poem opens with the image of the snake’s “sudden curvings of thin / long body” — a precise, visual description of how a snake moves when startled. The image is dynamic and immediate, as if the reader is watching the scene unfold in real time. Then the snake “glides through the water” — a smooth, flowing image that contrasts with the violence of the stick. The word “ripples” captures the gentle disturbance the snake makes as it moves through the water.
The setting — sand, water, and reeds — is a typical riverbank or pond scene, rendered with simplicity and precision. The “green slim reeds” at the end of the poem create a final image of shelter and concealment, as the snake blends back into the natural world from which it was disturbed. The colour green appears twice — in the snake’s body and in the reeds — creating a visual link between the creature and its habitat. This use of colour suggests that the snake belongs to this world and is as natural and integral to it as the reeds themselves.
The effect of all this natural imagery is to create a sense of immediacy and presence: the reader feels as if they are standing on the bank, watching the snake escape. It also makes the poem’s emotional appeal more powerful — the beauty and naturalness of the scene make the threat of the pursuing stick seem all the more unnecessary and cruel.
Q10. What does the poem “The Snake Trying” teach us about our relationship with nature and animals? How is this message relevant today?
Answer: “The Snake Trying” teaches us several important lessons about our relationship with nature and animals. At its core, the poem is a plea for coexistence — for allowing all living creatures to exist in their natural habitat without unnecessary interference or harm.
The poem teaches us to overcome irrational fear and prejudice. Snakes are among the most feared and misunderstood creatures in the world. Many people kill snakes on sight, regardless of whether they are dangerous. The poet points out that this particular snake is “harmless even to children” — the fear is simply not justified. By extension, the poem asks us to question our fears and prejudices about all creatures and to base our behaviour on knowledge rather than instinct.
The poem also teaches us to appreciate the beauty of nature in all its forms. The poet’s admiring gaze — “How beautiful and graceful are his shapes!” — is a model for how we should observe the natural world: with open eyes, curiosity, and wonder rather than fear and hostility.
This message is deeply relevant today. In an era of rapid biodiversity loss, habitat destruction, and the mass extinction of species, the poem’s appeal for compassion and coexistence is more urgent than ever. Many species of snakes are endangered because of human persecution. The poem reminds us that every creature has a right to live in its natural environment and that the world is richer and more beautiful for the presence of all its living beings. Learning to live alongside nature — rather than in fear and opposition to it — is one of the most important lessons of our time.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Q1. Who is the poet of “The Snake Trying”?
(a) Robert Frost (b) W.W.E. Ross (c) Walt Whitman (d) Ted Hughes
Answer: (b) W.W.E. Ross
Q2. What is the snake trying to escape from?
(a) A predatory bird (b) Rising floodwaters (c) A pursuing stick (d) A trap set by farmers
Answer: (c) A pursuing stick
Q3. What colour is the snake in the poem?
(a) Brown (b) Black (c) Yellow (d) Green
Answer: (d) Green
Q4. What does the poet exclaim about the snake’s movement?
(a) “How terrible and frightening!” (b) “How beautiful and graceful are his shapes!” (c) “How swift and deadly is his strike!” (d) “How strange and unusual his body!”
Answer: (b) “How beautiful and graceful are his shapes!”
Q5. Where does the snake finally disappear?
(a) Into a hole in the ground (b) Under a large rock (c) In the ripples among the green slim reeds (d) Into the forest beyond the river
Answer: (c) In the ripples among the green slim reeds
Q6. The poet describes the snake as “harmless even to children.” What does this suggest?
(a) Children are braver than adults around snakes (b) The snake is completely non-venomous and safe, posing no threat to anyone (c) Children should be kept away from snakes (d) Only children can approach snakes
Answer: (b) The snake is completely non-venomous and safe, posing no threat to anyone
Q7. Which word best describes the snake’s movement through the water?
(a) Splashes (b) Glides (c) Dashes (d) Crawls
Answer: (b) Glides
Q8. What was the snake doing before it was observed and chased?
(a) Hunting for frogs in the water (b) Climbing a tree (c) Lying quietly along the sand (d) Attacking a child nearby
Answer: (c) Lying quietly along the sand
Word Meanings
| Word / Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Pursuing | Chasing; following in order to catch or harm |
| Curvings | Bending; twisting movements; curved shapes |
| Graceful | Having elegance or beauty of movement or form |
| Glides | Moves smoothly and effortlessly, without friction |
| Stroke | A blow or strike, as with a stick |
| Reeds | Tall, slender grass-like plants that grow in or near water |
| Harmless | Not able or likely to cause harm or injury; safe |
| Observed | Noticed; seen; watched |
| Vanishes | Disappears suddenly and completely from sight |
| Ripples | Small waves or undulations on the surface of water |
| Slim | Thin; slender |
| Chased | Pursued; driven away by following rapidly |
This article covers all important aspects of Class 9 English Poem 9 “The Snake Trying” by W.W.E. Ross as per the ASSEB (Assam State Board of Secondary Education) syllabus. For more Class 9 English question answers, visit hslcguru.com.