Chapter: 02. Piano
A. Answer these questions.
What specific part of his mother’s body does the child press while sitting under the piano? What kind of feeling does the poet express towards the Sunday evenings? What is the singer doing in the final stanza that is described as ‘vain’? Besides the piano, what other musical elements are mentioned in the poem? B. Answer these questions with reference to the context.
“In spite of myself, the insidious mastery of song Betrays me back…”
a. What does the phrase “in spite of myself” reveal about the poet’s current feelings towards being taken back to the past?
b. Why does the poet describe the “mastery of song” as “insidious”? “The glamour Of childish days is upon me, my manhood is cast Down…”
a. What does the poet mean when he says his “manhood is cast Down”?
b. What does the phrase “The glamour of childish days is upon me” imply about the pervasive nature of his memories? C. Think and answer.
How does the poet’s emotional state evolve throughout the poem, from the first stanza to the last? Identify and describe two specific sensory images (sight, sound, touch) that the poet uses to make his childhood memory vivid for the reader. The poem explores the idea of the past influencing the present. Do you agree that memories can be so powerful they make you feel like a different person? Explain why or why not, giving an example if possible. 
Comprehension