2026 Bihar Board Class 12 English: Comprehensive Prose Summaries in Rainbow Part - 2

2. Bharat is My Home

Bharat is My Home' is an extract from the speech

Zakir Hussain gave in 1967 after taking the oath as President. In this speech he pledges to be loyal to the nation and work for its welfare.

Initially, he expresses his gratefulness to the people for the faith they had placed in him to elect him the head of nation. He further acknowledges Dr. Radha Krishnan for having brought to Indian Presidenc, rare jewel of knowledge, learning and wide experience. He says that Radhakrishnan trusted essential humanity in man and has always promoted the right of people to live with dignity, with justice.

At last Dr. Jakir Hussain says that he has faith in his people that they would give

Satisfactory result of the dual task and he would be proud to contribute to it.

5. Ideas That Have Helped Mankind

It is a very illuminating essay by the famous scientist and thinker Bertrand Russell. In the say, he has talked about the ideas and investions which increased by moral and intellectual qualities of man and helped him become less like animlas. However, he thinks that the task of making people happier, peaceful, feareless and free from hunger and hatred is still incomplete. Man increased his population through his intelligence. The invention of fire proved a milestone. The demestication of animals and the invention of printing press and language and the art of writing made man rise from his wild state to his present civilized state. It is these ideas which made man superior to animals However, man is more emotional than animals that robs him of mental peace. 

7. A Child is Born

'A Child is Born' is a very illuminating and investigating essay by germaine geer on the problem of marriage and child-birth. The writter says that child-birth in traditional societies is managed in different and varried ways. These ways are collectively and culturally accepted ones. Various rituals, taboos and prohibitions are observed by a pregnant woman in accodance with her family and society's practices and traditions. An expecting woman has to got her mother's house to get delivered of her child. She has to stay there for at least three months. When the child is seven days old, a new dress is brought both for the child and his mother. This practice increases the sense of security of an expectant mother and removes all the worries associated with child-birth. No doubt, modern methods have reduced the mortality of mothes during child-birth but they have deprived them of the important exprience of child-birth. The whole experience of childbirth. The whole process has become machanical, child-birth, no longer remains a family affair and an object of community celebration.

8. How Free is the Press

'How Free is the Press' is a beautiful essay of Dorothy L. Sayers. In this essay, she expresses her view against the misuse of the freedom of the press.

It is believed that there can not be free people without the freedom of the press. But we should consider here what that freedom is. The freedom of press means freedom from direction or censorship by the government. In this respect, British press is free. It can attack at politics. It can interefre in the foreign diplomacy. It is to do anything. And on occasion, it can be a weapon to threat the government.

Above all works are the positive attitude of press. But sometimes, this freedom is misused by the press. Our democracy teaches us that the state is not the master but the servant of the people..

Advertisement is the biggest sorce of income for the press or Newspaper. So, the press designs its policy in the favour of advertisers. The policy of Newspaper is shaped by the interest of their owner. Above both factors causes the misuse of the press.

Thus, sayers writes clearly against the misreporting by the press.

3. Now the leaves are falling fast

'Now the leaves are falling fast' is a lyric written by a versatile poet, W.H. Auden. The presen lyric shows the frustrations of human life. It also tells us about the unfulfilled dreams of human beings.

The poet expresses the of human life. There is a process of death and human waste on a large seale on the other hand children are born. It shows the continuty of life.

It is said that death comes to all. The messengers of death always move around us. They come and take away us. After that we feel lonely. The poet, here, expresses the dead body. After death, dead body's active hands are freezed. We loose our all senses. Our body become cold. After that, we take the last journey of our life.

4. To Autumn

John Keats was a great love of Nature. In the poem 'Ode to Autumn' he describes the beauty and characteristic spirit of Autumn in a series of memorable pictures. There he reveals the principle of beauty in nature in the autumn. New leaves and fruits groud on trees. There is neither heat of summer nor bitter of cold of winter wind blow friendly. Birds sing in a fine tune. People are happy. They can do their work easily in this season. Mostly they have good health. The sun conspires with the autumn slightly. Its rays make the fruit fleshy fat and testy. Everywhere in the nature remains calm and cool.

7. Macavity the Mystery cat

'Macavity: The Mystery cat' is a musical poem of T. S. Eliot. It has been taken from 'Old possum's Book of practical cat's. It is about a monster-cat. dangerous cat because

Macavity is the name of a mystrery cat. He is called a very he is the master of criminals. He can challenge any how. He has become a great problem of London police because when the police go to the scene of crime, they don't find Macavity over there.

Really, there is no one like Macavity. He breaks every human law. He is searched everywhere. But nowhere, he is found.

The poet, again and again, total seven times repeats the line, Macavity is not there'. It shows Macavity is a mystery cat. He is very tall and thin. His head is shaped like a dome. The is an evil spirit in the shape of a cat. He loots kitchen-room and jewel-case. He drinks milk. He breaks the glases of house. The commits dozens of crime but nobody case catch him. Even London police don't have any record of his crimes. They know that behind every crime, there is a hand of Macavity. But they cannot find him. At last the poet compares Macavity as the Napoleon of crime.

Hence, this is a musical song about a mystery cat, Macavity.

8. Fire-Hymn

The poem 'Fire Hymn' is compsal by the poet ‘kiki' N. Daruwalla who is the recipient of sahitya Akademi Award.

In this present poem, the poet describes the seens of a burning ghat. The bight of burning becomes frightening at night. Passens by, going there, are frightened. The speaker himself is feared because the rednese of fire appears very cruel. religion. Actually

The speaker reveale his religious identity. He belongs to zoroastrain he reminds his religious sentimates of his childhood. He swears hoice to save the fire from two different sins. This poem also reveals the religious learning of a parsi.

9. Snake

David Herbert Lawrence wrote the poem 'snake'. He has described about a snake in this poem. He said that one night when he felt thirsty came out to drink but as soon as he came out he saw a black cobra which also came to drink water. It was too hot that night. The snake was looking good, silent and peaceful. It came out from a carob-tree only to drink water. To see it prlitness the poet didn't tear at first but his sense of humour felt him that he should kill the snake at any cost. But the snake was too peaceful to hit. After some time the poet decided to hit the snake. He went to pick up a stic to heat the snake. He hit the snake speedily and the snake was killed by the poet. It was looking poisionous. The poet did not want to kill him but it he didn't kill him, he was to be killed by the snake.

6. The Soldier

 "The Soldier" is composed by the poet Rupert Brooke who was the most handsome young man in England. The poet is saying that when he would die he would he given a corner of a field on the earth hidden from dust. When the war had started the dust starts to hid everything and was washed away by the rivers. When war started he wanted a flower which would give love without knowing the definite way where he is to go. He always contacts with English air of England. He was walking, thinking about dispute in war. He tohought himself that not a single evil word came in his mind. A small vibraion touched his mind would last for ever....He wanted a peaceful country. If is his dream and always had seen this type of sight that there would be no war between two countries. Everyone should live a peaceful life. It seemed like a heaven in England to think over it.

2. Song of Myself

The poem "Song of Myself" has been composed by Walt Whitman. He was the most individualistic literary figure that America has produced. He tells about himself in this poem. The poet enjoys himself and sings for the self. But the poet is not different from other. He tell himself that every atom of his blood belongs to his soil. He always assumes everything which is right. He also says that every atom of blood is the same in all human beings. He wanders in the support of his pain which gives him pain as a spike comes and touches the skin. He whatever says, says that from his heart he says that everyone of this world comes one by one. He always keeps feelings or thought in mind either good or bad. He is ready at every danger in this life. He accepts that life is not a bed of roses. It is full of difficulties and also happiness. It is a finest gift given by God. Here there are too many people who fight for the religion, religious festival. That is not good. Everyone should think that there is nothing in life. So always be happy and try to make other happy.

(c) The poet is exuding his tender feelings and delicate passions toward his beloved in a rhythmic tone. The metaphysical undertones contained in the stanzas has a perennial appeal. The poet is assuming his beloved weari the fathom of love and dedication by giving the analogy of sun's journey in the backdrop of human destiny. The poet uses hyperboles to bring home the power of love. The poet also undersovers the perpetuity of love in the wake of failings of human life. The poet ruefully be means the fragility of life and certainty of death and takes of renouncing his beloved desires to undertake journey speedier than sun.

10. My Grandmother's House

The poem "My Grandmother's House" is a wounderful creation by "Kamala Das." She has written about the grandmother's house. She also used tolive with her grandmother in that house. When she was young in the house she very beautiful. There she and her grandmother live a very happy life.

Everything around very that house is good. But when her grandmother died and the speaker lived in other places, the house became in bad condition. Everywhere that house became pitiable. Bushes grew around when the speaker went there to see the house. When she reached there she received warm welcome. She saw her house damage. A strong feeling caught her mind. Everything was changed when she was there but still she was pround because she reached there and received loved which she begged at stranger's door.

In this poem, Kamala Das, the speaker told in the autobiography how when she was too young.