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Stanza One
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Line no.
|
Line
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Interpretation
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1
|
Who killed cock robin?
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The person wanted to know who killed the cock robin (a male bird)
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2
|
I, said the worm
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The worm admitted that it killed the bird in a cruel way
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3
|
I did him great
harm.
|
|
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4
|
He died on the
branch of a withered tree
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The robin died on a tree that was weak and dying
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5
|
From the acid
soil that poisoned me.
|
The acid soil was toxic and the worm was affected. The bird was
affected too after eating the worm.
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|
Stanza Two
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Line no.
|
Line
|
Interpretation
|
|
1
|
Who killed the heron?
|
The person wanted to know who killed the heron (a bird that feeds on
fish)
|
|
2
|
I, mouthed the
fish,
|
The fish confessed that it killed the bird because the fish was
already poisoned or polluted.
|
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3
|
With my tainted
flesh
|
|
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4
|
I killed tern,
duck and drake,
|
In fact, the birds that fed on the fish in the lake died because of
the poisoned flesh of the fish.
|
|
5
|
All the birds of
the lake.
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|
|
Stanza Three
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||
|
Line no.
|
Line
|
Interpretation
|
|
1
|
Who killed the lake?
|
The person wanted to know who killed/destroyed the lake.
|
|
2
|
I, boasted
Industry,
|
The lake was destroyed by the industry around it
|
|
3
|
I poisoned with
mercury
|
Note: Mercury is an industrial waste that is released into
the water.
This toxic waste killed the fish, plant and weed in the
lake
|
|
4
|
Fish, plant and
weed
|
|
|
5
|
To pamper men’s
greed.
|
To please people who were greedy and selfish, not caring
about the environment.
|
|
Stanza Four
|
||
|
Line no.
|
Line
|
Interpretation
|
|
1
|
Who killed the flowers?
|
The person wanted to know who killed/destroyed the flowers
|
|
2
|
I, moaned the
wind,
|
The wind sadly admitted that it blew acid rain all over the
place, without any control
|
|
3
|
I prowled
unconfined,
|
|
|
4
|
Blowing acid rain
|
|
|
5
|
Over field, flood
and fen.
|
Acid rain destroyed the plants and trees, affected the
water and wetland too.
|
|
Stanza Five
|
||
|
Line no.
|
Line
|
Interpretation
|
|
1
|
Who killed the forest?
|
The person wanted to know who killed/destroyed the forest
|
|
2
|
I ensured that it
died,
|
The forest was destroyed by sulphur dioxide (gas or liquid
from the industrial processes and the burning of coal & petroleum. It
dissolves in water to form acid and is harmful to plants and animals.)
|
|
3
|
Said sulphur dioxide.
|
|
|
4
|
And all life
within it,
|
Sulphur dioxide destroyed all the creatures in the forest,
including the worm and the linnet (small bird).
|
|
5
|
From earthworm to
linnet.
|
|
.
