Active Poems – Current Syllabus (2025–2026)
- My Mother at Sixty-six – Kamala Das
- Keeping Quiet – Pablo Neruda
- A Thing of Beauty – John Keats
- A Roadside Stand – Robert Frost
Priority Ranking – Most Important Poems (Based on 2021–2025 PYQs)
| Priority | Poem | Expected Marks | Most Repeated Question Types |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | My Mother at Sixty-six | 6–8 marks | Extract-based (pale moon, smiling), theme of separation & ageing, poet's feeling |
| 2 | Keeping Quiet | 5–7 marks | Poet's appeal for silence, significance of "huge silence", what happens if we keep quiet |
| 3 | A Thing of Beauty | 5–6 marks | Extract on eternal joy, list of beautiful things, how nature helps man |
| 4 | A Roadside Stand | 4–6 marks | Poet's attitude towards city people, pain of rural folk, irony & contrast |
Poem-wise Important Questions & Keywords
1. My Mother at Sixty-six
- Most Repeated 6-mark Extracts
- "Driving from my parent's home to Cochin… pale as a late winter's moon"
- "and felt that old familiar ache… smiling and smiling and smiling"
- Most Repeated Questions
- What does the poet feel when she looks at her mother?
- Significance of "late winter's moon" and "young trees sprinting"
- Why does the poet keep smiling? What does it hide?
- Central theme / idea of the poem
- Important Keywords: ageing, fear of separation, mother-daughter bond, pale winter's moon, young trees sprinting, merry children, airport security, smiling and smiling and smiling, acceptance of mortality
2. Keeping Quiet
- Most Repeated Questions (5–6 marks)
- What is the poet's appeal? What will happen if we keep quiet for a moment?
- Significance of "for once on the face of the Earth" and "let's not speak in any language"
- What does the poet mean by "a huge silence" and "what I want should not be confused with total inactivity"?
- Important Keywords: introspection, silence, stillness, fisherman, wars, wars with oneself, green wars, man gathering salt, those who prepare green wars, life in peace, counting to twelve
3. A Thing of Beauty
- Most Repeated Questions (5–6 marks)
- "A thing of beauty is a joy forever…" – What is a source of eternal joy according to Keats?
- How does nature help man in the poem?
- List the beautiful things that give joy forever.
- Important Keywords: eternal joy, joy forever, loveliness increases, bower, flowery band, shady boon, clear rills, grandeur, daffodils, endless fountain of immortal drink
4. A Roadside Stand
- Most Repeated Questions (4–6 marks)
- What is the poet's attitude towards the city people?
- What is the pain / suffering of the rural folk?
- Explain the irony in "trusting Sorrow" and "polished traffic passed with a mind ahead"
- Important Keywords: rural poverty, city indifference, polished traffic, trusting Sorrow, pity, money, paint, signboard, old stock, out of the world
Exam Writing Strategy – Poetry Section (2026 Boards)
-
Extract-based (6 marks): Always write in this order:
• Paraphrase / explain the lines (1–2 marks)
• Central theme / idea (2 marks)
• 2–3 poetic devices with example (2 marks)
• Poet's attitude / message (1–2 marks) - Most repeated devices to quote: simile, metaphor, contrast, repetition, symbolism, irony, imagery, paradox, personification
- Time suggestion: 8–10 minutes per 6-mark extract question
- Tip: Quote 1–2 exact lines in every answer. Keep answers structured and to the point (120–150 words for long answers).
Links to Other Pages
- English Flamingo – Prose Analysis
- English Flamingo Poetry Analysis
- Vistas Analysis
- Organic Chemistry Short Notes
This guide includes only the current syllabus poems.
Best of luck for your CBSE Class 12 English Board Exam 2026!