The News
সংবাদ
Here is The News:
এখানে সংবাদটি হলো:
Two incredible shoes
দুটি অবিশ্বাস্য জুতো
Two incredible shoes
দুটি অবিশ্বাস্য জুতো
That’s The News.
এটাই সংবাদ।
When it rains
যখন বৃষ্টি হয়
They walk down drains.
তারা নর্দমা দিয়ে হাঁটে।
They glow
তারা জ্বলে ওঠে
In the snow.
তুষারের মধ্যে।
They grizzle
তারা গজগজ করে
In a drizzle.
হালকা বৃষ্টিতে।
They sneeze
তারা হাঁচি দেয়
A breeze.
একটি হাওয়ায়।
They sneeze
তারা হাঁচি দেয়
In a breeze.
একটি হাওয়ায়।
They get warm
তারা গরম হয়ে যায়
In a storm.
ঝড়ের মধ্যে।
They go soggy
তারা ভিজে যায়
When it is foggy.
যখন কুয়াশা হয়।
They’ve even hissed
তারা এমনকি হিস হিস করেছে
In a mist.
কুয়াশার মধ্যে।
But
কিন্তু
(Sad to say)
(দুঃখের সাথে বলতে হয়)
There comes a terrible frost.
একটি ভয়ঙ্কর তুষারপাত আসে।
This is what happened:
এটাই ঘটেছে:
They got lost.
তারা হারিয়ে গেছে।
That was The News
এটাই ছিল সংবাদ
Two incredible shoes.
দুটি অবিশ্বাস্য জুতো।
Two incredible shoes.
দুটি অবিশ্বাস্য জুতো।
That was The News.
এটাই ছিল সংবাদ।
Summary of the Poem “The News” by Michael Rosen
The poem “The News” is a humorous and imaginative piece that personifies two shoes, making them the subject of a news report. The poet begins by announcing the “news” about these two incredible shoes. Throughout the poem, the shoes are described as reacting to different weather conditions in playful and unusual ways.
When it rains, they walk down drains; in the snow, they glow; in a drizzle, they grizzle; and in a breeze, they sneeze. They even get warm during a storm, become soggy in foggy weather, and hiss in a mist. These descriptions give the shoes human-like qualities, creating a whimsical and entertaining tone.
However, the poem ends on a sad note: during a terrible frost, the shoes get lost. This sudden shift adds a touch of melancholy to an otherwise lighthearted poem. The poet concludes by repeating the headline, emphasizing that the news was about “two incredible shoes.”
Main Ideas:
- Personification of shoes reacting to weather.
- Playful tone with rhymes and repetition.
- Sudden shift to sadness at the end.
Poet’s Message in “The News” by Michael Rosen
The poet’s message is to celebrate imagination and humor in everyday life. By turning ordinary shoes into extraordinary characters that react to different weather conditions, Michael Rosen shows that even simple things can become fascinating when viewed creatively.
The poem encourages readers to:
- Look at the world playfully – ordinary objects can have stories if we imagine them.
- Enjoy the unexpected – the idea of shoes walking, glowing, sneezing, and hissing is absurd but fun.
- Accept change and loss – the ending, where the shoes get lost in frost, reminds us that everything changes and sometimes disappears, adding a gentle touch of reality to the fantasy.
In short, the message is about finding joy in small things, using imagination, and embracing life’s ups and downs with humor.
The poem “The News” by Michael Rosen uses several literary devices to create humor, rhythm, and vivid imagery. Here are the main ones:
1. Personification
- The shoes are given human-like qualities such as walking, glowing, grizzling, sneezing, and hissing.
- Example: “They walk down drains”, “They sneeze in a breeze”.
2. Repetition
- Certain lines and phrases are repeated for emphasis and rhythm.
Example: “Two incredible shoes” and “That’s The News” appear multiple times.
3. Rhyme
- The poem uses rhyming pairs to create a playful tone.
- Examples:
- rains / drains
- snow / glow
- drizzle / grizzle
- foggy / soggy
- mist / hissed
4. Imagery
- Vivid descriptions help readers imagine the shoes in different weather conditions.
- Example: “They glow in the snow” creates a magical image.
5. Alliteration
- Repetition of consonant sounds adds musicality.
- Example: “terrible frost”, “sneeze in a breeze”.
6. Humor and Absurdity
- The idea of shoes behaving like humans is funny and absurd, making the poem entertaining.
7. Tone Shift
- The poem starts lighthearted and playful but ends on a sad note when the shoes get lost in frost. This contrast adds depth.
Title: The News
- The title suggests something important or surprising is being announced, like breaking news. It creates curiosity about what this “news” could be.
Line 1: Here is The News:
- This line sets the tone as if the speaker is reporting something significant. It mimics the style of a news broadcast.
Line 2-3: Two incredible shoes / Two incredible shoes
- The repetition emphasizes the subject: two shoes that are described as “incredible,” meaning unusual or extraordinary. This creates a playful tone.
Line 4: That’s The News.
- Reinforces that the shoes themselves are the big news. It adds humor because shoes being newsworthy is unexpected.
Line 5: When it rains / They walk down drains.
- Personification: shoes are given human-like qualities (walking down drains). It suggests they move away when it rains, adding a whimsical image.
Line 6: They glow / In the snow.
- Another personification: shoes glowing in snow creates a magical, surreal image. It contrasts with the previous rainy setting.
Line 7: They grizzle / In a drizzle.
- “Grizzle” means to complain or whine. Shoes are imagined as unhappy in light rain, continuing the humorous tone.
Line 8: They sneeze / A breeze.
- Shoes sneezing in a breeze is absurd and funny. It adds to the playful personification theme.
Line 9: They sneeze / In a breeze.
- Repetition for emphasis and rhythm. It reinforces the whimsical nature of the poem.
Line 10: They get warm / In a storm.
- Shoes reacting to weather like living beings. Warmth in a storm is ironic because storms are usually cold and harsh.
Line 11: They go soggy / When it is foggy.
- Shoes absorb moisture in foggy weather, which is realistic but expressed in a rhyming, humorous way.
Line 12: They’ve even hissed / In a mist.
- “Hissed” adds another strange, animal-like behavior. It makes the shoes seem alive and mischievous.
Line 13-16: But / (Sad to say) / There comes a terrible frost. / This is what happened: / They got lost.
- Sudden shift in tone: from playful to sad. The frost causes the shoes to disappear or get lost, ending the story on a melancholic note.
Final lines: That was The News / Two incredible shoes / Two incredible shoes / That was The News.
- Repetition closes the poem like a news report summary. It reinforces the central idea and gives a rhythmic, chant-like ending.
✅ Themes & Devices:
- Personification: Shoes act like humans (walk, glow, sneeze, hiss).
- Humor & Absurdity: Ordinary objects behaving in extraordinary ways.
- Rhyme & Rhythm: Creates a playful, sing-song effect.
- Tone Shift: From lighthearted to slightly sad at the end.
Questions and answers
(a) What are the two incredible things mentioned in the poem?
Answer:
The two incredible things mentioned in the poem are two shoes. The poet repeatedly calls them “incredible shoes,” making them the central subject of the poem.
(b) What happens to the shoes when it rains?
Answer:
When it rains, the shoes walk down drains. This is an example of personification, where shoes are imagined as moving like living beings.
(c) How do the shoes behave in the snow?
Answer:
In the snow, the shoes glow. This creates a magical and unusual image, suggesting that the shoes shine brightly in snowy weather.
(d) What happens to the shoes in a foggy weather?
Answer:
In foggy weather, the shoes go soggy. This means they become wet and damp because of the moisture in the fog.
(e) What is the sad thing that happens to the shoes at the end of the poem?
Answer:
The sad thing is that during a terrible frost, the shoes get lost. This marks the end of their adventures and adds a melancholic tone to the poem.
(f) Why is the news funny?
Answer:
The news is funny because it reports ordinary shoes behaving in extraordinary, human-like ways—walking, glowing, sneezing, and even hissing. This playful personification makes the poem humorous.
(g) What is the headline of the news?
Answer:
The headline of the news is:
“Two incredible shoes. That’s The News.”
This is repeated at the beginning and end of the poem like a news report.
(h) What happens to the shoes when it snows?
Answer:
When it snows, the shoes glow. This suggests they shine or appear bright in the snow.
(i) How are the shoes in a drizzle?
Answer:
In a drizzle, the shoes grizzle, which means they complain or seem unhappy in light rain.
(j) What happens to the shoes in a breeze?
Answer:
In a breeze, the shoes sneeze. This is another humorous personification, making shoes act like humans.
(k) When do the shoes get warm?
Answer:
The shoes get warm in a storm, which is ironic because storms are usually cold and harsh.
(l) What happens to the shoes in a mist?
Answer:
In a mist, the shoes have even hissed, adding another strange, animal-like behavior to their character.
