The Kite — AP Board Class 6 English
'How bright on the blue / Is a kite when it's NEW!'
1. About the Poem
'The Kite' is a joyful, VISUAL poem about a kite FLYING in the sky. The poet describes the kite climbing HIGH, riding the wind, DIPPING and DIVING, and finally FALLING when the breeze fades. The poem captures the EXCITEMENT and FREEDOM of kite flying — an activity that EVERY child knows and loves. The imagery is BRIGHT, the rhythm is LIVELY, and the feeling is PURE JOY.
Why This Poem Matters for AP Board Students
- Kite flying is a HUGE tradition in India — especially Makar Sankranti
- Andhra Pradesh is FAMOUS for kite flying during Sankranti festival
- 'Every child has WATCHED a kite dance in the sky'
- Teaches VIVID IMAGERY and ACTION WORDS
- Short and EASY to memorise for recitation
2. About the Poet
The poem 'The Kite' is attributed to TRADITIONAL or UNKNOWN sources in some editions, and to HARRY BEHN in others. The version in NCERT Honeysuckle is adapted from a traditional English rhyme about kite flying.
Kite Flying in Literature
Kites have been a POPULAR subject in poetry across cultures — symbolising FREEDOM, ASPIRATION, and CHILDHOOD.
3. The Full Poem
How bright on the blue Is a kite when it's NEW!
With a dive and a DIP It snaps its tail.
Then soars like a SHIP With only a SAIL.
As over the tide Its bright tail streams.
The moon-riding GUIDE Of the wind's DREAMS.
But when the wind DROPS And the breeze is DONE,
The kite DROPS too — And its BRIGHT tail is GONE.
4. Stanza-by-Stanza Explanation
First Stanza (Lines 1-2)
| Line | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 'How bright on the blue' | The kite looks BRIGHT against the BLUE sky |
| 'Is a kite when it's NEW!' | A NEW kite — fresh, colourful, UNTANGLED |
Visual: A colourful kite against a clear blue sky.
Second Stanza (Lines 3-6)
| Line | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 'With a dive and a DIP' | The kite MOVES — swooping down and coming back up |
| 'It snaps its tail' | The kite's tail makes a SNAPPING sound in the wind |
| 'Then soars like a SHIP' | The kite glides smoothly — like a ship on water |
| 'With only a SAIL.' | The kite's sail (body) catches the wind, like a ship's sail |
Visual: A kite performing ACROBATICS in the sky — diving, dipping, snapping.
Third Stanza (Lines 7-10)
| Line | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 'As over the tide' | Like a ship moving over water |
| 'Its bright tail streams.' | The kite's tail FLOWS behind it in the wind |
| 'The moon-riding GUIDE' | The kite seems to GUIDE the wind — like it is flying to the MOON |
| 'Of the wind's DREAMS.' | The kite is what the wind DREAMS of carrying |
Imagery: The kite is now HIGH in the sky — free, beautiful, dreamlike.
Fourth Stanza (Lines 11-14)
| Line | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 'But when the wind DROPS' | The wind SLOWS down or STOPS |
| 'And the breeze is DONE' | No more wind |
| 'The kite DROPS too —' | Without wind, the kite cannot stay up |
| 'And its BRIGHT tail is GONE.' | The beautiful kite falls — the MAGIC ends |
Contrast: The kite is ALIVE with wind — DEAD without it.
5. Themes
Freedom and Joy
Kite flying represents PURE childhood joy. The kite is FREE in the sky.
Dependence on Nature
The kite NEEDS the wind to fly. 'Without the wind, the kite is NOTHING.'
The Beauty of Movement
The poem CELEBRATES the kite's DANCE — dipping, diving, soaring. Movement is BEAUTIFUL.
Rise and Fall
Everything that RISES must eventually FALL. The kite's fall is gentle but INEVITABLE.
6. Poetic Devices
| Device | Example | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Simile | 'Soars like a SHIP' | Compares the kite to a ship — SMOOTH movement |
| Visual Imagery | 'Bright on the blue' | Striking COLOUR contrast |
| Action Verbs | Dive, dip, snaps, soars, streams | Makes the poem DYNAMIC and LIVELY |
| Contrast | Kite flying vs kite falling | Shows the CONTRAST between wind and no wind |
| Rhyme | Blue/new, dip/tail, ship/sail | Creates RHYTHM and flow |
| Personification | 'Wind's DREAMS' | The wind is given HUMAN qualities |
7. Vocabulary / New Words
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Dive | A sudden downward movement |
| Dip | A brief downward drop |
| Soars | Flies high in the air |
| Streams | Flows freely behind |
| Tide | The rising and falling of the sea |
| Breeze | A gentle wind |
| Guide | Someone/something that shows the way |
8. Important Lines
| Line | Significance |
|---|---|
| 'How bright on the blue' | The FIRST image — COLOURFUL kite against blue sky |
| 'Soars like a SHIP with only a SAIL' | The kite's GRACEFUL movement |
| 'The moon-riding GUIDE of the wind's DREAMS' | POETIC and IMAGINATIVE language |
| 'But when the wind DROPS' | The TURNING POINT — from joy to fall |
| 'The kite DROPS too' | INEVITABLE end — every kite falls |
9. Short Answer Questions (2-3 marks each)
1. How does the kite look in the sky? The kite looks BRIGHT and colourful against the blue sky.
2. What does the kite do when the wind is strong? It DIVES, DIPS, SNAPS its tail, and SOARS like a ship.
3. What happens when the wind stops? The kite DROPS and its bright tail disappears.
4. What is the kite compared to in the poem? The kite is compared to a SHIP with a sail.
5. What colour is mentioned in the poem? The colour BLUE (the sky) is mentioned.
6. What sound does the kite make? It SNAPS its tail.
7. What is the main idea of the poem? A kite is BEAUTIFUL when it flies — but it NEEDS the wind. Without wind, it falls.
10. Long Answer Questions (6-8 marks each)
1. Describe the JOURNEY of the kite as shown in the poem. The kite starts BRIGHT and NEW against the blue sky. It DIVES and DIPS — doing acrobatics. It SNAPS its tail joyfully. Then it SOARS high — like a ship gliding on water. Its tail STREAMS behind. It seems to be GUIDING the wind itself. But when the wind DIES, the kite LOSES its power and DROPS. The bright tail DISAPPEARS. The kite's journey is a CYCLE — up and down, dependent on the wind.
2. 'The kite is like a LIVING THING in this poem.' Give examples. The poet uses ACTION words that make the kite seem ALIVE. It 'dives' and 'dips' — like a BIRD. It 'snaps its tail' — like a PLAYFUL animal. It 'soars' — like a PROUD eagle. The kite SEEMS to have its own WILL. But in the end, it is DEPENDENT on the wind — like all living things are dependent on nature.
3. Kite flying is an IMPORTANT tradition in Andhra Pradesh. How does this poem connect to that tradition? In AP, kite flying is a MAJOR part of SANKRANTI celebrations. Families go to rooftops. The sky fills with colourful kites. Children compete to cut each other's kite strings. This poem captures the EXCITEMENT of that tradition. When the poem says 'How bright on the blue' — it describes exactly what AP skies look like during Sankranti!
4. What lesson can we learn from the kite's RISE and FALL? The kite teaches us that SUCCESS needs the RIGHT CONDITIONS — just like the kite needs wind. Without the wind, the kite falls. But we should also remember: falling is NOT the END. Tomorrow, the wind will BLOW again. The kite can FLY again. Life has UPS and DOWNS — the important thing is to KEEP TRYING.
11. AP Board Context
- Sankranti connection: AP students celebrate kite flying. Ask: 'How is THIS poem like Sankranti?'
- Telugu vocabulary: 'Gadipapa' (kite), 'Galisalu' (wind).
- Activity: Bring a KITE to class. Describe it using WORDS from the poem.
- Writing task: 'Write a SHORT paragraph about your BEST kite-flying memory.'
- Discussion: 'Why do kites FALL? What does the wind have to do with it?' (Science connection)
12. Fun Activity
'Make a KITE — Write a POEM' Draw your OWN kite on paper. Colour it BRIGHTLY. Then write a SHORT 4-line poem about YOUR kite. Use at least TWO of these words: bright, soar, dive, dip, stream, breeze.
