Learn about ‘Protection,’ a poem from the Class 6 English Bosem syllabus, with a detailed summary, questions and answers. It is perfect for students to understand the poem’s meaning and themes of gratitude, protection, and virtue.
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Protection
My God and ancestors
I thank you
For letting me see this day;
May I continue to see more
Till my hair becomes white;
May the hoe never cut my feet;
Protect me and my household
From evil man and spirits;
I wish no man evil,
But anyone says I have lived too long,
Let him go before me to see
What it is like in the land of the dead;
The man who holds on to owho
Cannot get lost in his journey
-An Igbo traditional verse translated by R.N Edugu
The substance of the poem “Protection:
‘Protection’ is a poem translated from an Igbo traditional verse by R.N. Egudu. In this poem, he thanks his God and his ancestors for letting him see a new day and for protecting him and his family from evil men and spirits. He prays to them to continue protecting him and his household so that he may live until he attains a ripe old age. If anyone complains about his long life, he wishes that person to go ahead to see the land of the dead. As a righteous man, he wishes no evil and hopes that he will never get lost in the journey of his life.
Questions and Answers
The Questions and Answers for the chapter Protection for class 6 English chapter 18 are as follows.
I. Answer the following questions:
Q.1. Why does the poet thank his God and ancestors?
Ans: The poet thanks his God and ancestors for letting him see this day through their protection and grace.
Q.2. What does the poet mean by “letting me see this day”?
Ans: The poet means that by the grace of his God and ancestors, he has been able to live till the present day without any mishaps.
Q.3. What does the poet mean by “continue to see more”?
Ans: The poet means that he wants to live a very long life and see more of this world.
Q.4. What does the poet mean by “Till my hair becomes white”?
Ans: By this, the poet means that he wants to live till he reaches a ripe old age when death becomes inevitable.
Q.5. What does the poet say about evil men and spirits?
Ans: The poet prays to God and his ancestors to protect him and his household from evil men and evil spirits.
Q.6. What does “the land of the dead” mean?
Ans: “The land of the dead” refers to the other world where a person is supposed to go after death.
Q.7. What, according to the poet, does “the man who holds to Owho” mean?
Ans: “The man who holds to Owho” refers to a righteous man who sticks to the path of virtue.
II. Explain the meaning of the following lines:
Protect me and my household From evil men and spirits; I wish no man evil.
Ans: In the above lines, the poet prays to God and his ancestors to continue protecting him and his household from evil men and spirits, as he himself is a person who does no harm.
But if anyone says I have lived too long, Let him go before me to see What it is like in the land of the dead.
Ans: In this line, the poet expresses his desire to live a long life, and if anyone complains about his long life, he prays to let them go ahead of him to see the land where dead people live.
The man who holds on to Owho cannot get lost in his journey.
Ans: These lines mean that a righteous man who sticks to the path of virtue will never get lost in the journey of life.
