Class 10 English — First Flight (Poetry): Poem 9 — Fog
by Carl Sandburg
NCERT Questions & Answers + Important Extra Questions
NCERT Textbook Questions
What does Sandburg think the fog is like?
Answer
Carl Sandburg compares the fog to a cat. He uses an extended metaphor throughout the poem without ever naming the cat directly: (i) The fog comes "on little cat feet" — it arrives silently, softly, and stealthily, just like a cat. (ii) It "sits looking over harbour and city on silent haunches" — it settles over the landscape quietly, like a cat sitting on its haunches and observing everything around it. (iii) "And then moves on" — the fog departs just as quietly and suddenly as it arrived, like a cat that leaves without warning. The comparison captures the fog's key qualities: silence, softness, mystery, and impermanence.
Does the__( poem have a__( rhyme scheme?
Answer
No, the poem does not have a regular rhyme scheme. It is written in free verse — there is no fixed pattern of end rhymes (none of the line endings rhyme with each other: "feet / city / haunches / on"). Free verse was characteristic of Carl Sandburg's style. The absence of rhyme mirrors the fog itself — it is natural, unstructured, free-flowing, like fog drifting without fixed direction. The poem also has no fixed metre or line length, adding to its informal, observational tone.
Does this__( poem have__( three stanzas?
Answer
The poem is extremely short — only six lines. It can be divided into three parts (though not necessarily three stanzas in the traditional sense): (i) Lines 1-2 (Arrival): "The fog comes / on little cat feet." — the fog arrives silently. (ii) Lines 3-5 (Presence): "It sits looking / over harbour and city / on silent haunches" — the fog settles and observes. (iii) Line 6 (Departure): "and then moves on" — the fog leaves. These three parts mirror a cat's behaviour: arriving, sitting/watching, and leaving. The brevity of the poem itself reflects the transient nature of fog — it comes and goes quickly, and so does the poem.
Important Extra Questions
What poetic devices are used in the poem?
Answer
(i) Extended Metaphor: The entire poem is a sustained comparison of fog to a cat, without using "like" or "as" — making it a metaphor, not a simile. (ii) Personification: The fog "sits" and "looks" — given human-like qualities of observation and rest. (iii) Imagery: "Little cat feet," "silent haunches," "harbour and city" — vivid sensory images. (iv) Free Verse: No rhyme, no fixed metre — reflecting the formless, free nature of fog. (v) Brevity: The poem's extreme shortness (6 lines) is itself a device — it mimics the briefness of fog's visit.
Why is the cat an apt comparison for fog?
Answer
The cat is an ideal comparison because: (i) Silent movement: Cats walk softly on padded feet — fog arrives without sound. (ii) Stealthy arrival: Cats appear suddenly without warning — fog rolls in unexpectedly. (iii) Quiet observation: Cats sit and watch their surroundings — fog blankets the city and harbour. (iv) Independent departure: Cats leave whenever they wish — fog lifts and moves on without notice. (v) Soft, gentle presence: Cats are soft-furred — fog is misty and gentle. (vi) Mystery: Cats are associated with mystery and inscrutability — fog obscures vision and creates an atmosphere of mystery. Both fog and cats are quiet, independent, transient, and enigmatic.
Write the central idea of the poem.
Answer
The central idea is the beauty and mystery in everyday natural phenomena. Sandburg takes something ordinary — fog rolling into a city — and transforms it into something poetic by comparing it to a cat. The poem suggests that (i) nature has grace and elegance even in its simplest forms, (ii) natural events are temporary and impermanent — the fog comes and goes, just as all things do, (iii) there is beauty in brevity — the shortest poem can capture a complete, vivid experience. The poem also reflects the Imagist movement in poetry — focusing on precise, clear images rather than elaborate descriptions or philosophical commentary.