Chapter 11: The Winner
In this short poem by Georgia Heard, children play ball every evening until the dark creeps in, and the winner turns out to be Night! Read the poem in your Poorvi book, then use these topics to understand it, explore repetition and personification, and talk and write about your own playtime.
In this chapter you will
- understand the poem and its surprise ending
- explain the meaning of key lines
- identify repetition, line patterns and personification
- name water bodies and indigenous games
- role-play and write a paragraph about playtime
Topics
- Read: The Poem NCERT pp. 115–117
Children play ball every evening by a creek until it gets too dark.
- Think and Reflect NCERT pp. 116–118
The poem's lines show evening turning to night and the children tiring.
- Words: Poetic Devices and Water Bodies NCERT pp. 118–119
Repetition and line patterns create feelings; personification gives human actions to things (Night wins!).
- Speak and Write NCERT pp. 120–121
Role-plays: apologise politely, share excitement, introduce and welcome.
Key words
- Creek
- a small stream
- Repetition
- saying a word again and again for effect
- Personification
- giving human qualities to things
- Indigenous
- native to a region
- Breathless
- out of breath
Summary
- Children play ball every evening by a creek until night ends their game: "Night wins!"
- The poem uses a one-word-per-line pattern for breathlessness and personification for night and trees.
- Water bodies include creeks, rivers and ponds; kho-kho and kabaddi are indigenous games.