Direction : Read the following poem and answer the question that follow

Now joy is born of parents poor,
And pleasure of our richer kind;
Though pleasure's free she cannot sing
As sweet a song as joy confined.

Pleasure's a Moth that sleeps by day
And dances by false glare at night;
But joy's a Butterfly, that loves
To spread it wings in Nature's light.

Joy's Like a Bee that gently sucks
Away on blossoms its sweet hour;
But pleasure's like a greedy wasp,
That plums and cherries would devour.

Joy's like a Lark that lives alone,
Whose ties are very strong though few;
But Pleasure like a Cuckoo roams,
Makes much acquaintance no friends true.

Joy from her heart doth sing at home,
With little care if others hear;
But pleasure then is cold and dumb,
And sings and laughs with strangers near

In the poem 'Joy' is compared with
a bird that sings :

Question

Direction : Read the following poem and answer the question that follow

Now joy is born of parents poor,
And pleasure of our richer kind;
Though pleasure's free she cannot sing
As sweet a song as joy confined.

Pleasure's a Moth that sleeps by day
And dances by false glare at night;
But joy's a Butterfly, that loves
To spread it wings in Nature's light.

Joy's Like a Bee that gently sucks
Away on blossoms its sweet hour;
But pleasure's like a greedy wasp,
That plums and cherries would devour.

Joy's like a Lark that lives alone,
Whose ties are very strong though few;
But Pleasure like a Cuckoo roams,
Makes much acquaintance no friends true.

Joy from her heart doth sing at home,
With little care if others hear;
But pleasure then is cold and dumb,
And sings and laughs with strangers near

In the poem 'Joy' is compared with
a bird that sings :

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 1:

The last stanza of the poem provides a direct answer to the question regarding the nature of Joy’s singing. The poem states: "Joy from her heart doth sing at home, / With little care if others hear; / But pleasure then is cold and dumb, / And sings and laughs with strangers near." This stanza draws a clear contrast between Joy and Pleasure, particularly in the motivation behind their expression. Joy sings "from her heart doth sing at home," which implies an internal motivation and a genuine, private expression of contentment. The crucial line, "With little care if others hear," reinforces the idea that Joy's song is primarily for itself—it is not performed for an audience or seeking external validation. The singing is a natural overflow of internal happiness. This concept aligns perfectly with Option 1, "for one's own self," suggesting that Joy's song is a spontaneous, heartfelt expression made without concern for the presence or approval of others. Furthermore, an earlier stanza compares Joy to a Lark: "Joy’s like a Lark that lives alone, / Whose ties are very strong though few." The Lark is known for its soaring, melodious song, and pairing this solitary bird with the lack of care about an audience solidifies the interpretation that Joy’s singing is fundamentally an act of self-expression and internal fulfillment, contrasting sharply with Pleasure’s performance for "strangers near."

The incorrect option is 2:

The poem explicitly contrasts the singing of Joy with the expression of Pleasure in the final stanza. Pleasure is the one that "sings and laughs with strangers near," indicating that its expression is public, performative, and dependent on an external audience ("strangers"). Therefore, comparing Joy's singing to being "for strangers" is a direct misinterpretation of the text, as this characteristic belongs to Pleasure, not Joy.

The incorrect option is 3:

The Cuckoo is mentioned in the poem, but it is used as a comparison for **Pleasure**, not Joy. The fourth stanza reads, "But Pleasure like a Cuckoo roams, / Makes much acquaintance no friends true." The Cuckoo, in this context, symbolizes the rootless, superficial nature of Pleasure, contrasting with the solitary, deeply tied nature of the Lark (Joy). Thus, Option 3 is incorrect as it confuses the comparison between the two central concepts.

The incorrect option is 4:

While the poem begins by noting that "joy is born of parents poor," this detail speaks to the *origin* or *source* of joy, establishing that true happiness does not require wealth. However, the question asks what Joy is compared with a bird that **sings for**, focusing on the purpose or audience of the song. The poem does not state that Joy sings *for* the poor parents; it states that Joy sings for itself, regardless of who is listening, making the option "for poor parents" irrelevant to the specific comparison of the bird's singing.