Malu Bhalu

Summary 

This poem talks about a bear and how she is ambitious and wants to see more and how her mom guides her throughout her journey and helps her do what she wants. Her name was Malu Bhalu and she was a clever girl and she wanted to know and see beyond the blue skies. 

Stanza by stanza explanation 

High up in an icy lair
Lived a little polar bear
Snow white, snow bright was her mane,
Malu Bhalu was her name.

In the first stanza, the poet has just given us a little introduction to who Malu Bhalu and what she looks like. He also describes the way she looks and where she stays so in the first stanza we get introduced to the bear and her surroundings.

Very soon our Malu Bhalu
Learnt the things her parents knew.
Fish to catch, big and small...
Malu was a clever girl.

In the second stanza, the poet tells us about how Malu is a very clever girl and how she picked up whatever her parents were doing very fast for example she learnt how to catch fish big and small.

Malu said to her mother one day:
Ma, I’m going far out to play.
I want to see the things that lie.

In the fourth stanza, Malu is asking her mom if she can go far away to play and she says that she wants to know and see how things outside function.

There beyond the big blue sky.
A little patience, child, said Mum,
In the summer when next it comes.
Summer?... Patience?... What a test!
Malu simply could not rest.

In the fourth stanza, the mother is telling Malu about she needs to wait for the summer and how right now she can't go. Malu could not wait she wanted to go and see what all was there and she had to be patient.

First things first! Malu’s mum
Clasped Malu tight within her arms.
Then she said — her voice was firm
Now my dear you’ll have to swim

In the fifth stanza, Malu's mom says in a firm voice that she would have to learn how to swim and she had hugged Malu tight around her arms.

But Ma! said Malu, what do I know?
How will I? I’ve never swum before!
Don’t worry dear, said Malu’s mother,
Do as I do, that’s all, she advised her.

In the sixth stanza, Malu said to her mom I don't know how to swim how do you expect me to swim and her mother replied saying don't worry and she says to follow her and she will be good.

She had no choice, no other way,
Malu had to swim that day.
Tight she gripped her mother’s hand,
Into the water splash! to land.

In the seventh stanza, Malu knew she had to swim that day she had no other option so she grabbed her mother's hand tight and jumped into the water both Malu and her mother.

Brave mother’s brave young daughter!
Doubt and fear she left behind her.
Malu swam with all her might,
It didn't matter wrong or right.

In the eighth stanza, Malu and her mother swam and Malu was not at all scared she left it all behind Malu just swam she did,t even know if it was right or wrong she just swam.

But swimming came so naturally,
Her mother knew this and all could see.
Fearless was Malu, this she knew,
Not just brave, but special too.

In the ninth stanza, the mother knew that Malu was brave fearless but she was also special cause for something as difficult as swimming to do it so easily she had to be special.