The Seedling – Paul Larence

The Poem

As a quiet little seedling
Lay within its darksome bed,
To itself it fell a-talking,
And this is what it said:

“I am not so very robust,
But I’ll do the best I can;”
And the seedling from that moment
Its work of life began.

So it pushed a little leaflet
Up into the light of day,
To examine the surroundings
And show the rest the way.

The leaflet liked the prospect,
So it called its brother,
Stem; Then two other leaflets heard it,
And quickly followed them.

To be sure, the haste and hurry
Made the seedling sweat and pant;
But almost before it knew it
It found itself a plant.

The sunshine poured upon it,
And the clouds they gave a shower;
And the little plant kept growing
Till it found itself a flower.

Little folks, be like the seedling,
Always do the best you can;
Every child must share life’s labour
Just as well as every man.

And the sun and showers will help you
Through the lonesome, struggling hours,
Till you raise to light and beauty
Virtue’s fair, unfading flowers.

Let’s Rewind and Rejoice

1. What triggered the seedling’s ‘work of life’?
   The seedling decided to do its best, even though it was small and weak.
2. What is inspiring about the seedling’s attitude to life?
   It didn’t give up. It worked hard and kept growing step by step.
3. Why was the seedling in a hurry to come out of the earth?
   It wanted to see the world and help other parts of the plant grow too.
4. How is the growth of the plant described in the poem?
   It started as a seed, grew leaflets and a stem, and finally became a flower.
5. What message does the seedling give us?
   Always try your best, work hard, and you will grow into something beautiful.

Activity 1 – Discus

1. How does the poem relate to the challenges of life?
   The poem shows how life begins with uncertainty and struggle, just like the seedling buried in darkness. It faces challenges—pushing through soil, growing leaflets, and becoming a flower. These steps reflect the hardships people face while growing and learning. The poem teaches that with effort and patience, even tough times can lead to success. Sunshine and showers symbolize good and bad days, reminding us that both are needed for growth and strength in life.
2. What does the poem tell us about the importance of self-motivation to achieve success?
   The seedling starts its journey by saying, “I’ll do the best I can.” This simple line shows the power of self-motivation. Without waiting for help, it begins to grow, explore, and lead others. The poem teaches that believing in yourself and taking the first step is key to success. Even when things are hard, like sweating and panting, the seedling keeps going. It becomes a flower, proving that inner drive and effort lead to achievement.

Activity 2 – Poetic Devices

Imagery

Imagery is the use of vivid and descriptive language to create pictures in the reader’s mind.

Examples:

• “As a quiet little seedling lay within its darksome bed” – creates a picture of a small seed underground.
• “So it pushed a little leaflet up into the light of day” – shows the seedling breaking through the soil.
• “The sunshine poured upon it, and the clouds they gave a shower” – evokes the nurturing environment of nature.

Alliteration

Alliteration is the repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of nearby words.

Examples:

• “darksome bed” – repetition of the ‘d’ sound.
• “sunshine shower” – repetition of the ‘s’ sound.
• “sweat and pant” – repetition of the ‘s’ and ‘p’ sounds.
• “leaflet liked” – repetition of the ‘l’ sound.

Rhyme Scheme

The rhyme scheme is the pattern of rhyming words at the end of lines.

Examples: The poem follows a regular rhyme scheme, mostly in ABAB pattern.

• “bed” (A) / “said” (B)
• “can” (A) / “began” (B)
• “day” (A) / “way” (B)
• “Stem” (A) / “them” (B)

This pattern continues throughout most of the poem, giving it a musical and flowing rhythm.

Activity 3 Appreciation

Paul Laurence Dunbar’s The Seedling is a gentle and uplifting poem that uses the journey of a tiny seed to reflect the challenges and triumphs of human life. The central theme is growth through perseverance. The seedling, though small and unsure, chooses to do its best. This mirrors how people, especially children, must face life’s struggles with courage and determination.

The tone of the poem is hopeful and encouraging. Dunbar speaks with warmth and kindness, guiding young readers to believe in themselves. The poem’s message is clear: hard work, patience, and self-belief lead to success and beauty.

Dunbar uses several poetic devices to enrich the poem:

• Imagery: Vivid pictures like “pushed a little leaflet up into the light of day” help readers visualize the seedling’s journey.
• Alliteration: Phrases like “sunshine shower” and “sweat and pant” add musical quality and emphasis.
• Rhyme Scheme: The regular ABAB pattern gives the poem a smooth, rhythmic flow, making it pleasant to read aloud.

Overall, The Seedling is a beautiful poem that teaches a timeless lesson: even the smallest effort, when done with heart, can lead to something wonderful.

Activity 4 Paragraph

The unit highlights the need for social entrepreneurship and the readiness to turn challenges into opportunities to solve social problems. In the light of your reading of the passages and the poem, write a paragraph on the importance of self-motivation for success in life.

Self-motivation is one of the most important qualities a person can have to succeed in life. It means having the inner strength to keep going, even when things are difficult. When we are self-motivated, we do not wait for others to push us—we take the first step ourselves. The poem The Seedling shows this clearly. The small seedling, though weak and alone in the dark soil, decides to do its best. It begins to grow, slowly and steadily, facing challenges along the way. It does not give up, even when the work is hard. This teaches us that success does not come easily, but with effort and belief in ourselves, we can achieve great things. Just like the seedling becomes a beautiful flower, we too can grow and shine if we stay motivated. Self-motivation helps us turn problems into chances to learn and improve. It gives us the courage to try, the patience to wait, and the strength to keep going. In life, whether we are studying, working, or helping others, self-motivation helps us move forward and reach our goals.