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Short Summary of the Poem: Childhood
The poet Markus Natten asks himself, “When did my childhood go?” He tries to find the exact moment when he stopped being a child. He thinks maybe it was when he turned twelve years old. That is when many children start growing up.
He also thinks it might have been the time when he learned that Heaven and Hell are not real places. He says they are not shown in Geography, so maybe they don’t exist. This new understanding made him lose some of his childhood beliefs.
Next, he thinks he may have lost his childhood when he realised that adults are not always right. They talk about love, but they don’t always show love in their actions. This truth hurt him and changed how he looked at grown-ups.
Then, he remembers another big moment. It was when he understood that his mind was his own. He could think for himself and make his own choices. That was a big step in growing up.
In the end, the poet says his childhood has gone to a forgotten place. Now, he only sees that pure and innocent smile on the face of a little baby. Childhood is lost, but its sweetness stays in the face of infants.
Detailed Summary of the Poem: Childhood
1. A Big Question in the Poet’s Mind: The poet Markus Natten begins the poem with a question: “When did my childhood go?”
He is thinking deeply and trying to remember the exact time when he stopped feeling like a child. Childhood, for him, was full of innocence, dreams, and joy. But one day, it was gone, and he wanted to know when that happened.
2. The Day He Turned Twelve: The poet thinks maybe his childhood ended when he stopped being eleven and turned twelve years old. This is the time when most children begin to grow up and enter a new phase of life called adolescence. At this age, they start thinking more seriously and begin to understand things better. So, this could be the day when he lost his childhood.
3. Learning That Heaven and Hell Are Not Real: He then remembers learning something important at school — that Heaven and Hell cannot be found on a map. In Geography, he never saw these places marked anywhere. This made him realize that they may not exist at all. This truth made him question the things he believed in as a child. He wonders, “Was that the day my childhood ended?”
4. The Truth About Adults: The poet shares another moment that may have taken away his childhood — the day he found out that adults are not always what they seem. As a child, he thought grown-ups were full of love and always kind. But later, he saw that many adults say nice things but don’t act nicely. This is called hypocrisy. Learning this made him feel disappointed and more grown-up.
5. Discovering His Own Mind: Next, the poet talks about a time when he realised his thoughts were his own. He understood that he could think freely and make his own choices. This was a big moment — he was no longer copying others. He became more independent. This change also showed that his childhood had ended.
6. Where Is Childhood Now?
In the end, the poet asks, “Where did my childhood go?” He says it has gone to some forgotten place. But he knows where he can still see it — in the smiling face of a small baby. That innocent, happy face reminds him of the pure joy he once had.
7. What the Poem Teaches: The poem tells us that growing up brings changes. We lose our simple and happy way of looking at the world. We learn hard truths and become more serious. But we should always remember how beautiful childhood was and try to keep some of that innocence in our hearts.
Pointwise Summary of the Poem: Childhood
1. The poet Markus Natten wonders when his childhood disappeared.
2. He thinks maybe it ended when he turned twelve years old.
3. He learned that Heaven and Hell are not real places as they don’t appear in Geography.
4. This new learning made him question what he used to believe.
5. He also saw that adults say one thing but do another.
6. He realised that many adults are not always honest or loving.
7. Another change came when he understood his mind was his own.
8. He discovered he could think and decide on his own.
9. He says his childhood is gone and cannot come back.
10. He finds its memory only in the innocent face of a little child.
