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Have you ever watched the fog roll in and cover everything in sight? Have you wondered how something so silent and soft can be so powerful? If you're studying Poem 9: Fog by Carl Sandburg in your Class 10 CBSE English textbook, you're about to explore how just a few simple lines can hold deep meaning.
In this poem, Sandburg uses a unique metaphor to describe the fog – comparing it to a cat. Through this comparison, he brings out the mysterious, gentle, and unpredictable nature of fog. But what makes this short poem so powerful? Why is it included in the CBSE syllabus? And how can you understand it better for your exams?
In this blog, we’ll break down the summary, poetic devices, central idea, and important questions from the poem in an easy-to-understand way. Whether you're revising before your English exam or just want to understand the poem more deeply, these CBSE Class 10 English notes will help you grasp all the key points without any confusion.
Fog Class 10 notes will provide a summary and topic-wise details to help students understand what the story is about. Below, we have provided the links to downloadable PDFs of chapter-wise Notes for class 10 English and that too for different categories of marks.
The poem Fog is just six lines long, but it’s full of meaning and imagery. Sandburg compares the movement and behaviour of fog to a cat. Just like a cat, fog arrives quietly, sits for a while, and then disappears without making a sound. Through this comparison, the poet encourages us to observe nature closely and appreciate its quiet moments.
About the Poet
Carl Sandburg was an American poet, biographer, and journalist known for his simple, free-verse poetry. He often wrote about nature and everyday life. In Fog, Sandburg uses very few words to express a much deeper meaning, showing how something as ordinary as fog can be viewed through a fresh, imaginative lens.
Message or Moral of the Poem
The poem gently reminds us that not all events in life are loud or dramatic. Some things happen quietly, yet leave a lasting impact. It encourages mindfulness and the ability to appreciate nature’s soft, graceful movements. It also shows the power of simplicity – how even a short poem can carry depth.
Central Idea
The poem shows how natural elements, like fog, have their own personality and mood. By comparing the fog to a cat, the poet highlights its gentle, quiet arrival and departure. It teaches us to observe nature closely and find beauty in small, everyday things.
The poem Fog beautifully captures the quiet arrival, presence, and departure of fog through the simple but striking image of a cat. Carl Sandburg reminds us that nature doesn’t always need to be loud or dramatic to be powerful or meaningful. There is beauty in stillness and calm observation.
It also teaches us that many moments in life are like fog – they arrive silently, affect us in subtle ways, and then pass on. It encourages us to pause and notice the quiet things around us, appreciating their unique presence.
Stanza 1:
“The fog comes
on little cat feet.”
Explanation:
In these opening lines, the poet introduces the fog in a very unusual and imaginative way. He compares the movement of fog to the quiet and graceful steps of a cat. Just as a cat walks silently without being noticed, the fog too arrives softly, without making any sound. This metaphor creates a gentle, mysterious image of fog entering a place without warning or noise.
The poet’s choice of words – “little cat feet” – makes us picture something delicate and cautious, reminding us of how nature can be powerful yet silent. The comparison also suggests that the fog moves smoothly and unnoticed, changing the atmosphere slowly and silently.
Stanza 2:
“It sits looking
over harbour and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.”
Explanation:
In this stanza, the fog is shown to pause and settle, much like a cat would. The phrase “It sits looking” gives the fog a watchful presence, as if it is calmly observing the city and harbour below. This personification makes the fog seem alive – like a quiet visitor who watches silently and keeps to himself.
The words “on silent haunches” add to the cat-like image. A cat often rests on its haunches – the upper part of its legs – when it pauses. Similarly, the fog appears to crouch silently over the area, covering everything under a thick blanket.
Finally, “and then moves on,” tells us that the fog does not stay forever. Just as quietly as it arrived, it left without any fuss. This line reflects the temporary nature of many things in life. Moments, feelings, and experiences can come and go, sometimes without us even realising at the time.
Fog is a short yet powerful poem written by Carl Sandburg. In just six lines, the poet beautifully captures how fog appears and disappears, using a unique comparison. He describes the fog as behaving like a cat – it comes silently, stays for a while, and then quietly moves away.
The poem begins by describing the fog creeping in “on little cat feet”. This means the fog enters softly and without warning, just like a cat walking silently. Then, the poet says the fog “sits looking over harbour and city”, which gives us the image of fog covering the area and quietly observing everything below. Finally, the fog moves on, disappearing as quietly as it came.
Through this simple comparison, the poet shows the calm, mysterious, and unpredictable nature of fog. There is no loud movement or sudden change. It reflects how nature can be gentle yet powerful. The poem also reminds us to observe the world around us more closely, even the quiet and still moments.
Sandburg uses no rhyming words or regular rhythm. This style is called free verse, which gives the poem a natural and flowing feel, much like the movement of fog itself.
In his short but powerful poem Fog, Carl Sandburg uses a range of poetic techniques to give the poem depth and meaning. Below are some of the key literary devices he uses:
Personification:
Sandburg brings the fog to life by giving it human-like qualities. He describes it as arriving "on little cat feet" and resting "on silent haunches," as though the fog is a living being with intent and character. This makes the fog feel more alive and almost conscious in its movements.
Simile:
The poet compares the arrival of the fog to the quiet steps of a cat, using the phrase "comes on little cat feet." This simile helps readers picture the fog’s quiet, graceful approach, adding a sense of calm and beauty to its presence.
Alliteration:
Sandburg uses alliteration in the phrase "silent haunches." The repetition of the 's' sound creates a soft, smooth rhythm that mirrors the gentle nature of the fog. This technique also adds to the musical quality of the poem.
Imagery:
The poem paints a vivid image of the fog settling over the harbour and city. This use of imagery helps the reader visualise the scene and feel the stillness and quiet observation that the fog brings. It contrasts with the usual hustle of urban life, highlighting the fog’s quiet, watchful nature.
Metaphor:
The fog is compared to a cat—not just in how it moves, but in how it behaves. This metaphor gives the fog a silent, mysterious personality, helping readers understand its nature in a more imaginative way.
Poem: Fog
Poet: Carl Sandburg
Textbook: First Flight (CBSE Class 10 English)
Short Yet Deep in Meaning
Fog is a short poem—only six lines long—but it carries a powerful message. It teaches students how even the simplest words can express deep thoughts. This makes it a perfect poem for understanding modern poetry and poetic devices.
Teaches Key Literary Devices
The poem uses important poetic techniques like:
These are commonly tested in exams, so understanding this poem helps students score better in literary analysis questions.
Appears Frequently in Exams
CBSE often asks questions from Fog in board exams, including:
Because it’s short and full of figurative language, it's a favourite for examiners.
Enhances Creative Thinking
The poem encourages students to think beyond literal meanings. Comparing fog to a cat helps students learn to:
These skills are useful not just for exams, but also for improving overall comprehension and writing abilities.
Supports Value-Based Learning
Fog teaches us to appreciate small, quiet moments in life. It shows that not everything important makes noise—some things arrive, affect us deeply, and leave without being noticed. This subtle life lesson adds value to the student's moral understanding, which is a focus in value-based education promoted by CBSE.
Poem 9: Fog is an important part of the Class 10 CBSE English syllabus because it combines short length, rich meaning, and strong literary value. By studying this poem, students prepare well for their exams and build their skills in interpretation, poetic analysis, and creative thinking—all essential for scoring high marks in the CBSE English board exam.
Poet: Carl Sandburg
Book: First Flight – CBSE Class 10 English
Misunderstanding the Main Metaphor
Mistake: Many students think the poem is literally about a cat or about animals.
Correction: The poem uses a metaphor. The fog is being compared to a cat because it moves silently and gently. There is no real cat in the poem.
Ignoring Poetic Devices
Mistake: Some students fail to identify or explain poetic devices like metaphor, personification, and imagery.
Correction: Learn how the fog is described like a cat (metaphor), as if it can sit and look around (personification), and how visual scenes are created (imagery). These are often asked in exams.
Writing Long, Unclear Explanations
Mistake: Students sometimes write lengthy answers without focusing on the actual meaning of the lines.
Correction: Be clear and to the point. Explain what the line means and which poetic device is used, if any. Don’t add unrelated information.
Confusing Free Verse with Lack of Structure
Mistake: Some think the poem has no structure because it doesn’t rhyme.
Correction: Fog is written in free verse, which means it has no rhyme scheme or fixed rhythm, but it still has meaning, flow, and deliberate word choice.
Missing the Underlying Message
Mistake: Students focus only on the literal image of fog and miss the deeper meaning.
Correction: Understand that the poem symbolises how some things in life arrive quietly, change the mood or environment, and then move on. It teaches observation and appreciation of subtle changes in nature and life.
Spelling and Grammar Errors in Answers
Mistake: Marks are often lost due to poor spelling, wrong punctuation, or incorrect sentence structure.
Correction: Use proper UK English grammar, correct spellings (like harbour not harbor), and write in complete, meaningful sentences.
Not Preparing for Extract-Based Questions
Mistake: Some students don’t practise extract-based questions, which are common in the board exams.
Correction: Be ready to explain the meaning of lines when given without the full poem, and know how to identify tone, theme, and poetic devices.
Avoiding these common mistakes in Fog (Poem 9, CBSE Class 10 English) will help you write clear, accurate answers and score higher marks in exams. Focus on understanding the main metaphor, poetic devices, theme, and tone of the poem. Remember, clarity and precision are key in literature answers.
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