Bihar Board Class 10th - English Poetry - Chapter 4: Thinner Than a Crescent NCERT Book

"Thinner Than a Crescent" is a poem by Gulzar that reflects on the delicate and fragile nature of human emotions and relationships. The poem uses the metaphor of a crescent moon to express feelings of longing, distance, and the elusive nature of connection, highlighting the thin line between presence and absence.

Key Points:

1. Metaphor of the Crescent Moon

   • The crescent moon symbolizes something delicate, thin, and barely perceptible, representing the fragile state of human emotions.
   • It conveys the idea of something that is present but not fully tangible, much like distant relationships or emotions that are difficult to grasp.

2. Fragility of Relationships

   • The poem speaks to the transient and fragile nature of relationships, where even a small shift can change the connection.
   • It suggests that sometimes, even the slightest emotional distance can seem vast.

3. Theme of Longing

   • The speaker reflects on the feeling of longing and desire, where the gap between two individuals seems like an infinite distance, even though it's just a thin line.
   • It conveys the aching and elusive quality of emotional bonds.

4. The Elusive Nature of Love

   • The poem explores love as something fragile, vulnerable to time and circumstance, and often difficult to define or hold onto.
   • The crescent moon also suggests the cyclical and changing nature of emotions.

5. Reflection on Human Emotions

   • The poem urges readers to reflect on their own emotional lives, the thin line between love and loss, and the subtle ways in which emotions shift.

Conclusion:

"Thinner Than a Crescent" by Gulzar explores the fragility and elusiveness of human emotions, using the crescent moon as a metaphor for the delicate nature of relationships and feelings. It highlights the thin line between presence and absence, love and loss.