Try Again

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CLASS VII English ~5 marks/year Ch 2 of 15
Try Again

Class 7 · English · NCERT chapter notes · Akanksha Classes

Snapshot
  • Type: A short inspirational poem in the new NEP Class 7 English reader Poorvi, written to encourage children never to give up.
  • Poet: The poem is the well-known motivational verse beginning ‘Tis a lesson you should heed’, often attributed to William Edward Hickson (a 19th-century English writer who popularised the saying ‘If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again’).
  • Central idea: Perseverance — failure is not final; if we keep trying with courage and patience, we will finally succeed.
  • Refrain: The line ‘Try, try again’ is repeated at the end of each stanza, hammering home the message of persistence.
  • Theme: Hard work, courage and a positive attitude defeat failure; quitting is the only real defeat.
  • Tone & mood: Cheerful, encouraging and confident — the poem speaks directly to the reader like a kind teacher.
  • Form: Simple rhyming stanzas with an easy, song-like rhythm that makes the lesson stick in the memory.
  • Exam weightage: ~5 marks — central idea, stanza explanation, literary devices, and comprehension MCQs.
Detailed Notes

1. About the poet & the poem

‘Try Again’ is a famous short motivational poem that has cheered children for almost two centuries. It is the verse that gave us the well-known proverb ‘If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.’ The poem is usually attributed to William Edward Hickson (1803–1870), an English educational writer who did much to spread this encouraging saying.

The poem is included in Poorvi because its message suits young learners perfectly: school, sports and life are full of small failures, and children need to learn that failure is a step towards success, not the end of the road. The poem is short, simple and repetitive, which makes it easy to remember and recite — almost like a friendly chant of encouragement.

2. Central idea

The central idea of ‘Try Again’ is perseverance: no matter how many times we fail, we must keep trying. Courage, patience and steady effort turn failure into success. The only true failure is to stop trying.

The poet wants young readers to understand that everyone fails at first. What separates those who succeed from those who do not is the willingness to get up and try again. The poem builds confidence by promising that effort, in the end, will be rewarded.

3. Stanza-wise explanation

Stanza 1 — The lesson of trying

The poet says it is a lesson we should learn: if at first we do not succeed, we should try, try again. If we lose courage and feel we cannot do something, we should remember that persistence brings victory. Should we fail, the wise thing is not to despair but to try once more.

Stanza 2 — Twice and thrice

The poet continues that once or twice may not be enough — even if we fail again, we should try yet again. With patience and courage we can overcome difficulties. Repeated effort wears down the hardest problem. The message is that one or two attempts are never the limit; we must keep going.

Stanza 3 — Hope and reward

The final stanza is full of hope: if we keep trying with a brave heart, success is sure to come. The poet assures us that the prize we seek will be ours if only we do not give up. The repeated refrain ‘Try, try again’ closes the poem on a note of cheerful confidence.

Overall flow: the poem moves from the first failure, through repeated attempts, to the promised reward — mirroring exactly the journey a learner takes from struggle to success.

4. Theme & message

  • Perseverance: Keep trying; do not quit after one failure.
  • Courage: Face difficulties bravely instead of losing heart.
  • Patience: Success often takes time and many attempts.
  • Positive attitude: Treat failure as a lesson and a step forward, not as a defeat.
  • Self-belief: Believe that effort will be rewarded, and it usually is.

The poem’s message is timeless and practical: whether learning to ride a cycle, solving a hard sum, or playing a sport, repeated honest effort is the surest path to success.

5. Literary devices

Refrain / Repetition: The phrase ‘Try, try again’ is repeated at the end of each stanza. This repetition is the poem’s heartbeat — it drives the message deep into the reader’s mind and gives the poem its memorable, chant-like quality.

Rhyme: The poem uses a simple, regular rhyme scheme (lines rhyme in pairs), giving it a song-like musical rhythm that children can recite easily.

Direct address: The poet speaks straight to the reader (‘you should…’), as a kind teacher or friend, which makes the encouragement feel personal.

Alliteration: The repeated ‘t’ sound in ‘try, try’ adds emphasis and energy.

Simple diction: The plain, everyday words suit a children’s motivational poem and make the lesson clear to all.

6. Tone, mood & style

The tone is encouraging, hopeful and confident, as if a wise elder is gently urging a child not to give up. The mood created in the reader is one of cheerful determination — after reading it, one feels ready to face difficulties bravely.

The style is deliberately simple: short lines, easy words, a steady rhythm and a repeated refrain. This simplicity is the poem’s strength, because the lesson of perseverance is meant to be remembered and used in daily life, not merely admired.

7. Word meanings (glossary)

  • Heed — to pay careful attention to; to follow advice.
  • Succeed — to achieve what one is trying to do.
  • Persevere / persistence — to keep trying steadily in spite of difficulty.
  • Courage — bravery; the strength to face fear or difficulty.
  • Patience — the ability to wait and keep calm while working hard.
  • Despair — to lose all hope.
  • Refrain — a line or phrase repeated in a poem or song.
  • Reward / prize — the good result earned through effort.
  • Conquer / overcome — to defeat a difficulty.
  • Endeavour — an earnest attempt or effort.
Model answers (textbook-style)
Model answer — What is the central message of ‘Try Again’?

The central message is perseverance: if we fail at first, we must not give up but keep trying again and again. With courage and patience, repeated effort turns failure into success. The poet assures us that the reward we seek will be ours if only we refuse to quit. The only real failure is to stop trying.

Model answer — Why is the line ‘Try, try again’ repeated?

The line is repeated as a refrain at the end of each stanza to drive home the poem’s single, powerful idea — persistence. The repetition makes the poem rhythmic and easy to remember, and each time it returns it grows stronger, like a cheerful chant urging the reader on. It reminds us that trying again is the key to every success.

Model answer — What qualities does the poem ask us to develop?

The poem asks us to develop courage to face difficulties, patience to keep working without losing calm, and perseverance to keep trying even after repeated failure. It also asks for a positive attitude — treating failure as a lesson and a step forward — and self-belief that effort will finally be rewarded.

Model answer (long) — How does the poem give hope to someone who has failed?

The poem comforts a person who has failed by changing the way they see failure. Instead of treating failure as the end, it presents it as a natural first step on the road to success: ‘if at first you don’t succeed’, simply try again. Through its three stanzas it walks the reader from the first failure, through repeated attempts made with patience and courage, to the promised reward at the end. The repeated refrain ‘Try, try again’ acts like an encouraging voice that never lets the reader sink into despair. By speaking directly and simply, the poet makes the encouragement feel personal, so anyone who has failed is left feeling brave enough to rise and try once more.

Practice MCQs
1. ‘Try Again’ is a poem about:
  1. Giving up after failure
  2. Perseverance and never giving up
  3. Becoming rich quickly
  4. Travelling the world
Answer: (B) The poem is about perseverance — trying again and again.
2. The poem is usually attributed to:
  1. William Wordsworth
  2. William Edward Hickson
  3. Robert Frost
  4. Rabindranath Tagore
Answer: (B) It is attributed to William Edward Hickson.
3. The repeated line at the end of each stanza is:
  1. ‘Never mind’
  2. ‘Try, try again’
  3. ‘Give it up’
  4. ‘Run away’
Answer: (B) The refrain is ‘Try, try again’.
4. A line or phrase repeated through a poem is called a:
  1. Stanza
  2. Refrain
  3. Simile
  4. Pun
Answer: (B) Such a repeated line is called a refrain.
5. According to the poem, what should we do if we fail at first?
  1. Cry and stop
  2. Try again with courage
  3. Blame others
  4. Wait for luck
Answer: (B) We should keep trying again with courage.
6. Which qualities does the poem say will help us overcome difficulty?
  1. Patience and courage
  2. Anger and pride
  3. Fear and worry
  4. Laziness and luck
Answer: (A) Patience and courage help us overcome difficulties.
7. The poet promises that if we keep trying, we will finally:
  1. Lose everything
  2. Succeed and gain our reward
  3. Become tired only
  4. Need no more effort ever
Answer: (B) Continued effort brings success and reward.
8. According to the poem, the only real failure is to:
  1. Make a mistake
  2. Stop trying
  3. Ask for help
  4. Take a rest
Answer: (B) Giving up — stopping trying — is the only true failure.
9. The famous proverb that comes from this poem is:
  1. ‘Look before you leap’
  2. ‘If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again’
  3. ‘A stitch in time saves nine’
  4. ‘Better late than never’
Answer: (B) The proverb comes directly from this poem.
10. The tone of the poem is:
  1. Sad and gloomy
  2. Encouraging and hopeful
  3. Angry and harsh
  4. Frightening
Answer: (B) The tone is encouraging, hopeful and confident.
11. The repetition of the ‘t’ sound in ‘try, try’ is an example of:
  1. Alliteration
  2. Metaphor
  3. Hyperbole
  4. Irony
Answer: (A) Repetition of the same starting sound is alliteration.
12. The word ‘heed’ in the poem means:
  1. To ignore
  2. To pay careful attention to
  3. To forget
  4. To laugh at
Answer: (B) ‘Heed’ means to pay careful attention to.
13. Why is the poem easy to remember?
  1. It is very long
  2. It has simple words, rhyme and a repeated refrain
  3. It uses difficult vocabulary
  4. It has no rhythm
Answer: (B) Simple words, rhyme and the repeated refrain make it memorable.
14. The poem speaks to the reader as if the poet were a:
  1. Stranger who scolds
  2. Kind teacher or friend
  3. Distant king
  4. Silent observer
Answer: (B) The direct address makes the poet sound like a kind teacher or friend.
15. The best real-life example of the poem’s lesson is:
  1. Giving up cycling after one fall
  2. Learning to cycle by trying again after each fall
  3. Refusing to attempt a hard sum
  4. Copying answers from a friend
Answer: (B) Trying again after each fall shows the poem’s message of perseverance.
Important Questions
Q1. Explain the central idea of the poem ‘Try Again’. (5 marks)
Answer: The central idea is perseverance. The poet teaches that failure is not the end but a first step towards success. If we fail, we must not lose heart but keep trying with courage and patience. Repeated honest effort wears down every difficulty, and the reward we seek will finally be ours. The only true failure is to give up — so we must always try, try again.
Q2. What role does the refrain play in the poem? (3 marks)
Answer: The refrain ‘Try, try again’ appears at the end of every stanza. It hammers the central message of persistence into the reader’s mind, gives the poem a song-like, memorable rhythm, and acts like an encouraging voice that grows stronger each time, urging the reader never to give up.
Q3. Identify and explain two literary devices used in the poem. (3 marks)
Answer: (i) Refrain/Repetition — ‘Try, try again’ is repeated to stress perseverance and aid memory. (ii) Rhyme — the regular rhyme scheme gives the poem a musical, chant-like rhythm that children can recite easily. Alliteration in ‘try, try’ also adds energy and emphasis.
Q4. How does the poem help a discouraged student? (5 marks)
Answer: The poem changes how a discouraged student sees failure, presenting it as a natural first step rather than the end. It promises that patient, courageous, repeated effort leads to success and reward. Its simple, direct words and cheerful refrain act like a friend’s encouragement, lifting the student’s spirit and giving the confidence to rise and try once more.
Q5. Why is the poem’s simplicity considered its strength? (3 marks)
Answer: The poem’s short lines, easy words, steady rhythm and repeated refrain make its lesson clear to every reader and easy to remember. Because the message of perseverance is meant to be used in daily life, this simplicity ensures the lesson sticks in the mind and can be recalled whenever one feels like giving up.
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