CHILDHOOD (Hornbill)

By Markus Natten , (born 23 June 1975) is an Australian writer. He is best known for The Book Thief and The Messenger (US title, I Am the Messenger), two novels by Markus Natten.

When did my childhood go? 

Was it the day I ceased to be eleven, 

Was it the time I realised that Hell and Heaven, 

Could not be found in Geography, 

And therefore could not be, 

Was that the day! 

When did my childhood go? 

Was it the time I realised that adults were not 

all they seemed to be, 

They talked of love and preached of love, 

But did not act so lovingly, 

Was that the day! 

When did my childhood go? 

Was it when I found my mind was really mine, 

To use whichever way I choose, 

Producing thoughts that were not those of other people 

But my own, and mine alone 

Was that the day! 

Where did my childhood go? 

It went to some forgotten place, 

That’s hidden in an infant’s face, 

That’s all I know. 

1. What are the hall marks of growing up according to Markus Natten?
According to the poem, the process of growing up involves the attainment of mental maturity and loss of innocence and simplicity. A person is said to be grown up when he has become logical, rational and is able to build his own thoughts.
2. Explain the refrain used in the poem.

Refrain: The repetition of the lines; usually at the end or the beginning of the poem is called the “refrain” Refrains carries the central message of the poem. Here, the lines “When did my childhood go?” and “was that the day” are examples of refrain. The first refrain is the central theme of the poem as to when have the poet lost his childhood while the second refrain ends with an exclamation which brings out the poet’s realization. 

3. What is the theme of the poem?

Theme: The poem, “Childhood” focuses on the theme of the loss of innocence. Markus Natten, the poet wonders when and where he lost his childhood. He ponders over this question and highlights the loss of innocence and faith in the quest of growing up. Adolescence or childhood is a puzzling time when a child is unable to settle with the physical, psychological and other changes in his personality. He becomes a “young adult”; he neither wants to call himself a child nor is he completely an adult. He finally finds his answers that he lost his childhood to some forgotten place and that his childhood has become a memory. 

4. Why is Age eleven so important for the poet?

Age eleven is so important for the poet because at this age he was able to mark the difference between fact and fiction. The poet also feels scared and is worried because he thinks that with the end of his childhood, he has lost his innocence and purity of thoughts. 

5. What according to the poet is involved in the process of growing up?

According to the poet, the process of growing up one has to to pass through different stages. The first stage is when one starts differentiating between reality and imaginative realms. The stage where the child is able to rationalize. The second stage is the realization of hypocrite behaviour of the adults. In the third stage the child develops the quality of individualism. The poet while growing up realizes that his mind is powerful and it takes its own decisions. His own opinions and thoughts have earned him individuality free from the biased notions of others. This is when he thinks that his individuality and experiences have taken away the childhood from him. 

6. The poet says “my mind was really mine” why does he say so?

The line in the question actually means that “I can take my decisions myself and can think independently and I am free to think whatever I want" the poet is thinking that becoming a grown up man made him a free man as now he doesn't have to take the opinion of others and his mind is unique. 

7. What is the poet’s feeling towards childhood?

The poem deals with the poet’s curiosity to when actually an individual ceases to be a child. He wonders whether it is the age or the stage when one realises that he has left behind his childhood and stepped into the world of adolescence. Finally he concludes that his childhood has gone hiding into some forgotten place. It can be found in an infant’s face.