Fog — Class 10 English
First Flight – Poems · Chapter 8
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Chapter summary
Carl Sandburg’s “Fog” is a very short imagist poem that compares the fog to a cat. In just a few lines, the poet says the fog comes on “little cat feet”, silently and softly, the way a cat moves without a sound. It sits looking over the harbour and the city on its silent haunches, just as a cat sits quietly observing its surroundings, and then it moves on. Through this single, vivid metaphor, Sandburg captures the quiet, gentle and fleeting nature of fog — the way it arrives unnoticed, settles over a place for a while, and then drifts away. The poem is admired for showing how a powerful image can convey a whole idea in very few words, and it is a fine example of imagery and personification, comparing a natural phenomenon to a familiar living creature.
The story in steps
- The fog arrives quietly and softly, like a cat walking on little feet.
- It reaches the harbour without making any sound.
- It also covers the city in the same silent way.
- The fog pauses and seems to sit on its haunches like a cat.
- It looks over the harbour and the city for a while.
- Then it moves away quietly, just as it came.
Fog compared to a catMetaphor and imageryPersonificationBrevity of imagist poetryQuiet, fleeting nature
Key ideas & terms
- Fog
- The natural phenomenon compared to a cat.
- Metaphor
- The comparison of the fog to a cat throughout the poem.
- “Little cat feet”
- The image of the fog arriving silently like a cat.
- Imagery
- The vivid picture created in very few words.
- Personification
- Giving the fog cat-like, living qualities.
- Carl Sandburg
- The poet who wrote “Fog”.
शब्दार्थ · Word meanings
- comes
- arrives
- little cat feet
- soft, silent movement like a cat
- harbour
- place where ships stay
- sits
- stays in one place
- looking
- watching
- over
- above; covering from high up
- silent
- without any sound
- haunches
- back legs and hips of an animal
- then
- after that
- moves on
- goes away; passes on
Extra questions & answers
To what does the poet compare the fog?
The poet compares the fog to a cat throughout the poem.
What does “the fog comes on little cat feet” mean?
It means the fog arrives silently, softly and unnoticed, just as a cat moves without making a sound.
How does the fog behave like a cat in the poem?
It comes silently, sits looking over the harbour and city on its silent haunches, and then moves on, like a cat sitting and then leaving.
What qualities of the fog does the comparison capture?
Its quiet, gentle, silent and fleeting nature — arriving unnoticed, settling for a while, and then drifting away.
What poetic devices are used in “Fog”?
Mainly metaphor (fog as a cat), imagery and personification.
Why is “Fog” called an imagist poem?
Because it conveys a whole idea and picture through a single, sharp image in very few words.
What does the fog do before it moves on?
It sits silently looking over the harbour and the city, like a cat watching its surroundings.
How does the poet achieve so much in so few lines?
By using one powerful, vivid metaphor that captures the entire nature and movement of the fog.
What is the mood of the poem?
Calm, quiet and gentle, matching the soft and silent arrival and departure of the fog.
What makes the comparison of fog to a cat effective?
A cat is familiar, silent and graceful, which perfectly matches the soft, noiseless way fog moves and settles.