The poem describes an incident where the speaker fell in class while not paying attention, amusing their classmates. The teacher used it as an example to demonstrate Newton's law of gravity. Though the students laughed, the teacher acknowledged it demonstrated the law. The speaker resolved to pay closer attention in class after receiving applause from their peers for the unintended lesson.

2. Newton’s Law
Nandita Das

3. The children tittered in great amusement
They didn’t Know my sad predicament
The teacher said, “you’ve demonstrated gravity”
“Although you did it with much levity”.
At length I returned to my seat
With much applause did they greet
Now I look back upon this and ponder
I decide to listen and not let my mind wander.

4. Paraphrase
The teacher took my fall to be
demonstration of gravity and
appreciated it. She also won much
more applause from her friends.
This incident made her take a
resolution, never to be inattentive in
the Science class.

5.  What change has come over
her after the incident?
 How did the poet demonstrate
Newton’s Law?
 What is the rhyme scheme of
the poem?