The poem ‘Chivvy’ is a catalogues of various do’s and don’ts that the grown-ups dictate to young children. The adults constantly give a list of instructions to the children about how to sit, how to talk, how to eat and so on.
The poem, however, indicates a passage of time when the young child has grown up and is incapable of taking a decision on his own. The same adults, then child the grown up child for not being able to think independently.
Stanza 1
Explanation: The poem opens with a long list of instructions. In all likelihood, these instructions are being issued by the adults to their young ones. Speak, up don’t talk while your mouth is full of food and so on are just a few examples.
Stanza 2
Explanation: the second stanza of the poem continues with yet another set of instructions. Each and every activity of the young child is administered and put under the surveillance of the grown-ups.
Stanza 3
Explanation: The final couplet of the poem shows that perhaps the young of child has grown up. However, the adults around him continue to reprimand him. But, this time for a different reason. The child is unable to decide anything for himself. He is not certain about anything. It’s quite ironical as the entire childhood of this child was spent blindly following the instructions.