Hibiscus Teach · Literature 01 · Poetry
The Winds of Fate
Explore a hopeful idea: we can help shape our direction in life.
Created by Denis M., British English teacher.
01 · Get ready · 3 minutes
Five words for the voyage
- sails
- large pieces of cloth that catch the wind and move a boat
- gales
- very strong winds
- fate
- the force believed to shape what happens in your life
- voyage
- to travel, especially by sea
- strife
- conflict or serious difficulty
Opening question: When a plan goes wrong, what helps you stay optimistic?
Speak for 30 seconds, to yourself or a partner. Start: “One thing that helps me is…”
Tutor follow-up: How does that help?
02 · Read · 2 minutes
One wind, two directions
Read the poem. What connects sailing a ship with living a life?
Reading help: ’Tis = it is; self-same = exactly the same; set = position or direction; soul = inner self.
One ship drives east and another drives west,With the self-same winds that blow,’Tis the set of the sailsAnd not the galesThat tell them the way to go.
Like the winds of the sea are the winds of fate,As we voyage along through life,’Tis the set of the soulThat decides its goalAnd not the calm or the strife.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox, Poems of Optimism. Public-domain text from Project Gutenberg.
03 · Check your understanding · 4 minutes
Quick mastery quiz
Open the quiz · 4 questions
Choose the best answer. Use the poem to help you, then read the feedback.
Answer key and explanations
- The way their sails are set. The same wind blows on both ships. The position of their sails determines their direction.
- Events and circumstances in life. The wind represents circumstances that affect us. We do not control all of them.
- Our attitude and chosen direction. A metaphor describes one thing through another. Here, setting a sail suggests choosing how to respond and what to work towards.
- Our response can help shape our direction. The poem mentions both calm and strife. Its hopeful message is that we have agency, or some ability to influence what happens, even when life is difficult.
04 · Make it personal · 3 minutes
How would you set your sails?
Open the speaking task
Think of a small setback, real or imaginary. What could you not control, and what could you do next?
Plan for 30 seconds. Speak for 45–60 seconds, on your own or with a partner. Explain how your example connects to the poem.
“I couldn’t control… But I could… Like the ships in the poem…”
Follow-up for a tutor or solo reflection: Is a positive attitude enough, or do we need action too?
See a possible response
“Imagine I didn’t get a job I wanted. I couldn’t control the employer’s decision, but I could ask for feedback and practise for my next interview. Like the ships in the poem, I could adjust my direction. Being optimistic would help me keep trying, but I would still need to take action.”