I cannot remember my mother - a nostalagic poem by Rabindranath Tagore with exercises for CBSE class 9 English language and literature for march 2010 examination. Presented by Parishkrit Jain.

1. I CANNOT REMEMBER MY MOTHER - Rabindranath Tagore

2. Rabindranath Tagore He composed India’s national anthem. He received noble prize for literature in 1913 for his collection of poems called ‘Gitanjali’ Tagore wrote primarily in Bengali, but translated many of his works into English himself.

3. Tagore’s Writing Tagore’s writing is highly imagistic, deeply religious and imbued with his love of nature and his homeland. His works are classics, renowned for their lyrical beauty and spiritual poignancy. His poems are actually song texts as he composed a melody for them. The musical aspect of poems is at times lost in translation.

4. “The world speaks to me in colours, my soul answers in music” -Rabindranath Tagore

5. Before reading........ Tagore’s Childhood Rabindranath Tagore was born in Calcutta in a wealthy and prominent Brahman family. His father was Maharishi Debendranath Tagore. His mother Sarada Devi, died when he was very young - her body carried through a gate to a place where it was burned and it was the moment when he realized that she willnevercomeback. Tagorestartedtocomposepoemsattheageofeight.

6. Shiuli flowers A common small white flower which appears around Puja season (September-October), known as Chamomile in English.

7. POEM

8. I cannot remember my mother only sometimes in the midst of my play a tune seems to hover over my playthings, the tune of some song that she used to hum while rocking my cradle.

10. I cannot remember my mother but when in the early autumn morning the smell of shiuli flowers floats in the air the scent of the morning service in the temple comes to me as the scent of my mother.

12. I cannot remember my mother only when from my bedroom window I send my eyes into the blue of the distant sky, I feel that the stillness of my mother’s gaze on my face has spread all over the sky.

13. Enjoying the POEM

22. Which of the following activity does not remind the poet of his mother? Humming a song Praying in the temple Looking at the image of his mother Gazing at the sky

23. I cannot remember my motheronly when from my bedroom window I sendmy eyes into the blue of the distant sky, Wheredidthepoetlookat? Blue sky Bedroom window Blue Sky

24. when in the early autumn morningthe smell of shiuli flowers floats in the airthe scent of the morning service in the templecomes to me as the scent of my mother. Which smell reminds thepoetof his mother? Smell of shiuli flowers Smell of autumn leaves Smell of morning service in the temple Both (a) and (c)

25. Poetic Devices in the poem Poetry is a powerful way of expressing feelings and ideas. Poets use a variety of devices to convey these feelings and ideas

26. Imagery or use of description to create an image in the mind of reader is the poetic device used in this poem. Imagery gives sensory impressions and lends vividness to the poem. In this poem the poet creates beautiful images related to sight, sound and smell. IMAGERY

27. Imagery in the Poem