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Somebody’s Mother (Poem)
Unit 2 Poem | Poorvi (Class 8)
Video Lesson
Quick Revision Notes
👵 The Helpless Old Woman
The poem begins on a freezing, snowy winter day. An old woman—ragged, bent, and grey—stands at a busy street crossing. She is terrified of slipping on the wet snow or being trampled by the rushing horse-drawn carriages.
🚶♂️ The Ignorant Crowd
The street is bustling with a “throng” (crowd) of busy people. However, everyone passes her by. No one stops to notice her anxious eyes, her trembling feet, or offers to help her cross the dangerous street.
🎒 The Joyful Schoolboys
Soon, a loud group of boys rushes down the street, happy to be out of school. They are compared to a “flock of sheep” playing in the deep snow. Like the adults, most of them hurry past the old woman without offering a helping hand.
🤝 The Noble Boy’s Act
Finally, the “gayest laddie of all the group” (the happiest boy) pauses. He softly offers his help, allowing the woman to rest her aged hand on his strong young arm. He safely guides her across the slippery street and returns to his friends with a contented heart.
💭 The Empathy and The Blessing
The boy explains to his friends why he helped her: She is “somebody’s mother.” He hopes that if his own mother is ever old, poor, and alone, someone will lend her a hand too. Deeply touched, the old woman prays that night, asking God to bless the noble boy who is “somebody’s son.”
Comprehension Check
Vocabulary Master
Printable CBSE Worksheet
Includes Revision Map, Extract Questions, Subjective Q&A, and Teacher Key.
Smart English Resources Academy
cbse.smartresourcesacademy.com
Poem: Somebody’s Mother
(by Mary Dow Brine)
SECTION 1: COGNITIVE ANCHORS & REVISION
The Big Picture: This touching narrative poem explores themes of empathy, kindness, and human connection. It contrasts the cold, indifferent attitude of a busy crowd with the warm, compassionate act of a young schoolboy who takes the time to help a frail old woman cross a dangerous street.
Character & Element Check
- The Old Woman: Frail, timid, and ignored by society. She is afraid to cross the slippery, snow-covered street.
- The Crowd & Schoolboys: Rushing, noisy, and self-absorbed. They represent society’s indifference to the vulnerable.
- The Noble Boy: Observant and empathetic. He sees past her appearance and recognizes her as someone deserving of care, treating her as he would want his own mother to be treated.
Plot Breakdown
The Setup
A ragged old woman stands at a busy crossing on a snowy winter day, ignored by the rushing crowd.
The Arrival
A group of loud, happy schoolboys runs down the street like a “flock of sheep,” mostly ignoring her too.
The Action
One happy boy pauses, gently offers his arm, and safely guides the trembling woman across the street.
The Empathy
The boy tells his friends he helped because she is “somebody’s mother,” hoping someone would do the same for his mother one day.
The Blessing
That night, the old woman prays to God, asking Him to be kind to the “noble boy.”
Vocabulary Mastery
| Target Word | Contextual Meaning | Usage in Text |
|---|---|---|
| Ragged | Wearing old and torn clothes. | The woman was old and ragged and grey… |
| Throng | A large, densely packed crowd of people. | Alone, uncared for, amid the throng… |
| Timid | Showing a lack of courage or confidence; easily frightened. | So meek, so timid, afraid to stir… |
| Heeded | Paid attention to; took notice of. | Nor heeded the glance of her anxious eyes. |
Smart English Resources Academy
SECTION 2: EXAM-PATTERN WORKSHEET
Part A: Reference to Context (8 Marks)
“She stood at the crossing and waited long,
Alone, uncared for, amid the throng
Of human beings who passed her by
Nor heeded the glance of her anxious eyes.”
Alone, uncared for, amid the throng
Of human beings who passed her by
Nor heeded the glance of her anxious eyes.”
1. Why was the woman waiting at the crossing for so long? (1M)
2. What does the phrase “amid the throng” tell us about the street? (1M)
3. How did the passing human beings react to the old woman? (1M)
4. Find a word from the extract which means ‘paid attention to’. (1M)
“And I hope some fellow will lend a hand
To help my mother, you understand,
If ever she’s poor and old and grey,
When her own dear boy is far away.”
To help my mother, you understand,
If ever she’s poor and old and grey,
When her own dear boy is far away.”
5. Who is the speaker of these lines and who is he talking to? (1M)
6. What is the speaker’s main reason for helping the old woman? (1M)
7. What feeling or value does the speaker demonstrate in these lines? (1M)
8. Which phrase in the extract means ‘to assist’ or ‘help’? (1M)
Smart English Resources Academy
Part B: Subjective Questions (9 Marks)
9. (SAQ – 30 words): Why is the group of schoolboys compared to a “flock of sheep” in the poem? (2 Marks)
10. (SAQ – 30 words): What physical dangers was the old woman afraid of while standing at the crossing? (2 Marks)
11. (LAQ – 100 words): Analyze the character of the young boy. How is he different from the rest of the crowd and his own friends? What does his action teach us? (5 Marks)
Part C: Higher Order Thinking Skills
12. Extrapolative Writing: Imagine you are the old woman in the poem. Write a short diary entry expressing how you felt while being ignored by the crowd, and your feelings after the young boy helped you cross the street. (5 Marks)
Smart English Resources Academy
SECTION 3: TEACHER’S EVALUATION KEY & SCAFFOLDING
Q1-Q4 (Extract 1)
1. She was afraid to cross the slippery, snowy street alone. 2. The street was very busy and crowded with people. 3. They ignored her completely. 4. Heeded.
Scaffolding: For Q3, point students to line 3-4 (“passed her by / Nor heeded…”). For Q4, ask: “Which word means ‘noticed’ or ‘paid attention to’?”
Q5-Q8 (Extract 2)
5. The young boy speaking to his school friends. 6. He hopes someone would help his own mother if she was old and he wasn’t there. 7. Empathy, compassion, and respect. 8. “Lend a hand”.
Scaffolding: For Q6, help students understand the concept of “treating others how you want your family to be treated.”
Q9 (SAQ) A flock of sheep usually moves together in a loud, unthinking group. The boys are rushing together happily, following each other without paying attention to their surroundings (like the old woman).
Scaffolding: Provide sentence starter: “Like sheep, the boys were moving together in a…”
Q10 (SAQ) She was afraid of slipping on the wet snow, and being knocked down by carriage wheels or horses’ feet in the busy street.
Scaffolding: Ask: “What vehicles and animals are mentioned in the poem that could hurt her?”
Q11 (LAQ) While the crowd is indifferent and his friends are carelessly rushing, the boy is observant and empathetic. He notices her struggle and pauses. His actions show maturity, as he relates her condition to his own mother’s future. It teaches us the importance of empathy and that small acts of kindness can deeply impact someone’s life.
Scaffolding: Provide a 2-step framework: 1. Contrast him with the crowd (observant vs. ignorant). 2. Explain his reason (empathy for mothers).
Q12 (HOTS) Diary Entry format. Markers: Initial feelings of loneliness, cold, and fear; the sting of being ignored by the busy crowd; the sudden relief and warmth when the “noble boy” offered his arm; her prayer for him.
Scaffolding: Give struggling writers a format skeleton (Date, Time, “Dear Diary”). Prompt: “The snow was so slippery today, and hundreds of people walked right past me. I felt so invisible until…”