I Cannot Remember My Mother
by Rabindranath Tagore
The Big Picture
Poetry Overview & Core Themes
Rabindranath Tagore’s deeply emotional and evocative poem explores the lingering, ethereal presence of a mother who passed away when the poet was very young. He cannot recall her physical face or form, yet her essence surrounds him continuously.
The poet experiences his mother not through visual memory, but through profound sensory triggers. A lingering tune humming over his playthings recalls the lullabies she sang while rocking his cradle. The rich fragrance of shiuli flowers during the autumn temple service brings back the scent of her devotion.
In the final stanza, the poet looks out his bedroom window at the vast, clear blue sky, feeling that it is his mother’s steady, protective gaze spreading over him. It is a masterful portrayal of how a mother’s love transcends physical absence, merging with nature and everyday sensory experiences.
Key Themes to Watch
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Sensory Memory How smell (shiuli flowers), sound (a humming tune), and sight (the blue sky) trigger deep emotional recall.
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Eternal Maternal Bond The idea that a mother’s love and protective presence persist even after her physical death.
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Spiritual Omnipresence The mother’s spirit merging with the vast, comforting elements of the natural world.
RTC Time Attack
Poetry Extract Questions (Target: 10 Marks)
“I cannot remember my mother
but when in the early autumn morning
the smell of the shiuli flowers floats in the air
the scent of the morning service in the temple
comes to me as the scent of my mother.”
1. Why does the smell of ‘shiuli’ flowers specifically remind the poet of his mother?
2. What specific literary/poetic device is heavily relied upon in this stanza to evoke the mother’s memory?
3. Find a word in the extract that means ‘moves lightly and gracefully in the air’.
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Short Answer Practice
Answer in 40-50 words (Target: 5×2 = 10 Marks). Write your answer before revealing the marking points.
1. How does the poet feel his mother’s presence while he is playing with his toys?
Required Value Points:
- Even amidst his playtime, the poet feels a familiar tune hovering over his playthings.
- This auditory memory is the lullaby or song his mother used to hum while rocking his cradle.
- It provides him with a profound sense of nostalgic comfort and invisible companionship.
2. What does the poet see when he looks up into the sky, and what does it represent?
Required Value Points:
- When he looks out his bedroom window, he sees the vast, clear blue sky.
- He imagines this expanse is the loving, steady gaze of his mother looking down upon him.
- It represents her eternal, omnipresent love and blessings sheltering him from above.
3. Why does the poet repeatedly state “I cannot remember my mother” throughout the poem?
Required Value Points:
- He lost her at a very young age, so he lacks a concrete visual memory of her face or form.
- The repetition highlights the tragedy of his loss.
- Paradoxically, it emphasizes how intensely he still feels her presence through indirect, sensory triggers rather than visual facts.
The Extrapolation Builder
Long Answer Question (Theme / Character / Extrapolation) • 5 Marks
Target Length
120 – 150 Words
Writing Task
Discuss how Rabindranath Tagore effectively uses sensory imagery (sound, smell, and sight) to compensate for the poet’s lack of a clear visual memory of his mother.
CBSE 5-Mark Evaluation Rubric
3 Content & Value Points
Did you include these key ideas?
2 Expression & Accuracy
- Logical organization of ideas with proper formatting.
- Appropriate vocabulary (e.g., imagery, omnipresence, nostalgia).
- Grammatical accuracy and correct spelling.
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