StudyOSStudyOS CBSE Study Material, Class 5–12

I Cannot Remember My Mother

NCERT Class 9 · English Based on NCERT Class 9 English textbook · Free CBSE study kit

Everything you need to ace this chapter, in one place.
Notes · Mind Map · Quiz · Assertion-Reason · Case Studies · Question Bank · Past Papers

Get Full Study Kit →
Studying with friends? Send them this chapter.

Chapter Notes

Overview
This poem by Rabindranath Tagore explores the poet's inability to recall his mother's face or form, yet he feels her presence through sensory triggers such as a tune, a scent, and the stillness of the sky. It is part of the CBSE Class 9 English syllabus and emphasizes that love and memory transcend physical absence. The central message for board exams is that emotional connections with loved ones persist through subtle sensory experiences, even when conscious memories fade.
Key Concepts (10)
Refrain
A line or phrase repeated at intervals in a poem. Here, 'I cannot remember my mother' is repeated at the start of each stanza, emphasizing the poet's inability to recall her face while also highlighting the persistent emotional connection.
e.g. I cannot remember my mother (repeated in stanzas 1, 2, and 3)
Imagery
Use of vivid language to create sensory experiences. The poem uses auditory, olfactory, and visual imagery to evoke the mother's presence.
e.g. Auditory: 'the tune of some song that she used to hum'; Olfactory: 'the smell of the shiuli flowers'; Visual: 'the blue of the distant sky'
Symbolism
A tangible object representing an abstract idea. The shiuli flowers, the tune, and the sky symbolize the mother's lingering presence and love.
e.g. Shiuli flowers symbolize the mother's scent and spiritual connection; the sky symbolizes her infinite, all-encompassing gaze.
Alliteration
Repetition of initial consonant sounds in nearby words. Adds rhythm and musicality.
e.g. 'smell of the shiuli' (repetition of 's' sound); 'stillness of my mother's gaze' (repetition of 's' sound)
Onomatopoeia
A word that imitates the sound it represents. In this poem, 'hum' is an onomatopoeic word.
e.g. hum (the sound of the mother's humming)
Sensory Appeal (Auditory, Olfactory, Visual)
The poem engages three senses: hearing (tune, hum), smell (shiuli flowers, morning service scent), and sight (blue sky, gaze). This shows how memory is triggered by senses.
e.g. Stanza 1: auditory; Stanza 2: olfactory; Stanza 3: visual
Tone
The poet's attitude toward the subject. The tone is nostalgic, tender, and melancholic, yet peaceful.
e.g. The poet feels a gentle sadness but also comfort from the memories triggered by nature.
Theme of Memory and Loss
The poem explores how memories of a loved one can be triggered by sensory experiences even when conscious recall is impossible. Loss is not absence; love remains.
e.g. The poet cannot remember his mother's face but feels her presence through a tune, a scent, and the sky.
Shiuli (Coral Jasmine)
A fragrant flower that blooms in early autumn. In the poem, its smell evokes the mother's presence and the temple morning service.
e.g. the smell of the shiuli flowers floats in the air
Cradle
A small bed for a baby. Symbolizes the poet's infancy and the mother's nurturing care.
e.g. while rocking my cradle
How It Works
Stanza 1 — Auditory Memory
  1. The poet says he cannot remember his mother's face, but while playing, a tune seems to hover over his toys.
  2. The tune is from a song his mother used to hum while rocking his cradle. This shows that sound triggers a vague but powerful memory of her care.
  3. The word 'hover' suggests the tune is not fully present but lingers, like a ghost of memory.
💡 Students often think the poet remembers the song clearly; actually, the tune 'seems to hover' — it is faint and fleeting, not a clear memory.
Stanza 2 — Olfactory Memory
  1. In early autumn morning, the smell of shiuli flowers fills the air.
  2. This scent reminds the poet of the morning service in a temple, which in turn brings the scent of his mother.
  3. The poet connects the natural fragrance to a spiritual experience and then to his mother, showing how smell can evoke deep emotional memories.
💡 Students may confuse 'morning service' as a Christian term; in the Indian context, it refers to temple rituals (puja). Also, the poet does not remember his mother's scent directly — it is the temple scent that 'comes to me as the scent of my mother.'
Stanza 3 — Visual Memory
  1. The poet looks out of his bedroom window into the blue sky.
  2. He feels that the stillness of his mother's gaze on his face has spread across the entire sky.
  3. This suggests that his mother's loving, calm gaze is now a part of the universe — infinite and ever-present, even though he cannot remember her face.
💡 Students often think the poet sees his mother's face in the sky. The poem says he feels the 'stillness of my mother's gaze' — it is an emotion, not a visual image.
Exam Traps — Don't Make These Mistakes
⚠ Confusing 'cannot remember' with 'never knew'
✗ The poet never knew his mother.
→ The poet says he cannot remember her, implying he knew her but has lost the conscious memory. The sensory triggers show he experienced her love as a child.
✓ The poet cannot recall his mother's face or form, but he has faint sensory memories of her presence from his infancy.
⚠ Misidentifying the refrain
✗ The refrain is 'only sometimes in the midst of my play'.
→ The refrain is the line repeated at the start of each stanza, not any other repeated phrase.
✓ The refrain is 'I cannot remember my mother', repeated at the beginning of all three stanzas.
⚠ Thinking the poem has a rhyme scheme
✗ The poem follows an ABAB rhyme scheme.
→ The poem is free verse with no regular rhyme scheme. It is enjoyable because of its lyrical quality, imagery, and refrain.
✓ The poem does not have a rhyme scheme; it is written in free verse. Its appeal lies in its sensory imagery and emotional depth.
⚠ Confusing 'shiuli' with a generic flower
✗ Shiuli is just any autumn flower.
→ Shiuli (coral jasmine) is a specific flower with a distinct fragrance, commonly associated with autumn mornings and temple offerings in Bengal.
✓ Shiuli is a fragrant flower (coral jasmine) that blooms in early autumn and is often used in temple rituals, linking the mother's scent to spirituality.
⚠ Overlooking the role of the senses
✗ The poem only uses visual imagery.
→ The poem uses three senses: auditory (tune, hum), olfactory (smell of shiuli, temple scent), and visual (blue sky, gaze).
✓ The poem employs auditory imagery in stanza 1, olfactory imagery in stanza 2, and visual imagery in stanza 3.
Compare & Contrast
Type of sensory trigger for memory
Tune (Stanza 1)
Scent (Stanza 2)
The tune is associated with the poet's playtime and infancy (cradle), while the scent is linked to the autumn morning and temple service, suggesting a spiritual connection.
Quality of the mother's presence
Hovering tune (Stanza 1)
Stillness of gaze (Stanza 3)
The tune 'hovers' — fleeting and elusive; the gaze 'spreads all over the sky' — vast, permanent, and all-encompassing. One is momentary, the other infinite.
Location of the memory trigger
Indoor setting (Stanza 1 and 3)
Outdoor setting (Stanza 2)
Stanza 1 (playthings, cradle) and Stanza 3 (bedroom window) are indoors; Stanza 2 (early autumn morning, floating smell) is outdoors. This shows memories can be triggered anywhere.
Exam Focus
Marks pattern: This poem typically appears as a 5-mark extract-based question (with sub-parts) or a 3-mark short answer question on poetic devices/theme. It may also be part of a 6-mark long answer comparing memory and loss.
Most asked: Identify and explain the refrain and its significance · Explain the use of sensory imagery (auditory, olfactory, visual) · Identify symbols (shiuli flowers, sky, tune) and their meanings · Explain the tone and mood of the poem · Answer extract-based questions on each stanza · Explain why the poet says 'I cannot remember my mother' yet feels her presence
Don't skip: Extract-based questions (5 marks) — usually from one stanza, testing comprehension, poetic device, and inference; Long answer (6 marks) — 'How does the poet convey the idea that love transcends memory? Support with examples.'; Short answer (3 marks) — 'Explain the symbolism of the sky in the poem.'
Safe to skip: Nothing can be safely skipped. Every stanza and device is examinable.
One-Line Revision (read aloud before the exam)
  1. The poem 'I Cannot Remember My Mother' is written by Rabindranath Tagore.
  2. The refrain 'I cannot remember my mother' is repeated at the start of each stanza.
  3. The poem uses auditory imagery in stanza 1 (tune, hum).
  4. The poem uses olfactory imagery in stanza 2 (smell of shiuli flowers, temple scent).
  5. The poem uses visual imagery in stanza 3 (blue sky, mother's gaze).
  6. Shiuli is a fragrant flower (coral jasmine) that blooms in early autumn.
  7. The tune 'hovers' over the poet's playthings, suggesting a faint, fleeting memory.
  8. The mother's gaze is described as 'stillness' that spreads across the sky, symbolizing her eternal presence.
  9. The poem has no regular rhyme scheme; it is free verse.
  10. Examples of alliteration include 'smell of the shiuli' and 'stillness of my mother's gaze'.
  11. The word 'hum' is an example of onomatopoeia.
  12. The tone of the poem is nostalgic, tender, and melancholic but peaceful.
  13. The central theme is that love and emotional connection persist even when conscious memories fade.
  14. The poet feels his mother's presence through sensory triggers, not through direct recall of her face.
  15. The morning service refers to temple rituals, not church service.

MCQs — 10 Questions with Answers

Q1. Which of the following best describes what the poet means by 'I cannot remember my mother'?

  • A. He has completely forgotten his mother and has no memories of her.
  • B. He cannot recall direct conscious memories, but remembers her through sensory triggers and emotions. ✓
  • C. He refuses to remember his mother because she abandoned him.
  • D. He can only remember his mother when he is sad.

Answer: B — The poem shows that while direct memories are absent, sensory experiences trigger vivid recollections of maternal presence and love.

Q2. The tune in the first stanza symbolizes —

  • A. A popular song the poet used to sing.
  • B. The lullaby the mother hummed while rocking the cradle, representing her care. ✓
  • C. A childhood game the poet enjoyed playing.
  • D. Background music from the poet's school days.

Answer: B — The tune is explicitly described as the song the mother hummed while rocking the cradle, embodying her maternal care and love.

Q3. What is the setting of the second stanza?

  • A. Indoor, in the poet's bedroom.
  • B. Indoor, in the temple.
  • C. Outdoor, in early autumn morning. ✓
  • D. Outdoor, in the playground.

Answer: C — The second stanza mentions early autumn morning with the smell of shiuli flowers and temple service, establishing an outdoor setting.

Q4. Which sense does the poet primarily use in the second stanza to remember his mother?

  • A. Sense of taste.
  • B. Sense of touch.
  • C. Sense of smell (olfactory). ✓
  • D. Sense of hearing.

Answer: C — The second stanza emphasizes the smell of shiuli flowers and the scent of morning temple service as triggers for memory.

Q5. The line 'has spread all over the sky' uses which literary device to describe the mother's gaze?

  • A. Simile, comparing gaze to sky.
  • B. Personification, giving human qualities to sky.
  • C. Metaphor and symbolism, representing eternal protective presence. ✓
  • D. Alliteration of the 's' sound.

Answer: C — The mother's gaze is metaphorically compared to the expansive sky, symbolizing her eternal, all-encompassing protective love.

Q6. Why does the poet repeat 'I cannot remember my mother' throughout the poem?

  • A. To express anger at his mother.
  • B. To emphasize forgetfulness and create a rhythmic refrain that highlights the paradox. ✓
  • C. To show that memories are unimportant.
  • D. To indicate that he never knew his mother.

Answer: B — The repetition functions as a refrain, emphasizing the paradox that inability to recall creates stronger emotional and sensory remembrance.

Q7. What does the word 'hover' suggest in the first stanza? (Negative MCQ: Which is NOT correct?)

  • A. The tune lingers gently and subtly over the poet's playthings.
  • B. The tune remains suspended in the poet's memory without clear form.
  • C. The melody is aggressive and disturbing to the poet. ✓
  • D. The memory floats delicately in the background of consciousness.

Answer: C — Hover suggests a gentle, subtle presence, not something aggressive or disturbing.

Q8. According to the poem, when does the poet remember his mother in the third stanza?

  • A. When he plays in the garden.
  • B. When he looks at the blue sky from his bedroom window and feels her protective gaze. ✓
  • C. When he visits the temple in autumn.
  • D. When he hears someone humming a lullaby.

Answer: B — The third stanza explicitly states the poet remembers his mother when looking into the blue sky from his bedroom window and feeling her gaze.

Q9. If a student writes 'The poem uses only visual imagery to create memory', evaluate this statement. (HOTS - Scenario-based)

  • A. Correct, the poem only uses sight and visual descriptions.
  • B. Incorrect; the poem uses auditory, olfactory, and visual imagery comprehensively. ✓
  • C. Correct, the gaze and sky are the only important images.
  • D. Partially correct; visual imagery is dominant but other senses are ignored.

Answer: B — The poem employs multiple senses: auditory (tune/lullaby), olfactory (flowers and incense), and visual (gaze and sky) to create layered sensory memory.

Q10. What is the central theme of 'I Cannot Remember My Mother'?

  • A. The pain of losing a mother completely.
  • B. How maternal love transcends conscious memory through sensory triggers and emotional presence. ✓
  • C. The poet's inability to love his mother.
  • D. How flowers and songs are more important than family.

Answer: B — The poem explores the paradox that though direct memories fade, maternal love and presence remain eternally alive through senses and emotions.

Flashcards

What does the poet mean by 'I cannot remember my mother'?

The poet cannot recall clear direct memories of his mother but remembers her presence through sensory triggers and emotional impressions.

How does the tune symbolize the poet's mother?

The tune represents the lullaby the mother hummed while rocking the cradle, embodying her care and maternal bond that lingers subconsciously.

What role does the shiuli flower play in the poem?

The shiuli flower and the scent of morning temple service trigger the poet's memory of his mother, linking nature to maternal presence.

Explain the significance of the mother's gaze in the third stanza.

The mother's gentle gaze represents her protective love that has become so integral to the poet's life that it seems to encompass the entire sky.

What is a refrain and why does Tagore use it in this poem?

A refrain is a repeated line; Tagore repeats 'I cannot remember my mother' to emphasize the paradox that inability to recall creates stronger emotional resonance.

Name three senses used in the poem to remember the mother.

The poet uses auditory sense (lullaby tune), olfactory sense (shiuli flower and temple incense), and visual sense (mother's gaze in the sky).

What does hover mean in the context of the first stanza?

Hover means to linger or float gently over the poet's playthings, suggesting the subtle presence of the mother's memory.

How does the setting change across the three stanzas?

Stanza 1 is indoor (playground), Stanza 2 is outdoor (autumn morning), and Stanza 3 is indoor again (bedroom window), showing varied contexts of remembrance.

What does the title 'I Cannot Remember My Mother' convey?

The title paradoxically suggests that though direct memories fade, the mother's influence remains alive through sensory experiences and emotional bonds.

What literary device is used in 'the stillness of my mother's gaze has spread all over the sky'?

This is metaphor and symbolism where the mother's gaze becomes the vast sky, representing her all-encompassing protective and eternal presence.

Important Board Questions

Match the words in Column 1 with their meanings in Column 2: 1. hover - (i) sing with closed lips 2. hum - (ii) small bed for baby 3. cradle - (iii) linger or remain near Write the correct matching. [2 marks]

Refer to the vocabulary table provided in the Reflect and Respond section. Hover means to float gently, hum is singing soundlessly, cradle is a baby's bed.

Answer the following based on Stanza 2 of the poem: (a) In which season does the poet remember his mother? (b) Name two things through which he remembers her. (c) What literary device is used to connect the mother's scent with these natural elements? [3 marks]

The stanza mentions early autumn and uses two specific scents. The poet compares these scents to create a metaphorical connection with his mother.

Analyze the poem's use of sensory imagery and symbolism. How does Tagore use these devices to convey the theme that maternal love transcends memory? Provide examples from all three stanzas to support your answer. [5 marks]

Discuss auditory (tune), olfactory (flowers), and visual (gaze) imagery separately. Explain how each symbol represents different aspects of maternal presence and how together they create the paradox of remembering by not remembering.

Assertion-Reason Questions for I Cannot Remember My Mother

Q1. Assertion (A):

The poem 'I Cannot Remember My Mother' uses sensory imagery as a primary literary device.

Reason (R):

Sensory imagery helps the poet evoke memories of his mother through sights, sounds, and smells rather than direct recollection.

Answer: A — Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A — Both the assertion and reason are true, and the reason correctly explains why sensory imagery is used as a primary device in the poem. The poem deliberately relies on sensory triggers to create the effect of maternal memory.

Q2. Assertion (A):

The refrain 'I cannot remember my mother' creates a sense of melancholy and loss throughout the poem.

Reason (R):

The refrain is used because it establishes a paradox where the poet feels his mother's presence despite not remembering her directly.

Answer: B — Both A and R are true, but R is NOT the correct explanation of A — While the refrain is indeed used (making the first part true), the tone is not purely melancholic but rather bittersweet and transcendent. The reason is true but does not correctly explain the assertion. The poem balances loss with profound presence, not mere sadness.

Q3. Assertion (A):

The poem lacks formal rhyme and meter, making it less effective as poetry.

Reason (R):

Free verse poetry can be equally or more powerful through the use of imagery, repetition, and sensory language rather than traditional prosodic devices.

Answer: B — Both A and R are true, but R is NOT the correct explanation of A — Both statements are true—the poem indeed lacks traditional rhyme and meter, but this doesn't diminish its effectiveness. The reason is true but provides a general poetic principle rather than explaining why this specific poem succeeds. The poem's power comes from its specific sensory choices and refrain, not from free verse in general.

Unlock more Assertion-Reason questions in Premium — unlock →

Case-Based Questions (CBQ) for I Cannot Remember My Mother

Case Study:

Meera is studying for her English exam and reading 'I Cannot Remember My Mother' by Rabindranath Tagore. She notices that whenever she smells flowers in the morning or hears a particular lullaby, she remembers her grandmother who passed away when Meera was young. She cannot recall specific conversations or events with her grandmother, but these sensory moments create a vivid sense of her presence. Meera wants to write a personal reflection connecting her experience to the poem.

Q1. What literary concept from Tagore's poem most directly relates to Meera's experience with sensory memory?

  • A. Direct visual recollection of her grandmother's face
  • B. Using sensory triggers like sounds and scents to invoke emotional memories ✓
  • C. The belief that forgetting loved ones is natural and acceptable
  • D. The importance of regular visits to temples

Answer: B

Q2. How could Meera use the device of refrain in her personal reflection, similar to Tagore's approach?

  • A. By repeating a line like 'I cannot remember my grandmother' to emphasize the paradox of feeling her presence despite not remembering directly ✓
  • B. By listing all the specific events she remembers about her grandmother
  • C. By describing only the negative aspects of memory loss
  • D. By avoiding any mention of sensory experiences

Answer: A

Q3. Which sensory perception would be most appropriate for Meera to explore in her poem, based on her personal experience mentioned in the passage?

  • A. Taste of her grandmother's cooking
  • B. Sight of her grandmother's photograph
  • C. Smell of flowers and sound of lullabies, as these trigger her strongest memories ✓
  • D. Touch of her grandmother's hand

Answer: C

Q4. What would be the primary purpose of Meera using symbolism in her reflection, drawing from Tagore's technique?

  • A. To make the poem difficult and complex for readers
  • B. To use tangible objects like flowers or melodies as symbols representing the grandmother's intangible presence ✓
  • C. To avoid writing about her actual grandmother
  • D. To prove that her grandmother never existed

Answer: B

Unlock more case studies in Premium — unlock →

Next chapterNine Gold Medals →
Found this useful? Share it with your class group.

You've seen the free preview. Open the full interactive study kit — mind map, instant-graded quiz, progress tracking — free, no sign-in required.

Open Full Study Kit — Free →

Premium unlocks the full Question Bank, Daily Practice Papers, Chapter Quiz and Full Mock Papers for every chapter.