CBSE Class 9 English Poem 4 I Cannot Remember My Mother Question Answers (Important) from Kaveri Book
Class 9 English I Cannot Remember My Mother Question Answers – Looking for I Cannot Remember My Mother question answers (NCERT solutions) for CBSE Class 9 English Kaveri Book Poem 4? Look no further! Our comprehensive compilation of important questions will help you brush up on your subject knowledge. Practising Class 9 English question answers can significantly improve your performance in the exam. Our solutions provide a clear idea of how to write the answers effectively. Improve your chances of scoring high marks by exploring Poem 4: I Cannot Remember My Mother now. The questions listed below are based on the latest CBSE exam pattern, wherein we have given NCERT solutions (Textbook Questions) to the chapter’s, Extract Based Questions, Multiple Choice Questions, and Extra Question Answers
Also, practising with different kinds of questions can help students learn new ways to solve problems that they may not have seen before. This can ultimately lead to a deeper understanding of the subject matter and better performance on exams.
- I Cannot Remember My Mother Textbook Questions (NCERT Solution)
- I Cannot Remember My Mother Grammar Exercises
- I Cannot Remember My Mother Extract-Based Questions
- I Cannot Remember My Mother Multiple Choice Questions
- I Cannot Remember My Mother Extra Questions
Related:
I Cannot Remember My Mother Textbook Questions (NCERT Solution)
Check Your Understanding
I. Fill in the blanks with appropriate words.
Stanza 1
1. The poet remembers his mother while he ____________.
2. The poet remembers the ____________ but not the ____________.
Setting: ____________ (outdoor/indoor)
Ans.
1. playing
2. tune, mother
Setting: indoor
Stanza 2
1. The poet remembers his mother in the ____________ season.
2. The poet remembers his mother by the smell of ____________.
Setting: ____________ (outdoor/indoor)
Ans.
1. autumn
2. shiuli flowers
Setting: outdoor
Stanza 3
1. The poet feels that his mother ____________ at him from the ____________.
Setting: ____________ (outdoor/indoor)
Ans.
1. is gazing / looking, sky
Setting: indoor
II. The senses of olfactory (smell), auditory (hearing), and visual (sight), are three of the five basic senses in humans. Give examples of references to senses from the poem. Complete the table given below.
| Stanza | Lines from the Poem | Senses |
| 1. | _____________________________ | |
| _____________________________ | ||
| _____________________________ | ||
| _____________________________ | ||
| 2. | …the tune of some song that she used to hum while rocking my cradle | |
| 3. | _____________________________ | |
| _____________________________ | ||
| _____________________________ | ||
| _____________________________ | olfactory |
Ans.
| Stanza | Lines | Sense |
| 1 | tune…hum while rocking cradle | auditory |
| 2 | smell of shiuli flowers…scent | olfactory |
| 3 | gaze on my face…blue sky | visual |
III. Read the poem silently once again and complete the following.
1. Two examples of alliteration from the poem are (i) __________ and (ii) ___________.
2. An example of onomatopoeia is ________________.
3. The poem uses imagery extensively. Explain.
4. Although the poem does not have a rhyme scheme, it is enjoyable because ______________.
5. What is the tone of the poet? Why do you say so?
6. What impact does the title of the poem have on the overall mood of the poem?
7. The poet uses ‘I cannot remember my mother’ as a refrain because __________________.
8. The poet uses symbolism to indicate the memory of his mother’s presence. Identify the symbols used in the poem.
| Symbolism is a literary device in which a writer uses a tangible object, abstract idea, or phenomenon that represents something beyond the literal meaning. It helps the poet convey deeper meanings and to connect with readers on an emotional level. Refrain is a poetic device defined as a line or a group of lines that is repeated at regular intervals in a poem. |
Ans.
- Alliteration:
(i) midst of my
(ii) blue of the - Onomatopoeia: hum
- Imagery:
The poem creates vivid images by using sound (the tune), smell (flowers), and sight (the sky), helping the reader imagine the poet’s memories clearly.picture create hoti hai. - Enjoyable because:
it uses rhythm, repetition, and emotions - Tone:
The tone of the poem is emotional and nostalgic because the poet remembers his mother with love and longing. - Title impact:The title creates a feeling of sadness and longing, showing the poet’s loss and inability to remember his mother clearly.
Sadness aur longing create karta hai - Refrain reason:
The refrain emphasises the absence of the mother and highlights the poet’s emotional connection to her. - Symbols:
- tune- mother’s love
- flowers- memory
- sky – protection
Critical Reflection
I. Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.
1. I cannot remember my mother
only sometimes in the midst of my play
a tune seems to hover over my playthings,
(i) Complete the following sentence appropriately.
The poet is reminded of his mother during his ________________.
Ans. playtime
(ii) What is the primary emotion conveyed by the line ‘a tune seems to hover over my playthings’?
A. It enhances the joy of play.
B. It disrupts the playtime atmosphere.
C. It activates memories of the mother.
D. It symbolises the carefree nature of childhood.
Ans. C. It activates memories
(iii) In the context of the poem, what role does the hovering tune play during the speaker’s playtime?
Ans. The tune reminds the poet of his mother. The poet feels his mother’s presence through nature and memories.
(iv) State whether the following sentence is true or false.
The poet experiences the tune lingering over playthings only occasionally during playtime.
Ans. True
(v) How could the poet feel his mother’s presence, even though she isn’t there?
Ans. The poet feels his mother’s presence through memories linked to his senses, like her humming tune, the fragrance of flowers, and the blue sky, which remind him of her love.
2. I feel that the stillness of
my mother’s gaze on my face
has spread all over the sky.
(i) What does the poet suggest about the stillness of his mother’s gaze spreading over the sky?
A. The mother’s gaze is physically present in the sky.
B. The sky is a symbolic extension of the mother’s presence.
C. The sky mirrors the mother’s emotions.
D. The stillness is fleeting and unrelated to the mother.
Ans. B. The sky is a symbolic extension of the mother’s presence.
(ii) What emotion does the poet associate with the ‘stillness’ of his mother’s gaze?
A. a sense of grief
B. a sense of anticipation
C. a sense of nostalgia
D. a sense of serenity
Ans. D. a sense of serenity
(iii) State whether the following sentence is true or false.
The poet suggests that the mother’s gaze has a tangible and visual effect on the sky.
Ans. False
(iv) What is the purpose of likening the mother’s gaze to the sky?
Ans. The poet compares his mother’s gaze to the sky to show that her presence is vast, calm, and always surrounding him.
(v) Complete the sentence appropriately.
The tone of the poet in the given extract is _____________ because _____________.
Ans. calm and emotional
II Answer the following questions.
1. What is the emotional impact of the refrain, ‘I cannot remember my mother’?
Ans. The refrain creates a feeling of sadness and longing, showing the poet’s deep emotional connection with his mother.
2. Interpret the connection between the poet’s mother and the following:
(i) shiuli flowers
(ii) humming tune
Ans.
(i) remind the poet of his mother through their fragrance.
(ii) reminds him of the lullaby his mother used to sing.
3. What role does nature play in the poet’s description of the memory of his mother?
Ans. Nature acts as a medium through which the poet remembers and feels his mother’s presence.
4. What can be inferred about the poet’s perception of the mother–child relationship?
Ans. It shows a strong emotional bond where the mother’s love remains even after her absence.
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I Cannot Remember My Mother Grammar Exercises
Vocabulary in Context
I. Work in pairs to classify the sensory words given in the box below. One example has been done for you.
| rustle | sticky | glowing | hiss |
| rough | chilled | aroma | gigantic |
| stale | sizzle | minuscule | scent |
| gloomy | deafening | vibrant | pungent |
| squeaky | stinky | crimson | fluffy |
| fragrant | smooth | slimy | ear-splitting |
| hairy |
Ans.
| Visual | Auditory | Olfactory | Tactile |
| glowing | hiss | aroma | sticky |
| gigantic | rustle | scent | rough |
| minuscule | sizzle | pungent | chilled |
| gloomy | squeaky | stinky | fluffy |
| vibrant | deafening | fragrant | smooth |
| crimson | ear-splitting | stale | slimy |
| hairy |
II. Fill in the blanks with sensory words in the box for the following passage written by Sarojini Naidu. There are two extra words.
| scarlet | shrill | sizzle | perfumes |
| flaming | scents | sweetness | essence |
| smooth |
Come and share my exquisite March morning with me: this sumptuous blaze of gold and sapphire sky; these 1. _____________ lilies that adorn the sunshine; the voluptuous 2. _____________ of neem and champak and serisha that beat upon the languid air with their implacable 3. _____________; the thousand little gold and blue and silver breasted birds bursting with the 4. _____________ ecstasy of life in nesting time. And, do you know that the scarlet lilies are woven petal by petal from my heart’s blood, these little quivering birds are my soul made incarnate music, these heavy 5. _____________ are my emotions dissolved into aerial 6. _____________, this 7. _____________ blue and gold sky is the ‘very me’…
Ans.
1. scarlet
2. perfumes
3. scents
4. sweetness
5. perfumes
6. essence
7. flaming
III. Write numbers against each picture with the phrases that describe them with their sensorial associations.
One example has been done for you.
1. beats of music echo in air
2. melody of soothing scent, dancing in the air
3. fragrant breeze of blooming buds
4. gentle lullaby, a soft melody
5. colourful sky, painting a lively sight
6. attractive canvas painting the horizon
Ans.
Flowers – 3
Cradle – 4
Kites – 5
Sunset – 6
Tabla – 1
Incense sticks – 2
Listen and Respond
I. You will listen to four short extracts of people expressing their childhood memories. As you listen, match each statement 1–6 to each speaker (i)–(iv). There are two statements that you do not need. (Transcript for teacher on page 266)
| Statement | Speaker |
| 1. The precious memories by the seaside are not the same anymore. | |
| 2. My grandfather’s encouragement influences me in moments of difficulty. | |
| 3. The school days are a source of recollection to stay in touch. | |
| 4. Childhood days are about freedom and ordinary pleasures in outdoor activities. | |
| 5. Memories of school days are grandparents and my funny tales. | |
| 6. Parents urge us to be adventurous and discover nature but with limitations. |
Ans.
correct matching
(i). 4.
(ii). 2.
(iii). 1.
(iv). 6.
Not used: 3,5
Writing Task
I. Imagine you had been on a school trip to a scenic place which appealed to all your senses. Write a diary entry describing the place and why it was a memorable experience.
Contents of the diary entry:
- begin with day, date, and time
- use only first person (I, my)
- capture sensory details
- express emotions
- focus on significant moments and experiences
- conclude with reflection
| Note: Anne Frank and Zlata Filipovic considered their diaries as their friends and therefore began their diary entries with ‘Dear diary’. However Samuel Pepys considered his diary to be a documentation of facts his thoughts and feelings. So he did not begin his diary entries with ‘Dear diary’. |
Ans.
Monday, 12 July 2026
7:30 p.m.
Today was one of the most memorable days of my life. I went on a school trip to a beautiful hill station. As soon as I reached there, I was amazed by the breathtaking view. The sky was bright blue, and the mountains were covered with lush green trees. The cool breeze touched my face gently, making me feel fresh and relaxed.
I could hear the soothing sound of birds chirping and leaves rustling in the wind. The sweet fragrance of flowers filled the air, making the surroundings even more pleasant. I walked along a narrow path with my friends, clicking pictures and enjoying every moment. One of the most special moments was when we reached the viewpoint. The sight of the valley below was simply stunning, and I felt a deep sense of happiness and peace.
This trip made me realise the beauty of nature and the importance of spending time away from busy city life. I felt refreshed and joyful throughout the day. It was not just a trip, but an experience that I will always cherish. I wish I could relive this day again.
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CBSE Class 9 English Poem 4 I Cannot Remember My Mother Extract-Based Questions
A
“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.”
Q1. Who is the poet of this poem and which book does it appear in?
Ans. The poet is Rabindranath Tagore. The poem appears in the Class 9 English Kaveri Book as Poem 4.
Q2. What does the poet say he cannot do in this extract?
Ans. The poet says he cannot remember his mother clearly. He has no sharp or direct memory of her face or presence.
Q3. What does the tune hovering over the playthings represent?
Ans. The tune represents the half-remembered lullaby that the poet’s mother used to hum while rocking his cradle. It shows that even though the memory is not clear, the feeling of his mother’s love still lingers around him in his everyday life.
Q4. What does the word “hover” suggest in this extract?
Ans. The word “hover” suggests that the tune does not come clearly or completely, it floats gently and uncertainly around the poet’s playthings. It perfectly captures the vague and incomplete nature of a very early childhood memory.
Q5. What does the cradle in this extract tell us about the poet?
Ans. The cradle tells us that the poet lost his mother when he was just a baby or a very young child. He was so small at the time that he has no clear memory of her, only the faint echo of her lullaby remains with him.
B
“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.”
Q1. In which season does this memory of the mother come to the poet?
Ans. This memory comes to the poet in early autumn morning when the sweet fragrance of shiuli flowers floats gently in the fresh morning air.
Q2. What are shiuli flowers and why are they significant in this extract?
Ans. Shiuli flowers are small, delicate and sweet-smelling white flowers that bloom in early autumn in India. They are significant because their fragrance triggers the poet’s memory of his mother and reminds him of her pure, gentle and sacred presence in his life.
Q3. How does the poet connect the temple and his mother in this extract?
Ans. The poet connects the temple and his mother through the sense of smell. The scent of the morning prayers and rituals at the temple blends with the fragrance of shiuli flowers and together they remind him of his mother. This suggests that his mother was a deeply religious and pure person whose presence felt sacred and spiritual to him.
Q4. What does the phrase “comes to me as the scent of my mother” mean?
Ans. This phrase means that the combined fragrance of the shiuli flowers and the temple morning service brings back the memory and feeling of his mother so strongly that it feels as if the scent itself belongs to her. It beautifully shows how our senses can keep the memory of a loved one alive long after they are gone.
Q5. Which sense does Tagore use in this stanza to express his memory?
Ans. Tagore uses the sense of smell in this stanza. The fragrance of shiuli flowers and the scent of the morning temple service together bring back the memory of his mother. This is the second of three senses Tagore uses across the three stanzas, sound in the first, smell in the second and sight in the third.
C
“I cannot remember my mother
only when from my bedroom window I send
my eyes into the blue of the distant sky”
Q1. What does the poet do from his bedroom window?
Ans. The poet gazes out from his bedroom window into the vast and distant blue sky. This simple act of looking at the sky triggers his deepest memory of his mother.
Q2. What does the blue sky represent in this extract?
Ans. The blue sky represents the endless and eternal nature of his mother’s love. Just like the boundless sky, his mother’s love and gentle gaze had no limit or boundary.
Q3. Which sense does the poet use in this stanza?
Ans. The poet uses the sense of sight in this stanza. He sends his eyes into the distant blue sky and feels his mother’s loving gaze spread across it completely.
Q4. What does the phrase “send my eyes” suggest?
Ans. The phrase “send my eyes” suggests that the poet actively and longingly looks into the sky searching for his mother’s presence. It shows his deep desire to feel connected with her.
Q5. Why is this considered the most powerful stanza of the poem?
Ans. This stanza is the most powerful because it uses the grandest image, the infinite blue sky, to represent the mother’s love, giving the poem a breathtaking and deeply emotional climax.
D
“I feel that the stillness of
my mother’s gaze on my face
has spread all over the sky.”
Q1. What does the poet feel when he looks at the sky?
Ans. The poet feels that his mother’s still and loving gaze has spread across the entire sky. The vast blue sky reminds him completely of her gentle and watchful presence.
Q2. What is the meaning of “stillness of my mother’s gaze”?
Ans. It refers to the calm, quiet and deeply loving way a mother looks at her child. It is a gaze full of peace, warmth and unconditional love that makes a child feel safe.
Q3. What poetic device is used in these lines?
Ans. Tagore uses a metaphor here. He compares his mother’s still and loving gaze to the vast blue sky, suggesting her love was as infinite, calm and boundless as the sky itself.
Q4. What does the word “stillness” suggest about the mother?
Ans. The word “stillness” suggests that the mother was a calm, gentle and peaceful person. Her gaze was never harsh or hurried, it was always quiet, loving and deeply comforting.
Q5. How does the image of the sky spreading “all over” express the poet’s feelings?
Ans. The sky spreading “all over” suggests that his mother’s love was limitless and all-encompassing. It surrounded him completely from every direction just like the endless sky surrounds the entire world.
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Class 9 I Cannot Remember My Mother Multiple Choice Questions
Q1. The poet cannot remember his mother because
A. he forgot her
B. he was very young
C. she lived far away
D. he didn’t love her
Ans. B. he was very young
Q2. The tune reminds the poet of
A. school
B. friends
C. his mother
D. games
Ans. C. his mother
Q3. The word ‘hover’ means
A. run fast
B. stay near
C. disappear
D. jump
Ans. B. stay near
Q4. The poet hears the tune during
A. study time
B. playtime
C. sleep
D. eating
Ans. B. playtime
Q5. The tune was a
A. poem
B. song
C. speech
D. story
Ans. B. song
Q6. The mother used to hum while
A. cooking
B. reading
C. rocking the cradle
D. walking
Ans. C. rocking the cradle
Q7. The poem mentions which flower?
A. rose
B. lotus
C. shiuli
D. lily
Ans. C. shiuli
Q8. Shiuli flowers bloom in _______
A. winter
B. summer
C. autumn
D. spring
Ans. C. autumn
Q9. The smell of flowers reminds the poet of
A. friends
B. home
C. mother
D. teacher
Ans. C. mother
Q10. ‘Morning service’ refers to
A. school
B. temple rituals
C. market
D. games
Ans. B. temple rituals
Q11. The poet looks at the
A. ground
B. river
C. sky
D. trees
Ans. C. sky
Q12. The sky represents
A. sadness
B. anger
C. mother’s presence
D. fear
Ans. C. mother’s presence
Q13. The tone of the poem is
A. funny
B. angry
C. emotional
D. boring
Ans. C. emotional
Q14. The poem mainly expresses
A. joy
B. love and loss
C. fear
D. anger
Ans. B. love and loss
Q15. The refrain in the poem is
A. I love my mother
B. I cannot remember my mother
C. My mother is kind
D. I miss my friends
Ans. B. I cannot remember my mother
Q16. The poem uses which sense for tune?
A. smell
B. taste
C. hearing
D. touch
Ans. C. hearing
Q17. The smell of flowers represents
A. anger
B. memory
C. fear
D. noise
Ans. B. memory
Q18. The poet feels his mother’s gaze as
A. strong
B. still and calm
C. angry
D. loud
Ans. B. still and calm
Q19. The poem shows that the mother’s love is
A. temporary
B. weak
C. eternal
D. unimportant
Ans. C. eternal
Q20. The central idea of the poem is
A. childhood games
B. school life
C. memories of mother
D. nature only
Ans. C. memories of mother
CBSE Class 9 English Kaveri Book Poem 4 – I Cannot Remember My Mother Extra Question and Answers
Answer the following questions-
Q1. Who is the poet of the poem “I Cannot Remember My Mother”?
Ans. Rabindranath Tagore, one of the greatest poets in world literature and the first Asian to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913.
Q2. Why cannot the poet remember his mother?
Ans. The poet cannot remember his mother because he lost her when he was just a baby. He was too young at that time to form any clear memory of her.
Q3. What does the poet hear while playing that reminds him of his mother?
Ans. While playing, the poet hears a faint tune hovering over his playthings. It is the half-remembered melody of the lullaby his mother used to hum while rocking his cradle.
Q4. What are shiuli flowers and when do they bloom?
Ans. Shiuli are small, delicate and sweet-smelling white flowers that bloom in early autumn in India. Their gentle fragrance floating in the morning air reminds the poet deeply of his mother.
Q5. How does the temple connect to the poet’s memory of his mother?
Ans. The scent of the morning prayers at the temple blends with the fragrance of shiuli flowers and together they bring back the feeling of his mother’s pure and sacred presence.
Q6. What does the poet see from his bedroom window?
Ans. From his bedroom window the poet gazes into the vast and distant blue sky. This simple act of looking at the sky triggers his deepest and most powerful memory of his mother.
Q7. How does the poet describe his mother’s gaze?
Ans. The poet describes his mother’s gaze as still, calm and deeply loving. He feels that this gentle and peaceful gaze has spread across the entire vast blue sky above him.
Q8. How many stanzas are there in the poem and what sense does each stanza use?
Ans. There are three stanzas in the poem. The first uses sound, the second uses smell and the third uses sight to express the poet’s memories of his mother.
Q9. What is the central theme of the poem?
Ans. The central theme is that a mother’s love is eternal and never truly disappears. Even after she is gone her love lives on in nature, music, fragrance and the endless sky.
Q10. What is the moral of the poem?
Ans. The moral is that a mother’s love is the most precious and eternal gift in life. It never leaves us, it lives on in every sound, scent and sight of the beautiful natural world.