Stanza 2: Detailed Meaning

Last updated at August 12, 2026 by

Lines 1–2

“I cannot remember my mother, / but when in the early autumn morning”

1. Literal Meaning

Again the poet says he cannot remember his mother . But something happens on an early morning in the autumn season that brings her back to him.

2. Literary Meaning

The deeper idea is that nature can unlock memory . Autumn is a season of calm beauty and falling leaves — a time that naturally makes us think of things that have passed.

3. Poetic Devices

Refrain means a line that is repeated throughout a poem. Common example: the repeated chorus in a song. In the poem: “I cannot remember my mother” opens each stanza like a refrain, reminding us of the central sorrow each time.

4. Theme

The theme is memory triggered by nature . The autumn morning is the doorway through which the mother's memory enters.

5. Tone

The tone is expectant and gentle — the word "but" creates a turn: something is about to happen that softens the sadness.

Questions for These Lines
Why does the poet begin Stanza 2 by repeating "I cannot remember my mother"? 2 Marks ▾
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How to answer: Explain the effect of repeating this line (Refrain) — it reminds us of the loss at the start of each stanza.
The poet repeats this line as a refrain — a line that comes back in every stanza. It reminds the reader each time that the poet cannot see or recall his mother clearly. This makes each new way he feels her presence more powerful, because we know it is not a direct memory but a gentle echo of lost love .
What is the significance of the season "early autumn morning" in Stanza 2? 3 Marks ▾
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How to answer: Link the autumn season to themes of memory and gentle sadness — it is a season that naturally evokes the past.
Autumn is a season of calm beauty and endings — leaves fall, the air is cool, and morning has a special stillness. This setting creates a mood of quiet reflection , which is perfect for a memory to return. The early morning adds freshness and purity, suggesting that the memory of his mother is as pure and natural as the morning itself .

Line 3

“the smell of the shiuli flowers floats in the air”

1. Literal Meaning

On that autumn morning, the sweet, delicate smell of shiuli flowers (night-blooming jasmine) spreads gently through the air.

2. Literary Meaning

The deeper idea is that fragrance is the most powerful memory trigger . A smell can instantly take us back to a person or place we have lost. The shiuli flower, which blooms in autumn, becomes a doorway to the mother.

3. Poetic Devices

Imagery (Olfactory) means words that make us feel a smell. Common example: "the warm smell of fresh bread." In the poem: "smell of the shiuli flowers" makes the reader almost smell the flowers, creating a vivid, sensory memory.

4. Theme

The theme is memory through the sense of smell . A natural fragrance can be as powerful as any picture in bringing back someone we loved.

5. Tone

The tone is soft and sensory — the word "floats" is gentle, suggesting the smell moves quietly and naturally, without force.

Questions for These Lines
What are shiuli flowers and why are they significant in this poem? 2 Marks ▾
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How to answer: Describe the flower briefly, then link its smell to the mother's memory.
Shiuli flowers (also called Parijat or night-blooming jasmine) are small white flowers with an orange stem that bloom in autumn, especially in the early morning. In the poem, their delicate fragrance is significant because it triggers the poet's memory of his mother — suggesting that she, like the shiuli, was pure, gentle, and naturally beautiful .
How does the poet use the sense of smell to connect nature and memory in Stanza 2? 3 Marks ▾
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How to answer: Identify the two smells (shiuli flowers + temple scent), explain why smell is a powerful memory trigger, and link both to the mother.
The poet uses two smells to connect nature and memory: the fragrance of shiuli flowers and the scent of the morning prayers in the temple . Smell is the most powerful sense for memory because it works involuntarily — it hits us before we can think. Both smells are pure, soft and sacred , just like the poet's memory of his mother. Together they create a complete picture of a gentle, religious woman whose love was as natural as the morning .

Lines 4–5

“the scent of the morning service in the temple / comes to me as the scent of my mother.”

1. Literal Meaning

The smell of the morning prayers in the temple reaches him, and it feels exactly like the smell of his mother . The two scents merge into one.

2. Literary Meaning

The deeper idea is that the mother was a devout, sacred presence in his life — like the temple itself. Her love was pure and spiritual, and the temple's morning scent carries all of that.

3. Poetic Devices

Simile means comparing two things using "like" or "as." Common example: "Her voice is as sweet as honey." In the poem: the temple scent "comes to me as the scent of my mother" — the temple is directly compared to the mother through their shared scent.

4. Theme

The theme is the sacred quality of a mother's love . Just as the temple is a place of peace and purity, the mother's love is equally holy and comforting.

5. Tone

The tone is reverent and loving — comparing the mother to the temple shows deep respect and devotion for her memory.

Questions for These Lines
How does the scent of the temple connect to the poet's mother? 2 Marks ▾
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How to answer: Identify the simile and explain what it tells us about the mother's character.
The poet says the scent of the morning temple prayers "comes to me as the scent of my mother." This simile directly compares the temple scent to his mother's scent, suggesting that she was a pure, sacred and devout woman whose presence felt as holy and peaceful as a temple at prayer time.
What does the comparison between the mother's scent and the temple scent suggest about her character? 3 Marks ▾
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How to answer: Analyse the simile deeply: what does the temple represent? How does linking the mother to the temple reveal her character?
A temple represents purity, peace, devotion and the divine . By comparing his mother's scent to the scent of the morning temple service, the poet tells us that she was a deeply religious and spiritually pure person . Her presence was calm and sacred , like the early morning prayers. The comparison also shows the enormous reverence and love the poet feels for her — she is almost a holy figure in his mind.
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