Poem: “Two Mothers Remembered”
Poet: Joann Snow Duncanson
Textbook: English for Today
Unit: 11
Lesson: 2
For: Class 9, Class 10 & SSC
“Two Mothers Remembered” by Joann Snow Duncanson is an emotional poem about motherly love, aging, memory loss, and the changing roles of parents and children. The speaker remembers the same mother in two very different stages of life. The first mother is strong, loving, and caring, while the second is the same mother in old age, when she becomes weak and dependent on her daughter. The poem teaches us to love, respect, and care for our parents even when age changes them.
The Poem: “Two Mothers Remembered”
Two Mothers Remembered
by Joann Snow Duncanson
I had two mothers – two mothers I claim,
two different people, yet with the same name.
Two separate women, diverse by design,
but I loved them both because they were mine.
The first was the mother who carried me here,
gave birth and nurtured and launched my career.
She was the one whose features I bear,
complete with the facial expressions I wear.
She gave her love, which follows me yet,
along with examples in life that she set.
As I got older, she somehow younger grew,
and we’d laugh as just mothers and daughters do.
But then came the time that her mind clouded so,
and I sensed that the mother I knew would soon go.
So quickly she changed and turned into the other,
a stranger dressed in the clothes of my mother.
Oh, she looked the same, at least at arms length,
but now she was the child and I was her strength.
We’d come full circle, we women three,
my mother the first, the second and me.
And if my own children should come to a day,
when a new mother comes and the old goes away,
I’d ask of them nothing that I didn’t do.
Love both of your mothers as both have loved you.
“Two Mothers Remembered” কবিতার বাংলা অর্থ
I had two mothers – two mothers I claim,
আমার ছিল দুই মা—আমি দুজন মায়ের কথাই বলি।
two different people, yet with the same name.
তারা যেন দুই ভিন্ন মানুষ, অথচ তাদের নাম একই।
Two separate women, diverse by design,
তারা যেন দুটি আলাদা নারী, তাদের অবস্থা ও স্বভাব ছিল ভিন্ন।
but I loved them both because they were mine.
কিন্তু আমি দুজনকেই ভালোবাসতাম, কারণ দুজনই আমার মা।
The first was the mother who carried me here,
প্রথম মা ছিলেন সেই মা, যিনি আমাকে এই পৃথিবীতে নিয়ে এসেছিলেন।
gave birth and nurtured and launched my career.
তিনি আমাকে জন্ম দিয়েছেন, লালন-পালন করেছেন এবং আমার কর্মজীবনের পথ তৈরি করতে সাহায্য করেছেন।
She was the one whose features I bear,
আমি তাঁর শারীরিক বৈশিষ্ট্য বহন করি।
complete with the facial expressions I wear.
এমনকি আমার মুখের অনেক অভিব্যক্তিও তাঁর কাছ থেকে পেয়েছি।
She gave her love, which follows me yet,
তিনি আমাকে তাঁর ভালোবাসা দিয়েছিলেন, যা এখনও আমার সঙ্গে আছে।
along with examples in life that she set.
তিনি জীবনে চলার জন্য মূল্যবান দৃষ্টান্তও রেখে গেছেন।
As I got older, she somehow younger grew,
আমি বড় হতে থাকলে মা যেন আরও প্রাণবন্ত হয়ে উঠতেন।
and we’d laugh as just mothers and daughters do.
আর মা-মেয়েরা যেমন একসঙ্গে হাসে, আমরাও তেমন প্রাণখুলে হাসতাম।
But then came the time that her mind clouded so,
কিন্তু একসময় তাঁর মন ও স্মৃতি এতটাই দুর্বল হয়ে পড়ল,
and I sensed that the mother I knew would soon go.
আর আমি বুঝতে পারলাম, আমার পরিচিত সেই মা শীঘ্রই আর আগের মতো থাকবেন না।
So quickly she changed and turned into the other,
তিনি খুব দ্রুত বদলে গিয়ে অন্য এক রূপে পরিণত হলেন,
a stranger dressed in the clothes of my mother.
যেন আমার মায়ের পোশাক পরা এক অপরিচিত মানুষ।
Oh, she looked the same, at least at arms length,
কিছুটা দূর থেকে দেখলে তাঁকে আগের মতোই মনে হতো,
but now she was the child and I was her strength.
কিন্তু এখন তিনি শিশুর মতো হয়ে গিয়েছিলেন, আর আমি ছিলাম তাঁর শক্তি ও সহায়।
We’d come full circle, we women three,
আমরা তিন নারী জীবনের একটি পূর্ণ চক্র সম্পন্ন করেছিলাম।
my mother the first, the second and me.
আমরা ছিলাম—আমার প্রথম মা, দ্বিতীয় মা এবং আমি।
And if my own children should come to a day,
আর যদি একদিন আমার নিজের সন্তানদেরও এমন সময় আসে,
when a new mother comes and the old goes away,
যখন তাদের পরিচিত মা বদলে গিয়ে নতুন এক রূপের মা হয়ে ওঠেন,
I’d ask of them nothing that I didn’t do.
তাহলে আমি তাদের কাছে এমন কিছু চাইব না, যা আমি নিজে করিনি।
Love both of your mothers as both have loved you.
তোমরা তোমাদের দুই রূপের মাকেই ভালোবাসবে, যেমন তোমাদের মা দুজনেই তোমাদের ভালোবেসেছেন।
Vocabulary & Key Terms
| Word / Phrase | Easy English Meaning | বাংলা অর্থ |
|---|---|---|
| Claim | Say something is true | দাবি করা |
| Diverse by design | Different by nature or condition | প্রকৃতিগতভাবে ভিন্ন |
| Nurtured | Raised and cared for | লালন-পালন করা |
| Launched my career | Helped me start my career | কর্মজীবনের সূচনা করতে সাহায্য করা |
| Features | Physical characteristics | শারীরিক বৈশিষ্ট্য |
| Facial expressions | Looks showing feelings | মুখের ভাব ও অভিব্যক্তি |
| Clouded | Became confused or unclear | বিভ্রান্ত / অস্পষ্ট হয়ে যাওয়া |
| Sensed | Felt or realized | অনুভব করা / বুঝতে পারা |
| Stranger | An unfamiliar person | অপরিচিত / অচেনা মানুষ |
| At arm’s length | From a short distance | কিছুটা দূর থেকে |
| Strength | Support or help | সহায় / শক্তি |
| Full circle | A complete cycle of life | জীবনের পূর্ণ আবর্তন |
| Women three | Three women in the speaker’s life cycle | তিন নারী |
Short Summary of “Two Mothers Remembered”
“Two Mothers Remembered” is about a daughter’s love for her mother at two stages of life. The first mother is strong, loving, and caring. She gives birth to the speaker, raises her, guides her, and helps her start her career. Later, old age causes the mother’s mind to become confused. She becomes weak and childlike. The daughter then becomes her mother’s caregiver and source of strength. This is called a “full circle” because the daughter now gives the care she once received from her mother. Finally, the speaker asks her own children to love both versions of their mother if she becomes weak and forgetful in old age.
বাংলা সারসংক্ষেপ
‘Two Mothers Remembered’ কবিতায় একজন মেয়ে তাঁর মাকে জীবনের দুটি ভিন্ন অবস্থায় স্মরণ করেছেন। প্রথম মা ছিলেন শক্তিশালী, স্নেহময়ী ও যত্নশীল। তিনি মেয়েকে জন্ম দিয়েছেন, লালন-পালন করেছেন এবং জীবনে এগিয়ে যেতে সাহায্য করেছেন।
পরে বার্ধক্য ও স্মৃতিশক্তি দুর্বল হওয়ার কারণে মা বদলে যান। তিনি দুর্বল ও শিশুর মতো হয়ে পড়েন এবং মেয়ের ওপর নির্ভরশীল হন। তখন মেয়েকেই মায়ের যত্ন নিতে হয়। এভাবে জীবনের একটি পূর্ণ চক্র সম্পন্ন হয়। শেষে কবি তাঁর নিজের সন্তানদের বলেন, ভবিষ্যতে তিনি বৃদ্ধ হয়ে বদলে গেলেও যেন তাঁরা তাঁর উভয় রূপকেই ভালোবাসে।
Two Mothers Remembered SSC Question Answer
These are important SSC and Class 9–10 question answers from the poem. The questions are arranged by importance, and the answers are written in very simple English so students can understand them quickly and write them easily in the examination.
⭐⭐⭐ Most Important Questions
1. How are the two mothers different from each other?
Answer: The two mothers are the same woman at two different stages of life. The first mother is strong and caring, while the second is old, weak, confused, and dependent on her daughter.
2. Who are the two mothers in the poem?
Answer: They are the same mother at two different stages of her life. The first is young and strong, and the second is old and dependent.
3. Who was the speaker’s second mother?
Answer: The second mother was the speaker’s own mother in old age. Her mind became confused, and she needed care from her daughter.
4. What did the first mother do for the speaker?
Answer: She gave birth to her, raised her, loved her, guided her, and helped her start her career.
5. What does “full circle” mean in the poem?
Answer: It means that the roles were reversed. The mother once cared for her daughter, but later the daughter cared for her mother.
6. What should children do to their mother and why?
Answer: Children should love, respect, and care for their mother, especially in old age, because the mother once cared for them.
7. What advice does the speaker give to her own children?
Answer: She asks them to love both versions of their mother if she becomes weak and forgetful in old age.
8. Who are the “women three”?
Answer: They are the first mother, the second mother, and the speaker herself.
9. Did the speaker love both mothers? Why?
Answer: Yes, she loved both because both were her mother. Her love did not change when her mother became old and weak.
10. What is the main theme of the poem “Two Mothers Remembered”?
Answer: The main theme is motherly love, aging, memory loss, and the changing roles of parents and children.
⭐⭐ Important Questions
11. Why does the speaker call her aging mother “a stranger dressed in the clothes of my mother”?
Answer: Her mother looked familiar, but her mind and behavior had changed greatly, so she seemed like a different person.
12. How did the speaker become the “strength” for her second mother?
Answer: When her mother became weak and dependent, the daughter supported her, cared for her, and became her source of strength.
13. How are the two mothers different yet the same person?
Answer: They are the same woman, but they are different in age, mental condition, behavior, and strength.
14. What did the speaker inherit from her first mother?
Answer: She inherited her mother’s physical features, facial expressions, love, and good examples in life.
15. How does the poem show the reversal of roles between mother and child?
Answer: The mother first takes care of the child. Later, when the mother becomes old and weak, the child takes care of the mother.
16. What does the second mother symbolize?
Answer: The second mother symbolizes old age, memory loss, weakness, dependence, and the natural cycle of life.
17. What does the poem suggest about patience?
Answer: It suggests that children should be patient and caring with their mothers when they become old and dependent.
18. How did the relationship between the speaker and her first mother change as she grew older?
Answer: Their relationship became closer and happier. They shared laughter and enjoyed each other’s company.
19. What lasting gifts did the first mother give the speaker?
Answer: She gave her love, guidance, good examples, and some of her physical features and facial expressions.
Additional Practice Questions
20. When did the speaker sense that her first mother would soon go?
Answer: She sensed it when her mother’s mind became clouded and her memory began to fail.
21. How does the speaker describe the appearance of her second mother?
Answer: From a short distance, she looked almost like her old self, but her behavior had changed.
22. What does the poem say about change in human life?
Answer: It shows that aging naturally changes our body, mind, and abilities.
23. What should children do when their mother becomes old and weak?
Answer: They should love, respect, support, and care for her with patience.
24. What did the first mother do to help launch the speaker’s career?
Answer: She nurtured and guided the speaker and helped her begin her career.
25. How does the poem show love between generations?
Answer: It shows that love and care pass from parents to children and later return from children to parents.
26. Why does the speaker emphasize loving both mothers?
Answer: She emphasizes it because both mothers are actually the same woman, and old age does not make her less worthy of love.
27. What lesson does the poem teach about caring for parents?
Answer: It teaches us to care for aging parents with love, patience, respect, and gratitude.
28. How does the poem portray the mother-daughter relationship?
Answer: It portrays the relationship as deep, loving, lasting, and caring.
29. Do you think sons should have the same realization as daughters? Why?
Answer: Yes. Both sons and daughters should care for their aging parents because parents sacrifice a lot for their children.
30. Do you like the poem? Why?
Answer: Yes, I like it because it teaches us to love and care for our mothers even when they become old and dependent.
Detailed Summary of “Two Mothers Remembered”
The First Mother
The speaker first remembers her mother as a strong and loving woman. She gave birth to her, raised her, guided her, and helped her start her career. The speaker also inherited some of her mother’s physical features and facial expressions.
A Close Mother-Daughter Relationship
As the speaker grew older, her relationship with her mother became closer. They laughed together and enjoyed their relationship as mother and daughter.
The Mother Begins to Change
As the mother became old, her mind became clouded. The speaker realized that the mother she had always known was gradually disappearing.
The Second Mother
The same woman became weak and dependent. She still looked like the speaker’s mother from a distance, but her mental condition had changed so much that she seemed like a stranger.
The Reversal of Roles
The mother became like a child, while the daughter became her strength. The daughter now gave the care she once received from her mother.
The Full Circle of Life
The daughter understood that life had come “full circle.” The mother once cared for the child, and now the child cared for the mother.
The Final Advice
The speaker asks her own children to love both versions of their mother if she becomes weak and forgetful in old age. Her message is simple: old age may change a parent, but it should never destroy a child’s love for that parent.
Structure of the Poem
| Part | Main Idea |
|---|---|
| Two Mothers | The speaker introduces two versions of her mother. |
| First Mother | She is strong, loving, active, and caring. |
| Mother-Daughter Bond | Their relationship grows closer and happier. |
| Aging | The mother’s mind becomes confused. |
| Second Mother | She becomes weak, childlike, and dependent. |
| Role Reversal | The daughter becomes the mother’s strength. |
| Full Circle | The daughter returns the care she once received. |
| Final Message | The speaker asks her children to love both versions of their mother. |
The poem moves from:
Mother → Daughter → Aging → Role Reversal → Full Circle → Love
Main Theme of “Two Mothers Remembered”
English Theme
The main theme of “Two Mothers Remembered” is unconditional love between parents and children and the natural cycle of life.
The poem shows that a mother may change greatly with age. She may become weak, confused, and dependent, but she remains the same beloved mother. The poem also shows how the roles of parent and child can reverse in old age.
মূলভাব
কবিতাটির মূলভাব হলো মা ও সন্তানের চিরন্তন ভালোবাসা, বার্ধক্যের পরিবর্তন এবং জীবনের স্বাভাবিক চক্র। মা যেমন ছোটবেলায় সন্তানকে যত্ন করেন, বার্ধক্যে সেই সন্তানকেই মায়ের যত্ন নিতে হয়।
Line-by-Line Explanation of “Two Mothers Remembered”
“I had two mothers – two mothers I claim”
The speaker says that she had two mothers.
Easy idea: She sees her mother in two different stages of life.
“Two different people, yet with the same name.”
The two mothers seem different, but they are actually the same woman.
Easy idea: They are the same mother before and after old age changes her.
“Two separate women, diverse by design”
The speaker emphasizes the great difference between the two versions of her mother.
Easy idea: Age has made the same woman very different.
“But I loved them both because they were mine.”
The speaker loves both versions because they are both her mother.
Easy idea: Her love for her mother never changes.
“The first was the mother who carried me here”
The first mother gave birth to the speaker and brought her into the world.
Easy idea: The first mother gave the speaker life.
“Gave birth and nurtured and launched my career.”
The mother raised the speaker and helped her become successful in life.
Easy idea: She cared for and guided her daughter.
“She was the one whose features I bear”
The daughter has some physical features of her mother.
Easy idea: The daughter looks like her mother in some ways.
“Complete with the facial expressions I wear.”
The daughter also has some of her mother’s facial expressions.
Easy idea: She inherited some of her mother’s expressions.
“She gave her love, which follows me yet”
The mother gave lasting love to her daughter.
Easy idea: The mother’s love is still with the daughter.
“Along with examples in life that she set.”
The mother also gave the daughter good examples for living.
Easy idea: The mother taught her important lessons through her life.
“As I got older, she somehow younger grew”
As the daughter became older, her mother seemed more lively and youthful in their relationship.
Easy idea: Their relationship became happier and more enjoyable.
“And we’d laugh as just Mothers and daughters do.”
They shared the natural happiness of a mother-daughter relationship.
Easy idea: They laughed and enjoyed being together.
“But then came the time that her mind clouded so”
The mother’s mind became confused because of aging.
Easy idea: Her memory and mental ability began to fail.
“And I sensed that the mother I knew would soon go.”
The daughter realized that her old mother was gradually disappearing.
Easy idea: The mother she knew was changing.
“So quickly she changed and turned into the other”
The mother changed into a very different version of herself.
Easy idea: Old age changed her greatly.
“A stranger dressed in the clothes of my mother.”
The mother still looked familiar but behaved like a stranger.
Easy idea: Her body looked the same, but her mind had changed.
“Oh, she looked the same, at least at arms length”
From a short distance, she still looked like the old mother.
Easy idea: Her physical appearance had not changed completely.
“But now she was the child and I was her strength.”
The mother became dependent like a child, and the daughter became her caregiver.
Easy idea: The daughter now cared for her mother.
“We’d come full circle, we women three”
The family had completed a natural cycle.
Easy idea: The roles in the family had changed completely.
“My mother the first, the second and me.”
The three women are the first mother, the second mother, and the daughter.
Easy idea: They represent the different stages of the life cycle.
“And if my own children should come to a day”
The speaker thinks about her own future.
Easy idea: She knows that she may also grow old someday.
“When a new mother comes and the old goes away”
Her children may also see her change because of old age.
Easy idea: Her children may one day face the same situation.
“I’d ask of them nothing that I didn’t do.”
She would not expect anything more from her children than what she did for her own mother.
Easy idea: She wants her children to treat her as she treated her mother.
“Love both of your mothers as both have loved you.”
The final message is to love the mother in all stages of life.
Easy idea: Children should love and care for their mother even when she becomes old and weak.
Important Literary Devices in “Two Mothers Remembered”
Contrast
The poem contrasts the mother’s strong, active state with her weak, dependent state.
Metaphor
The idea of “two Mothers” represents two different stages of the same woman’s life.
Symbolism
The second mother symbolizes:
- Old age
- Memory loss
- Weakness
- Dependence
- The natural cycle of life
Role Reversal
The mother first cares for the daughter. Later, the daughter cares for the mother.
“Full Circle”
“Full circle” symbolizes the completion of the life cycle and the return of care from child to parent.
Tone of “Two Mothers Remembered”
The tone of the poem is mainly:
- Loving
- Emotional
- Reflective
- Compassionate
- Tender
Exam-ready answer: The tone is loving, emotional, reflective, and compassionate because the speaker remembers her mother with deep love and care.
Message of “Two Mothers Remembered”
The poem teaches that old age may change a person’s body, mind, and behavior, but it should not change our love and respect for that person.
Children should be patient and caring toward their aging parents because parents once gave them the same care when they were helpless.
Quick Revision Notes
| Topic | Easy Answer |
|---|---|
| Poet | Joann Snow Duncanson |
| Main theme | Motherly love, aging, and role reversal |
| Two mothers | The same mother at two stages of life |
| First mother | Strong, caring, active, and loving |
| Second mother | Old, weak, confused, and dependent |
| Stranger | Her changed mental condition makes her seem unfamiliar |
| Strength | The daughter becomes the mother’s support |
| Full circle | The daughter cares for the mother as the mother once cared for her |
| Women three | First mother, second mother, and daughter |
| Main lesson | Love and care for aging parents |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote “Two Mothers Remembered”?
Answer: Joann Snow Duncanson wrote the poem.
What is “Two Mothers Remembered” about?
Answer: It is about a daughter’s love for her mother, aging, memory loss, and role reversal.
Who are the two mothers?
Answer: They are the same mother at two different stages of life.
What does “full circle” mean?
Answer: It means that the daughter becomes the caregiver of the mother who once cared for her.
Who are the “women three”?
Answer: They are the first mother, the second mother, and the speaker.
Why did the mother seem like a stranger?
Answer: She seemed like a stranger because her mind and behavior changed greatly with age.
What does the second mother represent?
Answer: She represents old age, weakness, memory loss, and dependence.
What should children do when their mother becomes old?
Answer: They should love, respect, support, and care for her patiently.
What is the main message of the poem?
Answer: The poem teaches us to love and care for our aging parents unconditionally
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