André

-Gwendolyn Brooks

I had a dream last night. I dreamed

I had to pick a mother out.

I had to choose a father too. At first,

I wondered what to do,

There were so many there, it seemed,

Short and tall and thin and stout.

But just before I sprang awake,

I knew what parents I would take.

And this surprised and made me glad:

They were the ones I always had!

Line by line translation

I had a dream last night. I dreamed
গত রাতে আমি একটি স্বপ্ন দেখেছিলাম। আমি স্বপ্ন দেখলাম,

I had to pick a mother out.
আমাকে একজন মাকে বেছে নিতে হবে।

I had to choose a father too. At first,
আমাকে একজন বাবাকেও বেছে নিতে হবে। প্রথমে,

I wondered what to do,
আমি ভাবছিলাম কী করব,

There were so many there, it seemed,
সেখানে এত মানুষ ছিল যে মনে হচ্ছিল,

Short and tall and thin and stout.
খাটো ও লম্বা, রোগা ও মোটা।

But just before I sprang awake,
কিন্তু ঠিক যখন আমার ঘুম ভাঙার উপক্রম হলো,

I knew what parents I would take.
আমি বুঝে গেলাম কোন বাবা-মাকে আমি বেছে নেব।

And this surprised and made me glad:
এটি আমাকে বিস্মিত করল এবং আনন্দও দিল:

They were the ones I always had!
তাঁরাই ছিলেন সেই বাবা-মা, যাঁদের আমি সবসময় পেয়ে এসেছি!

Summary of the Poem André

In the poem André, the speaker dreams that he must choose a new mother and father from many different people. At first, he feels confused because there are so many choices. However, just before waking up, he realizes that the parents he wants are the same parents he already has. This realization makes him happy and surprised. The poem conveys a message of love, gratitude, and appreciation for one’s own parents.

কবিতার সারাংশ

‘André’ কবিতায় কবি একটি স্বপ্নের কথা বলেছেন। স্বপ্নে তিনি দেখেন যে তাঁকে অনেক মানুষের মধ্য থেকে একজন মা ও একজন বাবা বেছে নিতে হবে। এত মানুষ দেখে তিনি প্রথমে দ্বিধায় পড়ে যান এবং কী করবেন বুঝতে পারেন না। কিন্তু ঘুম ভাঙার ঠিক আগে তিনি বুঝতে পারেন যে তিনি যাঁদের বাবা-মা হিসেবে বেছে নিতে চান, তাঁরা আর কেউ নন, তাঁর নিজের বর্তমান বাবা-মাই। এই উপলব্ধি তাঁকে আনন্দিত ও বিস্মিত করে। কবিতাটি সন্তানের প্রতি বাবা-মায়ের গুরুত্ব, ভালোবাসা এবং নিজের বাবা-মায়ের প্রতি কৃতজ্ঞতার অনুভূতি প্রকাশ করে।

Theme of the Poem André

English:
The theme of the poem is love, gratitude, and appreciation for one’s parents. Although the speaker is given the chance to choose different parents, he finally realizes that the parents he already has are the ones he truly wants. The poem teaches us that our own parents are special and precious, and we should love and value them.

বাংলা:
কবিতাটির মূল ভাববস্তু হলো নিজের বাবা-মায়ের প্রতি ভালোবাসা, কৃতজ্ঞতা ও শ্রদ্ধাবোধ। কবিতার বক্তা স্বপ্নে নতুন বাবা-মা বেছে নেওয়ার সুযোগ পেলেও শেষ পর্যন্ত নিজের বর্তমান বাবা-মাকেই বেছে নেন। এর মাধ্যমে বোঝানো হয়েছে যে সন্তানের কাছে তার নিজের বাবা-মাই সবচেয়ে প্রিয় ও মূল্যবান। তাই আমাদের উচিত বাবা-মাকে ভালোবাসা, সম্মান করা এবং তাঁদের প্রতি কৃতজ্ঞ থাকা

Explain each stanza briefly

Stanza 1

I had a dream last night. I dreamed
I had to pick a mother out.
I had to choose a father too. At first,
I wondered what to do,
There were so many there, it seemed,
Short and tall and thin and stout.

English:
The speaker dreams that he must choose a new mother and father from many different people. Seeing so many choices, he feels confused and does not know whom to select.

বাংলা:
কবি স্বপ্নে দেখেন যে তাঁকে একজন মা ও একজন বাবা বেছে নিতে হবে। সেখানে অনেক ধরনের মানুষ ছিল। এত মানুষের মধ্যে থেকে বেছে নেওয়ার কথা ভেবে তিনি দ্বিধাগ্রস্ত হয়ে পড়েন এবং কী করবেন বুঝতে পারেন না।

Stanza 2

But just before I sprang awake,
I knew what parents I would take.
And this surprised and made me glad:
They were the ones I always had!

English:
Just before waking up, the speaker realizes that he wants the same parents he already has. This realization surprises him and makes him very happy.

বাংলা:
ঘুম ভাঙার ঠিক আগে কবি বুঝতে পারেন যে তিনি তাঁর বর্তমান বাবা-মাকেই বেছে নিতে চান। এই উপলব্ধি তাঁকে বিস্মিত করে এবং আনন্দে ভরিয়ে দেয়, কারণ তিনি বুঝতে পারেন যে তাঁর নিজের বাবা-মাই তাঁর কাছে সবচেয়ে প্রিয়।

Theme of the Poem André

English:
The central theme of the poem is love, gratitude, and appreciation for one’s parents. The speaker dreams of choosing a new mother and father from many different people, but in the end, he realizes that the parents he already has are the ones he truly wants. The poem emphasizes that our own parents are unique, precious, and deserving of our love and respect.

বাংলা:
কবিতাটির মূল ভাববস্তু হলো নিজের বাবা-মায়ের প্রতি ভালোবাসা, কৃতজ্ঞতা ও শ্রদ্ধা। কবিতার বক্তা স্বপ্নে অনেক মানুষের মধ্য থেকে নতুন বাবা-মা বেছে নেওয়ার সুযোগ পেলেও শেষ পর্যন্ত নিজের বর্তমান বাবা-মাকেই বেছে নেন। এর মাধ্যমে কবি দেখিয়েছেন যে নিজের বাবা-মাই সন্তানের কাছে সবচেয়ে প্রিয় ও মূল্যবান। তাই আমাদের উচিত তাঁদের ভালোবাসা, সম্মান করা এবং কৃতজ্ঞ থাকা।

**Questions with Answers from the Poem André by Gwendolyn Brooks**

Who wrote the poem “André”?
Answer: Gwendolyn Brooks wrote the poem.
What did the speaker have last night?
Answer: The speaker had a dream last night.
What did the speaker dream about?
Answer: He dreamed that he had to choose a mother and a father.
Whom did the speaker have to pick out?
Answer: He had to pick out a mother.
What else did the speaker have to choose?
Answer: He had to choose a father too.
How did the speaker feel at first?
Answer: He felt confused at first.
Why was the speaker confused?
Answer: Because he did not know whom to choose.
Were there many people to choose from?
Answer: Yes, there were many people.
What kinds of people were there?
Answer: There were short, tall, thin, and stout people.
What does “stout” mean?
Answer: “Stout” means fat or heavily built.
Did the speaker find the decision easy?
Answer: No, he did not.
What did he wonder?
Answer: He wondered what to do.
When did the speaker realize his choice?
Answer: Just before he woke up.
What happened just before he awoke?
Answer: He knew which parents he would choose.
Did he finally make a decision?
Answer: Yes, he did.
Whom did he decide to choose?
Answer: He decided to choose his own parents.
Was the speaker surprised by his choice?
Answer: Yes, he was surprised.
How did his choice make him feel?
Answer: It made him glad.
Why was he glad?
Answer: Because he realized that his own parents were the best for him.
Who were the parents he chose?
Answer: They were the parents he always had.
What is the poem mainly about?
Answer: The poem is mainly about love for one’s parents.
What message does the poem convey?
Answer: It conveys gratitude and appreciation for parents.
What is the setting of the poem?
Answer: The setting is a dream.
Is the poem based on reality or imagination?
Answer: It is based on imagination.
Who is the speaker in the poem?
Answer: A child is the speaker in the poem.
What does the dream allow the speaker to do?
Answer: It allows him to choose his parents.
Did the speaker want different parents in the end?
Answer: No, he did not.
Why is the poem touching?
Answer: Because it shows a child’s love for his parents.
What emotion is expressed at the end of the poem?
Answer: Happiness is expressed at the end.
How many stanzas are there in the poem?
Answer: There are two stanzas.
What does the first stanza describe?
Answer: It describes the dream and the confusion of choosing parents.
What does the second stanza describe?
Answer: It describes the realization and happiness of the speaker.
What literary device is used in the poem?
Answer: Imagery is used in the poem.
What is the tone of the poem?
Answer: The tone is affectionate and cheerful.
What does the speaker learn from the dream?
Answer: He learns to value his own parents.
Is the speaker grateful to his parents?
Answer: Yes, he is.
What does the phrase “sprang awake” mean?
Answer: It means woke up suddenly.
What is the central theme of the poem?
Answer: Love and appreciation for one’s parents.
Does the speaker regret his decision?
Answer: No, he does not.
What makes the poem meaningful?
Answer: Its message of family love makes it meaningful.
Who are the most important people in the speaker’s life?
Answer: His parents are the most important people in his life.
What does the poem teach children?
Answer: It teaches children to love and respect their parents.
Are the speaker’s parents special to him?
Answer: Yes, they are very special to him.
What feeling does the poem inspire?
Answer: It inspires gratitude and affection.
Why did the speaker not choose new parents?
Answer: Because he loved the parents he already had.
What is the speaker’s final realization?
Answer: His own parents are the best parents for him.
What role does the dream play in the poem?
Answer: The dream helps the speaker understand his love for his parents.
Does the poem have a happy ending?
Answer: Yes, it has a happy ending.
What value is highlighted in the poem?
Answer: Family love is highlighted in the poem.
Why is “André” an inspiring poem?
Answer: Because it reminds us to appreciate and cherish our parents.
What did the speaker see in his dream?
Answer: He saw many people from whom he could choose parents.
Was the dream unusual?
Answer: Yes, it was unusual because people cannot choose their parents in real life.
What choice did the speaker have to make?
Answer: He had to choose a mother and a father.
Did the speaker immediately know whom to choose?
Answer: No, he did not.
What caused the speaker’s hesitation?
Answer: The large number of choices caused his hesitation.
What word in the poem suggests uncertainty?
Answer: The word “wondered” suggests uncertainty.
How were the people different from one another?
Answer: They were short, tall, thin, and stout.
What does the variety of people indicate?
Answer: It indicates that the speaker had many options.
What happened before the dream ended?
Answer: The speaker decided whom to choose as parents.
How did the speaker feel after making his choice?
Answer: He felt happy and surprised.
Did the dream change the speaker’s opinion about his parents?
Answer: Yes, it made him appreciate them more.
Why is the speaker’s final choice important?
Answer: It shows that he truly loves his parents.
What quality of the speaker is shown in the poem?
Answer: His gratitude is shown.
What does the poem say about family bonds?
Answer: Family bonds are strong and valuable.
Who remained the speaker’s preferred parents?
Answer: His own parents remained his preferred parents.
What lesson does the poem teach about parents?
Answer: It teaches us to appreciate our parents.
What is the speaker’s attitude toward his parents?
Answer: His attitude is loving and respectful.
Why does the speaker’s realization matter?
Answer: Because it reveals his true feelings.
What kind of poem is “André”?
Answer: It is a lyric poem.
What feeling dominates the poem?
Answer: Love dominates the poem.
Does the poem celebrate wealth or family?
Answer: It celebrates family.
What does the speaker discover through the dream?
Answer: He discovers how much he values his parents.
What is the mood at the end of the poem?
Answer: The mood is joyful.
How does the poem begin?
Answer: It begins with the speaker describing a dream.
How does the poem end?
Answer: It ends with the speaker choosing his own parents.
Is the ending positive or negative?
Answer: The ending is positive.
What does the dream help the speaker understand?
Answer: It helps him understand the importance of his parents.
Why is the poem easy for children to understand?
Answer: Because it uses simple language and ideas.
What is the speaker thankful for?
Answer: He is thankful for his parents.
What does the poem encourage readers to do?
Answer: It encourages readers to value their families.
What feeling replaces the speaker’s confusion?
Answer: Happiness replaces his confusion.
Did the speaker wake up before making a choice?
Answer: No, he made the choice before waking up.
What does the poem reveal about the speaker’s heart?
Answer: It reveals that he deeply loves his parents.
Why is the speaker glad?
Answer: Because he realized his own parents were the best choice.
What is the significance of the dream?
Answer: It helps the speaker appreciate his family.
Can people really choose their parents?
Answer: No, they cannot.
What makes the poem heartwarming?
Answer: The speaker’s love for his parents makes it heartwarming.
Who benefits from the poem’s message?
Answer: Children and adults both benefit from its message.
What value does the poem promote?
Answer: It promotes gratitude.
Why is gratitude important in the poem?
Answer: Because it helps us appreciate our parents.
What does the poem suggest about true happiness?
Answer: True happiness comes from appreciating loved ones.
What is the speaker’s greatest realization?
Answer: His own parents are the best parents for him.
Does the poem focus on material things?
Answer: No, it focuses on relationships.
What does the speaker learn about love?
Answer: He learns that his love for his parents is strong.
How does the poem portray parents?
Answer: It portrays parents as precious and irreplaceable.
Why should children read this poem?
Answer: To learn the value of loving and respecting parents.
What emotion is strongest at the poem’s conclusion?
Answer: Joy is the strongest emotion.
What does the poem teach about appreciation?
Answer: We should appreciate what we already have.
How does the speaker view his parents after the dream?
Answer: He views them as the best parents possible.
What is the overall message of “André”?
Answer: The overall message is that our own parents are precious, and we should love, respect, and appreciate them.