Poem: A Photograph by Shirley Toulson
The cardboard shows me how it was
When the two girl cousins went paddling,
Each one holding one of my mother’s hands,
And she the big girl – some twelve years or so.
Explanation (English)
The poet looks at an old photograph of her mother’s childhood. In the picture, her mother is about twelve years old, standing on the beach with her two cousins. Each cousin holds one of her hands as they enjoy paddling in water. The cardboard (photograph paper) has preserved this beautiful memory from the past.
Explanation (Hindi)
कवयित्री अपनी माँ की बचपन की एक पुरानी तस्वीर देख रही हैं। तस्वीर में माँ लगभग बारह साल की हैं और समुद्र किनारे अपनी दो चचेरी बहनों के साथ पानी में खेल रही हैं। दोनों बहनें माँ का हाथ पकड़े हुए हैं। तस्वीर (कार्डबोर्ड) ने उस पल को सदा के लिए संजो लिया है।
Questions:
1. What does the word cardboard refer to in the poem?
Ans: The word "cardboard" refers to the old photograph mounted on hard paper, which captured the childhood picture of the poet’s mother along with her cousins at the beach.
2. Who are the three children described in the photograph?
Ans: The three children are the poet’s mother, about twelve years old, and her two girl cousins, who are holding her hands while standing together on the beach.
3. How old was the poet’s mother in the photograph?
Ans: The poet’s mother was around twelve years old in the photograph. She was the eldest among the three girls, enjoying a holiday at the seaside with her cousins.
4. Where were the children paddling?
Ans: The children were paddling in the shallow water along the seashore. They were enjoying their seaside holiday with innocence and fun, while their uncle clicked their memorable photograph.
5. What memory does the photograph preserve for the poet?
Ans: The photograph preserves her mother’s childhood memory, showing her innocence and joy during a beach holiday. It also reflects the passing of time and the power of photographs.
All three stood still to smile through their hair
At the uncle with the camera. A sweet face,
My mother’s, that was before I was born,
And the sea, which appears to have changed less,
Washed their terribly transient feet.
Explanation (English)
The poet describes how the three girls smiled at the camera while their uncle clicked the photo. The mother looked sweet and innocent in that picture, long before the poet was born. The sea in the background looks unchanged, but the girls’ lives have changed with time. Their feet, once washed by the sea, symbolize the short-lived nature of human life compared to nature’s permanence.
Explanation (Hindi)
कवयित्री बताती हैं कि तीनों लड़कियाँ कैमरे की ओर मुस्कुराकर खड़ी थीं। माँ का चेहरा बहुत मासूम और प्यारा लग रहा था। यह समय कवयित्री के जन्म से पहले का था। समुद्र आज भी वैसा ही है, पर इंसान का जीवन बदल गया। समुद्र उनकी क्षणिक (क्षण भर की) ज़िंदगी का प्रतीक है।
Questions:
1. Who clicked the photograph of the three girls?
Ans: The photograph of the three girls was clicked by the poet’s mother’s uncle, who captured the joyful moment when they were smiling at the camera on the beach.
2. How did the three girls pose for the camera?
Ans: The three girls posed by standing still, smiling through their hair, and looking directly at the uncle’s camera while enjoying their holiday at the seashore.
3. What is described as "terribly transient" in the poem?
Ans: The poet describes the girls’ feet as *terribly transient*, symbolizing that human life is temporary and short-lived compared to the permanence of nature, like the sea.
4. How does the sea differ from human life?
Ans: The sea remains unchanged over time, showing permanence and continuity. Human life, however, is short and temporary, as people grow old and eventually die.
5. What does the sea symbolize in the poem?
Ans: The sea symbolizes permanence and timelessness in contrast to human life, which is fragile, short-lived, and transient. It highlights the theme of change and loss.
Some twenty – thirty – years later
She’d laugh at the snapshot. “See Betty
And Dolly,” she’d say, “and look how they
Dressed us for the beach.” The sea holiday
Was her past, mine is her laughter. Both wry
With the laboured ease of loss.
Explanation (English)
After 20-30 years, the poet’s mother would often look at the photograph and laugh, remembering her cousins Betty and Dolly. She used to recall how they were dressed for the beach. For the mother, the sea holiday was a memory of her childhood. For the poet, the memory of her mother’s laughter is now her past, as her mother is no more. Both memories bring sadness – one for the mother (lost childhood) and one for the poet (lost mother).
Explanation (Hindi)
बीस-तीस साल बाद, कवयित्री की माँ इस तस्वीर को देखकर हँसा करती थीं और अपनी बहनों बेट्टी और डॉली को याद करके कहतीं कि देखो, हमें समुद्र-तट के लिए कैसे कपड़े पहनाए थे। माँ के लिए यह समुद्र-तट की छुट्टी उनका अतीत थी। कवयित्री के लिए अब माँ की वह हँसी उनका अतीत बन गई है, क्योंकि माँ अब जीवित नहीं हैं। दोनों की यादें दुख और खोने की पीड़ा से जुड़ी हैं।
Questions:
1. How did the poet’s mother react to the photograph after 20–30 years?
Ans: After 20–30 years, the poet’s mother laughed at the photograph, recalling childhood memories of her cousins and their funny beach clothes during the seaside holiday.
2. What names did the mother recall while looking at the photo?
Ans: The mother fondly recalled her cousins, Betty and Dolly, while looking at the photo. She laughed, remembering how they were dressed for the seaside holiday in childhood.
3. What was the mother’s past according to the poem?
Ans: The sea holiday shown in the photograph was the mother’s past. It reminded her of her childhood days, her cousins, and the joy of those carefree moments.
4. What is the poet’s past now?
Ans: The poet’s past is the memory of her mother’s laughter. Since her mother is now dead, remembering that laughter becomes a painful yet precious memory for her.
5. What common feeling is shared by both the mother and the poet in remembering the past?
Ans: Both the mother and the poet feel a sense of loss while remembering the past. The mother missed her childhood, and the poet mourns her mother’s death.
1. Who is the poet of “A Photograph”?
a) William Wordsworth
b) Shirley Toulson ✅
c) Robert Frost
d) W.B. Yeats
2. What is the main theme of the poem?
a) Adventure
b) Childhood memories and nostalgia ✅
c) Nature’s beauty
d) Love story
3. How old was the poet’s mother in the photograph?
a) Ten years
b) Twelve years ✅
c) Fifteen years
d) Twenty years
4. Who clicked the photograph?
a) The poet
b) Mother herself
c) The poet’s uncle ✅
d) A stranger
5. What does the sea symbolize in the poem?
a) Happiness
b) Permanence and continuity ✅
c) Childhood
d) Death
6. What does “terribly transient feet” signify?
a) Childhood innocence
b) Human life is short-lived ✅
c) Sea waves
d) Happiness
7. Who were the mother’s cousins mentioned in the poem?
a) Dolly and Betty ✅
b) Mary and Lucy
c) Anne and Kate
d) Jane and Lily
8. How did the mother react to the photograph after years?
a) She cried
b) She laughed ✅
c) She ignored it
d) She destroyed it
9. What emotion does the poet feel while looking at the photograph?
a) Joy only
b) Sadness and nostalgia ✅
c) Anger
d) Surprise
10. Which literary device is used when the photograph represents memories?
a) Simile
b) Metaphor ✅
c) Alliteration
d) Hyperbole
1. Describe the photograph mentioned in the poem.
Answer: The photograph shows the poet’s mother as a young girl, about twelve years old, with her two girl cousins. They are standing by the sea, holding hands and smiling at the camera. The image captures the innocence, joy, and carefree spirit of childhood. The sea in the background looks unchanged, symbolizing permanence, while the children’s feet, washed by the water, reflect the temporary nature of human life. The photograph preserves a memory of happiness, childhood, and family bonding, making it precious for both the mother and the poet.
2. How does the poet describe her mother’s childhood?
Answer: The poet describes her mother’s childhood through the photograph, showing her as a sweet, innocent, and happy girl. She played with her cousins at the seaside, enjoying carefree moments. The children smiled at the camera, and the poet emphasizes the simplicity and joy of those days. The photograph evokes nostalgia and highlights the fleeting nature of childhood, contrasting with the permanent sea. Through this image, the poet reflects on family, memories, and how time changes people while some things, like the sea, remain constant.
3. What does the sea symbolize in the poem?
Answer: The sea symbolizes permanence and continuity in the poem. While human life is short and transient, the sea remains unchanged over the years. It serves as a contrast to the fleeting nature of childhood and human experiences. The poet’s mother, once young and carefree, grows older and passes away, but the sea continues to wash the shore. It also represents memories and emotions that remain constant despite the passage of time. The sea stands as a witness to life’s temporary joys and enduring natural beauty.
4. How does the poem depict the passage of time?
Answer: The poem depicts time through the contrast between the photograph and the present. The mother’s childhood is shown in the photograph, while years later, she laughs at the memories. The poet reflects on the death of her mother and the loss of those moments. Childhood joy was temporary, while the sea remained unchanged. Memories, laughter, and photographs help preserve the past, but human life passes quickly. This contrast between permanence and transience highlights how time affects people differently than nature, and evokes nostalgia, loss, and remembrance in the poet.
5. What emotions does the poet convey in the poem?
Answer: The poet conveys emotions of nostalgia, love, and loss. She recalls her mother’s childhood with amusement and affection, while also realizing the fleeting nature of life. There is a bittersweet feeling as the mother remembers her past, and the poet mourns her mother’s death. Joyful childhood memories contrast with sorrow at the present, showing how happiness is temporary. The poem evokes a mix of admiration for her mother, nostalgia for past moments, and sadness for what has been lost, emphasizing the emotional power of memories captured in photographs.