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!
অ্যান্ড্রে
গুয়েন্ডোলিন ব্রুকস
গতরাতে আমি একটি স্বপ্ন দেখেছিলাম।
স্বপ্নে দেখলাম, আমাকে এক জন মা বেছে নিতে হবে।
আমাকে এক জন বাবাকেও বেছে নিতে হবে।
প্রথমে আমি ভাবছিলাম কী করব,
সেখানে এত মানুষ ছিল—
খাটো, লম্বা, রোগা আর মোটা।
কিন্তু ঠিক যখন আমি জেগে উঠলাম,
আমি জানতাম কোন বাবা–মাকে নেব।
এবং তা আমাকে বিস্মিত ও আনন্দিত করল;
তারা সেই বাবা–মাই ছিলেন, যাদের আমি সবসময় পেয়েছি!
Theme: The poem “André” by Gwendolyn Brooks explores love, gratitude, and family appreciation. It shows how sometimes we only realize the value of our loved ones when we imagine life without them. The poem beautifully expresses the joy of being content with what we already have.
থিম: গুয়েন্ডোলিন ব্রুকসের “অ্যান্ড্রে” কবিতাটি ভালোবাসা, কৃতজ্ঞতা ও পরিবারের প্রতি মূল্যবোধের কথা বলে। এটি দেখায়, অনেক সময় আমরা আমাদের প্রিয়জনদের আসল মূল্য বুঝি যখন ভাবি তারা আমাদের না থাকলে কেমন হতো। কবিতাটি সুন্দরভাবে বোঝায় যে নিজের যা আছে, তাতেই আনন্দ ও তৃপ্তি পাওয়া যায়।
Summary: In the poem, André dreams that he has to choose new parents for himself. He sees many people of different shapes and sizes and feels confused about whom to choose. Just before waking up, he suddenly realizes which parents he would take. To his surprise and happiness, he chooses the same parents he already has. The poem ends with a warm message of love, satisfaction, and gratitude toward one’s own family.
সারাংশ: কবিতায় দেখা যায়, অ্যান্ড্রে স্বপ্নে দেখে যে তাকে নতুন বাবা-মা বেছে নিতে হবে। সে নানা রকম মানুষের ভিড়ে পড়ে বিভ্রান্ত হয়ে যায়। জেগে ওঠার আগ মুহূর্তে সে বুঝতে পারে কাকে বেছে নেবে। বিস্ময়ের সঙ্গে সে দেখে যে, সে নিজের বর্তমান বাবা-মাকেই আবার বেছে নেয়। কবিতার শেষভাগে পরিবারের প্রতি ভালোবাসা, সন্তুষ্টি ও কৃতজ্ঞতার এক উষ্ণ বার্তা প্রকাশ পায়।
Vocabulary Box: “André” by Gwendolyn Brooks
Words | Meaning | Synonyms | Antonyms |
Dream (noun) | স্বপ্ন | vision, fantasy | reality, wakefulness |
Dreamed (verb) | স্বপ্ন দেখেছিলাম | envisioned, imagined | experienced, lived |
Pick (verb) | বেছে নেওয়া | choose, select | reject, decline |
Mother (noun) | মা | mom, parent | father |
Choose (verb) | পছন্দ করা | select, pick | refuse, reject |
Father (noun) | বাবা | dad, parent | mother |
Wondered (verb) | ভেবেছিলাম | pondered, thought | knew, was certain |
At first (phrase) | প্রথমে | initially, in the beginning | finally, in the end |
Many (adjective) | অনেক | numerous, plenty | few, scarce |
Seemed (verb) | মনে হয়েছিল | appeared, looked | was, definitely were |
Short (adjective) | খাটো | small, little | tall, long |
Tall (adjective) | লম্বা | high, big | short, small |
Thin (adjective) | পাতলা | slim, slender | fat, thick |
Stout (adjective) | মোটা | fat, heavy | thin, slim |
Sprang awake (verb phrase) | হঠাৎ জেগে উঠল | woke up suddenly, bolted awake | fell asleep, dozed off |
Knew (verb) | জানতাম | realized, understood | doubted, questioned |
Parents (noun) | বাবা–মা | mother and father, guardians | |
Surprised (adjective) | অবাক | amazed, astonished | unsurprised, expected |
Glad (adjective) | খুশি | happy, pleased | sad, unhappy |
Always (adverb) | সর্বদা | forever, constantly | never, rarely |
Here are 30 WH questions based on the poem “André” by Gwendolyn Brooks —
- Who is the poet of the poem “André”?
- What did André have last night?
- What did André dream about?
- Who did André have to choose in his dream?
- What two people did André need to pick?
- What was André wondering at first?
- Why was André confused in the beginning?
- What kinds of people were there in the dream?
- How does the poet describe the people André saw?
- When did André realize which parents he would take?
- What happened just before André woke up?
- What made André glad in his dream?
- Why was André surprised at the end of the poem?
- What was special about the parents André chose?
- Who were the parents André decided to take?
- What emotion does André feel when he wakes up?
- What does André’s dream suggest about his real feelings?
- Why do you think André chose the same parents he already had?
- What do the words “short and tall and thin and stout” refer to?
- When does André realize the value of his own parents?
- What does the poem teach about family and gratitude?
- What does André’s dream symbolize?
- What is the tone of the poem?
- What might the dream represent in André’s life?
- Why do you think the poet made André dream about choosing parents?
- What lesson can readers learn from André’s realization?
- What happens to André at the end of the poem?
- What feeling dominates the last two lines of the poem?
- Which line shows André’s sudden realization?
- What is the main theme of the poem “André”?
Answers:
- The poet of the poem “André” is Gwendolyn Brooks. She is a well-known American poet celebrated for her simple yet meaningful themes.
- André had a dream last night. It was a dream about choosing his parents.
- In his dream, André had to pick both a mother and a father. The task made him thoughtful and a little confused.
- He had to choose who would be his parents. This made him realize how important his real parents were.
- André needed to pick one mother and one father. It was a difficult choice because there were many people around.
- At first, André wondered what to do. He didn’t know which parents to choose.
- André was confused because there were so many people to choose from. He couldn’t decide who would be best for him.
- In his dream, André saw many different kinds of people. They were of various sizes and appearances.
- The poet describes the people as short, tall, thin, and stout. This shows the wide variety of choices André had.
- André realized which parents he would take just before waking up. His decision came at the very end of the dream.
- Right before he woke up, André knew exactly which parents he wanted. That realization made the dream meaningful.
- André was glad because he discovered something comforting. He realized that he would still choose his own parents.
- He was surprised because he hadn’t expected that choice. The surprise brought him happiness and peace.
- The special thing about the parents André chose was that they were his real ones. He did not want anyone else instead of them.
- André decided to take the same parents he already had. He understood their true value through his dream.
- When he woke up, André felt glad and thankful. His heart was full of love for his parents.
- André’s dream shows that he truly appreciates his parents. It reveals his deep love and satisfaction with his family.
- He chose the same parents because he realized they were perfect for him. No one else could love him the same way.
- The words “short and tall and thin and stout” refer to the variety of people in his dream. They symbolize the different kinds of choices he could have made.
- André realizes the value of his parents right before waking up. That moment gives him a new understanding of love and gratitude.
- The poem teaches us to be thankful for our parents. It reminds readers that love and belonging matter more than perfection.
- André’s dream symbolizes self-discovery and appreciation. It shows that real happiness comes from valuing what we already have.
- The tone of the poem is gentle and thoughtful. It carries a feeling of love and quiet realization.
- The dream represents André’s emotional journey. It helps him see how lucky he is to have his parents.
- The poet made André dream about choosing parents to teach a lesson about gratitude. It shows that love cannot be replaced by appearances.
- Readers learn that they should appreciate their family. The poem teaches that true love is found at home.
- At the end of the poem, André wakes up happy. He feels comforted by the fact that he has the best parents already.
- The last two lines express joy and thankfulness. André feels lucky to have the parents he already owns.
- The line “I knew what parents I would take” shows André’s realization. It marks the turning point of the poem.
- The main theme of the poem is love and appreciation for one’s parents. It highlights the value of family and contentment with what we have.