From a Railway Carriage

Robert Louis Stevenson

All through the meadows the horses and cattle:

Faster than fairies, faster than witches,

Bridges and houses, hedges and ditches;

And charging along like troops in a battle

All of the sights of the hill and the plain

Fly as thick as driving rain:

And ever again, in the wink of an eye,

Painted stations whistle by.

Here is a child who clambers and scrambles,

All by himself and gathering brambles;

Here is a tramp who stands and gazes;

And here is the green for stringing daisies!

Here is a cart runaway in the road

Lumping along with man and load;

And here is a mill, and there is a river:

Each a glimpse and gone forever!

রেলগাড়ির কামরা থেকে

রবার্ট লুই স্টিভেনসন

সারা মাঠে ঘোড়া আর গরু,
পরীর চেয়ে দ্রুত, জাদুকরের চেয়ে দ্রুত—
সেতু আর ঘর, বেড়া আর খাদ,
যুদ্ধরত সৈন্যদলের মতো ছুটে চলা,
পাহাড় আর সমতলের দৃশ্য
ঝড়ের বৃষ্টির মতো ছুটে যায় দৃপ্ত:
আর বারবার, চোখের পলকে
রঙিন স্টেশন শিস দিয়ে পেরিয়ে যায়।
এখানে একটি শিশু উঠছে আর ঝাঁপাচ্ছে,
একলা সে, ঝোপ থেকে জাম বের করছে।
এখানে একজন ভিখারি দাঁড়িয়ে তাকিয়ে আছে,
আর ওখানে সবুজ ঘাসে কেউ ডেইজি ফুল গাঁথছে।
এখানে একটি গাড়ি রাস্তায় ছুটছে,
মানুষ আর মাল নিয়ে থপথপ করে চলেছে;
এখানে আছে একটি কল, ওখানে একটি নদী—
প্রতিটি ঝলকেই দেখা, আবার চিরতরে হারিয়ে যাওয়া!

1. What is the title of the poem?
   The title is From a Railway Carriage. It describes what the poet sees from a moving train.
2. Who wrote the poem?
   Robert Louis Stevenson wrote the poem. He was a Scottish writer and poet.
3. Where is the speaker sitting?
   The speaker is sitting in a railway carriage. He is watching the scenery pass by quickly.
4. What moves faster than fairies and witches?
   The train moves faster than fairies and witches. It shows the incredible speed of travel.
5. What types of scenery are seen from the train?
   Bridges, houses, hedges, and ditches are seen. Also hills, plains, mills, and rivers flash by.
6. How does the poet describe the movement of the train?
   He compares it to troops charging in battle. It shows power and speed.
7. Why does the poet mention “driving rain”?
   To show how quickly the sights pass by. They come fast and thick, just like heavy rain.
8. What flies by “in the wink of an eye”?
   Painted stations whistle by quickly. They appear and vanish in seconds.
9. Who is clambering and scrambling?
   A child is climbing and collecting brambles. The child is alone and active.
10. What is the child doing?
    The child is gathering brambles. He is enjoying his time in nature.
11. Where is the tramp standing?
    The tramp is standing and gazing at the train. He watches as it passes by.
12. What is the tramp doing?
    He is gazing quietly. He seems thoughtful or curious.
13. What is being strung on the green?
    Daisies are being strung. This likely means someone is making a daisy chain.
14. What kind of road scene is shown?
    A runaway cart is shown. It’s moving heavily with a man and a load.
15. Who is riding the cart?
    A man is riding with a load. The cart is moving in the road.
16. Where is the mill seen?
    The mill is beside the railway. It appears briefly as the train moves.
17. What flows near the mill?
    A river flows nearby. The poem shows both natural and man-made sights.
18. How does the poet feel about the speed of the train?
    He seems amazed and thrilled. The quick changes are exciting to him.
19. What happens to each sight seen from the train?
    Each is seen briefly, then lost forever. The moment is fleeting.
20. Why does the poet use rhyming words?
    To create a rhythmic, fast-moving tone. It matches the motion of the train.
21. What does “charging like troops in a battle” suggest?
    It shows speed and strength. The train rushes with force and direction.
22. Who is seen in nature during the ride?
    A child, a tramp, and a person making daisy chains are seen. Each is shown briefly.
23. Where does the child gather brambles?
    In the field or near bushes. He’s seen during the train’s journey.
24. What are brambles?
    Brambles are thorny bushes. They often have berries like blackberries.
25. Why are the stations described as “painted”?
    Because they are colorful and decorative. They are also seen quickly, like a painting.
26. How do the stations make noise?
    They whistle by. This could refer to the train whistle or the rush of air.
27. What does the poem suggest about time?
    Moments pass very quickly. Nothing lasts as the train rushes on.
28. What is a common theme in the poem?
    Speed and the fleeting nature of life. Everything passes in a blur.
29. Why is the poem exciting?
    Because it’s full of movement and vivid imagery. It captures the thrill of travel.
30. What does “each a glimpse and gone forever” mean?
    Each sight is seen only briefly. It disappears almost instantly.
31. Where is the train going?
    The destination is unknown. The focus is on the journey, not the end.
32. What makes the ride so vivid?
    The poet’s rich descriptions. He includes people, nature, and buildings.
33. How is nature shown in the poem?
    It’s lively and full of activity. Fields, rivers, and flowers appear quickly.
34. What do hedges and ditches represent?
    They show rural scenery. They pass by along the tracks.
35. How does the train affect the people it passes?
    Some watch in wonder, like the tramp. Others continue with their lives.
36. What is the mood of the poem?
    Exciting and energetic. It reflects the speed of the journey.
37. Who is the audience of this poem?
    Children and lovers of nature and travel. Its rhythm and images appeal to all ages.
38. How does the poet use sound in the poem?
    He uses alliteration and rhyme. They create a musical effect.
39. Why might this poem be used in schools?
    It teaches imagery, rhythm, and observation. It also sparks interest in poetry.
40. Where do the bridges and houses appear?
    Along the countryside. They are part of the passing view.
41. What does the poem capture about travel?
    Its speed and changing scenery. Each second brings something new.
42. How does the train compare to nature?
    It moves faster than anything natural. It overtakes animals, people, and views.
43. What is the poetic form?
    It is written in rhyming couplets. The form supports the rhythm of movement.
44. Why is the word “ever again” used?
    To show repetition and speed. The scenery flashes by constantly.
45. What is lumping along the road?
    A cart is moving heavily. It carries a man and goods.
46. Where are the green fields seen?
    Beside the railway. They are used for daisy picking.
47. What do we learn from the poem?
    That life can move fast. We should enjoy moments while they last.
48. How is the countryside presented?
    As busy and full of activity. It’s a lively place seen from the train.
49. Who is the speaker in the poem?
    A person riding the train. Most likely a child or the poet himself.
50. What makes this poem timeless?
    Its theme of travel and vivid imagery. People still relate to the wonder of movement.
51. What does the train’s speed compare to?
    The train moves “faster than fairies, faster than witches.”This simile emphasizes its supernatural speed.
52. What sights flash by the railway carriage?
    Bridges, houses, hedges, ditches, and painted stations pass rapidly. They vanish as quickly as they appear.
53. How does the poet describe the movement of the train?
    It charges “like troops in a battle,”suggesting urgency and power. The rhythm mimics the train’s relentless motion.
54. What simile describes the density of passing scenes?
    Scenes fly “as thick as driving rain,”creating an overwhelming visual effect. The comparison highlights their rapid succession.
55. Who are the characters mentioned in the poem?
    A child gathering brambles, a tramp gazing, and a man with a cart. Each appears briefly before disappearing.
56. What theme does the poem emphasize?
    The fleeting nature of moments observed during travel. Transience is central to the poem’s message.
57. How does the poem portray time?
    Time feels compressed; scenes vanish “in the wink of an eye.”This reflects how quickly experiences pass during a journey.
58. What mood does the poem create?
    A mix of excitement and melancholy. The speed exhilarates, but the fleeting images evoke a sense of loss.
59. Why does the poet call each sight a “glimpse”?
    To stress their brevity and impermanence. These moments are seen once and never again.
60. How does the train journey symbolize life?
    Life, like the journey, is fast-paced and transient. Moments and opportunities pass quickly if unnoticed.
61. What rhyme scheme does the poem use?
    The poem follows an AABBrhyme scheme. Couplets create a rhythmic, train-like cadence.
62. How does alliteration enhance the poem?
    Phrases like “horses and cattle”and “hedges and ditches” add musicality. This mimics the train’s rhythmic chugging.
63. What effect do exclamation marks create?
    They convey excitement and urgency (e.g., “gone forever!”). The punctuation mirrors the journey’s brisk pace.
64. How does imagery of “driving rain”contribute?
    It visualizes the overwhelming speed of passing scenes. The rain metaphor emphasizes density and speed.
65. Why are the stations “painted”?
    The word suggests they are vivid but artificial, like fleeting artwork. It underscores their transient beauty.
66. What is the child doing?
    The child “clambers and scrambles”while gathering brambles. His energetic motion contrasts with the train’s speed.
67. How is the tramp described?
    He “stands and gazes,”passive and still. His stillness contrasts with the train’s relentless movement.
68. What does “green for stringing daisies”symbolize?
    Innocence and simplicity of rural life. The image is peaceful but fleeting.
69. What happens to the “cart runaway in the road”?
    It lumbers along with a man and load, appearing briefly. The cart symbolizes chaotic, momentary glimpses.
70. How are the mill and river portrayed?
    They are fleeting snapshots (“Each a glimpse and gone forever”). Their brevity emphasizes impermanence.
71. Why use “troops in a battle”as a simile?
    It evokes urgency, discipline, and unstoppable force. The train’s power mirrors a charging army.
72. What does “fly as thick as driving rain”mean?
    Scenes pass as rapidly and densely as raindrops. Observers cannot focus on one image for long.
73. How does the poem’s rhythm mimic a train?
    The steady, galloping meter mirrors wheels on tracks. Short lines and rhymes create momentum.
74. What is the significance of “ever again”?
    It suggests repetition but also impermanence. The same scenes never reappear identically.
75. Why does the poet repeat “here”and “there”?
    To mimic the rapid shift of focus from one scene to another. It reflects the traveler’s darting gaze.
76. What does the poem say about human observation?
    Observers catch only fragments of the world. Deeper understanding is lost to speed and time.
77. How does the poem evoke nostalgia?
    Fleeting images remind readers of moments they can’t hold onto. This creates longing for lost scenes.
78. What emotion does “gone forever”trigger?
    Melancholy, as beauty and experiences are transient. It mourns the inability to preserve moments.
79. Why include both natural and human-made sights?
    To show how all aspects of life—nature, labor, play—are equally fleeting. Nothing escapes time’s rush.
80. How does the poem reflect industrialization?
    Trains symbolize progress and speed, altering human perception of time and space. Nature and tradition fade quickly.
81. How does this poem compare to other travel poems?
    Unlike reflective travelogues, it focuses on speed and transience. It prioritizes sensory overload over contemplation.
82. What makes this poem unique among Stevenson’s works?
    It captures motion and modernity, contrasting with his adventure themes. Its structure mirrors mechanical rhythm.
83. How does it differ from romantic nature poetry?
    Nature here is fragmented and fleeting, not serene or eternal. The train disrupts pastoral tranquility.
84. How does the poem align with Victorian themes?
    It reflects industrialization’s impact on perception. Speed and technology dominate human experience.
85. What modern parallels exist in the poem?
    It mirrors today’s fast-paced, image-saturated world. Moments blur together, leaving fragmented memories.
86. How might an artist illustrate this poem?
    With blurred landscapes and sharp, fleeting details. Colors would mix to show motion and transience.
87. What sound effects would complement the poem?
    A rhythmic “chug-chug”beat and whistle sounds. These would mimic the train’s movement and urgency.
88. How does the poem inspire mindfulness?
    It urges readers to cherish fleeting moments. Mindfulness helps capture transient beauty.
89. What personal memory might this poem evoke?
    A fast-paced journey where scenes blurred past. Readers may recall moments they wished to pause.
90. How could teachers use this poem in class?
    To teach imagery, rhythm, or themes of transience. Students could write their own “moving window” poems.
91. Is the poem’s tone optimistic or pessimistic?
    It balances awe at speed with sorrow for lost moments. The duality reflects life’s transient beauty.
92. Does the poem critique industrialization?
    Indirectly—it shows how speed alienates humans from nature. Yet it also marvels at technological power.
93. How does the poem handle perspective?
    The observer is passive, overwhelmed by external scenes. Control lies with the train, not the viewer.
94. Why are humans depicted as small figures?
    To emphasize their insignificance against the train’s power. They become fleeting parts of a vast landscape.
95. What is the significance of the “wink of an eye”?
    It measures time’s brevity. Human perception struggles to keep up with the train’s speed.
96. How does enjambment affect the poem?
    Lines flow without pauses, mirroring the train’s motion. It creates urgency and uninterrupted momentum.
97. What role do verbs like “charging”and “fly” play?
    They inject energy and violence into the journey. The train dominates the landscape aggressively.
98. Why use “clambers and scrambles”for the child?
    The verbs suggest playful struggle, contrasting with the train’s smooth speed. The child’s effort is fleeting.
99. How does the poem use juxtaposition?
    Stillness (tramp) vs. motion (train), nature (river) vs. industry (mill). Contrasts highlight transience.
100. What is the effect of ending with “gone forever”?

It leaves readers with a haunting sense of loss. The finality underscores the poem’s theme of impermanence.