About the Poet: Walter de la Mare
Walter John de la Mare (25 April 1873 - 22 June 1956) was an English poet, short story writer and novelist. He is probably best remembered for his works for children and for his poem "The Listeners". His career as a writer started from about 1895 and he continued to publish to the end of his life. In his poems de la Mare has described the English sea and coast, the secret and hidden world of nature.
উচ্চারণ: ওয়াল্টার জন দে লা মেয়ার (টোয়েন্টি ফিফথ এপ্রিল এইটিন সেভেনটি থ্রি টু টোয়েন্টি সেকেন্ড জুন নাইনটিন ফিফটি সিক্স) ওয়াজ অ্যান ইংলিশ পোয়েট, শর্ট স্টোরি রাইটার অ্যান্ড নভেলিস্ট। হি ইজ প্রব্যাবলি বেস্ট রিমেম্বারড ফর হিজ ওয়ার্কস ফর চিলড্রেন অ্যান্ড ফর হিজ পোয়েম "দ্য লিসেনারস"। হিজ ক্যারিয়ার অ্যাজ আ রাইটার স্টার্টেড ফ্রম অ্যাবাউট এইটিন নাইনটি ফাইভ অ্যান্ড হি কন্টিনিউড টু পাবলিশ টু দি এন্ড অফ হিজ লাইফ। ইন হিজ পোয়েমস দে লা মেয়ার হ্যাজ ডিসক্রাইবড দি ইংলিশ সি অ্যান্ড কোস্ট, দ্য সিক্রেট অ্যান্ড হিডেন ওয়ার্ল্ড অফ নেচার।
বাংলা অর্থ: ওয়াল্টার জন দে লা মেয়ার (২৫ এপ্রিল ১৮৭৩ - ২২ জুন ১৯৫৬) ছিলেন একজন ইংরেজ কবি, ছোটোগল্পকার ও ঔপন্যাসিক। তিনি সম্ভবত শিশুদের জন্য তাঁর রচনা ও "দ্য লিসেনারস" কবিতাটির জন্য সর্বাধিক স্মরণীয়। একজন লেখক হিসেবে তাঁর কর্মজীবন শুরু হয় প্রায় ১৮৯৫ সাল থেকে এবং তিনি জীবনের শেষ পর্যন্ত প্রকাশনা চালিয়ে যান। তাঁর কবিতায় দে লা মেয়ার ইংরেজ সমুদ্র ও উপকূল, প্রকৃতির গোপন ও লুকানো জগৎ বর্ণনা করেছেন।
Let's share...
(1) What are the things that make a forest interesting at night?
Answer (Sample): A forest at night becomes interesting because of its mysterious sounds and sights. The hooting of owls, the chirping of crickets, the rustling of leaves in the wind, and the tapping of insects create a natural orchestra. The moonlight filtering through the trees creates beautiful shadows. Fireflies glowing in the darkness look like tiny moving stars. The stillness mixed with these occasional sounds makes the forest both fascinating and slightly eerie.
(2) Would you prefer staying alone in a forest at night or would you like to have your friends with you? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer (Sample): I would definitely prefer having my friends with me in a forest at night. While the idea of being alone might seem adventurous, it could also be quite frightening. With friends, we could share the experience, talk to each other, and feel safer. If we heard strange sounds, we could investigate together instead of being scared alone. Friends make every experience more enjoyable and memorable. However, I would also like a few moments of silence to truly listen to the sounds of nature.
Someone: The Poem
Someone came knocking
At my wee, small door;
Someone came knocking;
I'm sure—sure—sure;
I listened, I opened,
I looked to left and right,
But nought there was a stirring
In the still, dark night;
Only the busy beetle
Tap-tapping in the wall,
Only from the forest
The screech-owl's call,
Only the cricket whistling
While the dewdrops fall,
So I know not who came knocking,
At all, at all, at all.
Bengali Meaning & Pronunciation (Full Poem)
Someone came knocking at my wee, small door;
উচ্চারণ: সামওয়ান কেম নকিং অ্যাট মাই উই, স্মল ডোর;
বাংলা অর্থ: কেউ একজন টোকা দিল আমার ছোট্ট, ক্ষুদ্র দরজায়;
Someone came knocking; I'm sure—sure—sure;
উচ্চারণ: সামওয়ান কেম নকিং; আই'ম শিওর—শিওর—শিওর;
বাংলা অর্থ: কেউ একজন টোকা দিল; আমি নিশ্চিত—নিশ্চিত—নিশ্চিত;
I listened, I opened, I looked to left and right,
উচ্চারণ: আই লিসেনড, আই ওপেনড, আই লুকড টু লেফট অ্যান্ড রাইট,
বাংলা অর্থ: আমি শুনলাম, আমি খুললাম, আমি বাঁয়ে ও ডানে তাকালাম,
But nought there was a stirring in the still, dark night;
উচ্চারণ: বাট নট দেয়ার ওয়াজ আ স্টারিং ইন দ্য স্টিল, ডার্ক নাইট;
বাংলা অর্থ: কিন্তু নিস্তব্ধ, অন্ধকার রাতে কোনো সাড়াশব্দ ছিল না;
Only the busy beetle tap-tapping in the wall,
উচ্চারণ: ওনলি দ্য বিজি বিটল ট্যাপ-ট্যাপিং ইন দ্য ওয়াল,
বাংলা অর্থ: শুধু ব্যস্ত গুবরে পোকা দেওয়ালের মধ্যে টুকটুক করছিল,
Only from the forest the screech-owl's call,
উচ্চারণ: ওনলি ফ্রম দ্য ফরেস্ট দ্য স্ক্রিচ-আউলস কল,
বাংলা অর্থ: শুধু বন থেকে ভুতুম পেঁচার ডাক,
Only the cricket whistling while the dewdrops fall,
উচ্চারণ: ওনলি দ্য ক্রিকেট হুইসলিং হোয়াইল দ্য ডিউড্রপস ফল,
বাংলা অর্থ: শুধু ঝিঁঝিঁ পোকার শিস দেওয়া যখন শিশিরকণা ঝরে পড়ে,
So I know not who came knocking, at all, at all, at all.
উচ্চারণ: সো আই নো নট হু কেম নকিং, অ্যাট অল, অ্যাট অল, অ্যাট অল।
বাংলা অর্থ: তাই আমি জানি না কে টোকা দিতে এসেছিল, একেবারেই না, একেবারেই না, একেবারেই না।
Word Nest (Vocabulary)
| English Word | Meaning in English | Bengali Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| wee | very small; tiny | খুব ছোটো / ক্ষুদ্র |
| nought | nothing; zero | কিছুই না / শূন্য |
| stirring | movement; activity | নড়াচড়া / সাড়াশব্দ |
| beetle | an insect with hard wing-cases | গুবরে পোকা |
| screech-owl | an owl that makes a harsh, high-pitched cry | ভুতুম পেঁচা / চিৎকার করা পেঁচা |
| dewdrops | tiny drops of water that form on cool surfaces at night | শিশিরকণা / শিশিরবিন্দু |
| still | quiet and calm; without movement | নিস্তব্ধ / স্থির |
Activity Solutions (Let's do...)
Activity 1 Tick the correct alternative:
(i) The door was
(a) big (b) small ✓ (c) wide
(ii) The poet looked
(a) backward and forward (b) up and down (c) to left and right ✓
(iii) The busy beetle was tap-tapping in the
(a) wall ✓ (b) door (c) window
(iv) The cricket was
(a) singing (b) whistling ✓ (c) chirping
(a) big (b) small ✓ (c) wide
(ii) The poet looked
(a) backward and forward (b) up and down (c) to left and right ✓
(iii) The busy beetle was tap-tapping in the
(a) wall ✓ (b) door (c) window
(iv) The cricket was
(a) singing (b) whistling ✓ (c) chirping
Activity 2 Complete the following sentences with information from the text:
(a) Someone came knocking at my wee, small door.
(b) There was no stirring in the still, dark night.
(c) The poet heard the screech-owl's call from the forest.
(d) The poet did not know who came knocking, at all, at all, at all.
(b) There was no stirring in the still, dark night.
(c) The poet heard the screech-owl's call from the forest.
(d) The poet did not know who came knocking, at all, at all, at all.
Activity 3 Answer the following question:
Who do you think came knocking at the poet's small door?
Answer: The poem deliberately leaves this question unanswered, creating an air of mystery. It could have been the wind, a small animal, or just the poet's imagination playing tricks in the quiet night. Perhaps it was "Someone"—a mysterious, unseen visitor from the hidden world of nature that Walter de la Mare often wrote about. The repetition of "at all, at all, at all" emphasizes that the poet truly does not know. The knocking remains a beautiful, unexplained mystery of the night.
Answer: The poem deliberately leaves this question unanswered, creating an air of mystery. It could have been the wind, a small animal, or just the poet's imagination playing tricks in the quiet night. Perhaps it was "Someone"—a mysterious, unseen visitor from the hidden world of nature that Walter de la Mare often wrote about. The repetition of "at all, at all, at all" emphasizes that the poet truly does not know. The knocking remains a beautiful, unexplained mystery of the night.
More Activity Solutions
Activity 4 Fill in the following chart with information from the text:
| Who | Did What |
|---|---|
| (i) Someone | came knocking at the poet's wee, small door |
| (ii) Beetle | was busy tap-tapping in the wall |
| (iii) Owl | gave the screech-owl's call from the forest |
| (iv) Cricket | was whistling while the dewdrops fall |
Activity 5 Answer the following questions:
(a) What did the poet do after he heard the knocking on the door?
Answer: After hearing the knocking, the poet listened carefully, opened the door, and looked to the left and right to see who was there.
(b) What was the night like?
Answer: The night was still (calm and quiet) and dark. There was no movement or stirring outside. The only sounds were those of the beetle, the owl, and the cricket.
(c) Name the insect mentioned in the poem.
Answer: Two insects are mentioned in the poem: the busy beetle (tap-tapping in the wall) and the cricket (whistling).
(d) Why does the poet use the expression 'at all' thrice in the last line of the poem?
Answer: The poet repeats "at all" three times to emphasize his complete lack of knowledge about who knocked. It creates a sense of lingering mystery and shows that despite being "sure-sure-sure" someone knocked, he is equally certain that he will never know who it was. The repetition also adds a musical, rhythmic quality to the ending, leaving the reader with the same unanswered question.
Answer: After hearing the knocking, the poet listened carefully, opened the door, and looked to the left and right to see who was there.
(b) What was the night like?
Answer: The night was still (calm and quiet) and dark. There was no movement or stirring outside. The only sounds were those of the beetle, the owl, and the cricket.
(c) Name the insect mentioned in the poem.
Answer: Two insects are mentioned in the poem: the busy beetle (tap-tapping in the wall) and the cricket (whistling).
(d) Why does the poet use the expression 'at all' thrice in the last line of the poem?
Answer: The poet repeats "at all" three times to emphasize his complete lack of knowledge about who knocked. It creates a sense of lingering mystery and shows that despite being "sure-sure-sure" someone knocked, he is equally certain that he will never know who it was. The repetition also adds a musical, rhythmic quality to the ending, leaving the reader with the same unanswered question.
Activity 6: Grammar
Activity 6(a) Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the given verbs in brackets:
(i) The Mayor will go / is going to Pune next week. (go)
(ii) By next December, we will have stayed here for three years. (stay)
(iii) Perhaps they will visit Dooars later. (visit)
(iv) The boy has been watching television since morning. (watch)
(ii) By next December, we will have stayed here for three years. (stay)
(iii) Perhaps they will visit Dooars later. (visit)
(iv) The boy has been watching television since morning. (watch)
Activity 6(b) Underline the Phrases and state what kind of Phrases they are:
(i) He wanted to speak to his teacher.
Type: Infinitive Phrase (Noun Phrase - object of verb 'wanted')
(ii) At this moment it's raining hard.
Type: Adverbial Phrase (tells when)
(iii) To do well in the competition is my aim.
Type: Infinitive Phrase (Noun Phrase - subject)
(iv) They live in a house made of wood.
Type: Adjectival Phrase (qualifies 'house')
Type: Infinitive Phrase (Noun Phrase - object of verb 'wanted')
(ii) At this moment it's raining hard.
Type: Adverbial Phrase (tells when)
(iii) To do well in the competition is my aim.
Type: Infinitive Phrase (Noun Phrase - subject)
(iv) They live in a house made of wood.
Type: Adjectival Phrase (qualifies 'house')
Activity 6(c) Underline the Clauses and state what kind of Clauses they are:
(i) The child ran away as soon as she saw the strange man.
Type: Adverb Clause of Time
(ii) I saw an old woman who was carrying a child.
Type: Adjective Clause (qualifies 'old woman')
(iii) The dog follows his master wherever he goes.
Type: Adverb Clause of Place
(iv) We all thought that it would not rain today.
Type: Noun Clause (object of verb 'thought')
Type: Adverb Clause of Time
(ii) I saw an old woman who was carrying a child.
Type: Adjective Clause (qualifies 'old woman')
(iii) The dog follows his master wherever he goes.
Type: Adverb Clause of Place
(iv) We all thought that it would not rain today.
Type: Noun Clause (object of verb 'thought')
Activity 6(d) Change the following sentences from Active to Passive Voice:
(i) India won the World Cup in cricket recently.
Answer: The World Cup in cricket was won by India recently.
(ii) The teacher was teaching English.
Answer: English was being taught by the teacher.
(iii) Rani is singing a beautiful song.
Answer: A beautiful song is being sung by Rani.
(iv) The wind blew away the rooftops of the houses.
Answer: The rooftops of the houses were blown away by the wind.
Answer: The World Cup in cricket was won by India recently.
(ii) The teacher was teaching English.
Answer: English was being taught by the teacher.
(iii) Rani is singing a beautiful song.
Answer: A beautiful song is being sung by Rani.
(iv) The wind blew away the rooftops of the houses.
Answer: The rooftops of the houses were blown away by the wind.
Activity 7: Make Meaningful Sentences
Activity 7 Make meaningful sentences of your own with the following words:
(i) wee : The wee puppy slept peacefully in its warm basket.
(ii) stirring : There was no stirring in the house; everyone was fast asleep.
(iii) busy : The busy bees were buzzing around the colourful flowers in the garden.
(iv) dewdrops : The dewdrops on the grass sparkled like tiny diamonds in the morning sun.
(ii) stirring : There was no stirring in the house; everyone was fast asleep.
(iii) busy : The busy bees were buzzing around the colourful flowers in the garden.
(iv) dewdrops : The dewdrops on the grass sparkled like tiny diamonds in the morning sun.
Activity 8: Writing Section
Activity 8(a) Write a paragraph about spending a moonlit night in a forest guest house. Mention the sounds you heard.
Last summer, I spent a magical moonlit night in a forest guest house in the Dooars. The full moon bathed the tall trees in silvery light, creating dancing shadows on my window. As I lay in bed, the forest came alive with sounds. I could hear the distant hooting of an owl, the continuous chorus of crickets, and the rustle of leaves as small animals scurried by. Occasionally, the wind would whistle through the pine trees. A jackal howled somewhere far away, sending a shiver down my spine. It was a night of mystery and beauty that I will never forget.
Activity 8(b) Write an autobiography of an owl enjoying the night.
Autobiography of an Owl
I am a screech-owl, the undisputed ruler of the night forest. When the sun sets and the world of men grows quiet, my kingdom awakens. I perch high on the ancient banyan tree, my large, round eyes watching every movement below. The moonlight is my spotlight. I love the stillness of the dark—it is my time to hunt and explore. The night is full of music: the crickets whistle for me, the beetles tap their tiny drums, and I join in with my own screeching call. Humans may find me mysterious or even frightening, but I am simply a creature of the night, free and watchful. The forest belongs to me when the stars come out.
Summary of Someone
"Someone" by Walter de la Mare is a short, lyrical poem filled with mystery and the quiet magic of nighttime. The poet describes hearing a distinct knock at his "wee, small door" in the middle of the night. He is absolutely certain—"sure-sure-sure"—that someone knocked. However, when he opens the door and looks outside, there is no one there. The night is perfectly still and dark, with no human movement at all. The only things the poet can hear are the natural sounds of the night: the tap-tapping of a beetle in the wall, the screech of an owl from the forest, and the whistling of crickets as dewdrops fall. The poem ends with the poet accepting that he will never know who came knocking "at all, at all, at all." The poem captures the feeling of a small, unexplained mystery in the midst of nature's quiet symphony. It invites the reader to imagine who—or what—the mysterious visitor might have been.
বাংলা সারাংশ: ওয়াল্টার দে লা মেয়ারের "সামওয়ান" একটি সংক্ষিপ্ত, গীতিময় কবিতা যা রহস্য ও রাতের নিস্তব্ধ জাদুতে ভরা। কবি বর্ণনা করেছেন যে গভীর রাতে তাঁর "ক্ষুদ্র, ছোটো দরজায়" একটি স্পষ্ট টোকা শোনা যায়। তিনি সম্পূর্ণ নিশ্চিত—"নিশ্চিত-নিশ্চিত-নিশ্চিত"—যে কেউ টোকা দিয়েছে। তবে, যখন তিনি দরজা খুলে বাইরে তাকান, সেখানে কেউ নেই। রাতটি সম্পূর্ণ নিস্তব্ধ ও অন্ধকার, মানুষের কোনো নড়াচড়া নেই। কবি কেবল রাতের প্রাকৃতিক শব্দগুলি শুনতে পান: দেওয়ালে গুবরে পোকার টুকটুকানি, বন থেকে পেঁচার চিৎকার, এবং শিশিরকণা পড়ার সময় ঝিঁঝিঁ পোকার শিস। কবিতাটি শেষ হয় কবি স্বীকার করে যে তিনি কখনোই জানতে পারবেন না কে টোকা দিতে এসেছিল—"একেবারেই না, একেবারেই না, একেবারেই না।" কবিতাটি প্রকৃতির নীরব সঙ্গীতের মাঝে একটি ছোটো, অব্যক্ত রহস্যের অনুভূতি ধারণ করে। এটি পাঠককে কল্পনা করতে আমন্ত্রণ জানায় যে রহস্যময় আগন্তুক কে—বা কী—হতে পারে।
Sponsored Links