Chapter 3: We are Seven

A simple child who breathes lightly, feels life in every limb, and knows nothing of death. (ଏକ ସରଳ ଶିଶୁ ଯିଏ ମୃତ୍ୟୁ ବିଷୟରେ କିଛି ଜାଣେ ନାହିଁ।)

She lived in a cottage near a churchyard. She had a rustic, woodland air, was wildly (carelessly) clad, had thick curly hair and fair (beautiful) eyes — her beauty made the poet glad.

He asks how many brothers and sisters she has. She replies, "Seven in all," and looks at him wonderingly.

Two dwell at Conway, two are gone to sea, two lie in the churchyard (dead), and she lives with her mother in the churchyard cottage.

Because two of the seven are dead and buried. So logically, the poet feels, only five are living — yet the girl insists they are seven.

Their graves are green and close (twelve steps from her mother's door). She knits stockings, hems kerchiefs, sits and sings by their graves, and even eats her supper there. So, to her, they are still with the family — "we are seven."

He met an eight-year-old cottage girl near Goodrich Castle in Wales.

Two at Conway, two gone to sea, two in the churchyard, and herself — total seven.

Because two of them are dead and buried.

She knits stockings, hems kerchiefs, sings songs and eats supper there.

Sister Jane and brother John.

The adult (poet) sees death as final separation, so counts only the living (five). But the innocent child does not understand death as separation — for her, the dead siblings still 'belong' to the family, so they are seven. This shows a child's simple, loving view of death.

She is an eight-year-old rustic cottage girl with thick curly hair and fair eyes, simply and carelessly dressed, living near a churchyard with her mother. She is innocent, loving and firm in her belief that they are seven.

Because she keeps her dead siblings close in memory and daily life — visiting, singing and eating by their graves — so she never feels they have left the family.

କାତରୋକ୍ତି / କଷ୍ଟରେ କାନ୍ଦିବା।

mother.