Read the poem and answer the following question.
Remember me when I am gone away,
Gone far away into the silent land;
When you can no more hold me by the hand,
Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.
Remember me when no more day by day
You tell me of our future that you plann'd:
Only remember me; you understand
It will be late to counsel then or pray.
Yet if you should forget me for a while
And afterwards remember, do not grieve:
For if the darkness and corruption leave
A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,
Better by far you should forget and smile
Than that you should remember and be sad.
By the line “It will be late to counsel then or pray”, the speaker means that after death
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → talking things over or pleading will no longer change anything
To counsel here means to give advice or talk things over.
- To pray here means to plead, or ask very humbly for something.
- The speaker says it “will be late” for these after her death.
- After death, nothing can be changed. No talk and no pleading can bring the speaker back.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: the beloved will be too busy to pray for the speaker — Incorrect. Not mentioned: The poem says nothing about the beloved being busy. The line is about what is possible after death.
Option 2: prayers for the speaker will be needed more than ever — Incorrect. Opposite meaning: The line says it will be “late” to pray. Prayer will no longer help.
Option 3: the speaker will regret advice that was never given — Incorrect. Not mentioned: The poem speaks of no regret. Regret means feeling sorry about something done or not done.