Read the poem given below and answer the following question.
I was four in this photograph fishing
with my grandparents at a lake in Michigan.
My brother squats in poison ivy.
His Davy Crockett cap
sits squared on his head so the raccoon tail
flounces down the back of his sailor suit.
My grandfather sits to the far right
in a folding chair,
and I know his left hand is on
the tobacco in his pants pocket
because I used to wrap it for him
every Christmas. Grandmother's hips
bulge from the brush, she's leaning
into the ice chest, sun through the trees
printing her dress with soft
luminous paws.
I am staring jealously at my brother;
the day before he rode his first horse, alone.
I was strapped in a basket
behind my grandfather.
He smelled of lemons. He's died--
but I remember his hands.
What is the theme of the poem?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is option 1: recalling childhood memories
This is a poem "Fifth Grade Autobiography" by Rita Dove.
The poem is a nostalgic reflection on the poet’s childhood, recalling a fishing trip with her grandparents and brother. It captures vivid details of the past, such as her grandfather’s habits, her brother’s adventure, and her own emotions. While the poem does mention past and present and life and death, its main theme revolves around cherished childhood memories.