Summary of the poem “You can’t be that” by Brian Patten Brian Patten writings are mainly on human relationships. In this poem he talks about the boundless dreams and aspirations of a child being opposed by experienced and concerned parents. The message from the poem is, that people in order to become something, like doctor or engineers, are forgetting basic qualities and responsibilities required to upkeep good human relationships. People are in a hurry to achieve their goals and show least concern for their kith and kin. Parents want their children to work in a profession in which they have a good chance of succeeding financially like engineering, medicine, business, and law..but young people might be more interested in a lower paying career that matches their interests or that provides spiritual, emotional, psychological, or social rewards, rather than monetary ones. 1. I told them……. I’m going to be a tree. The child says ...