Poem 1: My Mother at Sixty-Six – Kamala Das
Page 89 – Think It Out
Q1. What is the kind of pain and ache that the poet feels?
Answer:
The poet feels the deep emotional pain of realising her mother’s advancing age and the fear of separation by death. It is the same childhood fear of losing her mother, now revived as she sees her pale and frail face.
Q2. Why are the young trees described as ‘sprinting’?
Answer:
The trees seem to sprint backwards as the car moves forward. Symbolically, the vitality and speed of the trees contrast with the stillness and lifelessness of her aged mother, highlighting the cycle of life and youth versus ageing.
Q3. Why has the poet brought in the image of the merry children ‘spilling out of their homes’?
Answer:
The children symbolise life, energy, and carefree joy. This image contrasts with the ageing mother, underlining the difference between youth’s vitality and old age’s fragility.
Q4. Why has the mother been compared to the ‘late winter’s moon’?
Answer:
The late winter’s moon is pale, dim, and waning. Similarly, the mother’s face is pale, colourless, and weakened by old age. The comparison captures her fragility and nearing decline.
Q5. What do the parting words of the poet and her smile signify?
Answer:
Her words “see you soon, Amma” express hope and reassurance, though she knows the uncertainty of life. Her repeated smile is an effort to mask her anxiety and fear, projecting courage and positivity to comfort her mother.
My Mother at Sixty-Six – Extra Questions & Answers
Q1. What is the central theme of the poem?
Answer:
The central theme is the poet’s fear of losing her mother due to ageing and death. It reflects the universal reality of mortality, the bond of love between mother and daughter, and the human tendency to hide inner grief under outward composure.
Q2. How does the poet use contrast to convey her emotions?
Answer:
The contrast lies between the mother’s pale, still face (symbolising ageing and death) and the lively images outside — sprinting trees and merry children (symbolising youth and life). This sharp opposition highlights the inevitability of ageing against the continuity of life.
Q3. Explain the significance of the image “her face ashen like that of a corpse.”
Answer:
This simile conveys the mother’s frailty and closeness to death. It shocks the poet, making her face the reality of mortality. It sets the tone of fear and sadness that runs throughout the poem.
Q4. What role does the image of the ‘late winter’s moon’ play in the poem?
Answer:
The late winter’s moon is pale, dim, and waning, just like the mother’s face. This metaphor highlights decline and fragility but also suggests quiet beauty. It reinforces the inevitability of ageing in the cycle of nature.
Q5. What is the ‘familiar ache’ that the poet refers to?
Answer:
It is the childhood fear of losing her mother. Even as an adult, seeing her mother old and weak brings back this ache, showing how deeply rooted and universal this fear of separation is.
Q6. Why does the poet smile at the end despite her fear?
Answer:
She smiles to mask her sorrow and reassure her mother. Her words “see you soon, Amma” are a brave attempt to hide her anxiety. The smile symbolises her courage and love, even as she fears separation.
Q7. How is the poem autobiographical?
Answer:
Kamala Das often wrote about personal experiences. Here, she expresses her own feelings while parting from her ageing mother. The emotions of fear, love, and helplessness are drawn directly from her life, making the poem autobiographical.
Q8. The poem runs in a single sentence. How does this style contribute to its meaning?
Answer:
The single, flowing sentence mirrors the poet’s unbroken chain of thoughts — from fear and distraction to grief and forced cheerfulness. It captures the stream of consciousness, making the emotions natural and spontaneous.
Q9. How is the cycle of life reflected in the poem?
Answer:
The images of sprinting trees and merry children represent birth, youth, and continuity, while the mother symbolises decline and death. Together, they depict the inevitable cycle of life: youth replaces age, but life goes on.
Q10. What universal message does the poem convey?
Answer:
The poem conveys that ageing and death are inevitable truths of life. It teaches acceptance of mortality, the importance of cherishing relationships, and the need to remain strong and loving even in the face of loss.