My Mother at Sixty-Six
-By Kamla Das
Questions and Answers
Memory Card
- Poetess is travelling back in a car from her parent's place to Cochin
- Old mother also accompanying-to see her off at the airport
- Poetess notices that she has dozed off and mouth remained open
- Her face has a dull, colourless appearance- reminds her of a corpse
- Thought is painful, realizes she is now an old woman and could be nearing death
- Turns to look at the racing green trees outside, sees happy children running out of their homes
- A welcome change from the gloomy thoughts that grip her
- Reaches the airport, after the security checking, looks at the mother again
- Sees her pale and ageing face, is reminded of the winter moon with all the vitality and brightness gone
- Feels pained at being reminded of a childhood fear- had always been scared of losing her mother one day
- Does not want to show her agony and fear to her mother now
- Tells her that she would see her soon and bids her goodbye with a fake bright smile
Q1: What is the kind of pain and ache that the poet feels?
Answer: Kamla Das is in pain by seeing her mother pale and weak like that of a corpse. The fear of losing her mother was her familiar ache, which she was unable to accept.
Q2: Why are the young trees described as 'sprinting' ?
Answer: Poetess has used Personification in "Young Trees sprinting". It personifies the youth who is rushing and running so fast, which is a contrast to the ageing process of her old mother.
