MY MOTHER AT SIXTY SIX ( BLOG 2)

MY MOTHER AT SIXTY - SIX (POEM)

KAMALA DAS

Period: 5 (12A)

Learning objectives

The students will be able to

·                                     paraphrase the poem

·                                    identify the poetic devices

·                                 explain the theme of the poem

·                                relate the poet’s experience to their own.

Let us recap the poem:

Summary

Part 1

·         The poetess was on her way from her parents’ home to the Cochin airport.

·         Her mother was sitting beside her in the car.

·         She looked at her mother.

·         She found that her mother was dozing with her open mouth.

·         Her face was as pale as that of a corpse.

·         The poet painfully realized that her mother is not going to live long.

·         This painful thought haunted her.

·         Soon she tried to put that thought away by looking out of the car window.

·         She saw the young trees that appeared to be running past them.

·         She looked at the merry children coming out of their homes.

·         As she saw life and vitality in the outside world, the painful thought passed away from her mind.

·         The view of youth and happiness outside the car is a contrast to the old mother who is inching close to her death.

  

Part 2

·         After reaching the airport, she went through the security check.

·         Her mother was standing outside, a few yards away.

·         After the security check, she looked at her mother again.

·         Her face was pale white like a late winter’s moon.

·         She felt the old familiar ache of childhood in her heart -the fear of separation from her mother.

·         But she composed herself and kept on smiling in order to conceal her emotions.

·         All that she said was, “See you soon, Amma” and bade good bye to her mother with a hope to see her again.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

(Q.1.) Why does the poet smile and what does she say while bidding goodbye to her mother?

(Ans) The poet smiles in order to put up a brave front so that her mother may not observe her pained and frightened look. She smiles in order to reassure her mother and says that she would soon see her again.

(Q.2.)  What is the kind of pain and ache that the poet feels?

(Ans) The emotional pain and ache that the poet feels are due to the realization that her mother has gone old and has become frail and pale like a corpse. She is dependent on her children. The ache also refers to the old familiar ache of the childhood that revisits the poet due to the mother’s old age and her approaching end.

(Q.3) Why are the young trees described as sprinting?

(Ans) The young trees seem to be running in the opposite direction when seen through the window of the moving car. The movement of the trees is in stark contrast with the stillness associated with the poet’s mother who is old and devoid of energy.

(Q.4.) Why has the poet bought in the image of the merry children ‘spilling out of their homes’?

(Ans) The poet highlights the helplessness and frailty of old age with the help of contrasts. The mother dozes off mouth open, whereas the children spilling out of their homes signify movement and energy, enthusiasm and vivacity, which the old people are bereft off.

(Q.5) Why has the mother been compared to ‘late winter’s moon’?

(Ans) The mother has been compared to the late winter’s moon which is dull and shrouded. It symbolizes the ebbing of life. The moon brings to the poet’s mind night or the approaching end of life. The mother like the late winter’s moon is dull, dim and dismal.

(Q.6) What do the parting words of the poet and her smile signify?

(Ans) The parting words ‘see you soon Amma’ are used by the poet to reassure the mother and to infuse optimism in the poet herself. The poet accepts the reality yet keeps up the façade of smiling in order to put up a brave front. It requires a lot of effort and hence the poet has used the poetic device of repetition.

Short answer questions will be continued in the next blog………… period 7……..

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