MY MOTHER AT SIXTY six

Kamala Das captures the complex subtleties of human relationships in lyrical idiom.
The poem captures the bond that binds a mother and her daughter. With love and
attachment comes the fear of losing a loved one. The poem contrasts the ageing
mother with images of young trees and energetic children. A beautiful smile
compares the sickly expression of the mother’s face to winter moon – winter being
symbolic of old age.

1. Where was the poetess driving to and why? Who was sitting beside her?
2. How did the pot’s mother look?
3. What brought the realization that her mother was old?
4. What emotions did this realization evoke?
5. What did the poet notice about her mother?
6. What is the pain and the ache that the poet feel?
7. Why does her mother’s face looked like that of a corpse?
8. What did the poet notice in the world outside?
9. What did the poet do after the security check?
10. Why did the poet compare her mother’s face to a late winter’s moon?
11. How do the parting words of the poet and her smile present a contrast her real
feelings?
12. What did the poet realize? How did she feel?
13. How does the poetess describe her mother?
14. What childhood fears do you think the poet is referring to in the poem?
15. How did she deal the thought?
16. Why did the poetess look out?
17. Who did she look at again?
18. How does the poetess describe her mother?
19. What is the familiar ache?
20. How does she reassure her mother?
21. What kind of pain ache does the poet feel?
22. Why are the young trees described as sprinting?
23. Why has the poet brought in the image of merry children spilling out of their
homes?
24. Why has the mother been compared to the late winter’s moon?
25. What do the parting words of the poet and her smile signify?
26. What does the poet mean by “all I did was smile and smile and smiles..”?
27. What does the poet mean by “she thought away?
28. Discuss that the poet captures the complex subtleties of human relationships
in the poem?
Your passion will define your limits…….strive for more
29. The poem is written in a confessional tone. Comment on the poem in the light
of this?
30. What does the poet’s mother look like? What kind of images has the poet used
to signify her ageing decay?
31. What does the poet realize with pain? Why does the poet ‘put that thought
away’ and look outside?
32. Describe the world inside the car and compare it to the activities taking place
outside?
33. Why does the poet look outside? What does she see happening outside?
34. How has the poet contrasted the scene inside the car with the activities going
on outside?
35. Why is the poet’s mother compared to the late winter’s moon?
36. What is the poet’s familiar ache and why does it return?
37. Why does the poet smile and what does she say while bidding good-bye to her
mother?

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