MY MOTHER AT SIXTY-SIX

- Kamala Das
1. CENTRAL IDEA
 The poem, ‘My Mother at Sixty-Six’, rendered in blank verse, examines the theme of
advancing age and the fear of loss and separation The poem highlights the complex subtleties
of human relationships and portrays a sensational separation of a mother and a daughter . An
adult daughter for the first time accepts that her mother is no more young. She sees the reality
that rules life.
 Kamala Das beautifully depicts her sensitivity for her mother through the poem. It reflects
her concern , her agony and pain for her aging mother ; all the emotions which a daughter
faces while bidding farewell to her beloved mother.

2. MESSAGE
 Ageing is a natural process and it will affect each one of us. All those who take birth must die.
However we are so caught up with our own lives that we do not realize when our parents age.

2. SYNOPSIS
 The poetess who had gone to meet her mother is returning to Cochin airport.
 Her mother accompanies her to the airport in a car
 Poetess is very upset seeing her mother's pale face which is withering day by day
 The old fear of losing her mother grips her
 Sprinting trees and merry children playing brings a stark contrast which gives her a
momentary relief
 After the security check the familiar ache of losing her returns
 Tries hard to hide her emotions by smiling
 Bids her goodbye to her mother with a hope to see her again.
3. POINTS TO PONDER
 The pain and anguish of losing near and dear ones haunts our loved ones
 Time and tide wait for none
 Death engulfs all sooner or later
 Trees sprinting , Children spilling – a contrast between old age and youth ; vitality and
stillness
4. FIGURES OF SPEECH :
1. Imagery
• The image of ‘young trees and merry children' are a contrast to the mother- The imagery
used in the poem is suggestive of both death and youth.

*The sprinting movement of trees rushing past signify youth , life or the passage of time .
 *Merry Children spilling out of the homes –youthful and exuberant , spring of life provides a
contrast to the morbid atmosphere inside the car
2. Poetic Devices

i)Simile
* her face ashen like that of a corpse
(ashen face – mother’s face seems to have lost all vitality; the grey colour triggers the pain of
losing her )
* wan pale as a late winter's moon
( wan – pale & lifeless like that of a fading moon ,
Winter’s moon – winter is symbolic of the last cycle of the season- hence waning moon
-mother’s frail face misted by age reinforces the idea that her
mother was getting old,)

Ii)Personification
Trees sprinting

iii)Repetition
smile and smile and smile
( poet’s attempts to cover up her agonizing thoughts by putting up a smile to bid a cheerful
adieu to her mother )

iv) Metaphor
Merry children spilling
NOTE
The whole poem is in a single sentence punctuated by commas which indicates the
profundity of thought and observations of the real world.

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REFERENCE TO CONTEXT

A. “and looked out at young

Trees sprinting, the merry children spilling
out of their homes, but after the airport’s
security check, standing a few yards away,”

1..How can the tree sprint?

2..Why did the poet look at her mother again?
3. What did she observe?
4.Why has the poet brought in the image of the merry children spilling out of their homes?

B “I looked again at her wan, pale

as a late winter’s moon and felt that old
familiar ache, my childhood fear,
but all I said was, see you soon, Amma,
all I did was smile and smile and smile.”

1.Name the poet and the poem.

2.What was the poet’s childhood fear?
3.What is the poetic device used in lines 1-2?
4. Explain: ‘late winter’s moon’.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

1. What does the poet’s smile in the poem show?

2. Why are the young trees described as sprinting?
3. How does Kamala Das try to put away the thoughts of her aging mother?
4. What were the poetess fears as a child? Why do they surface when she is going to the
airport?
5. What do the parting words of the poet and her smile signify?
6. Why has the poet brought in the image of the merry children spilling out of their homes?
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