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MY MOTHER AT SIXTY SIX

MY MOTHER AT SIXTY SIX 
             
          Driving from my parent's 
           home to Cochin last Friday
           morning, I saw my mother, 
           beside me, 
           doze, open mouthed, her face 
            ashen like that 
           of a corpse and realised with pain
           that she was as old as she 
           looked but soon
           put that thought away, 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, I looked again at her, wan, pale
        as a late winter's moon and felt that old 
        familiar ache, my childhood's fear, 
        but all I said was, see you soon, Amma, 
        all I did was smile and smile and 
        smile...... 
- KAMALA DAS 


Important Textual Questions 

Q. Read the given extract and answer the questions  :
 (i) "Driving from my parent's home to Cochin last Friday morning, I saw my mother, beside me, doze, open mouthed, her face ashen like that of a corpse and realised with pain
that she might not live long.............. 

1. Name the poem and the poet. 
Answer - The name of the poem is 'My Mother at Sixty-six'. The name of the poet is Kamala Das. 

2. Where was the poet going? 
Answer- The poet was going to the Cochin airport. 

3. How did the poet's mother look? 
Answer- The poet's mother looked as pale as death. 

4. What did the poet realise with pain? 
Answer- The poet realised that her mother might not live long. 

(ii) ............ wan, pale
     as a late winter's moon and felt that old
     familiar ache, my childhood's fear, 
     but all I said was, see you soon, Amma, 
     all I did was smile and smile and smile........

1. What comparison does the poet make in these lines? 
Answer- The poet compares her mother's pale white face to a late winter's moon. 

2. The poet felt a 'familiar ache' why?
Answer- She felt a familiar ache in her body on seeing the pale white face of her mother. 

3. What did the poet say at the end and to whom? 
Answer- At the end, she said to her mother, "See you soon, Amma. "

4. How do you think poet feels about her action? 
Answer- I think the poet feels regret that she spoke no word of sympathy or encouragement to her mother. 

Short Answer Type Questions: 

1. Why are the young trees described as 'sprinting' in the poem?
Answer- The young trees are described as 'sprinting' because in the poem the poet is driving to the airport. She looks outside and finds the trees coming fast towards her as if they are running fast. But, in reality it is the car that is running and not the trees. 

2. Why has the poet brought in the image of the merry children 'spilling out of their homes'?
Answer - The poet has brought in the image of the merry children 'spilling out of their homes' in order to contrast childhood and old age. Childhood is a period of carefree merry -making while old age is a period of death like sadness. 

3. Why has the mother being compared to the 'late winter's moon'? 
Answer- The mother is being compared to the 'late winter's moon' because winter, like old age, is a time of inactivity. We all know that old age is the last phase of human life, just as the winter is the last phase of the year. And in the poem, the poet's mother has also grown pale like death, just as the moon in late winter looks pale white. 

4. How does the poet feel when she looks at her mother during her drive to the airport? 
Answer- During her drive to the airport, the poetess turns to look at her mother and finds her dozing. The mother's mouth is open and she looks as pale as death. A painful thought comes to the poet's mind. But soon she tries to drive this thought away.

5. What painful thought comes to the poet's mind and how does she drive it away? 
Answer- The poet sees that her mother looks very pale. A painful thought comes to her mind. She feels that her mother might not live long. She drives this thought away by looking at the scene outside. 


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