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CBSE Class 12th English Chapter 1 - My Mother at Sixty-Six: My Mother at Sixty-Six by Kamala Das describes the beautiful relationship between the poet and her mother. The poet writes under the pen name of ‘Madhavikutty’. The poem is about growing old and the fear of separation. The students should read and understand the poem to be able to write correct answers.
While moving to the airport to read Cochin from parent’s home with her mother, the poet looked at her mother who accompanied her in the car. She looked at her mother’s face, who slept with an open mouth. The smoky colour of her face and an open mouth resembled a dead body. In that moment, the poet realized how age affected her mother. She realized at this phase of age, her mother needed love, affection and care. To overcome her thoughts, she shifted her glance to look out of the car’s window. She noticed trees passing by and children playing in the playgrounds. The scene symbolised life, energy, and happiness, which were contrary to her mother’s ageing face.
After reaching the airport and moving towards boarding the flight, she once again looked at her mother, who appeared weak and pale, similar to the moon during winter. It represented how weak she had turned. While moving forward, the poet felt the pain of losing her mother. She remembered her childhood when she had the same fear of losing her mother. Being a child, it was a nightmare for her to get separated from her mother even for a less duration. With time passing by, she realized that one day she would lose her mother and the loss would be permanent. Concealing her feelings, she smiled at her mother and said “see you soon, Amma”. This symbolized that she wanted to meet her again and secretly wish her mother to live longer.
From the poem, students will be asked different types of questions such as What are the feelings the poet is going through? Why are young trees described as sprinting? What does ‘late winter’s moon’ signify? How was she feeling while parting from her mother?
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