ENGLISH HANDOUT

My Mother at Sixty-six

About the poet

Kamala Das was born on March 31, 1934, in Punnayarkulam, Thrissur District in Kerala. She was one
of the India’s original versatile writers. She spent her childhood between Calcutta, where her father
as employed and the ancestral home in Punnayarkulam. The writings of her great uncle, Nalappattu
Narayana Menon and mother Nalappattu Balamani Amma had a great impact on her. She took to
writing at an early age and continued even after marriage as she was encouraged by her husband to
write. Her writings reflect exploration of a wide range of relationships from a woman’s point of view
– a daughter, a wife and a mother. Her works are filled with a woman’s desire for self-expression
and freedom.

Introduction

Though ageing is a natural process, yet the fear of separation from your loved ones and enar ones is
very painful. The poem talks about the feeling of loneliness that aged people experience and the
feeling of guilt which their offspring experience for not being able to be with their parents in their
old age. The poem also explores the feelings of melancholy and pain that a daughter experiences
while leaving her mother, all by herself, at a ripe old age. The agony of separation is brought
forward in this poem very explicitly. The poem, in a way, also sends a very strong message to the
youth of today-do not be so busy in fulfilling your desires and wishes that you forget to take care of
your elderly parents when they need you the most. At times, situation can be bending. But one
should never forget to show one’s love, affection and concern for one’s parents.

Theme

 Fear of loss: The poem composed in blank verse expresses the anguish of a daughter over
her mother’s advancing age and the fear of permanent separation from her. ‘My Mother at
sixty-six’ symbolizes the fast- paced life and the inevitable death of our childhood, youth and
loved one. The poet is agonized by her mother’s advancing age and fear of her imminent
death.
 Nostalgia: The poet is carried away by her childhood premonition of losing her mother.

Poetic devices

Simile

 Her face ashen like that of corpse

Repetition

 Thought away…thought away

Rhyme scheme

 Free verse

Symbols and images

Personification

 Trees sprinting

Metaphor

 Merry children spilling

Summary

While driving from her mother’s home to Cochin, International airport, Kamala Das notices her
mother, who was sitting beside her, doxing wither mouth open. Her mother’s face was pale like a
dead body. The expression on her face was clearly one of pain, borne out of fear of separation and
old age. A sudden fear an pain crops up in the poet’s mind and she realizes that her mother is old
now and could pass away leaving her all alone. Though the realization was alarming, it was hard to
accept.

In order to drive her thoughts away from the agony and pain on looking at her mother’s colourless
pale face, Kamala looks outside the car. The trees racing past and the speeding car were grim
reminders that time has flown by. The joyous children playing outside represent youth, energy and
life. All this probably reminded of her childhood when her mother was young.

After the security check at the airport, Kamala Das looks at her mother standing a few yards away
looking pale and grey like the winter moon. The poet senses a familiar pain and her childhood fear
of the thought of losing her other comes back. Overcome with sorrow and fear, she bids her old
mother goodbye and keeps smiling to hide her real feelings.

Short Answer Questions

1. What were Kamala Das’ fears as a child? Why do the fears surface when she is going to the
airport?
Kamala Das fears that her mother would leave her alone and go away. These fears surface
now as she looks at her mother doze with her mouth open in the car.
2. How does the poet describe her mother?
Kamala Das describes her mother as old, pale and senile. As she was asleep, the poet noticed
that her mother looked as pale and colourless as a dead body. She seemed to have lost the
vitality of life.
3. Explain ‘pale as a late winter’s moon’.
This is an example of a simile. The poet has compared her mother’s face to a winter’s moon.
Winter symbolizes death and a waning moon symbolizes decay. Just like winter loses its
magnificence and beauty when covered with fog and mist, similarly the poet’s mother has
lost her youth and vitality, and has become inactive and withered.
4. Why did the poet promise her mother of a meeting in the near future?
 The poet was doubtful of seeing her mother again. She knew that the mother was also
aware of the same. Yet, to encourage her mother, to leave a hope in her mind, to make
herself, the poet promised a futile reunion in the future.
5. The poet’s repeated smile seems out of the place in a way. In which was is that
appropriate?
The poet has no reason to smile at the time of separation from her aged mother. She was
distressed and pained to separate from her mother when she was so old. Yet, to make the
mother feel ‘there is nothing to worry’, the poet attempted to be glad cheerful and
reassured her by her extended smile.
6. Why does the poet look at her mother again?
The poet looks at her mother again for the last time to reassure herself that her mother is
well. She drove away her thoughts of pain and fear which had surfaced on seeing her
mother. It was a look of reassurance to meet her again.
7. What different images does the poet uses to convey the idea of her mother’s old age?
Late winter’s moon. Her pale, bloodless and wrinkled face resembles that of a corpse. She
has no vigour and energy left in her. She looks wan and pale. The sprinting trees and merry
children are happy and young. They present a contrast to the mother’s pain and old age and
the poet’s worry and fear. They symbolize youth, vigour and spring, whereas the mother is
old, decaying and frail.
8. What kind of pain does Kamala Das feel in ‘My Mother at Sixty-six’?
Kamala Das has a childhood fear of her mother ageing and while going to the airport, she
sees her ageing mother looking like a corpse as she slept open-mouthed and pale.
9. Why are the youngsters described as spilling?
The youngsters are described as spilling as they are full of life. Merry children were joyfully
coming out in numbers from their houses and were a contrast to her ageing mother beside
her in the car.
10. Having looked at her mother, why does Kamala Das look at the young children?
After having looked at her mother, Kamala Das was in pain. She had a fear of separation
from her mother. The children outside were symbolic of dynamism, joy and life. Hence, she
wanted to divert her thoughts of her ageing mother.
11. In the last line of the poem, ‘My Mother at Sixty-six’, why does the poet use the word ‘smile’
repeatedly?

Kamala Das wanted to make her mother feel that everything was fine. She wanted her to
believe that they would meet soon. She also wanted to hide her fears about not meeting her
next time. In fact, she wanted to put a brave front.

12. Why does the poet look at ‘young trees’ and ‘merry children’?
The poet looks at ‘young trees’ and ‘merry children’ to divert her attention from her gloomy
thoughts of losing her mother. Looking at them was a ray of hope distracting her mind from
the negative thoughts.
13. What does the poet’s smile in the poem, ‘My Mother at Sixty-six’ show?
The smile on the poet’s face was an attempt to reassure her mother. She was masking the
fear of separation. She was also trying to hide her concerns regarding the possibility of her
mother’s demise. Besides, she was also trying to hide her guilt and sorrow for having to
leave her mother at a time in her life when she needs the poet the most.
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