*HIGHLIGHTS:* * This is a touching poem written by Indian poet Kamala Das who wrote under the pen name of ‘Madhavikutty’. * In this poem, she describes her feeling of love and attachment toward her ageing mother. * Once the poet went to visit her mother. * She was on her way back to the airport to return to Cochin. * She looked at her mother who was seated beside her in the car. * Her mother had dozed off to sleep and her ageing face - was smoky in colour like ash. * Her mouth was open and she resembled a dead body. * The poet realized that her mother was old. * She felt pain and sympathy for her. * Her mother needed love, affection and care. * To come out of the gloom, the poet shifted her glance and looked out of the car's window. * There she saw young trees pass by. * Little children were running out of their houses into the playgrounds. * These things were contrary to the ageing face of her mother. * They symbolized energy, life, and happiness. * As they reached the airport and the poet was about to leave for the airplane, she glanced at her mother one more time. * Her mother appeared weak and pale just like the moon in the winter season which seems to have lost all its strength. * The poet felt the pain and fear of losing her mother. * She was reminded of her childhood when she used to fear losing her mother. * As a child, she could not bear to be separated from her mother even for a few moments. * Now the loss would be permanent as her mother was about to die and she would lose her forever. * The poet did not express her feelings. * She smiled and said “See you soon, Amma” because she wanted her mother to live and they could meet again.*_My mother at sixty six_* cw WORD MEANINGS : 1) doze: a short, light sleep 2) ashen: very pale, like ash. 3) corpse: a dead body. 4) sprinting:short fast race,running 5) spilling: here, to move out in great numbers. 6) wan: unnaturally pale, as from physical or emotional distress/ colourless 7) ache: pain*POETIC DEVICES ** *Assonance: Here we see the use of vowel sound that is ‘o’.(To Cochin last Friday morning) face ashen like that of a corpse) +Simile: The colour of the mother’s face has been compared to that of a corpse — ashen. use of ‘like’ (her face ashen like that of a corpse) Simile: Mother's face is compared to the late winter's moon — both are dull and lifeless. use of ‘as’ (as a late winter's moon). *Consonance: use of the sound ‘s’ and ‘t’ «Imagery: when the poet says trees sprinting, merry children spilling Repetition: Repeated use of ‘looked’ +Repetition: use of ‘smile’ Rhyme scheme — The poem does not follow any rhyme or rhythm. It has been written in free verseMY MOTHER AT SIXTY-SIX EXTRA QA(HW) *SQA : 40-50 words* 1. What is the kind of pain and ache that the narrator feels? 2. Why are the young trees described as sprinting? 3. Why has the narrator brought in the image of the merry children ‘spilling out of their homes’? 4. Why has the mother been compared to ‘late winter's moon’? 5. What do the parting words of the narrator and her smile signify? 6. What childhood fears do you think the narrator is referring to in the poem ‘My Mother at Sixty Six’? 7. What does the narrator mean by ‘all | did was smile and smile and smile..? 8. Why does the narrator look outside? What does she perceive? 9. Why does the narrator look outside? What does she perceive? 10. What were the poet's feelings at the airport? How did she hide them?*LQA :120-150 words* Q1. In today’s fast life, children neglect their ageing parents. What do you think children can do to have an involved and inclusive relationship with their elderly parents? Q2.The poem, ‘My Mother At Sixty Six’, brings home the theme that ageing is a natural process and is going to envelop one and all. Comment.