Poem 1 My Mother at Sixty-six Class 12 English Flamingo

Ageing is a natural process; have you ever thought about what our elderly parents expect from us?

Old age is often considered parallel to loneliness. Elderly parents lack the company of people their age as well as young individuals, along with facing physical inabilities. They often end up developing a pessimistic approach towards life. This can be shunned only if we provide them with love, care, importance, and empathy. Small moments of happiness and time spent together will encourage them to live their lives enthusiastically.

Q1. What is the kind of pain and ache that the poet feels?

While leaving her parent’s home, the poet’s eyes fell on her mother’s pallid face. To the poet, the ‘ashen’ face, deprived of vitality and color, bore a resemblance to a corpse. She realized with pain that her mother had grown old and was nearing death. This realization triggered a familiar childhood fear—the fear of losing her mother. The thought of permanent separation deeply distressed her, and her smile was merely a mask for this inevitable helplessness.

Q2. Why are the young trees described as ‘Sprinting’?

While driving to the airport, the poet looked out the window to distract herself from the painful thought of her mother’s aging. From the moving car, the stationary young trees outside appeared to be running fast or sprinting.

Symbolism:

The sprinting trees symbolize the rapid passage of time—how quickly youth fades into old age.
They represent life, energy, and action, which stands in sharp contrast to her mother, who is sleeping, dormant, and decaying inside the car (resembling a corpse).

Q3. Why has the poet brought in the image of the merry children ‘spilling out of their homes’?

The poet uses the image of merry children to create a sharp contrast (Juxtaposition).

The children symbolize youth, vigor, happiness, and the beginning of life. They are “spilling out”—full of energy. This is contrasted with the mother inside the taxi, who is “ashen,” weak, withered, and nearing the end of her life. By placing these two images together, the poet highlights the cycle of life: childhood is the beginning, and old age is the conclusion.

Q4. Why has the mother been compared to the ‘late winter’s moon’?

The poet uses a Simile to compare her mother to a ‘late winter’s moon’.

Winter: Symbolizes the last season of the year, just as old age is the last stage of life. It is associated with dormancy, cold, and death.
Moon: A winter moon looks hazy, obscure, and lacks brightness. Similarly, the mother has lost her “shine” (youth and vitality) and looks ‘wan’ and ‘pale’ like a fading moon hidden by mist.

Q5. What do the parting words of the poet and her smile signify?

The poet’s parting words, “See you soon, Amma,” signify optimism and a desperate hope that she will see her mother alive again.

Her continuous smile (“smile and smile and smile”) signifies: 1. Reassurance: Trying to comfort her mother and show bravery. 2. Masking Pain: Hiding her own fear and guilt of leaving her aging mother behind.
It is an attempt to suppress the realization of her mother’s approaching end.

Why study these solutions for ‘My Mother at Sixty-Six’?

Simplification: Many students find the poem’s stream-of-consciousness style difficult. These solutions break down complex imagery (sprinting trees, winter moon) into simple explanations.
Exam Focus: Covers all critical questions likely to appear in the 12th board exams, focusing on literary devices and themes.
Themes Covered: Clearly explains the themes of Ageing, Separation, and Filial Duty.
Vocabulary: Helps understand words like ‘wan’, ‘pale’, ‘sprinting’, and ‘spilling’.

My Mother at Sixty-Six

Before You Read

Think It Out

Benefits of NCERT Solutions