My Mother At Sixty Six Class 12 English Flamingo Poem 1 Summary is available here. This summary is created by the subject experts of our website CBSE Wale. By reading this summary, students can better understand the poem and improve their English language skills.
My Mother At Sixty Six Class 12 English Flamingo Poem 1 Summary
My Mother At Sixty Six Short Summary
The poem “My Mother At Sixty Six” is written by Kamala Das. It is about the poet’s 66-year-old mother. The poet is driving her mother to the airport. While driving, the poet notices her mother’s aged appearance, with a pale face and open mouth. This realization brings sadness and a sense of loss, as the poet acknowledges her mother’s aging. The poet reflects on their relationship, recalling how her mother took care of her and showed love and protection during her childhood. The poet feels a deep love and gratitude towards her mother. The poem concludes with the poet bidding farewell to her mother at the airport, feeling sad about her departure but knowing she will return soon. The poet also acknowledges that her mother will always remain in her heart.
My Mother At Sixty Six Short Summary In Hindi
कविता “My Mother At Sixty Six” कमला दास द्वारा लिखी गई है। यह कवि की 66 वर्षीय मां के बारे में है। कवयित्री अपनी माँ को हवाई अड्डे ले जा रही है। गाड़ी चलाते समय, कवयित्री ने अपनी माँ की वृद्ध उपस्थिति, एक पीला चेहरा और खुले मुँह के साथ देखा। यह अहसास दुख और नुकसान की भावना लाता है, क्योंकि कवि अपनी मां की उम्र बढ़ने को स्वीकार करता है। कवि उनके संबंधों पर विचार करता है, यह याद करते हुए कि कैसे उसकी माँ ने उसकी देखभाल की और बचपन में प्यार और सुरक्षा दिखाई। कवि अपनी माँ के प्रति गहरा प्रेम और आभार महसूस करता है। कविता का समापन हवाईअड्डे पर अपनी मां को विदा करते हुए कवि के साथ होता है, उनके जाने का दुख होता है लेकिन यह जानकर कि वह जल्द ही वापस आएंगी। कवयित्री यह भी स्वीकार करती है कि उसकी माँ हमेशा उसके दिल में रहेगी।
My Mother At Sixty Six Summary
The author is taking her mother to the Cochin airport. While looking at her mother, she notices her soft and pale face, which fills her with the fear of losing her. Her mother’s tired expression and open mouth resemble that of a lifeless body. In this moment, the author portrays the love and affection shared between a mother and daughter.
The poet is feeling hurt and sad, so she looks outside the car to distract herself and improve her mood. Through the car window, she sees a vibrant scene full of life and energy. There are fast-growing green trees and big trees, and children playing happily. This scene symbolizes life, youth, and vitality. The poet reminisces about her own childhood, when her mother was young and beautiful. However, now her mother is fearful of losing her life, which makes her feel insecure and sad.
She arrives at the airport for her flight, which signifies departure and separation, leading to her sadness. While bidding farewell to her mother, she is struck by the image of her aging mother, resembling a late-night winter moon. The moon’s light is hindered by fog and haze, just as her mother’s appearance now reflects her age.
The poet is experiencing the pain of being separated from her mother. The fear she had as a child of losing her loving mother has now become even more terrifying. Her mother could pass away unexpectedly due to old age. Despite feeling deeply saddened, she tries to be brave and hides her tears behind a smile. She bids farewell to her elderly mother, holding onto the hope of seeing her again. She says, “See you soon, Amma.” The poet conceals her tears and sadness because she doesn’t want to create a painful and emotional atmosphere. Additionally, she wants her mother to be happy and enjoy life, just like she is doing.
My Mother At Sixty Six Summary In Hindi
लेखक अपनी माँ को कोचीन हवाई अड्डे पर ले जा रही है। अपनी माँ को देखते हुए, वह उसके कोमल और पीले चेहरे पर ध्यान देती है, जो उसे खोने के डर से भर देता है। उसकी माँ की थकी हुई मुद्रा और खुला मुँह एक निर्जीव शरीर जैसा दिखता है। इस क्षण में, लेखक एक माँ और बेटी के बीच साझा किए गए प्यार और स्नेह को चित्रित करता है।
कवयित्री आहत और उदास महसूस कर रही है, इसलिए वह खुद को विचलित करने और अपने मूड को सुधारने के लिए कार के बाहर देखती है। कार की खिड़की के माध्यम से, वह जीवन और ऊर्जा से भरा एक जीवंत दृश्य देखती है। तेजी से बढ़ने वाले हरे पेड़ और बड़े पेड़ हैं, और बच्चे खुशी से खेल रहे हैं। यह दृश्य जीवन, यौवन और जीवन शक्ति का प्रतीक है। कवयित्री अपने बचपन को याद करती है, जब उसकी माँ जवान और खूबसूरत थी। हालाँकि, अब उसकी माँ को अपनी जान गंवाने का डर है, जिससे वह असुरक्षित और उदास महसूस करती है।
वह अपनी उड़ान के लिए हवाई अड्डे पर पहुंचती है, जो प्रस्थान और अलगाव का प्रतीक है, जिससे उसकी उदासी बढ़ जाती है। अपनी माँ को विदा करते समय, वह अपनी बूढ़ी माँ की छवि से प्रभावित होती है, जो देर रात के सर्दियों के चाँद जैसी होती है। चंद्रमा की रोशनी कोहरे और धुंध से बाधित होती है, जैसे उसकी मां की उपस्थिति अब उसकी उम्र को दर्शाती है।
कवयित्री अपनी माँ से बिछड़ने का दर्द महसूस कर रही है। अपनी प्यारी मां को खोने के एक बच्चे के रूप में उसे जो डर था वह अब और भी भयानक हो गया है। वृद्धावस्था के कारण उसकी माता का असामयिक निधन हो सकता है। बहुत दुखी होने के बावजूद, वह बहादुर बनने की कोशिश करती है और एक मुस्कान के पीछे अपने आँसू छुपा लेती है। वह अपनी बूढ़ी माँ को फिर से देखने की उम्मीद पर विदा लेती है। वह कहती है, “जल्द ही मिलते हैं, अम्मा।” कवयित्री अपने आँसुओं और उदासी को छुपाती है क्योंकि वह एक दर्दनाक और भावनात्मक वातावरण नहीं बनाना चाहती है। इसके अतिरिक्त, वह चाहती है कि उसकी माँ खुश रहे और जीवन का आनंद ले, जैसे वह कर रही है।
The Explanation of the Poem “My Mother At Sixty Six”
Stanza 1
My Mother at Sixty-Six:
Driving from my parent’s
home to Cochin last Friday
morning, I saw my mother,
beside me,
Important Word Meaning
Cochin: Cochin is a city in Kerala, India. It is the destination where the poet is driving to.
Sixty-Six: Refers to the age of the poet’s mother. It means she is sixty-six years old.
Parent’s: Refers to the possession of the home. It means the home belongs to the poet’s parents.
Beside: Refers to the position of something or someone being next to or alongside something or someone else. It means the poet’s mother was sitting next to the poet in the car.
Explanations
In this stanza, the poet is describing a specific moment when she was driving from her parent’s home to Cochin. It was a Friday morning. The poet looks at her mother, who is sitting beside her in the car.
Poetic Devices
Alliteration: The repetition of the “m” sound in “My Mother at Sixty-Six” creates alliteration.
Enjambment: The use of enjambment is present as the sentence continues from the first line to the second line without a pause or punctuation.
Imagery: The use of descriptive language like “Driving,” “last Friday morning,” and “beside me” creates visual imagery and helps the reader imagine the scene.
Repetition: The repetition of the word “my” in “my parent’s home” and “my mother” emphasizes the personal connection and ownership.
Stanza 2
doze, open mouthed, her face
ashen like that
of a corpse and realized with pain
that she was as old as she
looked but soon
put that thought away, and
Important Word Meaning
Doze: Refers to a light sleep or a state of drowsiness.
Open mouthed: Describes the action of having one’s mouth open, often indicating sleep or relaxation.
Ashen: Describes a pale or grayish complexion, often associated with illness or death.
Corpse: Refers to a dead body.
Realized: Means to become aware or understand something.
Pain: Refers to physical or emotional discomfort.
Put away: Means to dismiss or set aside something, not dwell on it.
Explanations
In this stanza, the poet describes her mother who is dozing off in the car with her mouth open. The mother’s face appears pale, like that of a lifeless body. The poet realizes, with a feeling of sadness, that her mother looks as old as she actually is. However, the poet quickly pushes that thought aside and does not dwell on it further.
Poetic Devices
Simile: The comparison of the mother’s ashen face to that of a corpse creates a simile, emphasizing the paleness and lifelessness of her complexion.
Imagery: The use of descriptive language such as “doze,” “open mouthed,” “ashen face,” and “corpse” creates vivid imagery and helps the reader visualize the scene.
Enjambment: The use of enjambment is present as the sentence continues from the first line to the second line without a pause or punctuation, creating a flowing effect.
Stanza 3
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
Important Word Meaning
Looked out: Refers to the action of directing one’s gaze outside, typically through a window or opening.
Sprinting: Describes the action of running at a fast speed.
Merry: Describes being cheerful, happy, or joyful.
Spilling: Describes the action of overflowing or coming out in large numbers or quantities.
Security check: Refers to the process of inspecting and verifying the safety and security of individuals and their belongings.
Yards: Refers to a unit of measurement equal to three feet.
Wan: Describes looking pale, weak, or sickly.
Pale: Describes having a light or colorless complexion, often associated with sickness or weakness.
Explanations
In this stanza, the poet looks outside and sees young trees moving quickly, and children happily running out of their homes. However, after going through the security check at the airport and standing a short distance away, the poet looks back at her mother and notices that she looks weak and pale.
Poetic Devices
Enjambment: The use of enjambment is present as the sentence continues from the first line to the second line without a pause or punctuation, creating a flowing effect.
Imagery: The use of descriptive language like “Young Trees sprinting” and “merry children spilling out of their homes” creates vivid imagery and helps the reader visualize the scene.
Alliteration: The repetition of the “s” sound in “Young Trees sprinting” and “standing a few yards away” creates alliteration, adding a musical quality to the stanza.
Contrast: The contrast between the lively imagery of the young trees and merry children in the first part of the stanza and the appearance of the mother as “wan” and “pale” in the latter part creates a contrasting effect, highlighting the poet’s observation.
Personification: The use of personification can be seen in the phrase “trees sprinting.” It attributes the human quality of sprinting, or running quickly, to the trees, which is a non-human entity.
Metaphor: The metaphorical expression “children spilling” compares the action of children coming out of their homes to the act of spilling, creating a vivid and dynamic image.
Stanza 4
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……
Important Word Meaning
Familiar: Describes something that is known or recognized due to previous experience or knowledge.
Ache: Refers to a dull or persistent pain or discomfort.
See you soon: Expresses the intention or desire to meet or see someone in the near future.
Amma: Refers to the word for mother in several languages, such as Tamil, Malayalam, and Telugu.
Explanations
In this stanza, the poet compares her mother’s appearance to that of a late winter’s moon, emphasizing a pale and distant quality. The poet experiences a familiar ache, reminiscent of her childhood fear of losing her mother. However, instead of expressing her sadness, the poet simply says, “see you soon, Amma,” and smiles repeatedly, concealing her true emotions.
Poetic Devices
Simile: The comparison of the mother’s appearance to a late winter’s moon creates a simile, emphasizing the pale and distant quality.
Repetition: The repetition of the word “smile” creates a sense of emphasis and rhythm in the stanza.
Ellipsis: The use of ellipsis at the end of the stanza, indicated by the three dots, creates a pause and suggests that the action of smiling continues without explicitly stating it.
Poet of the Poem “My Mother At Sixty Six”
The poem “My Mother At Sixty Six” was written by Kamala Das.
About the Poet of the Poem “My Mother At Sixty Six”
Kamala Das, also known as Kamala Surayya, was a renowned Indian writer who excelled in poetry, essays, novels, and short stories. She was born in Malabar, Kerala, and came from a Syrian Christian family. Kamala studied English literature at the University of Kerala and later worked as a journalist and teacher. She started writing poetry in the 1960s and gained recognition for her honest and thought-provoking exploration of topics like love, loss, and personal identity. Her debut poetry collection, “The Descendants,” was published in 1965. Kamala Das’s works have been widely translated into various languages and are celebrated in anthologies.
Theme of the Poem “My Mother At Sixty Six”
The theme of the poem “My Mother At Sixty Six” revolves around the concept of aging and the emotional impact it has on the poet’s perception of her mother. The poem explores the poet’s realization of her mother’s advancing age and the accompanying fear of losing her. It delves into the complex emotions of love, sadness, and the bittersweet nature of the mother-daughter relationship. The theme also touches upon the passage of time, the fleeting nature of life, and the inevitable separation that comes with aging. Overall, the poem explores the tender and poignant aspects of aging and the profound impact it has on familial bonds.
Central Idea of the Poem “My Mother At Sixty Six”
The central idea of the poem “My Mother At Sixty Six” is the poet’s contemplation of her mother’s advancing age and the emotional impact it has on their relationship. It explores themes of love, mortality, and the bittersweet nature of aging. The poem reflects on the fleeting nature of life and the profound emotions that arise from witnessing a loved one grow older.
Moral of the Poem “My Mother At Sixty Six”
The moral of the poem “My Mother At Sixty Six” by Kamala Das is that we should cherish our parents and loved ones while we can, as they will not be around forever. The poem is a reminder of the inevitability of aging and death, and it encourages us to appreciate the time we have with our loved ones.
Message of the Poem “My Mother At Sixty Six”
The message of the poem “My Mother At Sixty Six” is to cherish and appreciate our loved ones, especially as they age, and to confront the fleeting nature of life with love and gratitude.
Conclusion of the Poem “My Mother At Sixty Six”
In conclusion, the poem “My Mother At Sixty Six” portrays the poet’s contemplation of her mother’s aging, evoking a mix of love, sadness, and the realization of life’s transience. It emphasizes the importance of cherishing our loved ones and embracing the present moment. The poem leaves a lasting impression of the fragility and preciousness of our relationships.
Rhyme Scheme of the poem “My Mother At Sixty Six”
The poem “My Mother At Sixty Six” does not follow any rhyme scheme. It is written in free verse, which means that it does not have a regular rhyme scheme or meter.
Frequently Asked Questions Related To The Poem My Mother At Sixty Six
Question 1. Who is the poet of the poem “My Mother At Sixty Six”?
Answer. The poet of the poem is Kamala Das (also known as Kamala Surayya).
Question 2. What is the central theme of the poem “My Mother At Sixty Six”?
Answer. The central theme of the poem is the poet’s contemplation of her mother’s aging and the emotional impact it has on their relationship.
Question 3. How does the poet describe her mother’s appearance in the poem “My Mother At Sixty Six”?
Answer. The poet describes her mother’s face as “ashen” and compares it to that of a corpse.
Question 4. What emotions does the poet feel about her mother’s aging in the poem “My Mother At Sixty Six”?
Answer. The poet feels a sense of sadness, loss, and fear of losing her mother due to her advancing age.
Question 5. What does the poet reflect on regarding her relationship with her mother in the poem “My Mother At Sixty Six”?
Answer. The poet reflects on how her mother used to care for her when she was a child and expresses love and gratitude for her mother’s love and protection.
Question 6. Where does the poem “My Mother At Sixty Six” take place?
Answer. The poem takes place during a car journey from the poet’s parent’s home to Cochin.
Question 7. What does the poet observe outside the car window in the poem “My Mother At Sixty Six”?
Answer. The poet observes young trees sprinting and merry children spilling out of their homes, representing life and vitality.
Question 8. What is the poet’s reaction after the airport’s security check in the poem “My Mother At Sixty Six”?
Answer. After the security check, the poet looks at her mother again and notices her pale and wan appearance.
Question 9. What does the poet compare her mother to in the poem “My Mother At Sixty Six”?
Answer. The poet compares her mother to a late winter’s moon.
Question 10. What childhood fear does the poet experience in the poem “My Mother At Sixty Six”?
Answer. The poet experiences the fear of losing her mother, which she describes as an “old familiar ache.”
Question 11. What does the poet say to her mother before parting in the poem “My Mother At Sixty Six”?
Answer. The poet says, “see you soon, Amma” to her mother.
Question 12. How does the poet hide her emotions in the poem “My Mother At Sixty Six”?
Answer. The poet hides her tears and sorrow by smiling repeatedly.
Question 13. What is the overall mood of the poem “My Mother At Sixty Six”?
Answer. The overall mood of the poem is a mix of sadness, nostalgia, and introspection.
Question 14. What is the significance of the title “My Mother At Sixty Six”?
Answer. The title signifies the focus on the poet’s mother and her age, highlighting the impact of aging on their relationship.
Question 15. What is the main message of the poem “My Mother At Sixty Six”?
Answer. The main message of the poem is to cherish and appreciate our loved ones, confront the transient nature of life, and find strength in the enduring bond between a mother and a child.