My Mother at Sixty-six — Class 12 English

Written by Kamala Das, this short poem captures a poignant moment of love, fear and ageing. The poet is driving from her parents' home to the Cochin airport with her elderly mother dozing beside her. Looking at her mother's pale, ashen face, mouth open like a corpse, she is struck by the painful realisation that her mother is growing old and that death is drawing near. This thought fills her with a familiar childhood fear of losing her mother. To distract herself from the gloomy thought, she deliberately looks out of the car at the young trees sprinting past and the merry children spilling out of their homes — images of life, youth and energy that contrast sharply with her mother's frail old age. At the airport, after the security check, she sees her mother once more, looking as pale and faded as a late winter's moon. Overcome with the old ache and fear, the poet hides her anxiety behind a smile, repeating the reassuring words 'see you soon, Amma'. The poem explores the universal themes of ageing, the fear of separation and the deep bond between a mother and her child, conveyed through striking visual images.