“My Mother at Sixty-Six” by Kamala Das is not just a poem—it’s a quiet, heart-touching moment that many of us can deeply relate to. It captures a daughter's silent pain as she watches her ageing mother drift into the distance—physically, and perhaps emotionally too. The poem expresses what so many of us feel but cannot always say: the fear of losing someone we love.

While looking at her dozing mother’s pale, tired face, the poet suddenly feels an old, familiar ache—a fear from childhood that resurfaces in adulthood. In that one car ride, she experiences love, helplessness, and the silent sorrow of time slipping away. But instead of giving in to tears, she smiles—because sometimes, love means hiding your fear so you don’t burden the one you love.

At www.dasklibro.com, we understand that poems like these are not just for exams—they are reflections of real emotions. That’s why we help you:

• 📝 Understand the lines deeply, both emotionally and academically
  
  

• ✍️ Write thoughtful, CBSE-friendly answers with full marks potential
  
  

• 💬 Explore poetic devices and imagery to bring out every layer of meaning
  
  

• 🌼 Reflect on your own feelings and connect them with the poet’s words
  
  

This poem reminds us to notice the quiet goodbyes, the unsaid fears, and the love that often hides behind a smile. Let’s explore it together—with empathy, understanding, and confidence.

Extra Questions 

🌼 1. What does the poet notice about her mother during the car journey?

20 words:

She notices her mother dozing off, her face pale and lifeless, which reminds the poet of her old age.

40 words:

During the journey, the poet sees her mother sleeping with her mouth open. Her face looks pale and dull like a dead body. This sight painfully reminds the poet that her mother is growing very old and weak.

60 words:

While driving to Cochin, the poet observes her mother dozing beside her. Her mouth is open, and her face appears ashen, lifeless, and similar to a corpse. This shocks the poet and brings a wave of sorrow as she realizes how aged and fragile her mother has become. It also awakens her inner fear of losing her someday.

80 words:

During a car ride to Cochin, the poet Kamala Das glances at her mother and is struck by her appearance. She’s dozing with her mouth open, and her face looks extremely pale — almost like that of a corpse. This image instantly brings a wave of emotional pain to the poet. It forces her to confront the reality of her mother’s ageing and mortality. It also revives her childhood fear of separation and the unbearable thought of losing her mother forever.

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🌼 2. How does the poet try to distract herself from the painful thoughts?

20 words:

She looks outside the car window at sprinting trees and happy children to divert her mind from sad thoughts.

40 words:

To avoid thinking about her mother’s ageing, the poet turns her gaze outside. She notices young trees sprinting and children happily playing. These images of liveliness help distract her from the sorrowful reality of her mother’s frailty.

60 words:

When the poet feels overwhelmed by her mother’s aged appearance and the fear of losing her, she shifts her attention to the scenes outside the car. She sees young trees racing past and children spilling out joyfully from homes. These sights represent energy and life, offering a contrast to her mother’s stillness and helping her cope with her inner emotional storm.

80 words:

After seeing her mother dozing with a pale, corpse-like face, the poet feels deeply disturbed and sorrowful. To escape the emotional pain, she deliberately turns her attention away and looks outside the car window. She observes the young trees speeding past, symbolising energy and life, and watches merry children playing, full of joy. These contrasting scenes help her temporarily divert her mind from the painful realisation of her mother’s old age and the fear of imminent separation that troubles her heart.

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🌼 3. What do the young trees and merry children symbolise in the poem?

20 words:

They symbolise youth, life, energy, and hope — contrasting with the poet’s ageing, pale mother who represents nearing death.

40 words:

The young trees and merry children in the poem represent the vibrancy and joy of life. They stand in contrast to the still, pale image of the poet’s mother and symbolise the cycle of life, where youth and ageing coexist.

60 words:

In the poem, the sprinting trees and merry children symbolise the freshness, movement, and energy of life. These vibrant images represent youth, growth, and joy. They stand in stark contrast to the pale, lifeless face of the poet’s mother, who symbolises old age and the approach of death. This contrast deepens the poem’s emotional effect and theme of ageing.

80 words:

The poet uses the images of young trees sprinting and merry children spilling out of their homes as symbols of life’s vitality and energy. These images are bright and full of movement, symbolising the continuation and beauty of life. In contrast, her mother appears still, pale, and lifeless. This sharp opposition highlights the difference between youth and old age. It brings out the poem’s central theme — the inevitable passage of time and how ageing and death silently shadow all human relationships.

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🌼 4. Why does the poet feel the ‘familiar ache’?

20 words:

She feels the familiar ache of childhood fear — the fear of being separated from her mother due to her old age.

40 words:

The poet feels a familiar ache when she sees her old, pale mother. It is the same fear she had as a child — the fear of losing her mother. Seeing her so weak brings back this long-standing emotional pain.

60 words:

As the poet prepares to part from her mother at the airport, she experiences a familiar ache — the same deep fear she felt in childhood about losing her mother. Her mother’s pale, aged face reminds her that death is approaching. This emotional pain resurfaces, revealing the poet’s lifelong attachment and love, and her helplessness against the passage of time.

80 words:

The poet Kamala Das experiences a familiar ache when she looks at her aged mother, standing weak and pale like the winter’s moon. This ache is not new — it’s an old emotional pain she has carried since childhood. It’s the fear of separation, the fear of losing her mother to death one day. This ache reflects the deep bond between them and the sorrow that ageing brings to loved ones. The poem delicately captures this inner emotional turmoil of the poet.

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🌼 5. What does the poet’s repeated smile at the end suggest?

20 words:

The smile hides her sorrow and fear of losing her mother. It shows courage, love, and emotional self-control.

40 words:

Her smile is an attempt to hide the deep pain and fear she feels inside. By smiling repeatedly, she reassures her mother and herself, showing maturity and emotional strength even though she’s heartbroken.

60 words:

The poet’s repeated smile at the end of the poem is symbolic. It is not just a farewell gesture, but a brave attempt to hide her sorrow. Though she’s filled with fear and emotional pain at the sight of her ageing mother, she chooses not to cry. Instead, she smiles to stay strong, offering comfort to her mother and herself.

80 words:

At the end of the poem, the poet smiles again and again while saying goodbye to her mother. This repeated smile holds deep emotional meaning. It’s her way of covering up the intense sadness and fear she feels seeing her mother so old and fragile. The smile is a silent act of strength — she doesn’t want to make her mother sad or anxious. It shows love, emotional maturity, and how we often mask our deepest feelings to protect the ones we love.

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🌼 6. What is the main theme of the poem?

20 words:

The poem explores ageing, fear of loss, emotional separation, and a daughter’s silent sorrow on seeing her mother grow old.

40 words:

The central theme is the passage of time and the inevitable ageing process. It highlights the poet’s deep love for her mother and her silent fear of separation and death. The poem shows how ageing affects relationships, especially between parents and children.

60 words:

The poem focuses on the theme of ageing and the deep emotional pain it brings. Kamala Das expresses her love and concern for her ageing mother, capturing the fear of losing a loved one. The contrast between life’s vibrancy and old age enhances the theme. It also touches upon human helplessness against time and our silent endurance of emotional pain.

80 words:

The main theme of “My Mother at Sixty-six” is the fear of ageing and the inevitable separation it brings. Kamala Das portrays the deep emotional connection between a daughter and her mother, expressing how the signs of old age bring sorrow and anxiety. The poem highlights the contrast between life and death, youth and old age, and captures the silent emotional suffering people go through when faced with the reality of time passing and loved ones growing old, all beneath a surface of quiet acceptance.

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🌼 7. How does the poet create contrast in the poem?

20 words:

She contrasts her pale, old mother with young trees and children to highlight the difference between youth and old age.

40 words:

The poet creates contrast by comparing her lifeless, ageing mother with vibrant images of young trees and cheerful children. These images emphasize the difference between life and decline, reminding the poet of the unstoppable passage of time.

60 words:

Kamala Das contrasts her weak, pale mother with images of youthful energy like sprinting trees and happy children. The liveliness outside the car opposes the dull stillness of her mother inside. This comparison strengthens the poem’s emotional impact by showing how youth and age coexist, and how ageing seems lonely and sad compared to the brightness of life.

80 words:

In “My Mother at Sixty-six,” the poet creates an emotional contrast by setting her ageing, pale mother against the vibrant world outside. As the car moves, she sees sprinting trees and joyful children, full of life and energy. Meanwhile, her mother appears lifeless and dull. This stark contrast between youth and old age intensifies the emotional weight of the poem, showing the poet’s inner struggle and silent sorrow. It reflects how the external world continues happily even as loved ones grow closer to death.

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🌼 8. What role does memory and emotion play in the poem?

20 words:

Memory and emotion connect the poet’s present pain with her childhood fear of losing her mother, adding depth to the poem.

40 words:

The poet’s emotions are deeply tied to her memories. Seeing her aged mother brings back her childhood fear of separation. This memory increases her pain and forms the emotional core of the poem, showing lasting love and silent suffering.

60 words:

Memory and emotion are central to the poem. When the poet sees her old mother, it triggers her childhood fear of losing her. This remembered emotion enhances her current sorrow and makes her pain more intense. The poem becomes a personal reflection of love, attachment, and the emotional struggles we face while dealing with time, ageing, and eventual loss.

80 words:

In the poem, Kamala Das uses memory and emotion to express the pain of seeing her mother age. The sight of her pale, tired face immediately brings back the poet’s childhood fear of being separated from her mother. This emotional memory strengthens the present moment and adds depth to the poem. It shows how certain emotions—like the fear of losing a parent—never truly leave us, and how past and present feelings can intertwine during emotional experiences, especially those involving love and loss.

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🌼 9. How is the title “My Mother at Sixty-six” significant?

20 words:

The title marks the poet’s mother’s age, highlighting the poem’s theme of ageing, loss, and emotional reflection.

40 words:

The title draws attention to the mother’s age — sixty-six — an age symbolising old age and fragility. It sets the tone for the poem, focusing on the mother’s ageing and the poet’s emotional response to it.

60 words:

The title “My Mother at Sixty-six” is significant as it directly refers to the mother’s age, which is the central focus of the poem. Sixty-six represents a stage of life where signs of old age become clearly visible. It sets the emotional tone and prepares the reader for the poet’s reflection on the physical and emotional impact of her mother’s ageing.

80 words:

The title “My Mother at Sixty-six” plays a crucial role in highlighting the central idea of the poem — the reality of ageing and emotional pain that comes with it. The mention of the mother’s exact age shows the poet’s keen observation and emotional involvement. It indicates that this is a specific, significant moment in the poet’s life — the moment she truly notices her mother’s frailty and begins to confront the fear of losing her. It sets the mood of quiet sorrow and reflection.

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🌼 10. Why doesn’t the poet express her fear and sadness openly?

20 words:

She hides her emotions to stay strong for her mother, choosing love and strength over showing her pain and fear.

40 words:

The poet chooses not to express her sadness openly because she doesn’t want to upset her mother. She hides her fear behind a smile, showing maturity and silent strength. It reflects her deep love and desire to protect her mother.

60 words:

Although the poet feels deep emotional pain, she doesn’t express it openly. She smiles instead, hiding her fear of losing her mother. This act of restraint shows her emotional maturity and sensitivity. She wants to protect her mother from worry or sadness. By staying calm and composed, she shows silent love, strength, and the unspoken emotional connection between parent and child.

80 words:

The poet doesn’t express her sorrow and fear openly because she doesn’t want her mother to see her pain. Despite being overwhelmed with emotion, she chooses to smile repeatedly and bid a gentle farewell. This quiet reaction shows her emotional strength, maturity, and deep love. She wants to protect her mother from any distress. Her silence reflects how sometimes, the most powerful emotions are felt but not spoken. It also highlights the human tendency to hide pain to comfort those we love.