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There’s a moment that hits all of us at some point, when we look at our parents and suddenly realise oh no! They're getting old. That’s exactly what my mother at sixty six by Kamala Das captures, an emotional moment in the simplest way. It is one of those poems that may feel small at first, but it leaves a deep emotional impact once you get it.
In this blog, we’ll get you know through everything you need to know like what the poet really wanted you to understand and detailed explanation of the poem, All written in a way that actually makes sense, not just for exams, but for real understanding too.
If you’re revising or making last-minute notes, don’t worry. We’ve also added complete my mother at sixty six notes class 12 and a clear my mother at sixty six summary in Hindi to help you quickly revise before the exam. It’s all written in easy, student-friendly language.
This poem is like a soft punch to the heart - simple on the surface, but packed with emotion once you really read between the lines. Let’s walk through it stanza by stanza.
The poem begins with the poet, Kamala Das, travelling with her 66-year-old mother to the airport. Her mother is sitting beside her in the car, dozing off. When the poet looks at her, she notices how pale, tired, and weak her mother looks, like a “late winter’s moon,” symbolizing old age and fading life.
This moment hits the poet emotionally. She is filled with the sudden fear that her mother is getting old and may soon die. This thought reminds her of how fragile life is, and how our loved ones won’t be with us forever.
To distract herself from these painful thoughts, the poet turns her attention outside the car window. What she sees is full of contrast:
These are symbols of life and youth, the complete opposite of her mother’s aging body.
Once they reach the airport, the moment becomes even more emotional. As the poet gets ready to say goodbye, she looks at her mother one last time. The image of her pale face stays with her. It reminds her of the same fear she had as a child, the fear of losing her mother.
Despite all the emotions building up inside, the poet doesn’t cry or speak out. She puts on a smile, trying to appear strong. But deep down, she is scared and sad. The poem ends with this quiet yet heartbreaking goodbye, full of unspoken love, fear, and pain.
Let’s break this poem down like we’re sitting right before the exam - calm, clear, and one line at a time. No fancy words, just what each line really means.
Here, the poet is driving to Cochin airport after visiting her parents. Her mother is sleeping next to her in the car. The word “ashen” means pale and lifeless. Kamala Das compares her mother’s face to that of a dead body, a shocking but honest image. This is where the poet starts feeling the pain of seeing her mother grow old. It's the kind of realization many of us have had quietly, without saying anything.
The poet feels a sudden pain. She realises that her mother really is old now - not just in looks but in life. It’s a painful truth, so she tries to push the thought away. This is a very relatable moment - how we avoid thinking about losing the people we love. This small moment says a lot. It's not dramatic, but it’s emotionally powerful.
To distract herself, she looks outside the car window. What she sees is full of life - children playing, trees moving fast as the car drives past. It’s a clear contrast to her mother’s stillness and tiredness. The poet is trying to find comfort in the outside world because inside her, she’s feeling anxious and sad.
At the airport, the poet looks at her mother again after the security check. The word “wan” means weak or pale. She compares her mother to the late winter moon — something that is faded, dull, and nearing its end. This is one of the most powerful lines in the poem. It shows how deeply the poet is affected by her mother’s old age.
This is the emotional climax. The poet feels that “familiar ache”, the fear of losing her mother, something she’s carried since childhood. But instead of showing her pain, she hides it with a smile. That repeated “smile and smile and smile” shows how hard she tries to stay strong, not for herself, but for her mother.
This poem doesn’t shout its emotions - it whispers them. Let’s look at the core themes that make this simple car ride feel so deeply personal and real.
This poem quietly talks about how our loved ones grow old, and how that scares us deep inside. The poet sees her mother aging, and for a moment, she realizes that time is running out, just like it will for all of us someday. Reference from“...like a late winter’s moon”, this shows the mother’s fading strength and life.
Another major theme is the fear of losing someone close, especially a parent. The poet remembers her childhood fear of losing her mother, and now that fear returns as her mother grows old in front of her eyes.
Outside the car, there are trees rushing by and kids playing, full of energy and life.
Inside the car, her mother is sleepy and weak. This contrast shows the natural cycle of life, youth vs. old age, energy vs. stillness.
Even though the poet is scared and sad, she doesn’t cry. Instead, she smiles and says goodbye with love and strength. This shows how we try to hide our pain to keep our loved ones happy.
This poem isn’t just about the poet and her mother, it’s about all of us. It reminds us to value the time we have with our parents, because we won’t always have the luxury for us to keep them with us forever. It’s emotional, real, and something everyone in the world can relate to.
Need a last-minute recap? These extract-based questions from My Mother at Sixty-Six cover the most important lines - short, clear, and totally exam-ready.
“Driving from my parent’s home to Cochin last Friday morning, I saw my mother, beside me, doze, open-mouthed, her face ashen like that of a corpse…”
Questions & Answers:
Q1. Where is the poet going and with whom?
Ans. The poet is going to Cochin airport with her mother.
Q2. What does the poet observe about her mother?
Ans. She sees her mother dozing off with an open mouth, looking pale and lifeless like a corpse.
Q3. What does the comparison “face ashen like a corpse” suggest?
Ans. It shows the poet's realization of her mother’s aging and approaching death.
“...and realised with pain that she looked as old as she was but soon put that thought away...”
Questions & Answers:
Q1. What painful thought comes to the poet?
Ans. She is pained by the thought that her mother is really old and might die soon.
Q2. Why does the poet put the thought away?
Ans. To avoid sadness and stay emotionally strong, she distracts herself.
“...looked out at young trees sprinting, the merry children spilling out of their homes…”
Questions & Answers:
Q1. What is the significance of ‘young trees sprinting’?
Ans. It symbolizes energy, youth, and the contrast to the poet’s aged mother.
Q2. What do ‘merry children spilling’ out show?
Ans. It shows the liveliness and joy of childhood, which contrasts with the dullness of old age.
Q3. What literary device is used in “trees sprinting”?
Ans. Personification - trees appear to be running past the moving car.
“...but after the airport’s security check, standing a few yards away, I looked again at her, wan, pale…”
Questions & Answers:
Q1. What does the poet observe at the airport?
Ans. She sees her mother’s pale, tired face again - a reflection of aging and weakness.
Q2. What does ‘wan’ and ‘pale’ indicate?
Ans. It highlights her mother’s fragile health and nearing end.
“...as a late winter’s moon and felt that old familiar ache, my childhood fear, but all I said was, see you soon, Amma…”
Questions & Answers:
Q1. Why is the mother compared to a late winter’s moon?
Ans. The late winter moon is dim and fading, just like her mother - aged and near death.
Q2. What is the ‘childhood fear’ mentioned here?
Ans. The fear of losing her mother, which she felt even as a child.
Q3. What does the poet finally say to her mother? Why?
Ans. She says, “See you soon, Amma”, to hide her sadness and give hope, even though she is deeply worried inside.
So to sum it up, my mother at sixty six really does hit once you get what it’s trying to say. It’s not just for exams, it’s something most of us feel deep down. The poem talks about aging, fear of separation, and that silent love we have for our parents.
If you're revising for exams, just go through my mother's sixty six summary, the important lines, and keep the themes in mind. Trust me, it’s an easy poem once you feel it, not just read it.
Q1. Who is the poet of the poem "My Mother at Sixty-Six"?
Ans. The poem "My Mother at Sixty-Six" is written by Kamala Das.
Q2. What is the central theme of the poem "My Mother at Sixty-Six"?
Ans. The central theme of the poem is the poet's concern and reflection on her mother's aging and mortality.
Q3. What is the significance of the mother's age in the poem?
Ans. The mother's age (sixty-six) symbolizes the inevitability of aging and mortality, and the poet's realization of her mother's advancing age.
Q4. How does the poet use imagery in my mother at sixty six poems?
Ans. The poet uses vivid imagery to describe her mother's physical appearance, emphasizing her frailty and aging.
Q5. What message does the poem my mother at sixty six convey?
Ans. The poem conveys the importance of cherishing relationships, appreciating the time we have with loved ones, and acknowledging the reality of aging and mortality.
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