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NCERT Textbook: Poem 1 - My Mother at Sixty Six | English Class 12 PDF Download

Q: 1. What is the theme of the poem 'My Mother at Sixty Six'?

Ans. The theme of the poem 'My Mother at Sixty Six' is the poet's concern for her aging mother's vulnerability and fragility. The poem describes the poet's journey with her mother in a car through the streets of Delhi, where she becomes acutely aware of her mother's mortality.

Q: 2. Who is the speaker in the poem 'My Mother at Sixty Six'?

Ans. The speaker in the poem 'My Mother at Sixty Six' is the poet herself. She is describing her journey with her mother in a car through the streets of Delhi, where she becomes acutely aware of her mother's vulnerability and mortality.

Q: 3. What is the significance of the line 'at sixty-six, my mother seems to be dying again'?

Ans. The line 'at sixty-six, my mother seems to be dying again' is significant because it highlights the fragility and vulnerability of the poet's mother. It suggests that her mother's aging body is showing signs of weakness and that she may be close to death. The line also suggests that the poet has already experienced the loss of her mother in some way, as if she has already died once before.

Q: 4. What is the tone of the poem 'My Mother at Sixty Six'?

Ans. The tone of the poem 'My Mother at Sixty Six' is one of sadness, anxiety, and concern. The poet is deeply worried about her mother's declining health and the inevitability of death. The tone is also introspective, as the poet reflects on her own mortality and the fleeting nature of life.

Q: 5. What is the metaphor used in the line 'her face ashen like that of a corpse'?

Ans. The metaphor used in the line 'her face ashen like that of a corpse' compares the poet's mother's face to that of a dead body. The use of this metaphor emphasizes the poet's concern for her mother's mortality and the fragility of life. It also suggests that the poet is preparing herself for the eventual loss of her mother.

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 Page 1


My Mother at Sixty-six 
Kamala Das
Keeping Quiet 
Pablo Neruda
A Thing of Beauty
John Keats
A Roadside Stand 
Robert Frost
Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers 
Adrienne Rich
POETRY
Poem-1.indd   87 12/11/2024   11:22:05 AM
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Page 2


My Mother at Sixty-six 
Kamala Das
Keeping Quiet 
Pablo Neruda
A Thing of Beauty
John Keats
A Roadside Stand 
Robert Frost
Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers 
Adrienne Rich
POETRY
Poem-1.indd   87 12/11/2024   11:22:05 AM
Reprint 2025-26
My Mother at Sixty-six
About the poet
Kamala Das (1934-2009) was born in Malabar, Kerala. She is 
recognised as one of India’s foremost poets. Her works are known 
for their originality, versatility and the indigenous flavour of the 
soil. Kamala Das has published many novels and short stories 
in English and Malayalam under the name ‘Madhavikutty’. In 
addition to five books of poetry. She is a sensitive writer who 
captures the complex subtleties of human relationships in lyrical 
idiom, My Mother at Sixty-six is an example.
Before you read
Ageing is a natural process; have you ever thought what our elderly parents 
expect from us?
1
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 and realised with 
pain 
that she was as old as she 
looked but soon
put that thought away, and 
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
Poem-1.indd   88 12/11/2024   11:22:05 AM
Reprint 2025-26
Page 3


My Mother at Sixty-six 
Kamala Das
Keeping Quiet 
Pablo Neruda
A Thing of Beauty
John Keats
A Roadside Stand 
Robert Frost
Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers 
Adrienne Rich
POETRY
Poem-1.indd   87 12/11/2024   11:22:05 AM
Reprint 2025-26
My Mother at Sixty-six
About the poet
Kamala Das (1934-2009) was born in Malabar, Kerala. She is 
recognised as one of India’s foremost poets. Her works are known 
for their originality, versatility and the indigenous flavour of the 
soil. Kamala Das has published many novels and short stories 
in English and Malayalam under the name ‘Madhavikutty’. In 
addition to five books of poetry. She is a sensitive writer who 
captures the complex subtleties of human relationships in lyrical 
idiom, My Mother at Sixty-six is an example.
Before you read
Ageing is a natural process; have you ever thought what our elderly parents 
expect from us?
1
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 and realised with 
pain 
that she was as old as she 
looked but soon
put that thought away, and 
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
Poem-1.indd   88 12/11/2024   11:22:05 AM
Reprint 2025-26
My Mother at Sixty-six/89
away, I looked again at her, wan, pale
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......
sprinting : short fast race, running
wan : colourless
Think it out
1. What is the kind of pain and ache that the poet feels?
2. Why are the young trees described as ‘sprinting’?
3. Why has the poet brought in the image of the merry children ‘spilling out 
of their homes’?
4. Why has the mother been compared to the ‘late winter’s moon’?
5. What do the parting words of the poet and her smile signify?
 Notice that the whole poem is in a single sentence, punctuated by 
commas.
 It indicates a single thread of thought interspersed with observations 
of the real world around and the way these are connected to the main 
idea.
Poem-1.indd   89 12/11/2024   11:22:06 AM
Reprint 2025-26

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FAQs on NCERT Textbook: Poem 1 - My Mother at Sixty Six - English Class 12

1. What is the theme of the poem "My Mother at Sixty Six"?

Ans. The theme of the poem "My Mother at Sixty Six" is the poet's concern for her aging mother's vulnerability and fragility. The poem describes the poet's journey with her mother in a car through the streets of Delhi, where she becomes acutely aware of her mother's mortality.

2. Who is the speaker in the poem "My Mother at Sixty Six"?

Ans. The speaker in the poem "My Mother at Sixty Six" is the poet herself. She is describing her journey with her mother in a car through the streets of Delhi, where she becomes acutely aware of her mother's vulnerability and mortality.

3. What is the significance of the line "at sixty-six, my mother seems to be dying again"?

Ans. The line "at sixty-six, my mother seems to be dying again" is significant because it highlights the fragility and vulnerability of the poet's mother. It suggests that her mother's aging body is showing signs of weakness and that she may be close to death. The line also suggests that the poet has already experienced the loss of her mother in some way, as if she has already died once before.

4. What is the tone of the poem "My Mother at Sixty Six"?

Ans. The tone of the poem "My Mother at Sixty Six" is one of sadness, anxiety, and concern. The poet is deeply worried about her mother's declining health and the inevitability of death. The tone is also introspective, as the poet reflects on her own mortality and the fleeting nature of life.

5. What is the metaphor used in the line "her face ashen like that of a corpse"?

Ans. The metaphor used in the line "her face ashen like that of a corpse" compares the poet's mother's face to that of a dead body. The use of this metaphor emphasizes the poet's concern for her mother's mortality and the fragility of life. It also suggests that the poet is preparing herself for the eventual loss of her mother.

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