Poem Lines:
"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"
Explanation:
The poet was driving from her parents' home to Cochin airport on a Friday morning. She noticed her mother dozing, mouth open, with a pale, lifeless face resembling a corpse, which reflected the pain of impending separation.
Poem Lines:
"And realized 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"
Explanation:
The poet suddenly realized her mother’s old age and felt pained. To escape the thought, she looked outside and saw young trees appearing to sprint and lively children spilling out of their homes. These images of life and vitality contrast sharply with her mother’s frailty.
Poem Lines:
"But after the airport's
security check, standing a few yards
away, I looked again at her, wan, pale
as a late winter's moon"
Explanation:
Even after diverting her mind, the sight of her mother at the airport rekindled her sadness. Standing a few yards away, the mother’s face appeared pale and faded, like a late winter’s moon, dull and lacking brightness.
Poem Lines:
"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 ..."
Explanation:
The poet’s childhood fear of losing her mother returned. She masked her sorrow with repeated smiles and bid farewell with the hopeful words, “See you soon, Amma,” concealing the ache in her heart.
Question 1: What is the kind of pain and ache that the poet feels?
Answer: The sight of her mother’s pale, corpse-like face revives the poet’s old childhood fear of losing her mother. Ageing and separation are inevitable.
Question 2: Why are the young trees described as ‘sprinting’?
Answer: The trees appear to be running past due to the car’s motion, creating a sharp contrast between the lively, sprinting trees and the dozing, aged mother.
Answer: The lively children symbolize youth, vitality, and spontaneity, contrasting with the mother’s lifeless and aged appearance.
Question 4: Why has the mother been compared to the ‘late winter’s moon’?
Answer: The mother’s pale and shrunken face resembles the late winter moon, which looks dim, hazy, and devoid of brightness.
Question 5: What do the parting words of the poet and her smile signify?
Answer: The repeated smile and the words “See you soon, Amma” hide the poet’s pain and reassure both her mother and herself, masking her fear of separation.