Class 12 UP Board English Poetry: My Mother at Sixty-Six | Stanza Answers, Central Idea and Explanation

Welcome to English Rath, your trusted platform for Class 12 UP Board English solutions! Searching for My Mother at Sixty-Six Class 12 solutions? This comprehensive guide provides Stanza-wise Comprehension Questions and Answers, Reference to the Context Explanations, and the Central Idea for the poem My Mother at Sixty-Six by Kamala Das, a key part of the UP Board Class 12 English syllabus 2026. This poignant poem explores aging, separation, and emotional resilience, making it essential for your board exams. Our exam-focused answers help you master themes, prepare effectively, and score high in the UP Board English exam 2026. Also, explore our solutions for The Last Lesson and Lost Spring to excel in other chapters! Dive in and boost your prep with English Rath!

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Stanzas for Comprehension

(a) Driving from my ......... that of a corpse.

1. From where was the poet driving and when?
Answer: The poet was driving from her parents' home to Cochin airport last Friday morning.

कवयित्री अपने माता-पिता के घर से कोचीन हवाई अड्डे जा रही थी, वह शुक्रवार सुबह की बात थी।

2. What was the poet's mother doing in the vehicle?
Answer: Her mother was dozing beside her, with her mouth open, indicating fatigue and old age.

कवयित्री की माँ उसके पास बैठी ऊँघ रही थीं और उनका मुँह खुला हुआ था।

3. How was the face of the poet's mother looking like?
Answer: Her face looked pale and lifeless like that of a corpse, symbolizing aging and nearing death.

कवयित्री की माँ का चेहरा पीला और लाश जैसा लग रहा था।

(b) And realised with....... that thought away.

1. What did the poet realise after seeing her mother's face?
Answer: She realised with pain that her mother had grown old and fragile.

कवयित्री ने पीड़ा के साथ यह महसूस किया कि उनकी माँ अब बूढ़ी हो चुकी हैं।

2. What did the poet feel with realisation?
Answer: She felt a deep emotional pain, a fear of losing her mother.

इस एहसास के साथ कवयित्री को एक दर्द और माँ को खोने का भय महसूस हुआ।

3. What did the poet put away?
Answer: The poet tried to put away the painful thought of her mother's aging and possible death.

कवयित्री ने अपनी माँ की वृद्धावस्था और मृत्यु के विचार को मन से हटा दिया।

(c) And looked out ..........looked again at her

1. What did the poet see outside the vehicle?
Answer: She saw young trees sprinting and merry children spilling out of their homes, full of life.

कवयित्री ने बाहर युवा वृक्षों को दौड़ते हुए और प्रसन्न बच्चों को घरों से बाहर निकलते हुए देखा।

2. What happened at the airport?
Answer: After the security check, the poet stood a few yards away and looked at her mother again.

सुरक्षा जांच के बाद कवयित्री कुछ गज दूर खड़ी हुईं और अपनी माँ को फिर से देखा।

3. What did the poet do at the airport?
Answer: She smiled repeatedly, hiding her sadness, and bid farewell to her mother saying, "See you soon, Amma."

कवयित्री ने अपनी पीड़ा को छिपाते हुए मुस्कान के साथ विदाई दी और कहा - 'फिर मिलेंगे अम्मा'।

(d) Wan, pale as a.......smile and smile

1. How was the poetess' mother compared?
Answer: Her mother was compared to a late winter’s moon — pale and dim, symbolizing fragility and old age.

कवयित्री की माँ की तुलना देर की सर्दियों के चाँद से की गई थी — पीली और मद्धम।

2. What did the poet feel?
Answer: She felt an old familiar ache — the childhood fear of losing her mother.

कवयित्री ने अपने बचपन का वह पुराना डर महसूस किया — माँ को खोने का डर।

3. What did the poetess do at the time of farewell?
Answer: She controlled her emotions and simply smiled again and again as a gesture of hope and reassurance.

कवयित्री ने अपने भावनाओं को नियंत्रित किया और बस मुस्कराती रहीं।

Explanations (Reference to the Context)

(A) Driving from my........that of a corpse.

Reference to the Context:
These lines are from the poem "My Mother at Sixty-Six" written by Kamala Das. The poet is describing a moment during her journey from her parents' home to Cochin airport.

Explanation:
As she drives to the airport with her mother sitting beside her, the poet notices her mother dozing off with her mouth open. Her face appears pale, faded, and lifeless like that of a corpse. This image painfully reminds the poet of her mother’s aging and fragile health, indicating that death is approaching. This stark reality fills the poet with sorrow and fear.

(B) And realised with....... that thought away.

Reference to the Context:
These lines continue the poet’s reflections as she observes her aging mother during their car journey to the airport.

Explanation:
Seeing her mother's pale, lifeless face, the poet suddenly realizes with a deep pain that her mother has grown old. The poet feels a wave of emotional anguish at this realization but quickly tries to suppress the sad thought. She attempts to distract herself from this painful truth to avoid breaking down emotionally.

(C) And looked out ..........looked again at her

Reference to the Context:
These lines reflect the poet’s effort to escape her inner sadness by shifting her focus to the world outside the moving car.

Explanation:
To avoid dwelling on her mother’s old age, the poet looks outside the window and sees young trees appearing to sprint past and children playing happily. These images of life and energy contrast sharply with her mother’s aging. Later, at the airport, after the security check, she looks at her mother again—standing pale and weak—bringing back the ache of parting.

(D) Wan, pale as a.......smile and smile

Reference to the Context:
These final lines of the poem highlight the emotional climax, where the poet bids farewell to her aging mother.

Explanation:
At the time of parting, the poet looks at her mother and compares her face to a late winter’s moon—pale, dim, and faded. This comparison reflects the mother’s old age and nearing end. The poet is overcome with the same childhood fear of losing her mother, but she conceals her emotions. She simply smiles again and again, trying to offer comfort, while silently dealing with her grief and helplessness.

Central Idea of the Poem

Central Idea of "My Mother at Sixty-Six" by Kamala Das

The central idea of the poem is the poet’s deep emotional response to her mother’s aging and the fear of losing her. As she observes her mother’s pale and lifeless face, she is struck by the painful realization that her mother is growing old and may soon die. The poem reflects the universal fear of separation, especially between a child and a parent. Despite her sadness, the poet tries to remain calm and hides her emotions behind a smile. The poem captures the contrast between youth and old age, vitality and decay, and the silent endurance of emotional pain.

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