By Kamala Das
Summary
The poet is on her way to the airport in cochin with her old mother sitting beside her,as she looks at her mother’s pale and pallid face, she is struck with the horror and pain of losing her. The mother with the dozing face and open mouth is compared to a corpse. The poet is pained and shifts her attention outside the car in order to drive out the negative feelings. The scene outside the window is of growing life and energy. The rapidly sprinting trees alongside the merrily playing children symbolize youth and vitality. The poet here is reminded of her own childhood when her mother had been young whereas now she is encircled with the fear of losing her and that has made her insecure. As she bids goodbye to her mother at the airport, the image of the old, wan, worn out mother in the twilight of years strikes her again but keeping a brave front she hides her tears and smile.
Theme
The poem revolves around the theme of advancing age and the fear that adheres to its loss and separation. It is a sentimental account of the mother’s approaching end through the eyes of the daughter. The seemingly short poem touches upon the theme of the filial bond between the mother and daughter smeared in the backdrop of nostalgia and fear. Nostalgia of the past(the time spent with the mother) and fear of the future without her.
Poetic device
It is a short poem, with only one full stop in the end, the poem is like a long sentence, over flowing thought process. The poet uses the device of comparison and contrast, simile and repetition. Although there is no rhyming scheme in the poem yet its lyrical quality cannot be missed.
Summary
The poet is on her way to the airport in cochin with her old mother sitting beside her,as she looks at her mother’s pale and pallid face, she is struck with the horror and pain of losing her. The mother with the dozing face and open mouth is compared to a corpse. The poet is pained and shifts her attention outside the car in order to drive out the negative feelings. The scene outside the window is of growing life and energy. The rapidly sprinting trees alongside the merrily playing children symbolize youth and vitality. The poet here is reminded of her own childhood when her mother had been young whereas now she is encircled with the fear of losing her and that has made her insecure. As she bids goodbye to her mother at the airport, the image of the old, wan, worn out mother in the twilight of years strikes her again but keeping a brave front she hides her tears and smile.
Theme
The poem revolves around the theme of advancing age and the fear that adheres to its loss and separation. It is a sentimental account of the mother’s approaching end through the eyes of the daughter. The seemingly short poem touches upon the theme of the filial bond between the mother and daughter smeared in the backdrop of nostalgia and fear. Nostalgia of the past(the time spent with the mother) and fear of the future without her.
Poetic device
It is a short poem, with only one full stop in the end, the poem is like a long sentence, over flowing thought process. The poet uses the device of comparison and contrast, simile and repetition. Although there is no rhyming scheme in the poem yet its lyrical quality cannot be missed.
