POEM -1 MY MOTHER AT SIXTY SIX – KAMALA DAS
POETIC DEVICES:
1. Simile: it is the comparison of two things by using us or like.
"her face ashen like that of a corpse".
"as a late winter's moon".
2. Metaphor: it is the direct comparison of two things without the use of as or like.
"the merry children spilling".
3. Personification: When we give human characteristics to animals or plants or non-living things.
"trees sprinting".
4. Repetition: It is the repetition of a word or phrase to create a poetic effect in a poem. e.g. the poet repeats these
words,
"smile and smile and smile
5. Alliteration: it is the repetition of the consonant sounds in a line of a poem.
“my mother” “sее уоu soon”.
6. Literary Devices: Assonance: Here we see the use of vowel sound that is 'o'
To Cochin last Friday morning.
Doze open mouthed, her face ashen like that of a corpse
7. Imagery: when the poet say trees sprinting, merry children spilling
8. Rhyme scheme - The poem does not follow any rhyme or rhythm. It has been written in free verse.
QUESTION- ANSWERS:
Q1. What is the kind of pain and ache that the poet feels?
Ans: When the poet sees the pale and corpse-like face of her mother, her old familiar pain or the ache returns.
Perhaps she has entertained this fear since her childhood. Ageing is a natural process. Time and ageing spare none.
Time and ageing have not spared the poet’s mother and may not spare her as well. With this ageing, separation and
death become inevitable.
Q2. Why are the young trees described as ‘sprinting’?
Ans: The poet is driving to the Cochin airport. When she looks outside, the young trees seem to be walking past
them. With the speed of the car they seem to be running fast or sprinting. The poet presents a contrast—her
‘dozing’ old mother and the ‘sprinting’ young trees.
Q3. Why has the poet brought in the image of the merry children ‘spilling out of their homes’ ?
Ans: The poet has brought in the image of merry children ‘spilling out of their homes’ to present a contrast. The
merry children coming out of their homes in large numbers present an image of happiness and spontaneous
overflow of life. This image is in stark contrast to the ‘dozing’ old mother, whose ‘ashen’ face looks lifeless and
pale like a corpse. She is an image of ageing, decay and passivity. The contrast of the two images enhances the
poetic effect.
Q4. Why has the mother been compared to the ‘late winter’s moon’?
Ans: The poet’s mother is sixty-six years old. Her shrunken ‘ashen’ face resembles a corpse. She has lost her shine
and strength of youth. Similarly the late winter’s moon looks hazy and obscure. It too lacks shine and strength. The
comparison is quite natural and appropriate. The simile used here is apt as well as effective.
Q5. What do the parting words of the poet and her smile signify?
Ans: The poet’s parting words of assurance and her smiles provide a stark contrast to the old familiar ache or fear
of the childhood. Her words and smiles are a deliberate attempt to hide her real feelings. The parting words: “See
you soon, Amma” give an assurance to the old lady whose ‘ashen face’ looks like a corpse. Similarly, her
continuous smiles are an attempt to overcome the ache and fear inside her heart.
SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
Q1. Where was the poet going and who was with her?
Ans: The poet was driving from her parent’s home to the Cochin airport. The poet’s mother had comfe to see her
off. She was sitting beside her. She was dozing with her mouth open. The words ‘driving’ and ‘doze’ provide a
contrast between images of dynamic activity and static passivity respectively.
Q2. What was the poet’s childhood fear?
Ans: The child is always in fear of being separated from his parents. In the same way, the poet’s fear as a child
was that of losing her mother or her company.
Q3. What does the poet’s mother look like? What kind of images has the poet used to signify her ageing decay?
Ans: The poet’s mother is sixty-six years old. She is sitting beside the poet and dozing with her mouth open. This
is a sign of old age. Usually old people keep their mouth open to overcome breathing problems. Her face looked
pale and faded like ash. Actually, she is an image of death as her ‘ashen’ face looks like that of a corpse.
Q4. What does the poet realise with pain? Why does the poet ‘put that thought away’ and look outside?
Ans: The lifeless and faded face of the poet’s mother pains her heart. She looks lifeless like a corpse. She provides
an image of passivity, decay and death. The old lady seems to be lost in her thoughts. The poet needs a distraction,
a change. She puts that thought away and looks outside. There she gets a picture of life, happiness and activity.
Q5. Describe the world inside the car and compare it to the activities taking place outside?
Ans: The pale and faded face of the poet’s mother looks lifeless like a corpse. Her dozing with mouth wide open
suggests passivity, decay and death. Outside the car, the poet watches young trees speeding past them. They seem
to be running fast or sprinting. Happy children are moving out of their homes cheerfully. They present an image of
life, dynamism and activity.
Q6. Why does the poet look outside? What does she see happening outside?
Ans: The thought of the ageing mother at sixty-six and her pale and ashen face looking like a corpse becomes too
heavy for the poet to bear. She needs a distraction, a diversion and therefore she looks outside. She watches young
trees. These trees speed past them and appear to be sprinting. Then she sees happy children moving out of their
houses and making merry.
Q7. How has the poet contrasted the scene inside the car with the activities going on outside?
Ans: The poet has used beautiful images to highlight the stark contrast between the scene inside the car and the
activities going on outside. The ‘ashen’ face of the poet’s mother is pale and lifeless. It looks like that of a corpse.
She is dozing and lost to herself. The image of the ‘dozing’ mother is contrasted with the ‘spilling’ of children.
The ‘ashen’ and ‘corpse ¬like’ face is contrasted with the young trees sprinting outside.
Q8. What does the poet do after the security check-up? What does she notice?
Ans: They have to pass through a security check-up at the airport. After it, the poet stands a few yards away.
Before saying parting words to her mother, she looks at her mother again. Her face looks pale and colourless like
the late winter’s moon. She presents a picture of ageing and decay.
Q9. Why is the poet’s mother compared to the late winter’s moon?
Ans: The poet’s mother has been compared to the late winter’s moon to bring out the similarity of ageing and
decay. The late winter moon looks hazy and obscure. It lacks shine and strength. The poet’s mother has an ‘ashen’
face resembling a corpse. She has lost her shine and strength of youth. The comparison reinforces the impact.
Q10. What is the poet’s familiar ache and why does it return?
Ans: The poet is pained at the ageing and decaying of her mother. The fear is that with ageing comes decay and
death. The sight of her old mother’s ‘ashen’ and corpse-like face arouses “that old familiar ache” in her heart. Her
childhood fear returns. She is also pained and frightened by the idea that she may have to face all these things
herself.
Q11. How does Kamala Das try to put away the thoughts of her ageing mother? [All India 2014]
Ans: Kamala Das was in much trouble after seeing the lifeless and faded face of her mother. The old lady seemed
to be lost in her own thoughts. The poetess turned away her attention from her mother and looked outside. The
outside world was full of life and activity. The young trees seemed to be running fast. The children looked happy
while moving out of their homes.
Q12. Why does the poet smile and what does she say while bidding good bye to her mother ?
Ans: The ‘wan’, ‘pale’, face of the poet’s mother at sixty-six brings an image of decay and death. It brings that old
familiar fear of separation back. She fears the ultimate fate of human beings. But she has to put on a brave face.
She regains self-control. She composes herself and tries to look normal. She utters the words of assurance that they
will meet again soon. She tries to hide her ache and fear by smiling continuously.
Q13. What poetic devices have been used by Kamala Das in ‘My Mother at Sixty-six’?
Ans: The poem ‘My Mother at Sixty-six’ is rich in imagery. Kamala Das uses the devices of comparison and
contrast. The use of simile is very effective. The face of the poet’s old mother is described as ‘ashen’. This ashen
face is ‘like that of a corpse’. The poet uses another simile. The “wan, pale’ face of the mother is compared to ‘a
late winter’s moon’. The poem excels in contrasts. The old ‘dozing’ lady inside is contrasted with the young trees
“sprinting” and merry children “spilling” out of their homes.
POEM-2 KEEPING QUIET – PABLO NERUDA
POETIC DEVICES:
1. Metaphor: it is the direct comparison of two things without the us of as or life
‘..... Put on clear clothes’ the poet says that quiet introspection will make us comprehend the destructive nature of
wars. Man would shed his blood soiled clothes and don on clean clothes i.e. he wold cleanse his soul, heart and
mind purging it of all anger and hatred.
In the shade – just as shade protects us from the harsh sun, we will protect and shelter each other as brothers, thus
live in peace and harmony.
2. Symbolic image
‘Count to twelve’ - symbolizes a measure of time. The clock has twelve markings on it, the year has twelve
months and the day twelve hours
‘fishermen in the cold sea….. hurts hands’- symbolic image showing how man is ruthlessly destroying nature and
harming other species in cold blood for his selfish need and greed. The ‘hurt hands’- the sore hands of the salt
gatherer would make him realize how he is harming himself by his mindless corrosive activities.
Bothers – symbol of mankind
Earth can teach us as when everything, just as earth, the greatest creator, in its sleeping mode appears to be dead
on surface but is actually
Dormant and carefully preserving the seeds of life, human being too need to keep still and quiet to rejuvenate and
awaken the life forces within and be productive.
3. Euphemism: A euphemism is a figure of speech, which means “an expression in which the words are not used
in their literal sense.”: No truck with death
4. Repetition: let’s- repetition to create a bond with the reader and stress his point. : Use of ‘war’
5. Alliteration: alliteration is a figure of speech in which a series of words, usually two or more neighbouring
words, have the First consonant sound; however, sometimes repetition of sounds occur inside a word.
‘we would’- ‘w’ sound is repeated, ‘sudden strangeness’ – ‘s’ sound is repeated,
‘His hurt hands’ – ‘h’ sound is repeated
Wars with’- ‘w’ sound is repeated, ‘clean clothes’- ‘c’ sound is repeated
6. Rhyme scheme
The poem is written in free verse. It does not follow any rhyme scheme.
7. Assonance: Use of vowel sound ‘o’ and ‘e’
Now we will count to twelve, not move our arms so much
Use of vowel ‘o’ victory with no survivors, would put on clean clothes and
Walk about with their brothers
8. Anaphora: two consecutive lines starting with the word ‘let’s’
Let’s not speak in any language,
Let’s stop for one second,
9. Enjambment: and for once could perhaps a huge silence……. Of threatening ourselves with death.
10. Pun: arms- (It is based on sound. It has got two references or meaning.) (1) The poet is speaking not to move
our 'limbs' (arms). (2) He is speaking of not to use weapons of war (arms).
11. TRANSFERRED EPITHET: cold sea- The adjective 'cold' actually describes the fishermen and not the sea.
Men are cold-hearted or insensitive for damaging other species for their selfish needs. (Epithet/Adjective 'cold' is
transferred from its proper object to another with which it has an association.)
12. METAPHOR: put on clean clothes-Just as we take of our soiled clothes and wear new clothes, similarly we
should take up a new approach towards life free from wars.
walk about with their brothers in the shade- Shade of a tree protects us from harsh weather, similarly we will
protect and shelter each other as brothers living in peace and harmony.
when everything seems to be dead and later proves to be alive- Things appear to be dormant but actually are
constantly active. Just as a seed, which apparently does not have life, comes back to life as it is sown in the earth.
13. PERSONIFICATION: Perhaps the Earth can teach us- Earth has been attributed with the quality of a
person that is of teaching.
14. IRONY: victory with no survivors- In war somebody will become victorious but due to bloodshed and
slaughter, nobody will survive to enjoy it.
15. ANAPHORA: Let's... 2nd and 3rd line of Stanza 2 are beginning with the same word,
i.e., Let's
16. REPETITION: wars with gas, wars with fire,- 'wars with' getting repeated
17. ALLITERATION: we will; sudden strangeness; his hurt hands; clean clothes; etc.
18. SYMBOLS: count to twelve-a measure of time; Fishermen- the oppressor; whales- the oppressed; man
gathering salt-humanity; clean clothes-peace; brothers-mankind
SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS:
Answer the following questions in 30-40 words each:
Q.1 Why does Pablo Neruda urge us to keep still ?
Ans. Pablo Neruda considers that indecent haste and activities lead humanity to wars, violence and death. He urges
us to keep still to enjoy a few moments of peace, rest and tranquillity. Sometimes keeping still gives us the much
needed respite.
Q.2 How can suspension of activities help ?
Ans. Man's indecent haste has already caused a lot of problems. His activities have given birth only chaos, war,
violence and miseries. Suspension of human activities can help in restoring the environment and health of this
world. Suspension of undue haste and rush can help in bringing peace and tranquillity in the troubled world.
Q.3 How will counting up to twelve and keeping still help us ?
Ans. Man keeps his never relenting activities throughout the twelve hours of the day. This results in fresh turmoil
and tensions. Violence, war and other mischiefs of man are the results of his undue and indecent haste and hurry.
Keeping still can help him to buy time for a positive approach and thinking. It can help in bringing this uneasy and
turbulent world to peace and harmony.
Q.4 How can there be life under apparent stillness ? How does the poet prove it ?
Ans. Neruda doesn't equate stillness with total inactivity. Under this apparent stillness there is life. We can learn it
from the earth. When everything seems dead, the earth remains still alive. It is never dead. The life on the earth
goes on as usual under the apparent stillness.
Q.5 How is 'stillness' not equal to total inactivity? Why does Neruda say : 'I want no truck with death' ?
Ans. The Earth can teach us an important lesson. The earth is never dead. When everything seems to be dead, it
remains still alive. 'Stillness' shouldn't be confused with total 'total inactivity'. Life goes on as usual. The poet
doesn't advocate for total inactivity has no association with death.
Q.6 Which sadness is Pablo Neruda worried about in his poem?
Ans. The sadness that Pablo Neruda is worried about in his poem is the sadness of isolation that has made modern
man its victim. This sadness has made man self centred and uncaring to the needs of his fellowmen. He has
sacrificed the needs of his emotional self in favour of materialism.
Q.7 Do you think the poet, Pablo Neruda advocates total inactivity and death? Why/Why not?
Ans. No, the poet Pablo Neruda does not advocate total inactivity and death. He wants to give mankind an
opportunity of quiet introspection to know and realize how he has been harming himself and others. He makes it
clear that stillness should be confused with inactivity. Stillness means halting of harmful human activities. He also
wants mankind to understand that life is sprouting out of seemingly dead surroundings.
POEM-3 A THING OF BEAUTY - JOHN KEATS
POETIC DEVICES:
1. Metaphor:
bower wreathing a flowery band pall endless fountain of immortal drink
2. Alliteration: Use of consonant sound at the start of two words which are close in series
(Sleep – Sweet) Noble natures Cooling covert Band to bind
3. Imagery:
Flowery bands Shady boon Daffodils Clear rills Cooling covert
Grandeur of dooms Endless fountain of eternal drink
4. Symbol: A figure of speech where an object, person, or situation has another meaning other than its literal
Meaning. The actions of a character, word, action, or event that have a deeper meaning in the context of the
whole story. Simple sheep – refers to mankind as Christ is the shepherd
5. Transferred epithet: A transferred epithet is a little known – but often used – figure of speech in which a
Modifier (usually an adjective) qualifies a noun other than the person or thing it is actually describing. In other
Words, the modifier or epithet is transferred from the noun it is meant to describe to another noun in the sentence.
Gloomy days Unhealthy and o’er darkened ways
6. Rhyme scheme: aabbc (forever, never, keep, sleep, breathing)
7. Anaphora: Use of same word in two consecutive lines (of noble natures- of all the unhealthy)
8. Antithesis: opposite words placed together (old and young)
9. Inversion: normal order of words is reversed (are we wreathing a flowery band)
SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS:
Answer the following questions in 30-40 words each:
Q.1 How is a thing of beauty a joy forever?
Ans. John Keats, a great Romantic poet, considers that a thing of beauty is a joy forever. It is a constant source of
happiness and pleasure. Its loveliness increases every moment. A thing of beauty is never devalued. It never passes
into nothingness.
Q.2 How do we bind us to the earth every morning?
Ans. Like all the Romantic poets, Keats stresses the unbreakable bond of man with nature and the earth. The
beauties of the earth fascinate man. Every object of nature is a source of beauty and happiness. Every day we are
weaving a wreath through these beautiful things. This flowery band binds us with the earth.
Q.3 Why does Keats associate 'grandeur' with 'the mighty dead'?
Ans. The 'mighty dead ' were people of great power, authority and grandeur. They were wealthy, brave and
awesome people. They are dead in their grave but their grandeur and glory survives. It is believed that they will be
handsomely rewarded on the dooms day.
Q.4 How is the pall of despondence moved away from our dark spirits?
Ans. Man makes his life miserable by his own nature and actions. He faces miseries and pains. Amid these
miseries and sufferings, a thing of beauty provides the only hope to humanity. A thing of beauty works wonders. It
is a joy forever. It removes the pall of despondence ad sadness from our 'dark spirits'.
Q.5 What is the message that John Keats wants to give through 'A thing of Beauty'?
Ans. The very first line of the poem conveys the message of the poet. John Keats was a worshipper of beauty. A
thing of beauty is a joy forever. Beauty never fades. Nor is it devalued. It never passes into nothingness. A thing of
beauty removes the pall of sadness and sorrows and gives us joy and pleasure.
Q.6 Mention any two things which, according to Keats, give us pain and suffering.
Ans. According to Keats man suffers from pain and suffering due to the inhuman dearth of noble natures on earth
and due to the inhuman and hostile attitude that makes our days sad and darkness our ways with distress and
wretchedness.
POEM-4 A ROADSIDE STAND -ROBERT FROST
POETIC DEVICES:
1. Personal pronoun: The use of shows poet's involvement and draws reader's concern.
'didn't it see' The use of 'it' for people indicates they are inhuman
2. Transferred epithet -
polished traffic :the traffic is not polished, people are polished); Selfish cars
3. Metaphor
the flower of cities from sinking and withering faint; Swarm over their lives
Teaching them to sleep they sleep all day
4. Oxymoron and Alliteration
Greedy good doers; beneficent beasts of prey
5. Personification:
A roadside stand that too pathetically pled (also alliteration)
Sadness that lurks near the open window there/ that waits all day; Voice of country
SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS:
Q1. What was the plea of the folk who had put up the roadside stand?
Ans: The folk running the roadside stand made a plea to the city dwellers to buy their stuff so that they could also
earn some money to improve their lot and standard of living.
Q2. What is the ‘childish longing’ that the poet refers to? Why is it ‘vain’?
Ans: The expression refers to the dreams and desires of the poor or rustics. Like innocent children, they dream of a
better life which they can enjoy with the help received from the city dwellers. This desire is vain, for it will never
be fulfilled by the ignorant city-dwellers.
Q3. What empty promises are being made to the country people?
Ans: The men in power use the media to give assurances to the innocent country folk that they would soon be
pulled out of on their poverty. They would be provided better living conditions with theatres and stores. They can
then enjoy a secure life and will not have to worry about themselves any longer.
Q4. Give examples of contrast and irony in the poem.
Ans: The use of expressions ‘greedygood-doers’ and ‘beneficent beasts of prey’ beautifully bring out the use of
irony and contrast by the poet. The men in power pose to be the benefactors and good-doers of the poor rural
people. In reality, they are greedy for power and exploit the rural masses for their vested interests.
Q5. What is the ‘open prayer’ made by the country folk?
Ans: The country folk make an open appeal to the city dwellers that they should not be selfish. They expectantly
pray for the city cars to stop at their roadside stand and help them lead a better life by buying the good they offer.
Q6. What are the different reasons for which the cars halt at the roadside stand?
Ans: The city dwellers halt their cars at the roadside stand at times to use the yard to back and turn around their
vehicles, thereby ploughing off the grass that grows in these yards. At other times, they stop to enquire for
directions and sometimes, ironically, to ask if they could buy a gallon of gas.
Q7. How does the poet wish to bring about a change in the condition of the country-folk? Why does he change this
opinion later?
Ans: The poet wishes to bring about an instant and complete change in the condition of the country folk. However,
his sane thoughts make him see the futility of this type of change. He then wishes for a gentle way out of the pain,
both for the villagers and himself.
POEM-5 AUNT JENNIFER'S TIGER ADRIENNE RICH
POETIC DEVICES:
1. Alliteration-
Finger's fluttering; prancing proud; weight of wedding band
2. Visual imagery
Bright topaz denizens of world of green
3. Irony
It is ironical that Aunt Jennifer's creations- the tigers will continue to pace and prance freely, while Aunt
herself will remain terrified even after death, ringed by the ordeals she was controlled by in her married life.
4. Symbols
Wedding band- symbol of oppression in an unhappy marriage. Its weight refers to the burden of gender
expectations. Ringed means encircled or trapped, losing individuality and freedom.
Aunt Jennifer- a typical victim of male oppression in an unhappy marriage, who suffers loss of individuality,
dignity and personal freedom silently. She becomes dependent, fearful and frail.
Tigers- symbolize untamed free spirit. Here they stand in contrast to their creator's personality. The use of colours
implies that Aunt Jennifer's tigers and their land are more vital and enjoy a sense of freedom far greater than her.
They pace and prance freely, proudly, fearless, confident and majestic, fearless of men
Yellow (bright topaz) connotes the sun and fierce energy; green reminds one of spring and vitality.
Embroidery-symbol of creative expression. The artwork expresses the Aunt's suppressed desires and becomes her
escape from the oppressive reality of her life.
Aunt (last stanza) as opposed to Aunt Jennifer. It shows that she has lost her identity completely, thus lost even her
name.
5. Metaphor
Ringed with ordeals: even death would not free her as the wedding band, a symbol of oppression,, would yet be
on her finger.
Use of topaz to describe the yellow color of tigers (Bright topaz)
6. Transferred epithet
Terrified fingers
7. Rhyme scheme: aabb
8. Anaphora: use of same word in two consecutive lines (they do not ... and they pace in…)
Answer the following questions in 30-40 words each:
Q.1 Describe the tigers created by Aunt Jennifer?
Ans. Aunt Jennifer weaves and creates tigers in the panel. Her tigers symbolise strength, speed and splendour.
They pace with confidence and certainty. They provide a striking contrast to the frail old lady who created them.
Q.2 How does the poet describe Aunt Jennifer's tigers?
Ans. The poet describe Aunt Jennifer's tigers as 'bright topaz denizens' of the forest. They are fearless. They pace
in 'sleek' chivalry. The symbolise pace, power and strength. They provide a sharp contrast to the weak and old lady
who created them.
Q.3 What is the weight that lies heavy on her hand and how is it associated with
her husband?
Ans. Aunt Jennifer can't move even her fingers freely in the wool. Actually, she has some bitter experiences of her
past married life. The memories of her married life with her husband have been quite unpleasant. The weight of
the wedding band sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer's hand. She finds it difficult even to pull the ivory needle easily
with her weak fingers.
Q.4 What kind of ordeals is Aunt Jennifer surrounded by?
Ans. Aunt Jennifer is haunted and surrounded by the ordeals of her married life. The old memories of her married
life don't give her any solace or happiness. On the other hand, her 'terrified hands' only 'ringed' with ordeals that
were given by her unhappy married life. The unbearable and 'massive weight of Uncle's wedding band' made her
fingers tremble and shake.
Q.5 What will happen to Aunt Jennifer's tigers when she is dead?
Ans. The tigers Aunt Jennifer has created will not die when she is dead. They will survive her. They will go on
prancing, proud and afraid. Aunt Jennifer will die but her creations will survive. Art always survives death.
Q.6 Describe the contrast between Aunt Jennifer and her creation, the tigers.
Ans. Aunt Jennifer is totally victimised and suffers from oppression by her male counterpart. So she creates an
alternate world of freedom in her art. The tigers she creates go on prancing menacingly, exhibiting their pride and
fearlessness of any social or gender conflicts.
