Question

What does the poets smile in the poem my mother and sixty six show

Answer 1

In the poem, 'My Mother at Sixty Six' the poet, Kamala Das smiled to hide her anxiety and fear of the unknown. She smiled again and again because she wanted to hide her emotions. It was a forced smile and not a natural one. She tried to bid a cheerful farewell to her mother before boarding the flight. She smiled in order to reassure her mother that she would see her again soon.

Answer 2

The poet put up a smile on her face in order to hide her fears about her mother's old age. She had come to see her mother; after spending a few days with her, she was going back to her own home. Her mother had accompanied her to the airport to see her off; sitting with her on the rear seat, she realized her mother had grown quite old and weak; fears concerning her approaching death began ruffling her peace of mind. At the airport while saying her goodbye, she tried to hide her fears with the smile.