The poet brings in the image of merry children “spilling out of their homes” to evoke a sense of joy, vitality, and the carefree nature of youth. This contrast serves to highlight the poet’s own feelings of sorrow and anxiety about her aging mother. The children symbolize life and innocence, which juxtaposes the poet’s somber reflections on mortality, creating a poignant reminder of the cycle of life and the bittersweet nature of growing older.
This question related to Poem 1 English Class 12th NCERT.
From the Poem 1. My Mother at Sixty six.
Give answer according to your understanding.
Poet brought in the image of the merry children ‘spilling out of their homes’ because they symbolizes the spring of life,they represents strength and happiness which contrast with the lifelessness and helplessness that sets in with old age.Because youth is the ‘beginning’ stage of life, the symbolism of youth is often nostalgic and optimistic. If youth is the rising sun then old age is the setting sun. This was bothering the poet the most.
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