Mohammed Suleman

    An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum In this poem the poet focuses on the theme of social injustice and inequalities. He presents the pathetic and miserable picture of the ele mentary classroom in a slum. These children have pale and lifeless faces. They are like rootless weeds which are uncared and unwanted with their disorderly hair torn around their faces. They are depressed and oppressed with the burdens of life and ke ep their heads down. They have stunted growth. They inherit the diseases of their father. Some of them do have dreams. A sweet young boy is sitting at the back of the dim classroom. He is dreaming of a squirrel’s game in the trees and probably other interesting things. The walls are dirty and creamy and on them are hung the donations given by the rich and also Shakespeare’s portrait. A civilized dome found in the cities and Tyrolese valleys with beautiful flowers are also put up. The map on the wall shows the children, the beautiful world outside; but for

  My Mother at Sixty Six The poet is driving from her parents home to Cochin by car, her mother by her side—sleeping – open mouthed very pale, colourless and frail-like a dead body indicating that her end was near. The poet looks at her and feels intense pain and agony to realize that soon death will cast her mother from her. She tries to divert her mind, looks outside at the young trees and happy children bursting out of their homes in a playful mood. After the security check at the airport she looks again at her mother’s face—pale and cold. The poet has always had a very intimate and close relationship with her mother and she has always felt the fear of being separated from her mother hence it is familiar. The poet reassures her mother that they will meet again. NCERT Book Solution Page No: 91 Think it Out 1. What is the kind of pain and ache that the poet feels? OR What kind of pain does Kamala Das feel in ‘My Mother at Sixty-six’? (2017 Delhi) Answer: The childhoo