PHOTOGRAPH 11

 

POEM

PHOTOGRAPH

Word Meanings (20 Words)

Word/Phrase	Meaning
Cardboard	Refers to the photograph mounted on a hard backing
Paddling	Walking through shallow water
Cousins	Children of one's uncle or aunt
Snapshot	A casual photograph taken quickly
Sea holiday	Vacation at the beach
Wry	Slightly sad or ironic smile
Laboured ease	A contradictory phrase; a difficult comfort during grief
Transient	Temporary or short-lived
Silences (verb)	Makes one speechless or quiet
Circumstance	A particular situation
Uncle	Mother's or father's brother
Big girl	Older girl (the mother in the photo)
Sweet face	Lovely or innocent-looking face
Snapshot	Informal photograph
Washed	Covered or lapped (referring to sea waves)
Laughter	The act of laughing
Changed less	The sea has remained almost the same over time
Holiday	A break or vacation from routine life
Dressed us	Made them wear clothes (referring to old-fashioned beach attire)
Nothing to say at all	Beyond words; complete silence in grief

 

Summary of the Poem

"A Photograph" is a poignant reflection on the poet’s mother and the passage of time. The poem begins with a photograph of the poet's mother as a young girl, taken on a beach trip with her cousins. The poet reflects on how her mother used to look at the photo and laugh, remembering her childhood. Now, the mother is no more, and the poet is left with her memories and deep silence. The poem contrasts the permanence of the sea with the transience of human life, expressing loss, nostalgia, and the inevitable march of time.

 

 Questions and Answers

1. What does the cardboard show?
The cardboard shows a photograph of the poet’s mother and her two cousins paddling at the sea, taken by their uncle.

2. Why has the poet used the word ‘transient’ to describe their feet?
Because the people in the photograph were there only for a short time, just like life. While the sea remains the same, human life is temporary.

3. What has not changed over the years?
The sea has not changed over the years. It appears the same as it was when the photograph was taken.

4. What is the meaning of the line "The sea holiday was her past, mine is her laughter"?
It means that the poet’s mother remembered the beach vacation as a part of her past, while the poet remembers her mother through her laughter — now also a memory.

5. Explain the ending: "Its silence silences."
This line conveys that the deep grief of the poet over her mother’s death leaves her speechless. The silence of death is overpowering.

 

 Figures of Speech

Figure of Speech	Example	Explanation
Alliteration	"stood still to smile through their hair"	Repetition of 's' sound
Oxymoron	"laboured ease"	Contradictory terms to describe grief
Transferred epithet	"terribly transient feet"	'Transient' actually describes human life, not just feet
Personification	"Its silence silences"	Silence is given the human ability to silence others
Imagery	"Sea holiday", "sweet face"	Descriptive language to evoke sensory impressions
Contrast	Between the unchanging sea and the changing life	Shows nature's permanence vs human transience

1. What does the word ‘cardboard’ denote in the poem? Why has this word been used?

Answer:
The word ‘cardboard’ refers to the photograph mounted on a stiff backing, which is often made of cardboard. It has been used to symbolize an old memory, emphasizing the passage of time and how fragile yet permanent memories can seem when captured in a photo.

 

2. What has the camera captured?

Answer:
The camera has captured a moment from the poet’s mother’s childhood — a photograph of her with her two cousins, paddling in the sea, holding hands, and smiling at the uncle who took the picture.

 

3. What has not changed over the years? Does this suggest something to you?

Answer:
The sea has not changed much over the years, unlike the people in the photograph who have aged or died. This contrast highlights the permanence of nature versus the transience of human life and memories.

 

4. The poet’s mother laughed at the snapshot. What did this laugh indicate?

Answer:
Her laugh shows a mix of nostalgia and amusement. She is remembering her childhood fondly and perhaps finds the old-fashioned clothes and the moment both touching and a bit funny.

 

5. What is the meaning of the line “Both wry with the laboured ease of loss”?

Answer:
This line expresses the bittersweet emotions both the poet and her mother feel. The mother reflects on her lost childhood, while the poet reflects on the loss of her mother. Their smiles or laughter are wry — they come with an emotional effort due to grief, not pure joy.

 

6. What does “this circumstance” refer to?

Answer:
“This circumstance” refers to the death of the poet’s mother and the lasting silence and emotional void it has left. It shows the poet’s struggle to cope with the finality of loss.

 

7. The three stanzas depict three different phases. What are they?

Answer:

• First Stanza: The mother’s childhood captured in the photograph.
• Second Stanza: The mother’s adulthood, recalling the photo with laughter and nostalgia.
• Third Stanza: The poet’s present, reflecting on her mother’s death and feeling silent grief.