A Photograph

 Question 1:

What does the word ‘cardboard’ denote in the poem? Why has this word been used?
Answer:
The word cardboard denotes the photograph pasted on a hard thick paper.

Question 2:
What has the camera captured?
Answer:
The camera has captured the three girls—the poet’s mother and her two cousins, Betty and Dolly. They are in swimming dress and walking in sea water.

Question 3:
What has not changed over the years? Does this suggest something to you?
Answer:
The sea has not changed over the years. Its waves are as fresh, shining and tireless
as they were years ago. The changelessness of sea reminds us of the changes in human face with advancing age.

Question 4:
The poetess’s mother laughed at the snapshot? What did this laugh indicate?
Answer:
This laugh’ indicated her joy at remembering an incident connected with her past
life, when she was quite young and free from the worries of life.

Question 5:
What is the meaning of the line “Both wry with the laboured ease of loss”.
Answer:
The sea holiday and the laughter of the poet’s mother are incidents of the past.
There is a sense of loss associated with them. Both are disappointing as the state of feeling comfortable is unnatural. This sense of loss is quite painful to bear.

Question 6:
What does ‘this circumstance’ refer to?
Answer:
This circumstance refers to the death of the poet’s mother.