What is the purpose of likening the mother's gaze to the sky?
The purpose of likening the mother's gaze to the sky is to show that the mother's presence is vast, comforting, and protective. Just as the sky stretches endlessly and watches over the earth, the mother's love and watchful gaze surround the poet entirely.
Furthermore, the sky acts as a symbolic extension of the mother's presence. Even though the poet cannot physically remember her, looking into the distant blue sky allows him to feel her stillness and warmth. This comparison beautifully connects nature with his deep emotional bond, making her presence felt universally and eternally through the calmness of the sky.
Explanation
The context provides an MCQ option indicating that the sky is a 'symbolic extension of the mother's presence'. The poem's third stanza mentions the 'stillness of my mother's gaze' spreading 'all over the sky'. This comparison highlights the vast, protective, and eternal nature of a mother's love, using nature to evoke the feeling of her presence even in her physical absence.