I deeply adored my mum. She was an extraordinary person, even for the prejudice I'm likely to have. She was beautiful, amusing, a tremendous elaborator of things into comic proportions and extravagant in her imagination.

In this quote, Andrew Motion expresses his deep admiration and affection for his mum, describing her as an extraordinary person. He acknowledges the potential for personal prejudice, meaning that his view of her might be influenced by his close, emotional connection, yet he still believes she was remarkable. Motion paints a vivid picture of her personality, highlighting her beauty, amusement, and her ability to elaborate things to comic proportions, showcasing her imagination as both boundless and creative.

Motion’s description of his mother emphasizes how she had a larger-than-life presence, turning everyday moments into something extravagant and entertaining. The use of the word extravagant suggests that her imagination wasn’t just vivid but also bold and free, making ordinary events seem grand or humorous. Her ability to take things to comic proportions speaks to her flair for exaggeration, showing how her imagination transformed reality into something much more engaging and amusing.

The mention of imagination in this context illustrates how it shaped not only her personality but also how she interacted with the world around her. By emphasizing this trait, Motion reveals the profound impact of his mother’s creativity on his own life, making him recognize how imagination can turn the mundane into something memorable and full of joy.

Ultimately, Motion’s quote reflects the admiration and love he had for his mother, while highlighting her imaginative nature as one of her defining qualities. Through his description, we see how her extravagance and ability to amplify life with humor and creativity shaped his perception of her as a remarkable, larger-than-life figure, and perhaps influenced his own relationship with imagination.