What does “this circumstance” refer to?

Ans= “ This circumstance” refers to the demise of the demise of the poet’s mother. Having seen the photograph of her mother who no longer survives, the poet’s heart get overwhelmed with nostalgic feelings and becomes speechless and thereby prevails only ‘silence”.

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

Ans= The poet as well as her mother undergoes abysmal pain of loss. Her mother suffers the loss of her joyful childhood days whereas the poet suffers the loss of her mother’s sweet face and laughter. The sense of loss pricks their hearts much and this is why both of them were fatigued of trying to overcome that sense of loss.

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

Ans= The poet’s mother, when caught sight of the photograph laughed at the way her girls cousins, Dolly and Betty were dressed up by their joyful childhood that was liberal of any sort of anxiety or worry.