Poem Notes

SEARCH FOR MY TONGUE – Sujata Bhatt • Overview: – Bhatt explores tension between her two languages, English andGujerati – Believes mother tongue is being replaced by alien tongue but discovers that this is not the case – Her cultural identity is defined through use of language – Subject: colonialism and emigration – Bhatt shows that by trying to control language, colonizers control feelings, thoughts, values and ideas of those that are being colonized • Form: – One stanza of free verse that could be split into two sections – 1) concept of losing her MT and 2) dream in Gujerati. – First section:  Possibility that poet lost her MT, thinks it has died in mouth and that she has spit it out.  Line 17 – change in form and dream is introduced – Second section:  Bursts of Gujerati, make poem more personal and gives it new depth, added to by phonetic representation of Gujerati script  Line 31 – poet returns to broken theme and her thoughts run seamlessly to the end. – Line length varies throughout, punctuation is used at end of most lines, enjambment is used, adds to fluidity – No rhyme, makes poem more informal • Tone: – Overall airy and conversational – offers an explanation – Vocabulary not elevated – simple, easy to understand and informal – Beginning – almost accusing and rebellious as she feels forced to use her foreign tongue – Tone changes throughout poem  “you could not use them both together/even if you thought that way”  mournful as she feels she has lost MT – End – triumphant and jubilant as it celebrates overthrowing of foreign culture and resurgence of native culture – First person to show that battle of tongues is personal and so that readers in same situation can relate • Poem: – Title  Exploration, “Search” suggests Bhatt has lost part of herself that she needs to recover  “My Tongue”  very personal, language significant to her, it’s her identity.  Ambiguous and strange as it’s not physically possible to lose your tongue – turns tongue into an extended metaphor as concept is used throughout poem – Poem  Line 1 – includes reader as written in free verse so it feels like stream of consciousness. “You ask me” includes reader and answers question that is on their mind from title. •  Line 3 – counterattacks and turns question around by “I ask you” but still offers explanation  Line 4 – “two tongues”  metaphor for her two cultures, alliteration of t’s makes letters more precise and emphasizes meaning, hard + defined t-sound adds strength to metaphor of having two tongues and cultures and encourages rebellion  Line 5 – Gujerati is “MT”  makes it seem like a nourishing, comfortable, loving and protective language  Line 7 – English is “FT”  makes it uncomfortable, incompatible. Caesura isolates words which shows split in culture  Line 10 + 11 – explore idea that some people are not allowed to speak own language, that foreign language and culture have been imposed on them. This is how Bhatt feels about English, shows her fear of losing her identity along with her language  Line 12 + 13 – “rot”  metaphor, compares MT to plant when FT is weed. Repetition of “rot” stresses extended metaphor and passion to the word + contrasts strongly to “blossom” at end of poem. Suggests that language needs to be nourished in order to flourish  Line 13 + 14 + 15 – startling imagery used to describe FT overtaking MT  “rot and die in your mouth”, “spit it out”. Paints disgusting image in readers mind  Dream – adds layer and richness to poem. Shows her pride in her language and represents MT “growing back”. • Gujerati script is visual representation and forces us to recognize her two languages co-existing, we experience the duality of the two languages and cultures • Phonetic so reader experiences sensation of alien tongue  Line 31 – English, MT back, repition of “grows” draws emphasis on MT getting stronger, it can’t be killed and will grow back. Adds to atmosphere, reflects poets excitement. Used to define “longer”, “moist”, “stronger veins” to make stand out. “The bud opens”  mother tongue still alive.  Line 33 – FIGHT, suggests aggression and dominance but it’s clear MT defeats FT Poem is well-written, personal, thought-evoking. Personal to me as I'm fighting same battle. UNRELATED INCIDENTS – Tom Leonard • Overview: – Explores notions of class, education and nationality – Humoursly adapts persona of news reader but substitutes a Glasgow accent and diction for impersonal standardized speech of typical London based news reader speaking in Standard English • General notes: – Leonard mocks the insistence on SE and also attacks his own people for not having enough pride in own culture – Who’s audience?  Own people – Glaswegians?  BBC  People who judge others based on dialect  Those who get judged – Poem challenges our prejudices and explains why no one speaks with strong dialect on news – wouldn’t get taken seriously – Subtext that newsreaders are prejudiced (they would never reveal prejudices on news when they do in poem) • Form: – One stanza of free verse, almost no punctuation to show his stream of consciousness – Written phonetically in non-standard English – begins close to SE and becomes more and more dialectal – Lines are all 3, 4, 5 syllables and enjambment used throughout  adds layer of depth  Effect – like autocue used by newsreaders  adds to image of newsreader – Laid out narrowly, represents how Leonard feels that his national dialect is being constricted  VISUAL LIKE SFMT, ALSO BOTH CONCEPT OF IDENTITY THROUGH LANGUAGE, BOTH HAVE DIALECT – Written in regional dialect, making fun of dialect  ironic • Poem: – Talks directly to reader, narrative voice – Leonard persona of a less educated “ordinary” Glaswegian with whom he identifies – “wanna yoo”  poem imagines BBC news reader smugly explaining why he doesn’t talk like “wanna yoo scruff” though here he does just that – “scruff”  believes the media sees people in Glasgow as scruff – “trooth”  repeated – most important idea in poem, speaker suggests that listeners/viewers trust a speaker with received pronunciation and that a dialect is particularly distrustful due to connotations of working class/criminal associations – “six a clock nyooz”  shows it’s a newscast, concludes poem, spelling dialectal – “belt up”  shut up, final statement, if someone else’s ideas are imposed on you you are being told to ‘belt up’, compare to SFMY, story ending, offers itself up to numerous interpretations, involves reader HALF CASTE – John Agard • Overview: – Simple idea, simple poem – Pokes fun at idea of convention and concept of Half-Caste (term came from India and describes people of mixed race, used as insult as neither race wanted those who are ‘Half-Caste’ • Form: – Related to subject of poem, clear Agard spend a long time thinking how to express ideas of poem in good way, DRAMATIC MONOLOGUE – Free verse, no set rhythm or rhyme and uses mix of standard English, non-standard England and Afro-Caribbean – Abstract and different, Agard stands out from main stream British culture and rejects convention by not writing entire poem in SE – 4 stanzas, all of uneven length and irregular line length – connotations of subject of poem (something seems to be missing but you don’t need to be fully something to write proper poem) – Colloquial language, as if someone’s speaking it – Punctuation limited – no commas, full stops used, but hyphens, slashes and capital letters as he believes it is effective as it gives reader chance to punctuate with own breath – Phonetic spelling  COMPARE TO SFMT AND UI, used to exemplify the patois and even though it’s not grammatically correct for SE it is for Creole  Gives poem firm sense of rhyme due to the vowel sounds that emerge when poem is read in authentic patois (all the vowels are pronounced same way – rhythmic dialect, eg “Picasso”, “overcast”, “canvas” and “de sun pass” • Poem: – Stanza 1:  Very short, proper and standard English  Line 2 – joke, “standing on one leg”  sarcastic and ironic remark, saying that he’s half-caste as only half made as one leg is on floor  Tone is mocking, but sense of command as it’s clear he’s trying to get point across – Stanza 2:  Lot longer, like first starts with command “Explain yuself”, uses capital letter  repeats to draw emphasis and so it’s present in reader’s mind  Line 7 – example of half-caste, makes fun of concept, “picasso/mix red and green/ is a half-caste canvas”  means that great artists who mix things aren’t bad and aren’t half-caste (ALSO INTERNAL RHYME PRESENT), by not using capital letter he’s mocking concept of being perfect or imperfect (same for form of poem) ear mind and then he’ll tell whole story – Stanza 4:  Punchline of poem  Same length as beginning to show full circle  Even though poem seems to be lighthearted. lines are short to make message more powerful. a characteristic for Patois. concept repeated later on again in poem “half of mih ear” and “half of mih eye”  reader reminded of start of poem of person who was standing on one leg.•  Line 22 – “ah rass”  disgust and contempt. going against convention  Line 26-30 – concept of artist mixing things is repeated. “Tchaikovsky” who used “a black key” and “a white key” to create “a half-caste symphony” LARGE BREAK TO MAKE POEM SEEM LIKE A HALFE-CASTE AS IT’S MISSING SOMETHING BECAUSE OF BREAK – Stanza 3:  Line 31 – imperative like before  Poet starts leaving out words like “Ah listening”. concept of half a line  Poem seems personal and half-caste as it mixes “I’s” and “Ah’s”  Poet invites listener to come back with whole eye. argument of last stanza is very serious and a universal application  Poet’s intention + tells reader to give people their full attention and respect . anything life changing – Reminds us of scene out of “Sorcerer’s Apprentice” – LIFE CONTAINED. one sentence that is grammatically correct. CHANGE. recognize and react in right way  Maybe metaphor for your true self once you’ve stripped off all fake layers. enjambment used heavily. central idea.THIS ROOM – Imtiaz Dharker • Overview + General notes: – Dharker born in Pakistan in 1945. lifting”  energy. broken up (lines as well) as it says more in this form. effervescent. believes in identity coming from believes and state of mind. sense of immediacy and movement. crashing through clouds. breaking out concept – Stanza 2:  “Lifting” and “nightmares”  freedom of lifting out contrasts with nightmares. PERSONAL GROWTH • Form + Poem: – 5 stanzas. standard English – Full rhyme + half-rhyme work against free verse. half rhyme with “light”  Full of present participle “breaking. when opportunities comes our way. lively.”  “Search of”  search for freedom. describes room breaking out of itself with bed lifting and chairs visiting dark corners. unknown reason for explosion or emotional outpouring but is bound up within personal happiness and fulfillment – romantic love. not from nationality or religion – Exiting. dark which suggest liberation over imprisonment  “Chairs” + “nightmares”  internal rhyme . irregular length + line length. SELF. movement  “Breaking out”  trying to get away from hated identity. makes it as fragmented as room. symbol and image of freedom – Stanza 1:  Line of prose. full of symbols + images. cracking. enables poet to give sense of controlled movement – Title:  Finding who you are and escaping confinements. pots + pans whirling around  poem about something else though. surreal. sudden ends play around with way you think. adds fluidity as when read beginning to end you rarely have to stop so verse flows like stream without hardly a pause/breath  Caesura adds to fragmentation “itself. 11 – stranger that has loved you even though you may’ve ignored it and been distracted. moves from one vivid image to next  Stanza 1 – greeting mirror image of self and ecstatic (introductory image so in more detail)  Line 6 – hospitality. photos. pensive. ideas are complex though – Free verse. intimate as it feels like we’re spoken to and direct imperatives. sharing meal together. “clang”  onomatopoeia. personal response – Stanza 1: . idea presented in terms of a feat or Eucharist • Form: – Simple language. not grounded anymore – Stanza 5:  Not in same room. conventional way out not needed anymore – Stanza 4:  Poet exited by life. sonic richness – Stanza 3:  “Lives”. reflective • Images/Metaphors: – 7 phases we work though. tone is happy. 10. “Crash” and later on “ bang”. metric feed – Happy poem – love who you are. because more specific as he finds himself – Most lines loosely iambic – conversational. peeling. “arrives”  full rhyme  “Improbable”  poet feels time to escape from predictable  “Pots and pans”  hard initial sound. it has always known real you  Line 12 + 13 – love letters. thoughtful. controlled movement  Line 18 – don’t need one as there are so many ways out. life of its own. sharing food  Line 7 + 8 – reach a point where you can love yourself again  Line 9. assonance. welcome. short series of references of things from past  Line 14 – mirror and we see ourselves peeling off layers and taking us back to past self  Line 15 – invitation for ourselves to feat on our lives • Poem: – Title  Personal to Walcott but everyone can relate. suggests that we spend years assuming an identity but discover eventually who we are – like two different people meeting and making friends. trying to regain himself again. – About self-discovery/identity. “wondering where/I’ve left my feet”  suggestion of self that is confused. words repeated or variants of them – Verse form irregular. second person (preachy? Balance between talking to you and author). “clapping”  onomatopoeia and approval + applause for breaking out of room LOVE AFTER LOVE – Derek Walcott • Overview: – Lost himself. to search for what he lost. each one is one length less apart from last one  ONION image. lecture. 4 stanzas. Give bread. repetition of give adds power to poem and shows desire to find true self  “Give back your heart”  a person who is trying to learn to love themselves again after being rejected by lover? Someone counseling someone? – Stanza 3:  “Peel your own images from the mirror”  goddam onion again NOT MY BUSINESS – Niyi Osundare • Subject/General Notes: – MAINLY ABOUT HIS MESSAGE: about shared responsibility and the way tyranny grows if no one opposes it so it’s important to stand up against them. tale could be from various locations  Ironic as man who kept mouth shut still got taken (nobody is safe) – Speaker makes it clear that oppressors thrive when victims act only for themselves as when they’re organized = strong • Form: – Clear form. Give back” (preachy. religious connotations. day. communion service. he thinks people’s situations are their problems. forecast of future  Enjambment adds fluidity.”  imperative. just like “Give wine. “Time”  time when reconstruction will happen to you. then refrain REFRAIN: ∗ Repeated ∗ “Yam”  vegetable represents ignorant selfishness as he cares more about yam than people’s lives as he doesn’t want to get involved – metaphor for his life  suggests African setting and that anything /one can be taken – even the most simple things like food  speaker only thought about his next meal. evening). self counseling. 3 stories. (soldiers) not named ∗ “Morning”  not definite time. last is own – Stanza length: 7. 5 – change of stanza form = change of focus. as there is nothing to repeat • Poem: – Each stanza shows time (morning. night. philosophical tone). not his VICTIM 1: ∗ “They”  oppressive. who and how. doesn’t make sense that he was taken (random) ∴ random line length. 7. composed of three stories about victims from the oppressors followed by experience of the speaker (very personal(I’s and my’s). anyone at any time . air of divinity GOD?! (WTF). continues idea – Stanza 2:  “Eat. 7. will apply at some point. poet same as speaker?)  even though poet is Nigerian. controls pace of poem by fracturing the poem like her fractured identity and country  gives richness to pace  Poem is flowing like her clothes. 9) used frequently to give sense of movement. EP broke from WP to become Bangladesh in 1971 – Mostly about IDENTITY as she is a ‘half-caste’ and she doesn’t know how she fits in (idea of living in two cultures) like SFMT and HC • Form: – 7 stanzas in free verse. Afterwards. and – enabling reader to think between lines.” personified. does he ever return? VICTIM 2: ∗ “Booted”  colloquial. wistful. tactile and enjambment and caesuras aid the expressions of her thoughts as they come in burtst • Tone: – Longing. Every stanza is end-stopped so she finishes with one thing completely and then moves onto different part of her thoughts  Enjambment and caesuras (5. Kashir was a place that people weren’t sure belonged to which country so in 1965 a war started between India + Pakistan. very long sounds ∗ Repetition of “waiting”  shows length. simply adding humor ∗ “Down the belly/Of a waiting jeep. no end. commas make it strong. it ate him. divided Muslim state. controlling people by controlling food as they are too weak to do anything. sense of loneliness . no warning. frighteningly simple and horrific “Stuffed him”  colloquialism.“Beat him soft like clay”  simile. see above ∗ “Then off to a lengthy absence”  hints that he returns but whatever happened to him isn’t pleasant VICTIM 3: ∗ “No query. melancholic. precise ∗ “Stainless record”  not done anything wrong SPEAKER: ∗ “And”  signifies change ∗ “My yam” + “my hungry hand”  poor diet so hunger which breeds desperation. alliteration ∗ “A knock on the door froze”  timing is macaberly humorous. East Pakistan (Bengal) and West Pakistan – between them 1000 miles of Indian ground. inevitability of wait ∗ “Bewildered lawn” personification that doesn’t make sense ∗ ∗ PRESENTS FROM MY AUNT IN PAKISTAN – Moniza Alvi • Background History and Summary: – Pakistan used to be under British rule as it was part of India but when India became independent in 1947 Pakistan became a separate. no probe”  use of 3. 7. very similar to a lot of her poetry because of frequent use of similes – Punctuation:  End stopped through . happens every day and put v. straight to the point and poem seems to be a stream of consciousness coming out of the title • Stanza 1: – Very visual so we see everything as she says them highlighting richness of colours and culture “a salwar kameez peacock-blue”  come to life in mind – Line 4: colour. Lush exotic garments and colours that are linked closely to India – Line 8: line is snapped off previous line. shine (visual). she was burned by her heritage.∗ – Autobiographical as voice of poet is voice of poem (1st person  “me” line 1) which adds to the atmosphere + ambience of poem Poem: • Title is unambiguous. colour can be linked to “orange split open” – “half-English”: half-English culture as that is where she’s living and went to school • Stanza 3: – Line 32-33: richness of culture • Stanza 4: – “my mother cherished her jewelry”: cherished jewelry. “found myself alone” echoing sense of aloneness Stanza 6: – “from fifties’ photographs”: has to look at pictures as she has never been there – Caesura on line 58 shows conflict and that she is fractured. like her country – “throbbing through newsprint”: becomes alive and shows that she is fractured and no identity left • • . her clothes show beauty that she can’t inhabit but it shows a sense of pride – “longed”: wistful nature. she wants to be ‘normal’ – “costume”: something she’d dress up in  her traditional clothes aren’t her normal clothes – “aflame”: to burn. what makes a culture? Stanza 5: – “didn’t impress the schoolfriend”: at weekend she had to go back to traditional clothes. losing her identity • Stanza 2: – “alien in the sitting-room”: she reflects on how she is alienated as she doesn’t belong completely to either culture – Line 18-19: very strong statement. texture. clothes (“filigree” thin lace) and culture – “Marks and Spencers”: ironic as she’s supposed to wear traditional clothing when her aunts want MS send to them (stuff she isn’t supposed to wear). lack of comfort of being torn between cultures is shown by “prickly heat”. pain as with glass bangles. hints at pain showing that her traditions and culture is painful to her – Line 13-15: living in England but still had to wear traditional clothing which confused her. adding to fracture as friends don’t like it – Line 44-47: she does like her heritage but she is struggling to see herself properly because of the split in cultures – Line 48-54: the journey to England. etc for protection of women = completely different culture Stanza 7: – Shows different parts of Indian culture – “fretwork” + “Shalimar Gardens”: like a partially see through screen and famous ornamental gardens in Lahore  she is still looking at the world through a fretwork HURRICANE HITS ENGLAND – Grace Nichols (Caribbean writer) • Form: – Irregular stanza and line length to show movement of the wind. – Punctuation is used  enjambment – movement of wind + force of the hurricane. end-stopped. caesura  punchier. the ebb and flow of the hurricane and the unpredictability of nature and her emotions have movement. Free verse. punchier and it is in perfect pentameter – Loads of imagery and symbols of natural world throughout poem.• – “Lahore”: different place and time now as place she is living in as they are screened from men. takes away your breath – Mostly standard English and some west-Indian Patois – First stanza in 3rd person as the hurricane is described as something outside of her personal experience – Rest of stanzas are in 1st person as she talks to the hurricane directly in person • Stanza 1: – Caesura in first line. especially in first . contradicting her feelings • Stanza 2: – “talk to me” is repeated three times and all have patois endings such as hurricanes and storm gods of the Yoruba people of Nigeria that were transported to the Caribbean by slave trade in 18-19th century. 4. they are directives as they are a command which shifts the tone to strong and confident showing power of wind – “Hattie”: famous hurricane Hattie that she remembers from 1961 • Stanza 3: – “Reaping havoc”: word play on wreak as reaping is like natural harvest instead of wreaking havoc • Stanza 4: – “blinding illumination”: lighting. the repetition answers the questions of stanzas 3. sounds like a Caribbean prayer – “fearful and reassuring”: paradox. originally Caribbean but lives in England so she is frozen as she lives away from Caribbean but when hurricane hits she is closer to home as it is from the Caribbean – “the earth is the earth is the earth”: mimic of a line in Gertrud Stein’s poem  “rose is a rose is a rose” to convey idea of essential concept of what nature is about and should be like. 5 all ended in rhetorical questions that include the reader so that they can think like her. . all four elements are mentioned – “short-circuit”: power of nature like men trying to copy nature with electricity and nature could destroy everything but men are still trying to fight it • Stanza 5: – “meaning of trees falling heavy as whales”: simile as huge trees become like whales when hurricane hits. • Stanza 6: – Important sentence as it gives a sense of happiness/joy and it is personal as it shows how the hurricane has affected her • Stanza 7: – “Oya”: call to god as Oya is a god – “I am”: repetition have rhythmic pattern. 4. She uses present participles such as “aligning”. like gods that are mentioned later. 5. What is creating the havoc in England? She is asking the wind. punctuates message and makes the tone stronger and commanding • Stanza 8: – Feels like hurricane has brought her a message – same forces are in England that are in Caribbean  LINK – Line 13: “frozen lake in me”: water element. strong declaration which makes her intent clear. shows hurricane getting stronger – “spectre”: ghost.– “howling ship of the wind”: ship is howling  personified metaphor showing movement. trees are described in lines 25 + 26 Stanzas 3. she is the frozen lake. Syntax and grammar is wrong but it sends a strong message and shows movement – Line 5-8: word clusters of negative words. “following” and “riding” – Line 29-31: like she is becoming hurricane and the stanza is end-stopped which makes it stronger. One day speaker finds that evil frog shawl invaded the flax-dam – anxiety of metamorphosis • Form: .SEAMUS HEANEY POEMS DEATH OF A NATURALIST • Summary: – Poem about loss of innocence and realization of presence of evil in natural world and by implication in the self. not fragmented. fax-dam is spot where flax is placed for 3 weeks that softens stems of flax. “wait and watch”. beautiful. way child sees it is overdramatic as easily scared. commas + ends give pause to sentence which is like pause when the change happens (speck to tadpole)  Line 14 to “swimming tadpoles” – energy of life  enjambment + movement. positive. “frogspawn” getting into memory. assonance. insinuates murder  Hyperbolic. sets up anticipation of being negative. goes through it + how he was exited by it and where his ambition came from  “jampotfuls of the jellied”. shows how innocent he was. child that desired to be naturalist died in memory. sinister.  remembers how traumatic childhood can be  Stanza 1:  “flax-dam festered” + “heavy headed”  alliteration. enjambment to give more continuity. depressing. “invaded”. rapidity of action  Line 15 to 21 – childlike language still innocent. weaving a mesh of sound around smell  synesthesia (where syntax + grammar don’t make sense but image does)  Line 7 + 8 – SENSES  bugs are more beautiful. “cowdung in the grass” – unpleasant smell/image  “angry frogs” – god sent down a plague/army of frogs of biblical force  Warlike images – “angry frogs”. coarse sound. wet word  Line 6 – metaphor. “in rain” not positive. shows change. harsh. “nimble” – alliteration + assonance. “mammy frog” Irish accent. 2 stanzas: 1) Nature. segment shows tone of teacher (about how frogs have SEX!) . some sounds like child bragging as he knew everything about frogs. threatening . connotations of rotting (fester)  Line 3 – Irish speech patterns: heavy syllables. “poised like mud grenades”  simile  “coarse croaking” – alliteration + hard. visual. cacophony – overwhelming.• – No rhyme scheme. disgust  Irish speech varies speech patterns as Η is talking Poem:  Title:  “Death”  represents frog-liking part of him that died. makes “slobber” worse (warm + thick)  Line 8 – gross but childish delight  love sickly things. irregular line length (story-like). childlike 2) Darker. monotony (sorrow at death of his dream) GAP EMPHASISES CHANGE IN TONE TO NEGATIVE + DARKER TONE (PROCESS OF DEAAAATH)  Stanza 2:  “rank”. oxymoron as “gargled” is thick. personification of sun “punishing”  hot weather is foreshadowing decay that comes later on in poem  Line 5 – tone is gentler “delicately”. contrasts to later on. Unpleasant images “rotted”  Line 4 – Something nice (heat) makes it worse (sweltered). loving. stuff of nightmares  “great slime kings” – metaphor. at end 3 million as many left or died . well suited to change in subject matter (more half-rhymes)  PAST DAY  SECTION 3:  Rhyme AABB – half-rhymes  Returns to 1st section quadrates  Past tense apart from last line which is present to link to other parts in present and leads into section 4  SECTION 4:  Rhyme scheme like 1st which shows present tense again. very unpleasant. movement of stanzas reflects pause taken when standing  Different sections create symphony. personification. “bass chorus”. “slap and plop”. hard consonance sounds. fat. heavy on alliteration. short precise sentence. population at start 5 million.sound to strengthen image. back to normal. assonance AT A POTATO DIGGING • Form. commas add to definitive tone. turned and ran” – dream dies. we understand the extent of mistery that was caused by famine  Past . pattern like digging rows very regular. childlike language  Line 33: shows how far his imagination goes. “wicker creels”  reflects harsh process of digging  PRESENT DAY  SECTION 2:  Rhyme changes. powerful effect on him  negative. 3rd/4th stanzas blend into each other through enjambment = feeling of never-ending work “mindlessly” and quality of digging. onomatopoeia. quadrates (4 lines to stanza)  Correct punctuation. what he sees + thinks. “farting” . infamous potato famine 1845-1849. negative poem. all move together  SECTION 1:  Rhyme ABAB.Η ’s desire to make connections between past and present is important. rhyme + rhythm:  2nd/3rd. boat to show visualization of it  “sickened. role reversal  spawn is grabbing him. harsh “mechanical digger wrecks”. link is made between events more than a century apart • Poem: • Title  Irish history. onomatopoeia (wet words)  “gross-bellied” – fart + sturdy  “loose necks pulsed like sails” – effective simile. plump. pattern is back ABAB • Themes:  Nature – poem deals with natural world and different aspects of nature can be seen in references to earth as the “black mother” that gives life (pure) and “bitch earth” that is capable of inflicting great suffering  Suffering – of people in Ireland is described in detail. death. earth has given birth (earth is female). shows how people all work together (Higgeldy repeated). brackets to draw emphasis and explain it  “live skulls.. “humbled knees”. “clean birth” – vivid language used. dark negative feelings “dark”. eating corpses  Line 41 – 45 – people desperate and demoralized. referring back to tradition (like “centuries”). faces chilled to a plucked bird”. black mother giving birth – earth is uterus  “seed shot and clotted” – alliteration. personified and curses ground. good potatoes  “Native to the black hutch of clay” – soft earth. plants + his history like in “Digging”  “swarm” – huge numbers required even though mechanical diggers  Ominous atmosphere “death”. situates poem in time  “roots” – double meaning. precise and sharp  “slit-eyed tubers” – eye in potatoes  “white as cream”. personification. “hope rotted like a marrow” – described like being a vegetable . “seasonal altar” – religious imagery. attractive  “humus erupts”. “millions rotted along with it”  potatoes or famine victims? Deliberately ambiguous so that is can be both (reader gets to choose). like after a battle. potatoes look like it  “piled in pits” – alliteration adds to piling effect SECTION 3 . they will do anything to get away from “famine god”  “god” and “sod” – double meaning (earth and curse) link to “bitch earth” SECTION 2 – healthy. visual and full of life  “stumble”.”beaks of famine snipped at guts” – lifelessness in people’s eyes. strong language helps reader understand negative impact of famine  “eyes died hard.famine of past – fungus destroyed entire crop for 3 years  “live skulls” – real bodies. sound of potatoes being cut in half. “famine god”. oppressive. dark but clever – on purpose  “’forty-five. uncertainty/clumsy (inability to stop so mistakes are made). damp smell (imagery)  “crows” – common sight of huge numbers of birds at harvest – image  birds show death  Line 6 + 7 – alliteration. contrast to people looking like bird. humans lie like potatoes in field.• • • SECTION 1 – workers in a potato field in Ireland:  “mechanical digger” – humans still needed. blind-eyed” – potatoes have eyes but can’t see. echoing ominous atmosphere  “centuries of fear” – been going on for long time  “homage” = worship. highlights importance of religion in Ireland. helps visualize. “fumble” – add variety to rhyme scheme. no future life for potatoes as all died those years  “wild higgledy skeletons” – shows how many and all over the place. “bitch earth” – earth is evil. “crumbled”. “blighted” = diseased  “putrefied” = decay. wolfed the blighted root and died” – direct mention of famine.famine is bird picking at people’s stomachs. movement. metaphor. oxymoron (strange). disease. unpleasant. “good smells” – sounds pleasing. s’s and p’s  disgusting. aural images and sensations to describe digging  “digging” – sense of immediacy and realism as present participle used .  Stanza is mechanical. firs 2 stanzas PRESENT TENSE. writing is usually seen as elegant. squat description of writing – shows parallel between dad and him and how he got to this point as poet. affects rhythm. contracts to section 3  “the workers stop. next 5 stanzas PAST TENSE. scatter crumbs” – not faithful as she turned against them during famine. workers sit happily with food. earth personified. religion. shows intelligence  strong autobiographical. squat and gun are not  OXYMORON. uses his pen as a weapon – mightier than gun (connotations of IRA troubles)  caesura (use of punctuation) – breaking line. no pattern to stanza – to show that there is no pattern or predictability to our memories? Free verse. “sore” – wound (potato famine) that never healed SECTION 4 – returns to first idea. set apart as it isolates central idea of poem  Stanza 2:  “under my window” + “I look down” . draws attention to simile  half-rhyming couplet – just two lines.•  Line 46 – 49 – horrible images of rotten potatoes. “take their fill” – plenty of food. forceful sounds – poem becomes rhythmic like digging. condescending?  “sound” + “ground” – assonance. uses poem as extended metaphor for revealing roots of his past through power of writing • Form:  Nine stanzas that vary in length. strong.Η position is elevated. very blunt. writing is his gun. rest PRESENT TENSE  Rhyme: beginning of poem fairly conventional rhymes then unrhymed though repeated sounds • Poem:  Title  Crude but effective. halting effect (monosyllable too). spill libations of cold tea. opening as it’s different. don’t depend on earth but still need her so they are giving gifts DIGGING • Subject:  Respect Η holds for his heritage. instead of digging w/ spade he digs with pen  does fit in w/ family – fits him perfectly as he’s suited to write. feels superior to manual work but doesn’t like it.” – end stopped to reinforce the stop  Line 52 – no longer dependant on potatoes. to pour liquid out as part of sacrifice to a god. not described elegantly. workers having break  “gay flotilla of gulls” – vivid images. “breaking timeless fasts” – religious connotations  “faithless ground. reflective  Poem  Stanza 1:  in a romantic fashion digging represents art form and means of identification with his roots/origins and land (his own ‘living roots’). “dead beat” – returns to concept of death. harmony with earth.makes him sound like a legend.  is lazy with his pen. saw it so much it immediately brings back memories from childhood. exclamation of pride. skill and vigour  Commas used to list things as he does them. strength of emotion – reflection of natural world  Stanza 5 – introduces grandfather:  Referent sense. sense of distance as isolated. elevated  “corked sloppily” – childish ineptitude contrasts with GF firmness. elegant boot? Perfect fit show his love of digging. shows sense of respect for father  Line 8 – repetitiveness. “curt cuts” – sharp words to cut ties with family’s tradition of digging  “living roots” + line 28 – connection with memories. gun becomes metaphorical spade and his tool. smooth transition to memory of grandfather by introducing grandfather  Digging has been tradition in family Η broke the chain by being writer  Stanza 6 – about grandfather:  “cut more turf in a day” . pen only rests whereas digging is described precisely and skill highlighted  “loving their cool hardness in our hands” – tactile satisfaction. puzzles reader (statement or fact?). Feels alienated in a bad way from family  Stanza 9:  Brings poem to full circle by repeating opening lines. helps him fit in with family again . shows how proud  is. emphasizes how TRULY amazing he was  Stanza 7:  Enjambment from previous stanza (conveys sense of suspended movement) + present participle used for precision and movement. reminds reader of “snug as a gun” as it all fits perfectly. father meant for digging  Uses a lot of technical terms – maybe he learned it all as child so he could’ve been digger but decided not to be  Respect for father is clear – sense of futility of  occupation as he doesn’t do much compared to his father’s work (his work shown as important). UNDERSTANDING AND SPACE TO WORK OUT HIS OWN CONCLUSION. WIDE GAPS BETWEEN NEXT STANZAS GIVES MOVEMENT. exerts himself more than Η physically.ENJAMBENT IS DRAMATIC. SUDDEN JUMP IN TIME. loving tone  Conversational tone – reader feels spoken to and included. repetition shows love that bonds 3 generations. feelings have been brought to mind by force of images – what he sees and hears. PAUSE BETWEEN STANZAS INDICATES GAP IN TIME.” Simple one word sentence. anticlimax  Stanza 8:  Onomatopoeia’s appeal to reader’s senses and make story more vivid + alliteration heightens it by adding rhythm. ONE MEMORY LEADS INTO ANOTHER  Stanza 3 – about father digging:  “Till his straining rump” – condescending – like a worker being looked down upon. strength  Use of chopped lines + caesura imitates turf digging/cutting  “Digging. shows skill  Stanza 4:  “coarse boot nestled” – strange image. highlights his distance from family. Used by Shakespeare and follows natural patterns of spoken English – feels like he’s talking to us. reconciliation of dilemma he explores throughout poem. shriveled and it shows an element of fear as it is personified to show that the earth does not produce anything • “as you can see. then frightening and violent:  1-5: prepare us for storm  6-13: change of security to fear with noises and power of storm  14-19: storm actually attacks island – fear ∗ Poem: • Title: – Blunt + explicit (like most of his poems like Digging which shows strong message). dynamic statement that is followed on by a list of how they were prepared and is a contrast to last line • “squat”. mainly destructive powers of nature. solid words  harsh but confident words • “rock and roof”: alliteration shows strength of house and the first two lines are monosyllabic • “wizened”: barren. no article in front of Storm which suggests he’s not writing about one storm but many storms – he’s used to them – First 8 letters spell ‘Stormont’  perhaps a representation of Stormont castle which is an important location of Northern Irish politics therefore link to fear and safety to Irish conflict  link to “snug as a gun” • “We are prepared” shows togetherness and comrade-ery (can’t figure out spelling). fear and safety and the effect of the storm • Form: – Nineteen lines of blank verse – non-rhyming lines each containing five beats  stressed and then unstressed so iambic pentameter. This is also done through the . there are no stacks or stooks that can be lost”: first part is friendly to draw reader in and stooks is bundle of corn. dried up. Could be interpreted as blessing as nothing can be blown away or ruined which reinforces idea of many storms • “company”: repeated twice which highlights loneliness and you learn the tone change • Line 6 to 7: through the use of enjambment you get the impression of gusts of wind blasting in at the start of line. nothing new.” – very simple but strong. “slate”: prepared. living close to nature. strong. don’t know who we is so it puts focus on the wind and waves being characters. – Half-rhyming couplets at beginning and end which adds emphasis to a beginning and end and shows contrast between the beginning and the end • Tone: – Starts with chatty confidence. suggests he wants to go back to his roots STORM ON THE ISLAND NOTE: I got bored of aligning the bullet points properly so they are just the normal ones and this is a recurring theme throughout these notes :P • Subject: – Ideas of isolation. then anxiety. confident. Also. “I’ll dig with it. • • • • • • • use of blank verse so that the flow is not broken up and it sounds natural. Η admits to being scared. “you know what I mean”: it is directed straight to reader  see form “chorus”. except for long one at start. Creates crescendo like tragic chorus – shows tension building . “listen”. “gale”. repetition of no shows that there is nothing “exploding comfortably”: contradiction. “the thing you fear”  personal “no trees. “pummels”  hearing the sounds. war images. bombards making the wind is a metaphor like enemy fighter place and is a confusing image  attacks come from nowhere. Enjambment shows shock of cats sudden change in temperament “we just sit tight”: nothing they can do. “salvo” is simultaneous firing of artillery Last three lines: – Present tense which creates sense of drama and immediacy + realism – Even though confident as start. oxymoron  highlights natural power of wind and shows that there might be something we don’t know “tame cat turned savage”: simile to show what sea is like and shows that familiar things can be frightening. shows ultimate + uncontrollable powers of storm/nature – “invisibly” and “huge nothing”: nothing being solid  contrasts to beginning – Mainly short phrases. no natural shelter”: emphasis on how bare and barren it is. like at the start with community readying itself and attack at end “dives and strafes”: mimics sounds of the fire. This shows that he’s observed the scene in detail: he really cares about it. 2. Attitudes and Feelings ∗ ∗ ∗ Nature: The beauty and power of nature can be exiting. Nature can also be cruel and destructive – a threat to human life. ‘Digging’ and ‘The Field-Mouse’. Nature needs to be treated with respect and not taken for granted Nature’s Beauty SONNET 1. ∗ Death: Something people feel emotional about so the death of a loved one causes grief and a sense of loss. He describes the wildlife in the scene with a lot of affection: “the Moor Hen”. the “bright beetles” and the “insects happy wings”. . He describes the colours of nature – the “white wool sack clouds” and the “Mare blobs stain with gold the meadow drain”. He shows how the people who live on the island are vulnerable and at the mercy of the storm.Themes: Ideas. The poet uses the language of war to stress the sheer strength of the storm. 3. eg. “Exploding”. 2. Power of Nature STORM ON THE ISLAND 1. There is “no natural shelter”. “strafes” and “bombarded”. often using it as a metaphor. It can be “like a tame cat / Turned savage” – turning on you when you least expect it. ‘At a Potato Digging’. Clarke and Heaney both describe nature in several of their poems. The poet says you shouldn’t underestimate the power of nature. 3. This helps the reader imagine the beauty of the scene. Other poems about nature are: ‘Patrolling Barnegat’. The poet describes the countryside in summer. At the end of the poem. Parent/child relationships often contain some conflict. 3. Grief and Loss ON MY FIRST SONNE 1. The poet says that there is a “rope of love” pulling her and her daughter together. As her daughter asks if she can “skate / In the dark. He hopes to gain the same pride and strength from writing as his elders did from digging. ∗ ∗ ∗ Parent/Child Relationships: The parent/child relationship is central to most people’s lives. and joy”. 3. in case he loses it. We see her anguish at not knowing whether her son is dead or alive – “My apprehensions come in crowds”. crime or execution can seem an unnecessary waste of life. Parent/child relationships often change as the people grow older. 2. for one more hour” the poet feels torn. He vows never to love anything so much again. he draws a parallel between digging and writing: “The squat pen rests. / I’ll dig with it”. He pays tribute to his son. Most Parents Care Deeply about their Children THE AFFLICTION OF MARGARET 1. The woman in the poem hasn’t heard from her son for 7 years. The poet expresses his grief over the loss of a child: “Farewell. The struggle for independence between mother and daughter had already begun.∗ ∗ ∗ Everyone dies – it’s something we need to prepare for. thou child of my right hand. She understands her daughter’s urge to be independent. The poet sees his old father digging in the garden. Parents and Children can have very Different Characters DIGGING 1. “I’ve no spade to follow men like them”. The poet remembers the birth of her daughter. The poet tries to find something positive in his son’s death – that at least the boy has escaped many of life’s troubles and old age. and this reminds him of how skilled and strong his father and grandfather used to be digging – “By God. but at the same time they have always been struggling to be separate: “To be two. The poet hasn’t followed in their footsteps – he’s inside writing. by saying he was “his best piece of poetrie” – his best work. 2. Deaths caused by war. 3. 2. Sometimes people kill out of anger or desire for revenge. Children wanting Independence from their Parents CATRIN 1. but at the same time she feels loving and protective of her. not outside digging. She describes it as “our first / Fierce confrontation”. He says. the old man could handle a spade”. to be ourselves”. . In her dream. 2. the boy runs away. The storm is described as very powerful: “Waves. Danger can come from the Environment PATROLLING BARNEGAT 1. 3. He’s frightened by the frogs. wild the storm”. the boy goes to the dam and finds it full of frogs. His childish imagination believes that if he dipped his hand in the water “the spawn would clutch it”. the poet worries about the violence going on in formerYugoslavia. She dearly loves her son. In his fear. ∗ ∗ ∗ Danger: Danger can arise from the natural environment. their savagest trinity lashing”. midnight.2. air. 4. In this poem. The poem describes a small band of watchmen patrolling the beach during a fierce storm. She’s desperate to hear from him. ‘The Field-Mouse’ and ‘Cold Knap Lake’. Danger can be in the Imagination DEATH OF A NATURALIST 1. She dreams they “dance in grass” as the gunfire goes on around them. In this poem. The storm is dangerous – out to sea the watchmen wonder if they can see a wrecked ship: “is that a wreck? is the red signal flaring?” Danger can come from People’s Violence and Aggression THE FIELD-MOUSE 1. The danger in this poem is mostly in the character’s imagination. He takes frogspawn away from the dam to show at school. for taking away frogspawn. 3. 4. “wounding my land with stones”. storms Danger can also be caused by people – through aggression and violence. The boy thinks the frogs are violent and threatening – they look like “grenades” and sound like “obscene threats”. She dreams about a similar conflict happening in her own country and how it could affect her family. . It is uncontrollable part of nature: “Wild. He thinks they’re repulsive – “gross-bellied” with “loose necks”. prosperous or undone!” 3. She dreams that her home is part of battleground – “the air / stammering with gunfire”. He thinks they want some kind of revenge on him. her neighbor becomes her enemy. whatever has happened to him: “Oh find me. One day. 3. eg. 2. but we don’t find out how he feels about her. She’s particularly frightened by how vulnerable her children would be in a conflict. Sometimes a danger is just in people’s imaginations – it doesn’t really exist. Other poems which describe parent/child relationships are ‘On my first Sonne’. She describes her son as if he’s almost perfect: “He was among the prime in worth”. a boy becomes fascinated with a place where wildlife has gathered around some rotting flax in a steam. 2. 2. He describes the countryside in a very positive way. Poets also write about family love. he still has feelings of awe for their power and skill.Other poems with danger in them are ‘Storm on the Island’ and ‘Cold Knap Lake’. the old man could handle a spade. ‘Digging’ and ‘Catrin’ Memory: . using words like “beaming”. He starts three lines with the phrase “I love” which emphasizes his feelings. The poet watches his father digging in the garden. ∗ ∗ ∗ Attitudes Towards Other People: Some poets write about positive attitudes and feelings towards other people. “cut more turf in a day / Than any other man on Toner’s bog. 3. ∗ ∗ ∗ Love: Some poets write about romantic love. Between mother and daughter. “happy” and “bright” to show how much he likes it. Some poets write about negative or violent attitudes towards other people. This shows that even now. 3. he exclaims. “By God. 2. Some poets write about their love of nature. and his grandfather cutting turf. For example. Love of Places or Nature SONNET 1. / Just like his old man”. eg. Positive Attitudes Towards Others DIGGING 1. Sometimes a poet writes about conflicting or uncertain attitudes towards others. and it reminds him of his father digging potatoes twenty years before. or a particular place or pastime. The poet’s attitude to his father and grandfather is one of pride and respect. Other poem that shoes characters’ attitudes towards other people is ‘Catrin’. and shows how proud he is of his grandfather. The poet describes how much he loves the countryside in summer. ‘The Affliction of Margaret’. Other poems about love are ‘On my first Sonne’. looking back. He says that his grandfather.” This sounds like he’s boasting. Memories can be unreliable – you might remember things differently to how they actually happened. Stormont is the seat of government in Northern Ireland. EASTER 1998 . 2. “strafes” and “bombarded”. events and feelings. Other poems about memories are ‘The Affliction of Margaret’. Things get lost in the lake (and her memory) which she can’t find again: “All lost things lie under closing water / in that lake with the poor man’s daughter”. 2. 2. People sometimes block out bad memories. THE FIELD-MOUSE The poet describes spending a day cutting hay on her farm. eg. The first eight letters of the poem’s title spell Stormont. “Blast”. She works “at the end of the meadow. she can’t help thinking about the terrible events that are happening. She describes the memory as if it is a dramatic story. But even so. ‘Digging’ and ‘Catrin’. shame. Conflict STORM ON THE ISLAND 1. 4. Politics can be about the differences between rich and poor. She tries to avoid the news. 4. with her mum as the “heroine”. The poet uses the lake as a metaphor for memory. 3. 1. while abroad violent events are happening in the former-Yugoslavia. / far from the radio’s terrible news” and at the end of the day she “can’t face the newspapers”. A field-mouse wounded during the harvest reminds her of the innocent victims of the conflict.∗ ∗ ∗ Memories can be associated with many different feelings. The poet wonders if the memory is real: “Was I there?” 3. Pride. Peacemaking A DIFFICULT BIRTH. ∗ ∗ ∗ Politics: Politics can be about conflict and peacemaking. The Way we Remember Things Might Not be Accurate COLD KNAP LAKE 1. The storm battering the island might be a metaphor for the troubles in Northern Ireland. ‘Death of a Naturalist’. eg. This makes it seem possible that the event has either been enhanced in her memory. She dreams about civil war happening in her own country – her neighbor turning against her and “wounding my land with stones”. The poem uses a lot of language associated with war and violence to describe the storm. The poet remembers seeing her mother resuscitate a girl who had nearly drowned in a lake. or perhaps made up altogether. It can be about how leaders use and abuse their power. It has been seen as a symbol of Unionist (pro-British) power. 3. joy or anger and can be of people. Old age can also be a difficult period of life. The poet says they didn’t expect the old ewe to give birth: “We thought her barren”. The Heaney / Clarke poems in the Anthology tend to focus on politics as a source of conflict. The approach of death can make people think about what they want from the life they’ve got left. DIGGING . The first person lets us see things from the poet or character’s point of view. As her daughter grows up. There is a parallel with the peace talks – after such a long conflict. This represents the peace agreement. This allows them to talk about their personal thoughts and emotions. few people expected a happy outcome.1. The ewe successfully gives birth – a sign of new life and hope. The poet describes helping – “We strain together. This is the period when people start to become independent and learn to cope with life on their own. 2. At the same time there is a strong bond between the two of them. ∗ ∗ ∗ Use of First Person: Writing in the first person allows the poet to use their voice directly. Becoming Independent CATRIN 1. This poem is about how much the poet loves the countryside in summer. 2. welfare. harder than we dared”. Expressing Personal Feelings SONNET 1. she continues the fight to be independent of her mother. Even the birth felt like a struggle for independence: “to become / Separate”. healthcare. The birth is difficult and drawn-out. Politics affect many areas of life: education. 5. 3. The title of the poem refers to the Good Friday Agreement in Easter 1998. the legal system. The poet describes how she and her daughter have always wanted independence from each other. for one more hour”. ∗ ∗ Getting Older: Adolescence can be a difficult and emotional time. The poem uses the event of an old ewe giving birth as a metaphor for the peace talks. asking with a “Defiant glare” if she can “skate / In the dark. 4. This is a metaphor for how difficult the peace talks were. This was a peace agreement which arranged the setting up of a new power-sharing assembly in Northern Ireland. which makes the poet very protective of her daughter: “the tight / Red rope of love”. 2. Three lines of the poem start with “I love” which emphasizes his feelings. and defense. 3. long / Brown hair”. / Defiant glare”. Sometimes the main character is the poet themselves. a woman called Margaret worries about what has happened to her son who disappeared seven years ago. as a strong character. 4. The poet describes her daughter as beautiful – “your straight. and the feelings and thoughts this provokes. At the end of the poem. Margaret’s opinion of her son is very warm and positive. but using his writer’s pen as his tool. The poet describes her daughter. In this poem. Opinions about the Characters CATRIN 1.1. This suggests that other people didn’t like his behaviour – but Margaret still defends him. 3. “If things ensued that wanted grace. he finds a resolution to this problem. 2. / As hath been said. 3. The sadness of the poem comes from the fact that she still cares so much for him. He feels pride in his father and grandfather’s skill at digging. he is an important character in the poem. that her son wasn’t perfect. She says. for one more hour”. The poet describes watching his father digging the garden. strong. wanting independence from her mother. they were not base”. Sometimes a Key character is Absent THE AFFLICTION OF MARAGRET 1. 3. Even though we never meet the son. Catrin. . / An object beauteous to behold”. She demands to be allowed to stay out late “In the dark. There are hints though. We hear his thoughts directly because he’s writing in the first person. She describes the birth as “our first / Fierce confrontation” – suggesting it was the first of many. He will follow his father and grandfather in spirit. Often an important character isn’t actually present in the poem – they’re just talked about by the other characters. 2. instead of a spade. ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ Characters: Many poems are about a particular character – their personality. suggests he might not care about her. 2. She says that he was “among the prime in worth. The poet seems to have a difficult relationship with her daughter. and guilt that he hasn’t followed their way of life – “I’ve no spade to follow men like them”. The fact that he’s left his mother without word for seven years. eg. But even this admiration is mixed with feelings of conflict – “your rosy. Other poem with strong characters is ‘Death of a Naturalist’. actions and emotions. The characters in a poem can be real or completely made-up. This image is very moving: “It curls in agony big as itself / and the star goes out in its eye”. metaphors and similes. 2. 4. “savagest trinity lashing”. in former-Yugoslavia. A closing couplet can make a new or surprising point. 4. Imagery often uses comparisons to describe something. “the field lies bleeding”. . He emphasizes the gloominess of the scene with words like “midnight”. there is the threat of famine. for example. Bleak imagery is used to describe the potato digging – the “ragged” line of people are like “crows attacking” the fields. AT A POTATO DIGGING This poem describes both a modern-day potato digging.∗ ∗ Imagery: Imagery helps the reader imagine the situations. Shocking imagery is used to describe the starving people during the famine – “Mouths tightened in”. 1. and the Irish potato famine in the 1840s. Without it. 3. 4. 2. “shadows” and “murk”. The poet describes watchmen patrolling the beach during a fierce storm. He describes the bad weather as if it is a violent. This emphasizes how important the potato crop is. and “the field’s hurt. He uses imagery to create a sense of how strong and frightening the storm is. “She ran like the wind”. eg. She then dreams about her own children in a situation as violent as that in former-Yugoslavia. In this poem.” This imagery links the hay-cutting to the violence going on abroad. and worries about the violence going on abroad. characters and emotions described in poems through. 3. which dies in her child’s hands. ∗ ∗ Closing Couplets: A closing couplet can sum up the poem as a whole as it is the last two lines. Religious imagery is also used to describe the digging – “Processional stooping through the turf”. 2. giving the poem an unexpected conclusion. The poet uses war-like language to describe the hay-cutting: “killed flowers”. 3. To Describe Places PATROLLING BARNEGAT 1. She describes them as being as vulnerable and breakable as the field-mouse: “their bones brittle as mouse-ribs”. The sound of the gale is described as if it’s a person’s voice: there’s an “incessant undertone muttering” and sometimes it sounds like someone shrieking with “demoniac laughter”. She describes a “quivering mouse” hurt during the harvest. attacking force – eg. Other poems that include imagery are ‘Sonnet’ and ‘Death of a Naturalist’. the poet spends the day cutting hay with her family. Appeal to our Emotions THE FIELD-MOUSE 1. The poem also uses repetition of distinctive words to link different parts of the poem. To make Descriptions seem More Vivid AT A POTATO DIGGING 1. For example. and their houses are battered by the strong wind. The final two lines sum up the idea of how strong and frightening the wind is even though it’s invisible – “We are bombarded by the empty air”. Then the poet wonders whether this really happened or not. bringing it to a neat conclusion. STORM ON THE ISLAND 1. 4. 3. ∗ Language effect can make a poet’s feelings or opinions more forceful and convincing. 2. 3. . Easter 1998’. Language Effects: Language effects are the way the sounds of words in a poem are used to make a certain impression on the reader. This is the only rhyming couplet of the poem. For examples: alliteration. 2. the line of modern-day potato diggers is described as “higgledy”. 2. rhyme. it is a huge nothing that we fear”. The first 14 lines describe an incident she remembers from her childhood. Other poems that use language effects are ‘Patrolling Barnegat’ and ‘Sonnet’. The last two lines say that we can’t be sure whether distant memories are real or not – “All lost things lie under closing water”. Other poem that includes interesting closing couplets is ‘A Difficult Birth. when her mother saved a drowning girl from a lake. and sometimes they rhyme. There is no shelter on the island. alliteration in the phrases “A higgledy line from hedge to headland” and “ragged ranks” creates an image of the potato diggers as a scattered band of people working together. Sum Up a Poem COLD KNAP LAKE 1. assonance and onomatopoeia.∗ Closing couplets can be set apart from the rest of the poem. the starved bodies of the famine victims are described as “higgledy skeletons”. Heaney uses alliteration to make his description more vivid. The closing couplet sums up the main issue of the poem. The poet is quite philosophical in the final line: “Strange. ∗ Language effects can be useful for creating a vivid picture in the reader’s mind of the place or person describe in the poem. For example. ∗ Language effects can create a mood or atmosphere in a poem. The poem describes the inhabitants of an island preparing for a great storm. Later in the poem. She never resolves her identity in the poem. She’s relieved when she realizes that her mother tongue. because society sometimes judges people by the way they speak. 3. 2. Gujarati. 3. So the poem shows us that dialect can be part of identity. 1. 3. She regains her sense of identity. 3. “foreign”.Identity: Identity is about who we are and what makes us like this. 2. She realizes that the Earth is a whole. and makes connections between England and her homeland. Politics: . She has settled in England but does not feel completely at home. What Others think of Us UNRELATED INCIDENTS 1. and that we should never feel cut off from our roots. All the exotic clothes sent by her aunts attract her. 2. The poet is fluent in two languages. HURRICANE HITS ENGLAND The storm awakens the poet from her “frozen” state. What we Think of Ourselves SEARCH FOR MY TONGUE 1. The poem shows us that we’d be shocked to hear the news read in this way – we’re used to an educated accent telling us the “truth” of the news. is strong and will always be there. PRESENTS FROM MY AUNTS IN PAKISTAN 1. The poet is angry that his Glaswegian dialect is not taken seriously or trusted in society. but they also embarrass her. 2. tongue dominates. Other poems that use identity are ‘Love After Love’ and ‘This Room’. but the English. The violence of the storm reminds her of her home in the Caribbean. and her ancestral roots in Africa. 4. She’s worried that she has lost her mother tongue. which she feels is part of her identity. The teenager is confused about her identity as she is split between being Pakistani and being English. This causes her way of thinking about herself to change.Politics means how a country is run. The poet says a Glaswegian accent delivering the news would not be believed or respected. This change is internal and personal. that will affect her life in a massive way – “this is the time and place / to be alive”. Change for the Worse PRESENTS FROM MY AUNTS IN PAKISTAN 1. when she first came to England from Pakistan as a small child. . how leaders use and abuse their power and they can be about certain groups gaining power and oppressing other groups. Certain accents are associated with authority. others are treated as inferior. A positive change occurs when she dreams in Gujarati and realizes it will always be with her. In this poem. They can be about differences between rich and poor. She also mentions a change in the past. 2. and how a government treats its citizens.e. We don’t know exactly what this change is. “Unrelated Incidents” is about the power that language holds. Change for the Better SEARCH FOR MY TONGUE 1. She now has to confront both sides of her background. 3. Change: A change in the poet’s life. i. a change of circumstance or a change in personality which can be positive or negative. or in the world. eg. The poet is worried that she’s lost her mother tongue (Gujarati) because her “foreign” tongue (English) has taken over. the poet is afraid of change – trying to wear clothes she’s not used to makes her uncomfortable. THIS ROOM 1. People are Affected by Society HALF-CASTE 1. 3. whereas before she had ignored her Pakistani roots. But it’s clearly a positive one. Politics about Attitudes and Opinions UNRELATED INCIDENTS 1. 2. This poem is about a sudden and unexpected change in the poet’s life. 3. The words people use can show the attitudes they have towards different groups in society. The political dimension here involves us all and the judgments we make about people because of how they speak. People: Poem can talk about the lives of both individuals and groups of people. 2. Politics affects both society as a whole and individual people. 2. This change is what has led to the current situation. The poet adopts the persona of a man who doesn’t get involved when people are abused. because all parts of the Earth are connected to each other. 3. things will get worse and eventually everyone will suffer. The first person perspective in this poem lets us see how confused and uncertain the girl is. 3. so that it sounds like she’s explaining her thoughts to you. The poem’s about a very personal experience. Although millions of people were affected by the 1987 storm. First Person: Allows the poet to use their voice directly. He says that if people ignore what’s happening to their neighbors. . The poet uses the first person perspective to show us how important the event is to her. Her descriptions of her dreams give us an idea of how her mind works. 2. the poet in the poem talks about her own personal experience of it. The storm makes her see that it doesn’t make sense to feel homesick. 2. 2. clapping” show the weird feelings she’s experiencing. Other poem that talks about people is ‘Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan’. The storm triggers a moment of realization that changes the way she approaches life. 3. SEARCH FOR MY TONGUE 1. in order to create a better society. The poet says the term “half-caste” is a silly and offensive way of describing mixed-race people. Used to ‘Look Inside Themselves’ PRESENTS FROM MY AUNTS IN PAKISTAN 1. Some People are On Their Own HURRICANE HITS ENGLAND 1. Phrases like “I could never be as lovely / as those clothes” give us an insight into her emotions that wouldn’t be possible without the first person style. as if you’re a friend. 2. NOT MY BUSINESS 1. 3. 2. Surreal images like her hands being “outside. THIS ROOM 1. The poet shows how terrible it is to be ruled by a violent regime. 3. The poet uses a conversational tone (“You ask me what I mean”). Some want to Inform or Persuade People NOT MY BUSINESS 1. He challenges people to reassess how they see each other. to say how they feel and what they mean and lets the reader see things from the poet or character’s point of view. He encourages people to stand up for each other. This is important to the idea that her mother tongue is living inside her.2. rather than believing that everyone is equal. He shows the selfishness of this attitude – “What business of mine is it…?” 3.2. ‘Not my Business’ and ‘Presents from –‘ Description: Poets use various ways of describing things to keep the reader interested. Other poems that use first person are ‘Half-Caste’ and ‘Hurricane Hits England’. 3. ∗ Some cultures classify people according to things like race. They’re “lovely” but also “broad and stiff”. Specific cultural references include beliefs. rather than normal. The poet uses these as a link to her Caribbean roots – black Caribbeans were originally from Africe. Before the storm. gender and wealth. customs. Descriptions of one thing often also apply to another. religions. 4. Sometimes extended metaphors are used. For example. adjectives. By showing that this mentality is flawed. e. the poet has been feeling like an outsider to English culture. Poets describe People PRESENTS FROM MY AUNTS IN PAKISTAN 1. 3. ‘Search For My Tongue’. Metaphors can Describe Feelings THIS ROOM . People can become Separated from their Culture HURRICANE HITS ENGLAND 1. ∗ Some people can grow up surrounded by a particular culture without really feeling part of it. the poet tries to convince people to do the opposite of what the man does. Other poems that use this theme. 2. Oya and Shango. comparisons and contrasting descriptions. Metaphor: A metaphor is when something is described as if it’s something else for effect. 2. history and literature. She refers to African storm gods – Huracan. Pakistan is “fractured”. Specific Cultural References: Culture can be described as all the things which make up a community’s way of life. like her identity. ∗ There can be different cultures within the same society. The poet’s descriptions of the presents show her mixed feelings.g. showing they’re uncomfortable. and stand up for each other. Similes such as “glistening like an orange” show they also seem exotic to her. 2. This shows how the poet feels suddenly free after the special event that’s happened. It’s being read as if it’s the news. 3. The Gujarati words are spelt out phonetically too. He then uses the “half” idea to describe body parts.1. At the end of the poem. “I offer yu half-ahand”. so that his point about the stupidity of the word is clear. Presentation can Allow for Different Effects SEARCH FOR MY TONGUE 1. The short lines of almost even length make the poem look like a newsreader’s autocue. Poet’s use metaphors to create impressions and bring across messages. Non-Standard English: . and words like “bud” and “blossoms” show that it’s growing back.g. 2. 3. Presentation can Create an Overall Effect UNRELATED INCIDENTS 1. 2. He mixes in humour with his metaphors. This adds humour to the poem. living things – maybe showing how dizzy and disoriented she is by all the excitement. 3. 3. SEARCH FOR MY TONGUE 1. 2. HALF-CASTE 1. so we can hear what they sound like. Seeing the Gujarati script allows us to see how different it is to English. individual parts of the poet’s body become independent. Gujarati is described metaphorically as a flower. The room and the furniture become alive. 3. 2. by creating a visual impression of the theme it discusses. This gives us an insight into why it’s so important to the poet – it represents a different side of her personality. The fact that such ordinary objects are “rising up to crash through clouds” shows how extraordinary the situation is. e. so it sounds like the truth – the newsreader presents his views as fact rather than opinion. This idea becomes a running metaphor. The poet’s mother tongue is described as a living thing – she’s worried that it will “rot and die”. The poet mocks the term “half-caste” by comparing mixed-race people to classical music and paintings – the idea of calling these things “half” just because they’re mixed seems absurd. This could be seen as a metaphor for the poet being less than welcoming to people with certain points of view. This creates the impression that her mother tongue is rooted in her. Unusual Presentation: A lot of poems have an odd layout than can be very effective in creating first impressions. Dialects can be very obvious UNRELATED INCIDENTS 1. so there’s an ironic feel to putting an opinion that says regional accents are inferior into a regional accent. 2. Pakistan is described as “fractured”. 3. ∗ It includes using different forms of grammar. 3. HURRICANE HITS ENGLAND 1. 2. The woman wants to feel “closer / To the landscape” – she feels emotional about places. it makes her realise that everywhere on Earth is connected – so places aren’t that important after all. ∗ Slang words and swearing are non-standard English. The poet’s personal memories of Pakistan are of mysterious “shaded rooms’ and beggars. because he thinks we hear enough posh accents in public life. 4. The West Indian dialect sounds more direct than standard English. When England gets a taste of a Caribbean-style storm. Places can be connected to Identity PRESENTS FROM MY AUNTS IN PAKISTAN 1. so it feels more like a conversation. 3. 2. The poet shows he’s not ashamed to speak in his natural voice – he wants it to be heard. This emphasizes how different it sounds to standard English. Particular Places: The descriptions of places are strongly linked to the message of some of these poems which can be the poets’ homes or birthplaces. ∗ Non-standard English can mean talking in a regional dialect.Standard English means using “correct” grammar and no slang. The poet only vaguely remembers Pakistan – she relies on photos and newspapers to describe it. These aren’t very positive thoughts – she’s uncomfortable with the idea of being Pakistani. 4. and shows that he’s proud of it. ∗ Non-standard English can mean being creative with the words you use. HALF-CASTE 1. she feels a long way from her home in the Caribbean. reflecting the poet’s split identity. Dialect is the subject of the poem. At the start of the poem. setting a background for a certain topic and sometimes a lack of detail can be effective. 3. Two Cultures: . The whole poem is written phonetically to represent a Glaswegian dialect. 2. so the poet can challenge the reader (“wha yu mean”). The mixture of standard and non-standard English reflects the poet’s mixed background. like West Indian creole. Non-standard English allows the reader to “hear” the poet’s voice. The poet sees the English and Asian cultures as being separate parts of her that can’t be brought together. HURRICANE HITS ENGLAND 1. so the presents from Pakistan seem foreign to her. with one sub-culture dominating another. The poet feels that the two cultures don’t mix well – she feels “alien in the sitting-room” when she tries on the Pakistani clothes. the poet sees all places and cultures as being connected. even though she was born there and has relatives there. 2. suggesting it’s natural. The poet believes that people dismiss regional accents as inferior. ∗ Having a mixed background can make people feel like they’re torn between two cultures. By the end of the poem.Some poems talk about the effects of having two different cultures in their lives. thanks to the storm gods. The two cultures in this poem are posh English culture and working-class Scottish culture. The poet has spent most of her life in England. 3. the cultures seem very different. and suggests the differences aren’t important after all – “the earth is the earth is the earth”. 2. The theme is that it’s good when cultures mix – he compares it to “when light an shadow / mix in de sky”. ∗ Some cultures are divided. Some Cultures Clash SEARCH FOR MY TONGUE 1. The poet seems proud of his own mixed background. Again. 2. 2. UNRELATED INCIDENTS 1. by criticizing the dominance of English voices. 2. The realization that she belongs to two cultures seems to confuse her rather than help her – at the end she seems to feel like an outsider to both. This opposition is shown through languages – her mother tongue “could not really know the other”. 3. PRESENTS FROM MY AUNTS IN PAKISTAN 1. 3. 3. At the start of the poem. the division is shown through language – standard BBC English vs regional accents. The poet stands up for his own background. By the end. the two languages seem to be fighting each other – Gujarati “ties the other tongue in knots”. ∗ Sometimes people have moved to a different country and miss the culture they’re used to. The woman in the poem doesn’t feel a part of English culture – she misses the Caribbean. Cultures can Mix Together HALF-CASTE 1. . and she feels a long way from home. The message is that you should make the most of opportunities when they come along. . He advises the reader to “Give back your heart / To itself”. The poet thinks the expressions “half-caste” suggests mixed-race people are inferior. THIS ROOM 1. We don’t find out exactly what this moment is. 2. He challenges this viewpoint. There’s a sense of optimism about the poem – “This is the time and place / to be alive”. when things suddenly change for the better. The poet calls on the storm gods (Huracan. This poem deals with ideas of inferiority and equality. 4. Traditional African beliefs say that they weather is caused by gods. 2. sarcastically saying that he casts “half-ashadow”. 3. This poem is about being alone. He turns the idea around by saying that it’s the people who use the term “half-caste” who are incomplete because they don’t use “de whole of yu mind”. as relationships can make you betray your true identity. improbable event in someone’s life. Aspects of Humanity LOVE AFTER LOVE 1.Universal Ideas: If something is universal it could apply to any place or time such as loneliness. The poet basically says you’re often better off on your own. 2. and that adds to the universal feel of it – it stands for any special. Other poems that deal with universal ideas are ‘Not my Business’ and ‘Hurricane Hits England’. Traditions can Provide a Link with the Past HURRICANE HITS ENGLAND 1. The poem is about a special moment in life. 2. Equality HALF-CASTE 1. Oya and Shango) to explain why the hurricane has come to England. equality and identity. 3. Traditions: A tradition is a belief or custom that’s been passed down from one generation to the next. The poet challenges the assumption that people are incomplete without another person. 3. There are similarities and differences in the imagery that is used in the two poems even though they represent similar ideas. the images that are created have more movement and immediacy to them which shows COMPARE HOW IMAGERY IS USED TO PRESENT IDEAS AND FEELINGS IN ‘THIS ROOM’ AND ONE OTHER POEM (27 MARKS) . The imagery is very vivid and paints a bright image in the readers mind that is similar to the classic scene out of Disney’s ‘Sorcerer’s Apprentice’. “cracking” and “lifting”. Through the use of present participles such as “breaking”.3. The room represents the poets feelings of being controlled and shows how desperately she wants to break free. She feels a new sense of freedom and purpose. Imagery is used in the poems ‘This Room’ and ‘Love After Love’ to present various ideas and feelings. The poem ‘This Room’ by Imtiaz Dharker is a celebration and a journey to find one’s true self that is represented by the “room breaking out of itself”. The poet uses these gods as a link with her Caribbean roots. light. When the poet says “Give back to your heart”. 10 and 11. The first one is during stanza one when the old-self is greeting its new self and there is a clear air of excitement. I think that I prefer the poem ‘Love After Love’ as I find its image stronger as it looks and sounds like the poet is peeling off layers of themselves as the stanzas get one line shorter except for the last stanza. “with elation. An imperative is used. she is also nervous at the same time. The third image is shown through lines 7 and 8 where the self to find a way to love themselves again. and line lengths are irregular in order to fragment the form of the poem as well as the room. They both show something or someone breaking out of their old shell and emerging into a new being – one poem just uses two sides of the same person whereas the other poem uses a room. it is the strongest and most effective image in the poem as it is true for so many people in the world. The tone is happy. the poets hands are “clapping” which is also sonic. The last image consists of the last line and it invites the newly found self to feast on life and enjoy it. This shows Walcott’s feelings and makes it personal to him as well as to the reader. The fourth image is represented by the lines 9. and like ‘This Room’ makes effective use of imagery to get the poet’s intention across to the reader. The next image is represented by line 6 and it is the new self inviting the old self to feast on its life. like when she is “wondering where I’ve left my feet” in “all this excitement”. The form is fragmented in order to fit the image that the poem is trying to show. The poem ‘Love After Love’ by Derek Walcott is also about self-identity and discovery. “Bang” and “clang” are example of this. At the end of the poem. It represents the self peeling off all the fake layers around him or her in order to find their true selves. which makes the poem stronger and the point more immediate. For example. even if the other self chose to ignore it or was distracted by other things. “bed is lifting out of its nightmares”. empty air”. so that it is easier for the reader to imagine what is going on while the room is breaking out of itself. Contrast is used to add strength and depth to the poem. Line 8 has possible religious imagery because of the “Give wine. for example. It portrays that even though she is excited about the change. The next two images coincide with the poet’s main idea as it talks about “taking down the loveletters” and “peel your own layers”. I think that both poems are successful as they both paint vivid. and it is a positive image. like peeling an onion. There are seven images or metaphors used throughout the poem that move from one vivid image to the next. Even though the poem is generally positive. The reader can tell that the old-self wants to break free into clean and fresh surroundings. “Eat”. it is open to numerous interpretations because it could represent someone who has had their heart broken or someone who has lost a dear friend. and talks about the stranger than has “loved you” and has known and supported the true self all along. you will greet yourself”. In my opinion. there are elements of confusion. realistic and skillful pictures in the readers mind. It is clear that the poet is trying to find something through the poem by the line “search of space. The poet used onomatopoeia and assonance to add a sonic richness to the imagery. “Lifting” contrasts with the dark comes of “nightmares” and has connotations of liberation over imprisonment. Easter 1998’ . It shows how the poet has made peace with himself and that all is well.how the poet was feeling at the time. Both poems use a similar image to represent their idea of becoming a new and better self.” It reminds the reader of a communion and seems to have an air of divinity surrounding it. SAMPLE LITERATURE ESSAYS Nature – ‘A Difficult Birth. Give bread. caesura’s are sued to break up the lines. which is something the poet was feeling passionate and strongly about. I believe that both poet’s fulfilled their intention of presenting their ideas and feelings well through the use of good and effective imagery. but also shows approval for the poet finding her true self. They can be real or fictional. Likewise. Poets use various techniques to present their characters. The poets’ feelings about their characters vary. the “slippery head” of the lamb brings home the natural details of the birth. Clarke also has admiration for the character in her poem. hard-working men. In conclusion. We are taken through first tension and then relief as “he comes / in a syrupy flood”. the poem is made more powerful through the use of nature. Our concern for the ewe and lamb echoes the emotions people were feeling as the peace talks dragged on. The effect of this is to add more impact to the line “By God. The poet is trying to express different feelings and attitudes through their poems and their use of images from nature. Each stanza shows a different stage of the birth and peace process. the poet has nothing but admiration for his father and grandfather. “the lamb won’t come” and there seem to be difficulties. the poet says “We strain together”. In ‘Digging’. the poet vividly describes his father’s “straining rump” as he tirelessly digs. This allows Clarke to split her depiction of her daughter into memories of when she was born and more recent events – her daughter’s “defiant glare” in the second verse comes as no surprise after the description of “our first / Fierce confrontation” in the first verse. He is clearly very proud to be related to his grandfather when he tells us how he “cut more turf in a day / Than any other man on Toner’s bog”. This description of the poet’s father stands out because the verse is only two lines long and it is right in the middle of the poem. that old man could handle a spade”. Heaney’s rugged. This allows us to see the difficulty of this natural event. harsh language adds to the impression of his father and grandfather being strong. having just two verses.Nature includes plants and wildlife. In ‘Digging’. then in the fourth. the language in ‘Catrin’ reflects the poet’s impression of the character she is describing. for example. Gillian Clarke uses the story of an old ewe giving birth to represent the Irish peace talks going on at the same time. Gillian Clarke writes about her strong and defiant daughter. in the third stanza. The way the poet structures her poem relates to her use of nature in representing emotions and events. In ‘A Difficult Birth. even if they are outside our experience. while in ‘Catrin’. It is the background of much human experience and is often used by poets to represent emotions and events. The structure of these poems is important to the impression we get of the characters. The language is striking but down-to-earth. ‘Digging’ consists of a number of verses of different lengths. the weather and landscape. Seamus Heaney admiringly describes his father and grandfather tirelessly digging potatoes. The poet uses language and imagery from nature to make the emotions and events in the poem seem more vivid. and also suggests how difficult it was to finalise the peace agreement. strong long / Brown hair” emphasizes Catrin’s strength and good looks. and gives us an idea of how difficult the peace talks were. emotions or actions are portrayed in a poem. Natural images are used to help us imagine feelings and ideas more clearly. and the lamb is born. Alliteration and rhyme in “your straight. Characters – ‘Digging’ and ‘Catrin’ Characters are the people whose personalities. Easter 1998’. In each poem. The language is descriptive. but this is mixed in with frustration and possibly even . ‘Catrin’ has a different kind of structure. the style of language used affects our perception of the characters. As in ‘At a Potato Digging’ seemingly separate events are linked together. The poet describes how “the field lies bleeding” after the . as dead people “have so soone scap’d worlds. and the third. In the final verse. The poet says she is still “fighting / You off’. Jonson is devastated by his son’s death. The poet pays tribute to his son. ‘The Field Mouse’ and ‘Sonnet’ Imagery is the way poets use language to create vivid descriptions of situations. In ‘At a Potato Digging’. which suggests the destruction going on in Europe. Then the mouse is described. and modern workers taking a break. Jonson’s language is gentle and tender. on the other hand contains a bleak message about the devastation caused by war. showing how. ‘At a Potato Digging’ is split into four main sections. However. As they cut the hay.aggression. more shockingly to the starving people during the famine. with the most vivid imagery. despite her admiration for her daughter. Death – ‘On my first Sonne’ The poem ‘On my first Sonne’ presents death. with phrases such as “thou child of my right hand” showing the poet’s love for his dead son. there is a sense of the modern day diggers’ determination to survive. which is a small but poignant reminder of the victims of war. ‘The Field Mouse’. with the news of the war providing the background to the harvest. Heaney’s poem ‘At a Potato Digging’ employs some striking images of people digging potatoes up. the potatoes themselves. we are told that “its wave breaks before the tractor blade”. This poem also uses religious imagery to show how much people today value the potatoes – the soil is seen as “a seasonal altar”. In ‘At a Potato Digging’ the phrase “live skulls” refers first to the potatoes. and this is a very vivid description of civil war. The poems have an interesting and diverse range of characters. while ‘The Field Mouse’ by Gillian Clarke uses imagery of a harvest to represent the war in former-Yugoslavia. the potato famine. The imagery in ‘The Field Mouse’ is more violent. consisting of just one verse of six rhyming couplets. it “curls in agony big as itself”. ‘The Field Mouse’ has three verses. the pain and desperation of starvation is shown graphically. who has just died. The feelings suggested by the imagery in these poems are quite different. but then. related to the war and the narrator’s nightmare. and each of these describes different images related to the theme of potatoes: workers digging potatoes today. They still have a tough life. and the potato famine of the past. who died at just seven years old. He asks why people are sad about death. The structure of the poem relates to how death is presented. but he says that death may actually be a better state to be in than life. Imagery – ‘At a Potato Digging’. Both poems use very harsh language to create vivid images. the narrator dreams of her neighbor “wounding my land with stones”. a final fond goodbye to the poet’s “lov’d boy”. and fleshes rage” It is a moving poem which makes us question conventional attitudes to death by saying that death can be merciful. This creates a sense that the poem is like an inscription on a tombstone. the second about a mouse wounded by the hay cutting. she sees her as confrontational and a nuisance. ‘On my first Sonne’ has a simple structure. This structure allows us to link together the imagery of the different times. events and even emotions. but the “higgledy line from hedge to headland” that they form shows how they admirably pull together. the first having sleepy images of the harvest. “happy wings”. Colour is used to accentuate the beauty of the scene – “stain with gold”. “play”. . The image that I find most striking is when “The rough barks of humus erupts / knots of potatoes” in ‘At a Potato Digging’. war. “sport about “. softer side of nature: “wild flowers”.harvest. In ‘Sonnet’. John Clare uses imagery to describe the beauty of nature. this really brings home the fact that what might seem unremarkable to many people is a dramatic event for people who live under the threat of starvation. and nature’s beauty. He uses language to create an image of happiness: “beaming forth”. He focuses on a tamer. and the image of her neighbor attacking her family reminds us of the terrible things that humans are capable of. joyously expressing his reaction to the scene he is describing. All these poems use imagery to create vivid descriptions of their different subjects: famine. The poem focuses on the poet’s enjoyment of nature. “wool sack clouds” and “hay grass”. He repeats the phrase “I love” three times in the poem.