21st Century Poetry

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Chainsaw Versus The Pampas Grass

Main theme: Masculinity versus Femininity

Main techniques:

  • The personification of the chainsaw and the pampas grass
  • Stereotypes of masculinity (violent) and femininity (desire)

Other themes: Conflict of man and nature

Other techniques used:

  • Short stanzas to show submission
  • Sibilance and assonance to emphasise stereotypes
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Material

Main theme: The changing role of a mother

Main technique: Half rhyme

Other themes:

  • Mother figure
  • Nostalgia

Other techniques used:

  • Imagery
  • Reminscient tone
  • Repetition
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History

Main theme: Sense of uncertainty

Main technique: Contrast of concrete and abstract

Other themes:

  • Shattered life/mortality
  • 9/11

Other techniques used:

  • Vagueness 
  • Unfinished lines
  • The erratic structure seems like falling
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An Easy Passage

Main theme: Period between girlhood and womanhood

Main technique:

  • 1 continual stanza
  • Present tense

Other themes: Juxtaposition of youth

Other techniques used:

  • Rhetorical questions of the narrative voice
  • Lots of imagery
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The Deliverer

Main theme: Relationships between narrator, mother, foster etc

Main techniques used: Shifts in narratives

Other themes: Woman's role in society

Other techniques used:

  • Ambiguity
  • Psychological
  • Tercets to 2 line stanzas
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The Lammas Hireling

Main theme: Transgressions

Main technique: Disturbing and archaic imagery

Other themes: Opposites

Other techniques used:

  • Enjambment creates tension
  • Intentional ambiguity
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To My Nine-Year-Old Self

Main theme: Childhood vs adulthood

Main technique: Youthful imagery

Other themes:

  • Freedom of childhood vs regimented adult
  • Mistakes/life lessons

Other techniques used:

  • Concrete nouns
  • Shifting pronouns
  • Cautious tone
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A Minor Role

Main theme: How precious life is

Main technique: Internal monologue

Other themes:

  • Social expectations
  • Pretences

Other techniques used:

  • Imagery
  • Optimistic tone
  • Erratic
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The Gun

Main theme: Controversial objects

Main technique: Sinister imagery

Other themes: Society and guns

Other techniques used:

  • Personification
  • Tone
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The Furthest Distances I've Travelled

Main theme: The physical and emotional journey

Main technique: Free verse

Other themes: Transition from freedom to maturity

Other techniques used:

  • Juxtaposition
  • Lack of punctuation
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Guiseppe

Main theme: War and its influence 

Main technique: Enjambment

Other themes: Moral compass

Other techniques used:

  • Pronouns to dehumanise
  • Simile
  • Extended metaphor
  • Eerie tone
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Out Of The Bag

Main theme: Childs perspective versus an adults

Main technique: Storytelling tone

Other themes: 

  • Class
  • Gender

Other techniques used:

  • Enjambment
  • Intellectual language
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Effects

Main theme: Reminiscing

Main technique: Inner monologue

Other themes:

  • Melancholy
  • Regret

Other techniques used:

  • Irregular rhyme scheme
  • Symbolism
  • Solemn tone
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Genetics

Main theme: Relationship between parent and child

Main technique: Villanelle - 19 line poem, two rhyme scheme, detailing love and loss

Other themes: Maternal connection

Other techniques used: 

  • Symbolic language
  • Religious imagery
  • Half rhyme
  • Sad, poetic tone
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From The Journal of A Disappointed Man

Main theme: Contrast between narrator and workmen

Main technique: Imagery

Other themes: Type of masculinity

Other techniques used:

  • Metaphor
  • Juxtaposition
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Look We Have Coming To Dover

Main theme: Mix of culture

Main technique: "Punglish" Punjabi English

Other themes:

  • Immigration
  • Society
  • Identity

Other techniques used:

  • Alternative rhyme
  • Imagery
  • Colloliqualism
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Please Hold

Main theme: Monotomy of life

Main technique: Chaotic atmosphere

Other themes: Technology

Other techniques used:

  • Four narrators
  • Repetition
  • Single continious stanza
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On Her Blindness

Main theme: Experience of sight loss

Main technique: Unnerving use of imagery/lack of

Other themes:

  • Sympathy
  • Lies we tell ourselves

Other techniques used:

  • Enjambement to disoreintate
  • Conversational dialogue
  • Repetition
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Ode On A Grayson Perry Urn

Main theme: Definition of beauty

Main technique/s: Imagery to emphasise setting

Other themes:

  • Materialism
  • Time and beauty

Other techniques used:

  • Engaging tone
  • Casual language
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