Mother any distance

By simon armitage 

From sons perspective 

"mother"direct adress implies a personal poem emphasising the strong  family bonding 

"base"she is the base like a space mission the part that holds it together somwhere he feels safe and keeps running smoothly 

"Anchor"

keeps a boat secure like how she keeps him secure 

"your fingertips still pinch/the last one hundreth of an inch"

minicule amount still clutches implying desperation to keep hold of him however 'pinch' is a negative conntotation 

"acres of walls,the prairies of the floors"

metaphoric choices of 'acres'and prairies' links to the natural world but exxageration  of task at hand reflects the persona feels daunted

"zero-end"mother  holding measuring tape at the 'zero-end'refers to his birth