Poetry- Relationships

Theme- Disintergration of a relationship. Damaged relationship is depicted as the finale of a western shootout. 

Form- Loosely structured, adds to tension, unpredictable.

Structure- Mirrors theme, speaker describes how lover makes contact and the reaction. We experience events at the same time the speaker does, adds to tension. Voice is alert and agitated, speaker is facing danger. Feeling that the lover has the upper hand and that the speaker is the victim. Visual poem/ strking. Relationship not ended amicably. Imagery.

Language- Communication, cliched western language. Hurt, pains of being in a relationship. Expectation for answers despite pain. A lot of tension, speaker is on edge.

Fight this out with words until death.

Western imagery, no hope, forms an extended metaphor.

Powerful verbs used.

"I wear the two, the mobile and the landline phones,

like guns, slung from the pockets on my hips. I'm all

alone. You ring, quickdraw, your voice a pellet

in my ear, and hear me groan."

Metaphor for guns. Viscious slanging match. Enjambement-line runs to next without punctuation. Loneliness. Effective because allows fluidity, iscolates word alone. Shows how quickly she answers.Onomatopoeic, plosive, hurt. Abrupt, unexpected pause, jerky, disjointed, reflects theme.

"You've wounded me.

Next time, you speak after the tone. I twirl the phone,

then squeeze the trigger of my tongue, wide of the mark.

You choose your spot, then blast me"

Split line/ emphasises her hurt. Internal rhyme adds up to the fractured rhythm, effective because it emphasises fractured rhythm just like fractured relationship. Western action, getting ready for battle. Alliterative t's make it very powerful, firing insults. Wait till it's your turn to speak. Plosive, powerful verb.

"through the heart.

And this is love, high noon, calamity, hard liquor

in the old Last Chance saloon. I show the mobile

to the Sheriff; in my boot, another one's

concealed. You text them both at once. I reel.

Down on my knees, I fumble for the phone,

read the silver bullets of your kiss. Take this...

and this... and this... and this... anf this..."

Split line shows hurt and pain. Speaker believes love is chaos, bad experience. Images of wild west. Extended metapjor. Narrator has found another mobile , could be cheaters other mobile, could be innocent, could be the mobile from the other person. Realises, proof of cheating, she's been shot. Hurt is clear, very hurt becuase they loved this person. Broken emphasises hurt. Sounds precious but shows hurt.  Like she/he is firing insults, elipses shows how it is one after the other, relentles.

Hour- about the intensity of new love.

Laura's poem: The Manhunt- about renewing a relationship after the effects of war.