Quick Draw by Carol Ann Duffy

Quickdraw is about a one-sided snapshot of a relationship. The speaker of the poem is waiting for contact from her lover. The context of the relationship is unclear, we do not know if the speaker want to be contacted or not. It suggests that one sort of arguement has happened proir to the evets in the poem.

Quickdraw has four stanzas of four lines in each, two of wich are joined by enjambment. There is no ryhme or regular rhyme, it is a free verse.

There is an extended matahpor of a western gunfight. "Gunslingers" is a term used in the western to describe those who fight with guns, often shooting from the hip. The poem replaces weapons with moblie phones "like guns, slung from the pockets on my hips". Duffy is making a humerous comment on the way in which relationships can be like a fight, or "showdown".

Punctuation is used to reflet the feelings of the speaker. In the first stanza a long opening sentence is followed by a very short one "Im all alone" which creates tention, while the speaker waits for a phone call. Punctuation is also used in the final stanza as the speaker "Reel"s at the receipt of recieving two text messages at once. She composes her reply "Take this...and this...and this...and this" which sounds like the shot of a gun, or lots of kisses. The poem has an ambigous ending, did she return to the "silver bullets of your kisses" or could this be the end?

Suggest that there is a qrnuinr closeness between the two lovers: "In my ear", "hear me groan", "tongue", "heart", "Down on my knees, i fumble" and "kiss".

The poem explores ways in which relationships can be a struggle for power, often leading to"Shootouts" or arguments. Its an essentailly humorous poem, even though it deals with an emotional struggle. 

• Nettles- imagery from a different context 
• Manhunt- Extened metaphor, ambigous ending, repition, onamapea, oxymronic and hyperbole
• Sister Maude- conflict and violence in a relationship