Walking away

About:

-The speaker in the poem is Day-Lewis

-Day-Lewis' mother died when he was young so he was used to a strong father-son relationship as his father brought him up

-His poetry often uses nature to explore personal experiences

-It is about his son, Sean, and how he must let him go his own way to let him develop further as a person

Themes:

• Family
• Separation
• Memory

Overall idea:

-Written by Cecil Day-Lewis

-He is remembering special moments with his son

-At the start of the poem he finds it hard to come to terms to the fact he must let his son move on

-As the poem progresses Day-Lewis looks back on all the times he gave his on more freedom which reminds him why it is important to do so

-At the end of the poem the father understands he must let his son go and does so happily

Language

"Like a satellite/Wrenched from its orbit"- Simile, the dad is no longer the centre of the his son's life. The verb "wrenched" suggests letting his son out of the "orbit" is very painful for the father but also makes the son sound helpless and in danger. The simile is split with "Wrenched" starting the next line highlighting that the separation was sudden and painful for the father

"Pathos of a half-fledged thing set free"-frickatives give the line a light, flowingsound as if it is in flight. "Half-fledged"- makes a comparison to a baby bird, suggests the son is 'flying the nest' and taking his first steps to independence. 

Language

"Like a winged seed"- Simile, the adjective "winged" implying the son is flying away, a seed is the offspring of a flower which is the link to the son

"Go drifting away"- "drifting" implies it was a relaxed movement and not done menacingly. Link to nature, just as the wind drifts through the air the son moved away from his father naturally.

"The small scroching/ Ordeals which fire one's irresolute clay"-The word ‘scorching’ implies pain, and ‘ordeals’ implies hugely difficult experiences. What seem like small incidents can be enormous emotional events for the father yet they all have prepared for the inevitable leaving of his son.

Structure

"Go drifting away/ Behind a scatter of boys"- the enjambment between the verses shows the point where his son turns away into a crowd of boys and the father struggles to see him. It highlights the growing separation between them. It makes the reader feel sorry for the narrator as his son has chosen his friends over his dad.

"How selfhood beings with a walking away/ And love is proved in the letting go"-rhythmic change shows the father has understood he must let his son go and although it will cause him pain accepts it is what is needed to allow him to grow

About

-Written by Percy Bysshe Shelley who was friends with Lord Byron (When We Two Parted)

-Shelley was one of the most important romantic poets

-He was somewhat unpopular as he often wrote about atheism, vegetarianism and the need for social and political change

-Love's Philosophy is a simple love poem which shows a personal side to him who usually wrote more serious and controversial poems

Themes:

• Romantic Love
• Physical Attraction

Overall idea:

-In the poem Shelley uses many examples of pairs in nature to emphasise that his lover should be with the speaker

-It is a playful arguement, with the speaker putting forward his reasons as to why the two of them should be united through love

-The natural imagery and strong rhyme scheme evoke the reader's senses, presenting this relationship as something innocent, simple and inevitable

-'Philosophy' is "a theory or attitude that acts as a guiding principle for behaviour" so suggests that because everything in nature is paired and together, the couple should be too.

Language

"The winds of heaven mix for ever/With a sweet emotion"-Personification, nature enjoys and benefits for the union. Mention of heaven suggests God wishes everything to be paired and it is divine to unite

"See the mountains kiss high hevaen/And the waves clasp one another"-verbs, physical and passionate, sense of frustration that the narrator is unable to do this with his lover

"No sister-flower would be forgiven"-The speaker implies her lack of love for him is against God's Law as if a flower doesn't reproduce it is going against nature

Language

"What are all these kissings worth"-hyperbole, love gives life meaning as God has gone out of his way to ensure everything is paired and able to reproduce, without it life isn't worth much

"Why not I with thine?" "If thou kiss not me?"- change in the order of the pronouns as he was rejected to begin with. He is giving her the power as she would be more inclined to say yes.

Structure

"River" "Ever"- half-rhyme reflects that although the couple are close they are not united unlike everything else in nature. The ABAB rhyme scheme in the rest of the poem further helps to highlight the togetherness of everything else in nature.

"In one another's being mingle-"- the dash creates a short pause which could indicate a longing sigh. It emphasises the importance of the question which follows

"And the sunlight clasps the earth/And the moonbeams kiss the sea"- mirrored repetition indicates that they must mirror how nature is paired

About:

-Causeley's father died when he was 7 due to injuries he sustained in WWI

-He nursed his mum till her death and developed a close relationship with her

-He never married

-This poem was published in 1988, shortly after his mother's death

Themes:

• Memory
• Family
• Separation

Overall idea:

-Written by Charles Causley

-The poem is about a vivid memory the narrator is reliving 

-Causley is likely to be the narrator however he never confirmed

-Could be interpreted that it is about the narrator's death, he is slowly dying and is unsure whether to cross and join his parents in heaven but by the end of the poem has made his decision

-The poem makes the reader feel that death is a peaceful and almost enjoyable experience.

Language

"They are waiting" "Trembling"- The use of the present tense makes the scene he's describing feel more vivid. It is as if the memory is frozen in the speaker's memory as his happiest moment

"Still two years old"-a moment from many years ago is now replaying showing it has a timeless quality

"I had not thought it would be like this"-monosyllabic language creates a child-like simplicity again showing that death is simple and shouldn't be scary. "It" can be interpreted to mean death implying the narrator didn't think death would be so peaceful, tranquil and joyous.

Language

"From a thermos" "Old H.P bottle"- these are ordinary things yet he remembers vividdetails, shows the importance of the memory and the affection he has for his parents and the way they do things

"Crossing is not as hard you might think"-The narrator's parents comfort and encourage him to embrace death rather than be scared of it, typical parental role. "Crossing" is a fairly ordinary action showing that death is normal and calm and is nothing to be afraid of

"White" "Eden" "Takes on the light" "Sky whitens" "Three" "Other bank"- Biblical semantic field with lots of connotations of heaven and angels implies the poem is to do with the afterlife

Structure

"Of paper for a cork; slowly" "A stone along the water. Leisurely"-caesura slows down the pace, reflects the slowness of the action and calmness. Nothing is hasty and they are enjoying their time together. Following the semicolon and full stop with the calming adverbs "slowly" and "leisurely" further highlights the tranquility and peace.

"Crossing is not as hard as you might think.

I had not thought it would be like this"- The physical separation of the final line represents the separation between the narrator and his parents. It is a small distance to cross but a big decision and he has to decide if he will go and join them. 

About

-Written by Simon Armitage

-Armitage often writes about complex emotions using everyday events

-Poem comes from a collection called the "Book of Matches", so called as each poem can be read in the time it takes for a match to burn

Themes:

• Family
• Separation

Overall idea:

-In the poem the narrator is moving into a new house by himself

-His mother is there with him helping him measure the walls etc

-The tape measure they are holding represents that the mother feels unable to let him go so is still holding onto him

-She is keeping him grounded so he can't fly off however the narrator feels he needs space to be allowed to grow up

-By the end of the poem she allows her son to be free

Language

"Acres" "Prairies"-metaphors and hyperbole create an image of vast open space which hints at adventure and excitement but also creates a sense of nervousness at the unkown, also suggests the son needs space to allow him to grow up

"breaking point where something/ has to give"-Their rekationship needs to change, she needs to let go as he is trying to move away. They must both let go at the same time otherwise there will be more pain for one of them as, literally, the tape measure would come back and hurt one of them and, metaphorically, the person who doesn't let go will experience more pain as the other will have moved on leaving them trying to grasp onto them

Language

"Up the stairs"-He is moving away from his mother both physically and emotionally. She is still clasping hold of the tape measure unable to let him go and allow him to nurture as she feels she will get left behind and forgotten about.

"Hatch" "Fall or fly"-Bird imagery suggests hatching and 'flying the nest'. He's breaking away from his mother's protection and even though he knows he might not make it he wants to try and do things for himself. "Fly" is the last word of the poem showing he is optimistic to the future. "Endless sky" further creates an optimistic tone 

Structure

"Span" "Hands"- Half-rhyme shows that there is still a connection between them but it is beginning to break, shows there is a dislocation between the speaker and his mother

"has to give;"-short line with a semi-colon emphasises his frustration at being restrained, this is the moment he wants to break free

"the last one-hundreth of an inch...I reach"-This is the moment in which the mother lets him go as she realises they will both get hurt more if she doesn't

About

-Autobiographical poem about the poet's mother, 10 years before Duffy was born. There are also some mentions of her grandmother

-Duffy says "'Before you were mine' is esentially a kind of love poem addressed to my mother. I am imagining my mother 10 years before I was born-almost trying to re-create her as a teenaged girl through language"

Themes:

• Family
• Memory

Overall idea:

-Written by Carol Ann Duffy

-In the poem, Duffy is looking at some photographs of her mother when she was in her late teens

-She is admiring her mother and is proud of her but there is also a hint of jealously that her mother wasn't so glamorous and fun once Duffy was born

-It may be interpreted that Duffy's mother has now died and she is reminiscing about her and all the memories she'd been told about

Structure

"I'm ten years away" "I'm not here yet" "The decade ahead"-The first stanzas all begin with a reminder in the distance between the narrator's birth and her mum's youthful fun

"Marilyn."-Marilyn Monroe commited suicide at 36, the single word sentence using her name implies that thst once Duffy's mother gives birth to her there will be the death of her youth

"before I was born. That glamorous love lasts"- caesura shows that Duffy's birth made her mum's life completely change direction and was a big turning point for her, she stopped going out and partying and having her youthful fun

Language

"Your polka-dot dress blows around your legs"-compares her mother to Marilyn Monroe, suggestion that Duffy thinks her mother is very glamorous and enjoying life in the photo

"Fizzy, movie tomorrows"- "Fizzy" suggests an energy and excitement, the mother is still young and full of ambition. "Movie" indicates she wished to be in a film star

"Your Ma stands at the close"-Duffy's mother had the freedom to go out but was also restrained by her own mother. "Ma" is colloquial language showing that the mother and grandmother were close but also Duffy was close to her mother as she knows this

Language

"Relics" "Ghost"- "Relics" are sacred religious objects from the past implying the mother's glamour was precious but "ghost" highlights it was a thing of the past which won't return. Could suggest the death of her mother's youth or that her mother has physically died and Duffy is remembering her so vividly she can see her ghost

"before you were mine"-repeating title emphasises differences between then and now. It also develops the possesive tone by repeating the pronoun "mine"

"wrong pavement"- contrast with the "right walk home". Suggestion she made a bad choice in life e.g didn't go home when she was meant to leading to her becoming pregnant. Linked to the Hollywood stars and that her ambitions of becoming a film star were never achieved

About:

-Written by Daljit Nagra

-"Singh" comes from a Sanskrit word meaning 'lion', all Sikh men would have this as part of his name

-He uses language such as 'vee' and 'di' to create an Indian-English accent

-His poetry explores the first generation of Indian immigrants to England and their children

Themes:

• Romantic Love
• Physical Attraction

Overall idea:

-It is a love song from a man to his wife

-The man runs a shop and his house, and wife, is above it

-When he gets bored or there is nobody in the shop, he locks up and goes upstairs to see his wife

-The couple challenge stereotypical Indian culture and lots of metaphors are used to show this

Language

"daddy's shops"-Childish language, the father still has control over his life, suggests a youthfulness to the narrator

"newly bride" "brightey moon"-non-standard use of language implies he is still getting used to the English language

"in di worst Indian shop/ on di whole Indian road"- exaggeration creates humour and highlights the contrast between the unreliable narrator and his careful father

"Above my head high heel tap di ground"- his new bride is glamorous, monosyllabic sounds imitate her heel tapping the ceiling

Language

"tiny eyes ov a gun/ and di tummy ov a teddy"- unusual metaphors are used to describe his wife. "Gun" suggests she can be dangerous yet "teddy" suggests she is also affectionate and cute, shows she has many characteristics in one"

"in all di colours of Punjabi"shows the language is colourful and fun but also suggests the idea of variety and diversity and that bahind the stereotype of an Indian immigrant are many different lives and no set way they live"

Structure

"Hey Singh, ver yoo bin?"- repeated refrain, link to title. Phonetic spellings emphasise the auditory imagery of a chorus of voices

"My bride"-repetition at the start of the next 3 verses implies that he is proud of her and highlights his desire for her

"she say" "I say"- repetition and 2 line stanzas makes the couple's conversation sound song like while emphasising the closeness between them

"Is priceless baby-"- poem is left hanging, positively looks to the future

About:

-Written by Andrew Waterhouse

-Waterhouse was a teacher, enviromentalist, poet and musician

-He commited suicide after suffering with depression for many years

-He described his poetry as "imagining a world...full of solid objects and hard edges; stones, wood and frozen ground"

Themes:

• Family
• Memory

Overall idea:

-The narrator is remembering how, as a child, he would climb on his grandfather

-He compares his grandfather to a mountain which indicates the narrator enjoys mountain climbing as an adult and is familiar with the terms

-As the child climbs he discovers things about his grandfather and gets to know him better

Structure

"By the overhanging shirt I change 
Direction, traverse along his belt"-enjambment reflects the change in direction, which suggests he came into a difficulty and had to take a different route to overcome it

"At his still firm shoulder, I rest for a while
in the shade not looking down,
for climbing has its dangers, then pull"-Different line lengths mimic the peaks and troughs of a mountain, this is used throughout the poem but is particularly evident here

"Feeling his heat, knowing
the slow pulse of his good heart"-short line and enjambment prepare the reader for the conclusion of what the child has learnt about his grandfather

Language

"Dusty and cracked"- compares his shoes to the foothills of a mountain, also links to the grandfather's age

"[The nails are] splintered"-verb, sounds somewhat ugly but gives the speaker a good grip on his grandfather. Reflects the treatment of old people in Western society, they are often not valued when they have lots to offer

"Place my feet/gently in the old stitches and move on"- Grandson shows maturity and sensitivity here as he doesn't linger and question his grandfather over what might have been a painful past experience 

Language

"pupil/slowly open and close"-Represents a child-like fascination at simple things, he properly seeing his grandfather for the first time, eyes are the window to the soul so he is seeing deep into his grandfather's personality. grandson is also a pupil as he is learning things aout his grandfather

"the slow pulse of his good heart"-the grandson can pysically hear his grandfather's heartbeat but also implies that he loves him unconditionally and warmly. Monosyllabic line slows the pace of the poem and imitates his grandfather's heartbeat