A Child To His Sick Grandfather

A Child To His Sick Grandfather

Language - There is a tensionin this poem as the title references it is a „child‟ speaking, and yet their use of language is mature, for instance, they understand that telling tales of „men all clad in coats of mail‟ will be therapeutic for their ailing father.

                  - This tension communicates the fact that you can be both an adult and still the child of your parents.

                  - The speaker promisesthey will help and support their father, for instance, they will „be serving‟ at his side during dinner. Such promises show that a role reversal is occurring, where once the parent cared for the child, now it is the other way round. 

                  - The „weary fire turns blue‟ because it‟s dying down, this acts as a metaphorfor the father, who once radiated warmth, but is now „ailing‟.

                  - The speaker uses questionsas a method of trying to prevent the father from dying. 

                  - The first question is rhetorical and also defiant in tone as the child challenges the father not to „die and leave us then?‟ There is a bittersweet elementto this line as the idea that you can just decide not to die is so absurd it becomes funny, and yet death is inevitable, so this challenge is ultimately futile.

                  - The second question of „You love a story, dad?‟ is asked for several reasons. The child knowsthe father will enjoy a story but looks for…