Harmonium - Mr Bruff - A* Analysis

Simon Armitage -  Born in Marsen Yorkshire, he is a profesor at Sheffield University. His themes are usually sinister happenings, death, everyday life and gritty observations. 

Harmonium

A poem which is about Armitage's relationship with his Dad. It is a memory. The structure is two long stanzas andd two short stanzas, this could reflect the age difference in the two men, youth and experience. Only two rhyming couplets.

The Farrand Chapelette was gathering dust in the shadowy porch of Marsden Church. And was due to be bundled off to the skip.Or was mine, for a song, if I wanted it.

'The Farrand Chapelette' An old Harmonium from Detroit, USA. 'shadowy porch of Marsden Church.' this line has very hushed sound which can resemble the feeling he has when walking into the church. 'for a song' ambigious, this can be literal or mean that he got it on the bargain.

Sunlight, through stained glass, which day to day could beatify saints and raise the dead, had aged the harmonium’s softwood case and yellowed the fingernails of its keys. And one of its notes had lost its tongue, and holes were worn in both the treadles where the organist’s feet, in grey, woollen socks and leather-soled shoes, had pedalled and pedalled.

'beatify' a roman catholic process where they declare a person's life to be holy, declaring someone a saint. There are depictions of them being brought to life. 'aged the harmonium's softwood cased and yellowed the fingernails of its keys. And one of its notes had lost its tongue." The constant personification here can reflect that of a dead body and coffins here can foreshadow what may come at the end of this poem. Making the Harmonium extremely personal. 'pedalled and pedalled.' Showing how you have to actually work…