A Birthday Flashcards
rhyme
irregular rhyme pattern
pronouns
“my heart” possessive pronoun
shows the personal nature of the person
safety
“nest” imagery for safety and security
joy
“singing bird” evokes joy
comes naturally and innocently
religious reference 1st stanza
“water’d shoot” Isiah 58:11
also shows an ability to grow
nature imagery
anaphora
of “my heart”
frequently occurring possessive pronoun
young and old
“shoot” contrasted with “apple tree” - lush, fertile imagery
shows time progressing?
fertility
“thickset fruit”
perhaps a reference at her own lack of children
imperatives 2nd stanza
“raise me”, “hang it” and “carve it”
church
“raise me a dais”
like an alter
self-focused
wealth
“vair and purple dyes”
purple colour of royalty
material wealth
birds
“doves” symbols of reconciliation and peace
and holy spirit
2nd stanza images
are more exotic images in contrast to the more homely ones of the 1st stanza
is her love intensifying - shifting from the everyday to the extraordinary
flowers
“fleurs-de-lys”
symbols of kings and purity
love
“my love is come to me”
her love is more likely to be something committed to the Christian faith, rather than a man
