climbing my grandfather Flashcards
Themes?
Discovery, Family, Admiration
Tones?
Firm, Loving, Nostalgic
Context
-Andrew Waterhouse was a lecturer at an agricultural
college.
-This was taken from his first book of poetry, published
in 2000. He died in 2001.
-The poem seems to be autobiographical, with the
poet reminiscing about his childhood – when perhaps
everything seemed bigger, including his grandfather.
Content, meaning and purpose
-The speaker used the extended metaphor of
mountaineering to describe how he gets to know his
grandfather: he is climbing up his body and trying to
discover things about him (“trying to get a grip”).
-Like climbing a mountain, the journey is tiring and
requires persistence, but holds great rewards.
-The message might be that we should work hard to
invest in our relationships, and to create bonds.
Language
-“I discover the glassy ridge of a scar”: he is
discovering previously unknown things about his
grandfather; scar suggests a painful memory.
-“his thick hair (soft and white at this altitude)”: hair
is compared a snowy mountain top: a place of beauty.
-“I can only lie watching clouds and birds circle”:
symbolises the rewards of the relationship, once the
mountain is climbed. Also links their bond to nature.
-“to drink among teeth. Refreshed”: the relationship
nourishes him and re-energises him.
“knowing the slow pulse of his good heart”: he has
finally gained knowledge, and feels the steady and
reliable love of his grandfather.
Form
-The poem is formed of one solid block of text,
representing the solid structure and impressiveness of
both a mountain and of his grandfather.
-Each line tracks the journey of the ascent, and charts
the speaker’s growing relationship with grandfather.
-The free verse and enjambment create an
adventurous pace: the speaker barely pauses for
breath in his pursuit of closeness and knowledge.
-Present tense adds to the sense of immediacy and
adventure: the journey is unfolding before the reader’s
eyes.
