Death and the moon

Question 1

Context of the poem

Answer 1

Addressed to an ex wife’s partner
She was with the partner for 10 years

Question 2

What’s the effect of having no page number?

Answer 2

Believed to be an epilogue or an afterthought.

Question 3

Another effect of having no page number?

Answer 3

Differs in tone and subject from other poems.

Question 4

What does moon connote within the title?

Answer 4

Dark side of nature and eternity

Question 5

What does death connote within the title?

Answer 5

Universal sentiments about grief

Question 6

‘The moon is nearer’ meaning

Answer 6

Poet relies on images of distance to conceptualise her loss.

Question 7

‘Cold as cash’ Technique

Answer 7

Thermal Imagery

Question 8

‘Cold as cash’ Meaning

Answer 8

Denotes sadness and a lack of energy.

Question 9

‘Hard rain’ ‘Tough confetti’ Technique

Answer 9

Oxymoron

Question 10

‘Hard rain’ ‘Tough confetti’ Meaning

Answer 10

Conflicting emotions, Duffy is unable to comprehend the death of her friend.

Question 11

‘gulped’ ‘swallowed’ ‘tossed’ Technique

Answer 11

Violent imagery

Question 12

‘gulped’ ‘swallowed’ ‘tossed’ Meaning

Answer 12

Reflects grief as painful.

Question 13

‘Unreachable’ ‘Unseeable’ Technique

Answer 13

Parallel repetition

Question 14

‘Unreachable’ ‘Unseeable’ Meaning

Answer 14

Conveys her inability to restore the connection.

Question 15

‘The black night’ Meaning

Answer 15

A sense of emptiness stretching outwards.