Family Love Poetry

Question 1

Give the author and contextual information of ‘Before You Were Mine’.

Answer 1

The author of this poem is Carol Ann Duffy. She wrote this poem as she believed she limits her mother from being who she was meant to be.

Question 2

What is ‘Before You Were Mine’?

Answer 2

A commentary on the discomfort and harassing nature of female coming of age.

Question 3

Throughout ‘Before You Were Mine’, what words and phrases contribute to the idea of the discomfort of female coming of age?

Answer 3

“Marilyn” “Ballroom with the thousand eyes.” “Small bites on your neck.” “Cha cha cha”

Question 4

‘Before You Were Mine’: “Your polka-dot dress blows

Answer 4

round your legs. Marilyn.”

Question 5

‘Before You Were Mine’: …round your legs. Marilyn.”

Answer 5

“Your polka-dot dress blows

Question 6

‘Before You Were Mine’: “Ballroom with the thousand eyes,

Answer 6

the fizzy, movie tomorrows the right walk home could bring.”

Question 7

In ‘Before You Were Mine’, which line does the volta lie in, and what phrase signals it?

Answer 7

The volta lies in line 9, and is signalled by the phrase, “before you were mine.”

Question 8

‘Before You Were Mine’: “Decade ahead of my loud,

Answer 8

possessive yell was the best one.”

Question 9

‘Before You Were Mine’: …possessive yell was the best one.”

Answer 9

“Decade ahead my loud,

Question 10

What does the word ‘relic’ suggest in ‘Before You Were Mine’?

Answer 10

That the mother’s dreams of becoming a star are shattered, an ancient dream.

Question 11

‘Before You Were Mine’: “I see you,

Answer 11

clear as scent.”

Question 12

‘Before You Were Mine’: …clear as scent.”

Answer 12

“I see you,

Question 13

What method is “clear as scent” in ‘Before You Were Mine’?

Answer 13

A synaesthesiatic simile.

Question 14

In ‘Before You Were Mine’, what dance does the last stanza start with?

Answer 14

“Cha cha cha!”

Question 15

What is the “Cha cha cha” and what does it reveal?

Answer 15

It is traditionally quite a sexy dance, thus starting the final stanza with the clear image of the mother living a version of her old life, 10 years ago.

Question 16

‘Before You Were Mine’: “Stamping stars from the

Answer 16

wrong pavement.”

Question 17

‘Before You Were Mine’: …wrong pavement.”

Answer 17

“Stamping stars from the

Question 18

‘Before You Were Mine’: “Sparkle and

Answer 18

waltz and laugh before you were mine.”

Question 19

What real world road does “Stamping stars from the wrong pavement” in ‘Before You Were Mine’ reflect?

Answer 19

The Hollywood Boulevard, the quote reveals that the child is literally stamping on the mother’s dreams, and the mother should be in Hollywood.

Question 20

Give the author and contextual information of ‘Mother, Any Distance’.

Answer 20

This poem was written by poet laureate, Simon Armitage. He is measuring his new house with his mother, and the poem is an extended metaphor for the moving on that parents have to go through when their child leaves.

Question 21

‘Mother, Any Distance’: “Distance greater than a single span/

Answer 21

requires a second pair of hands.”

Question 22

‘Mother, Any Distance’: “The acres of walls,

Answer 22

the prairies of the floors.”

Question 23

‘Mother, Any Distance’: …the prairies of the floors.”

Answer 23

“The acres of walls,

Question 24

‘Mother, Any Distance’: “You at the zero-end, me

Answer 24

with the spool of tape.”

Question 25

‘Mother, Any Distance’: …with the spool of tape.”

Answer 25

“You at the zero-end, me

Question 26

‘Mother, Any Distance’: “The line still feeding out,

Answer 26

unreeling year between us.”

Question 27

‘Mother, Any Distance’: “Anchor.

Answer 27

Kite.”

Question 28

‘Mother, Any Distance’: …Kite.”

Answer 28

“Anchor.

Question 29

‘Mother, Any Distance’: “Space-walk through

Answer 29

the empty bedrooms.”

Question 30

‘Mother, Any Distance’: …the empty bedrooms.”

Answer 30

“Space-walk through

Question 31

‘Mother, Any Distance’: “Reporting metres,

Answer 31

centimetres back to base”

Question 32

‘Mother, Any Distance’: “The last

Answer 32

one-hundredth of an inch.”

Question 33

‘Mother, Any Distance’: “Hatch that opens

Answer 33

on an endless sky/ to fall or fly.”

Question 34

‘Mother, Any Distance’: …on an endless sky/ to fall or fly.”

Answer 34

“Hatch that opens

Question 35

Give the author and contextual information of Letters from Yorkshire.

Answer 35

The author is Maura Dooley. The poem is about her unfulfilling life of journalism in London, as she writes letters to a male friend whom they have no romantic connection with (i.e a platonic male friend, a father or a brother).

Question 36

Letters from Yorkshire: “Digging his garden,

Answer 36

planting potatoes.”

Question 37

Letters from Yorkshire: …planting potatoes.”

Answer 37

“Digging his garden,

Question 38

Letters from Yorkshire: “He saw the first lapwings return and

Answer 38

came indoors to write to me, his knuckles singing.”

Question 39

Letters from Yorkshire: …came indoors to write to me, his knuckles singing.”

Answer 39

“He saw the first lapwings return and

Question 40

Letters from Yorkshire: “It’s not romance,

Answer 40

simply how things are.”

Question 41

Letters from Yorkshire: …simply how things are.”

Answer 41

“It’s not romance,

Question 42

Letters from Yorkshire: “You out there, in the

Answer 42

cold, seeing the seasons.”

Question 43

Letters from Yorkshire: …cold, seeing the seasons.”

Answer 43

“You out there, in the

Question 44

Letters from Yorkshire: “Me with my heartful of

Answer 44

headlines, feeding words onto a blank screen.”

Question 45

Letters from Yorkshire: …headlines, feeding words onto a blank screen.”

Answer 45

“Me with my heartful of

Question 46

Letters from Yorkshire: “Is your life more real

Answer 46

because you dig and sow?”

Question 47

Letters from Yorkshire: “You wouldn’t say so,

Answer 47

breaking ice on a waterbutt.”

Question 48

Letters from Yorkshire: …breaking ice on a waterbutt.”

Answer 48

“You wouldn’t say so,

Question 49

Letters from Yorkshire: “Pouring air and

Answer 49

light into an envelope.”

Question 50

Letters from Yorkshire: …light into an envelope.”

Answer 50

“Pouring air and

Question 51

Letters from Yorkshire: “Our souls tap out

Answer 51

messages across the icy miles.”

Question 52

Letters from Yorkshire: …messages across the icy miles.”

Answer 52

“Our souls tap out