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

Question 53

Give the author and contextual information of Before You Were Mine?

Answer 53

The author is Carol Anne Duffy, a past poet laureate, who writes about regretting to cause her mother to lose freedom and her bright future, but also comments on the sexualisation and uncomfortability of teenage girls.

Question 54

Before You Were Mine: "Ten years away from

Answer 54

the corner you laugh on."

Question 55

Before You Were Mine: ...the corner you laugh on."

Answer 55

"Ten years away from

Question 56

Before You Were Mine: "Shriek at

Answer 56

the pavement."

Question 57

Before You Were Mine: ...the pavement."

Answer 57

"Shriek at

Question 58

Before You Were Mine: "Polka-dot dress blows

Answer 58

round your legs. Marilyn."

Question 59

Before You Were Mine: ...round your legs. Marilyn."

Answer 59

"Your polka-dot dress blows

Question 60

Before You Were Mine: "Thought of me doesn't occur in the ballroom with the thousand eyes,

Answer 60

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

Question 61

Before You Were Mine: ...the fizzy, movie tomorrows the right walk home could bring."

Answer 61

"Thought of me doesn't occur in the ballroom with the thousand eyes,

Question 62

Before You Were Mine: "The decade ahead of my loud, possessive yell

Answer 62

was the best one, eh?"

Question 63

Before You Were Mine: ...was the best one, eh?"

Answer 63

The decade ahead of my loud, possessive yell

Question 64

Before You Were Mine: "Clear

Answer 64

as scent."

Question 65

Before You Were Mine: ...as scent."

Answer 65

"Clear

Question 66

Before You Were Mine: "Cha Cha Cha! You'd teach me the

Answer 66

steps on the way home from Mass"

Question 67

Before You Were Mine: ...steps on the way home from Mass"

Answer 67

"Cha Cha Cha! You'd teach me the

Question 68

Before You Were Mine: "You sparkle and waltz and

Answer 68

laugh before you were mine."

Question 69

Before You Were Mine: ...laugh before you were mine."

Answer 69

"You sparkle and waltz and

Question 70

Give the author and contextual information of 'Eden Rock'.

Answer 70

'Eden Rock', by Charles Causley, is a poem aboout reuniting with his mother and father in the afterlife, and was published not long before his death, however the poem also reveals Causley's reluctance to embrace death.

Question 71

Eden Rock: "My father, twenty

Answer 71

five, in the same suit / Of Genuine Irish Tweed"

Question 72

Eden Rock: ...in the same suit / Of Genuine Irish Tweed."

Answer 72

"My father, twenty five

Question 73

Eden Rock: "Her hair, the colour

Answer 73

of wheat, takes on the light."

Question 74

Eden Rock: ...of wheat, takes on the light."

Answer 74

"Her hair, the colour

Question 75

Eden Rock: "The same three plates,

Answer 75

the tin cups painted blue."

Question 76

Eden Rock: ...the tin cups painted blue."

Answer 76

"The same three plates,

Question 77

Eden Rock: "The sky whitens as

Answer 77

if lit by three suns."

Question 78

Eden Rock: ...if lit by three suns."

Answer 78

"The sky whitens as

Question 79

Eden Rock: "My father spins a stone

Answer 79

along the water. Leisurely"

Question 80

Eden Rock: ...along the water. Leisurely

Answer 80

"My father spins a stone

Question 81

Eden Rock: "They beckon to me

Answer 81

from the other bank."

Question 82

Eden Rock: ...from the other bank."

Answer 82

"They beckon to me

Question 83

Eden Rock: "Crossing is not as

Answer 83

hard as you might think."

Question 84

Eden Rock: ...hard as you might think."

Answer 84

"Crossing is not as

Question 85

Eden Rock: "I had not thought that

Answer 85

it would be like this."

Question 86

Eden Rock: ...it would be like this"

Answer 86

"I had not thought that

Question 87

Give the author and contextual information of 'Follower'.

Answer 87

'Follower' by Seamus Heaney, is a poem that describes the reversal of roles between the poet and his father, from, at the beginning, the child is overshadowed by his father's expertise, at the end, the father is the one with less authority. Heaney's father also wanted him to be a farmer, rather than a poet.

Question 88

Follower: "My father worked with a horse-plough, /

Answer 88

His shoulders globed like a full sail strung."

Question 89

Follower: ...his shoulders globed like a full sail strung."

Answer 89

"My father worked with a horse-plough, /

Question 90

Follower: "Between the shafts and the furrow, /

Answer 90

The horse strained at his clicking tongue."

Question 91

Follower: ...the Horse strained at his clicking tongue."

Answer 91

"Between the shafts and the furrow, /

Question 92

Follower: "The sod

Answer 92

rolled over without breaking."

Question 93

Follower: ...over without breaking."

Answer 93

"The sod rolled

Question 94

Give some examples of the semantic field of farming jargon from 'Follower'.

Answer 94

Some examples are: "shafts and the furrow", "bright, steel-pointed sock", "headrig", "mapping the furrow exactly", and "set the wing."

Question 95

What effect does the semantic field of farming jargon from 'Follower' have on the reader?

Answer 95

The farming jargon makes the reader infantilised and as though they are incompetent, as they will most likely have little knowledge of what the father is actually doing, revealing the poet's emotions when working with his father.

Question 96

Follower: "I stumbled

Answer 96

in his hob-nailed wake."

Question 97

Follower: ...his hob-nailed wake."

Answer 97

"I stumbled in

Question 98

Follower: "Sometimes he rode

Answer 98

me on his back."

Question 99

Follower: ...me on his back."

Answer 99

"Sometimes he rode

Question 100

Follower: "All I ever did was follow / In

Answer 100

his broad shadow around the farm."

Question 101

Follower: ...his broad shadow around the farm."

Answer 101

"All I ever did was follower / In

Question 102

Follower: "I was a nuisance, tripping, falling,

Answer 102

yapping always."

Question 103

Follower: ...yapping always."

Answer 103

"I was a nuisance, tripping, falling

Question 104

Follower: "It is my father who keeps stumbling /

Answer 104

Behind me, and will not go away."

Question 105

Follower: ...Behind me, and will not go away."

Answer 105

"It is my father who keeps stumbling /