Floral Tribute Flashcards
Para 2
I have conjured a lily to light these hours, a token of thanks
The lily has much significance to the late Queen, as it was used in her coronation bouquet, a vital point in her career as the Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms. This importance binds her to the plant because of its appearance in her life. Armitage uses this to symbolise and pay homage to her various feats during her reign that defined her as a person and role model to many.
Para 3
The country loaded its whole self into your slender hands,
Hands that can rest, now, relieved of a century’s weight
think burden
Armitage informs the reader that being a royal requires the burden of responsibility to be hidden under thick layers of regality. The pressure of appearing emotionless at all times in front of the public is easy to drown in and can ruin a person who isn’t made for it. The metaphor appreciates the Queen’s hard work and ability to operate under stress, even amidst situations that the average person would struggle to think clearly in.
PARAGRAPH 4
Evening has come. Rain on the black lochs and dark Munros
think high, low an everywhere
Armitage uses an anaphora to imply the Queen is dead. The late monarch served as an anchor of courage, inspiration and peace to many, so naturally, her passing opened a void of uncertainty. ‘black lochs and dark Munros’ is used to develop thisfurther as it explains the reach the queen had since the news of her passing was felt everywhere, even in the highest and lowest points of the country. The anaphora is effective as it guides the reader along the timeline before and after her death and moves the reader to feel the emotions that were felt by the public.
Para 5
Interlaced with your famous bouquet, the restrained
Zeal and forceful grace of its lanterns, each inflorescence
The late monarch was the face of the country, so the amount of effort that had gone into making a perfect public appearance was unimaginable. The use of an oxymoron helps develop this further, as the pressure of needing to constantly mask her emotions to please society had made her role harder than she made it look. As well as this, the juxtaposition of ‘restained Zeal’ and ‘forceful grace’ highlights the balancing act required of the monarch to maintain her composure whilst navigating the public eye
Para 6
A blurred new day
Breaks uncrowned on remote peaks and public parks
think idea, new beginnings and unclear
The idea of a future without the Queen is described as “blurred” which, through the use of pathetic fallacy, hints at the beginning of a new stage of life without the late monarch. This change impacted everyone and everything. What’s ahead is unclear, and the future won’t include a figure that was so prominent in everyone’s lives, whether she was cherished or deemed “useless” by some.
Para 7
This lily that thrives between spire and tree, whose brightness
Holds and glows beyond life and border of its bloom.
The writer explains to the reader that her death, as sad as it will always be, brought back the beautiful memories she had shared with the public. Her presence was calming in the most difficult situations, and darkest hours, even if she might have not been up to it. She was a hard worker who valued service to the community, country, commonwealth and the world as she was active in many charity organisations in various places. Armitage also makes clear that the late queen should not just be remembered for her death but for her qualities as a person. She was not just a woman who ruled the United Kingdom, she was a symbol of peace and prosperity all over the world, and she has left behind a long legacy, a legacy that will be remembered as one of the greatest.
Conclusion
Armitage successfully tells the story of the Queen in a heartfelt elegy, one that defines the role of a monarch in the 21st century. The glamour and wealth cover the difficulties they face daily. To be a monarch is to restrict your ability to feel and connect like a normal human. To be a monarch is to close your voice in and instead adopt the silence of reigning the nation. As well as this, deeper meanings can be discovered as the poem unravels. Armitage describes the beauty of life and the darkness of death and how these opposing forces connect to form the existence of a person, a mind and a soul. Through the use of symbolism and metaphors, he explains that a life is similar to a flower; it won’t be in bloom forever but, once it has wilted, what remains is the image of its past allure; something that fills the emptiness of its death.
