Half-Past Two Flashcards
Once upon a schooltime (opening line)
“Once upon a” - clichéd opening - implies the poem will contain the conventions of a fairytale, i.e. hero, villain, happy ending
Also shows the young age of the child, the reference to fairy tales and “schooltime”
He did Something Very Wrong
(I forget what it was)
“Something Very Wrong” - capitalisation - reflects how the boy sees the incident as serious, could also mirror how the teacher spoke to him
“I forget what it was” - adds humour, could suggest the speaker is an older version of the boy and cant recall what got him in trouble
And She said he’d done
Something Very Wrong, and must
Stay in the school-room till half-past-two
Sibilance - creates a sinister hissing effect that could reflect the teacher’s anger
Repeating teacher’s message - reveals the nervous confusion of the boy, perhaps repeating it in an attempt to make sense of it
“She” - capitalisation - shows the boy sees her as important
(Being cross, she’d forgotten
She hadn’t taught him Time.
He was too scared of being wicked to remind her)
“Time” - capitalisation - reveals its importance to the boy
“He was too scared of being wicked…” - being punished beyond his understanding (he doesn’t appear to understand what he did wrong or what being wicked is - highlights the teacher’s neglect of the child, and unintentional cruelty
He knew a lot of time: he knew
Gettinuptime, timeyouwereofftime,
Timetogohomenowtime, TVtime
Words are grouped together without spaces - to reflect the child’s understanding of time
Each time mentioned is defined by an action - the boy’s version of time has a purpose/goal instead of being abstract
All the important times he knew
But not half-past two.
Poet may be suggesting that the child’s understanding of time is more meaningful and important than the adult’s
Time linked to a goal/purpose > abstract concept of time
He knew the clockface, the little eyes
And two long legs for walking,
But he couldn’t click its language,
Personification of clock - creates a friendly image - childish innocence, thinking of the clock like it is alive (like in many children’s stories that personify household items)
“Couldn’t click its language” - unable to communicate with it - click refers to the mechanical click of the clock, this is the language the child is talking about
Could also be suggesting that learning time as an abstract concept is like learning a new language (takes time, can change your worldview)
So he waited, beyond onceupona
Out of reach of all the timefors,
And knew he’d escaped for ever
“So he waited” - suggests the child moves on (use of connective “so”) as he can’t decipher the clock so tries to return to his understanding of time
“Beyond onceupona” - suggests the boy has run out of ideas for what will happen next - it is beyond his understanding and previous experience
“Escaped for ever”- hyperbole - he feels as though he has passed into eternity as he has moved beyond his understanding of time into a more adult version of it
Into the smell of old chrysanthemums on Her desk,
Into the silent noise his hangnail made,
Into the air outside the window, into ever.
The place he has “escaped” to is filled with sights and sounds and smells, as if he has transcended beyond time and his senses are now heightened
“Old chrysanthemums” - reinforces idea of teacher’s neglect and carelessness
“Silent noise” - oxymoron - implies he feels so isolated and beyond time that he can no longer hear himself (his hangnail)
And then, My goodness, she said,
Scuttling in, I forgot all about you.
Run along or you’ll be late.
No longer capitalises “she” - could indicate she has lost some power over him due to his experience of existing beyond time (he has matured, so she seems to have less authority)
“Scuttling in” - suggests she moves like an insect (zoomorphism)
“I forgot all about you” - reveals the child’s experience was very different to the adult’s - this juxtaposition of a life-changing experience, and an everyday one emphasises the difference in perspectives between a child and an adult
So she slotted him back into schooltime,
And he got home in time for teatime,
Nexttime, notimeforthatnowtime,
“Slotted him back” - use of the verb “slotted” suggests it is methodical and without feeling - further emphasises how unimportant/insignificant the event was for the teacher
“Teatime…” - his understanding of time has been restored, the world is now operating in the way he knows it to be
But he never forgot how once by not knowing time,
He escaped into the clockless land for ever,
Where time hides tick-less waiting to be born.
“Never forgot” - event had a profound and lasting impact on him
“Time hides tick-less waiting to be born” - personification - suggests time is hiding and waiting to begin its existence - child still has a different understanding of time due to his experience
Structure
Free verse - gives the poem a conversational feel, reflecting the way a child might tell a story
Only some lines rhyme - highlights how it isn’t intended for children (children’s poems tend to rhyme consistently and frequently), lack of rhyme could reflect the adult perspective
Every stanza is 3 lines long - tercets - gives the poem structure and organisation, content may reflect the child’s innocence but the consistent stanza length reflects the power/maturity of speaker
NOTE - simplistic language used throughout to show it is from a child’s perspective
