I Have my Father's Voice

Question 1

When I walk into a room

Answer 1

• present tense

Question 2

where my father has just been

Answer 2

• similarities

Question 3

I fill the same spaces he did

Answer 3

• same physicality

Question 4

from the elbows on the table

Answer 4

• same mannerisms, expressions and features

Question 5

to the head thrown back

Answer 5

• same actions

Question 6

and when we laugh we aim the guffaw

Answer 6

• similar sense of humour

Question 7

at the same scape in the air.

Answer 7

• same silence

Question 8

Before anybody has told me this I know

Answer 8

• he knows he is like his father

Question 9

because I see myself through

Answer 9

• same eyes

Question 10

my father’s eyes.

Answer 10

• same views

Question 11

When I was a pigeon-toes boy

Answer 11

• amplifies youth and its awkwardness

- past tense (reflection)

Question 12

my father used his voice

Answer 12

• verbally abusive

Question 13

to send me to bed

Answer 13

• voice of authority and controlling

Question 14

to run and buy the newspaper

Answer 14

• actions of control

Question 15

to scribble my way through matric.

Answer 15

• tone is matter-of-fact

- constant when growing up

Question 16

He also used to voice for harsher things:

Answer 16

• lose his temper

- remonstrate

Question 17

to bluster when we made a noise

Answer 17

• forceful anger

Question 18

when the kitchen wasn’t cleaned after supper

Answer 18

-

Question 19

when I was out too late.

Answer 19

• he won’t relinquish control

Question 20

Late for work, on many mornings,

Answer 20

• memory

Question 21

one sock in hand, its twin

Answer 21

-

Question 22

an angry glint in his eye he flings

Answer 22

• short tempered

Question 23

dirty clothes out of the washing box:

Answer 23

-

Question 24

vests, jeans, pants and shirts shouting

Answer 24

-

Question 25

anagrams of fee fo fi fum until he is up

Answer 25

• forceful and angry

- giant like (extreme)

Question 26

to his knees in a stinking heap of laundry.

Answer 26

• futility

Question 27

I have my father’s voice too

Answer 27

-

Question 28

and his fuming temper

Answer 28

• father’s temperament

Question 29

and I shout as he does.

Answer 29

-

Question 30

But I spew the words out

Answer 30

• his voice is a form of writing poetry

- force words onto paper

Question 31

in pairs of alliteration

Answer 31

• poetic device

Question 32

and an air of assonance.

Answer 32

• poetic device

Question 33

Everything a poet needs

Answer 33

• not given an audible voice

- given a voice of lines of poetry

Question 34

my father has bequeathed me

Answer 34

• given him

Question 35

except the words.

Answer 35

• needs to find the words he does not have

Question 36

tone

Answer 36

• reflective

- matter-or-fact

Question 37

structure

Answer 37

• stanza length is irregular

- bursts of temper