Letters From Yorkshire Flashcards
What is the poem about?
Narrator writing letters to her friend/lover back home in Yorkshire. Experiencing somebody else’s world and what they love without being there. Sense of yearning for a life thought better lived.
What is the form of the poem?
tercet- separate and physical distance, brief nature of communication
What is the structure of the poem?
first four stanzas centered on speaker’s life and separate lives. Tone changes as they are described together.
caesura- shows distance of sending letter
enjambment- closeness in relationship, connection but separation of distance
-pronouns go from “he” to “you” to “our” to show bridging gap between them
What does the title suggest?
sense of intimacy and care to personally hear someone’s voice through their words
Who wrote the poem?
Maura Dooley
Finish and analyse the quote: “In February _______ planting ______” LINE 1
“In February, digging his garden, planting potatoes”
-temporal deixis is seasonal imagery shows strength of relationship over time and distance
-Guy works closely with the land and its a repetitive, ordinary action
What quotes show the mans connection to nature?
“saw the first lapwings return”
“breaking ice on a waterbutt”
“clearing a path through snow”
-description of mundane physical task shows how she think his life is ordinary but also meaningful but also his connection with nature
Analyse the quote: “knuckles singing” LINE 3
positive effect and connotations of his work, harmony of his life, elevating physical exertion compared to her digital work
Finish and analyse the quote: “Me with my ________ feeding words onto _______” LINE 8-9
“Me with my heart of headlines feeding words onto a blank screen”
-alliteration to give jovial tone and symbolise the love she has for her job
-contrasted with “blank” as it is made to sound lifeless, empty and artificial compared to him
-compares their lifestyles ad professions as “singing” sounds better
Analyse the quote: “word of that other world” LINE 12
alliteration and assonance makes words sound similar but they are different which reflects how the speaker feels close to him through his letter but how there is still distance between them
Finish and analyse the quote: “Pouring air __________ into ______” LINE 13
“pouring air and light into an envelope”
-metaphorical language that gives magical visual imagery
-“air” and “light” shows how she romanticises his life by making it seem whimsical
-she receives joy from his letters and it gives her insight to his life, hearing from him brings elation
What can be said about the weather?
“reddened in the warmth” juxtaposes “in the cold” with may be representative of characters bringing warmth to each other’s lives when there should be cold and distance between them because they have to communicate through letters
What are the last two lines?
“watching the same news in different houses// our souls tap out messages across icy miles”
What can be said about the last two lines?
-shared experience makes her feel closer to him
-“soul” spiritual language that shows their deep connection despite distance
-communication strengthens their bond
-“icy” suggests she dislikes being so far from him
