mother, any distance

Question 1

synopsis

Answer 1

• speaker introduces a situation: he has moved into a new house and his mother has come to help him measure the house
• he uses this to reflect on the distance between them and how he feels about his connection with his mother
• he then considers whether he will succeed in his future, or fail

Question 2

context

Answer 2

• the poem has been taken from the ‘book of matches’ - a collection of poems in a brief format; almost all the poems are written in sonnet form
• is a poet laureate
• his poetry often links back to his yorkshire heritage and often focuses on situations which resonate with the reader

Question 3

key themes

Answer 3

independence, aging, freedom, childhood, attachment and letting go, passage of time, separation

mother/child relationship, familial love
maternal/parental love

Question 4

structure and form

Answer 4

• makes use of the PRESENT TENSE NARRATIVE - no distinct time or setting
• in the PERSPECTIVE of a child reflecting on how his mother is helping him move into his new home
• HALF-RHYME - a loose rhyme scheme which makes the poem quite fluid
• UNEVEN RHYME SCHEME - AABB only in the first stanza and then digresses - which may symbolise their uneven relationship
• in the form of a loose SONNET - highlights how nervous he feels going into a new stage of life
• ENJAMBMENT - replicates the rhythm of natural conversation. this may be to suggest that they have a healthy, unforced relationship or could alternatively mean that the son relies on the mother very much