Mother, Any distance

Question 1

Stanza 1 “the acres of the walls, the prairies of the floors.”

Answer 1

Hyperbolic Metaphor
Lonely, overwhelmed, and isolated in all this space
C: Armitage setting up home for the first time after university

Question 2

Stanza 2: “unreeling years between us”:

Answer 2

Metaphorically symbolises time and the length of their relationship

Question 3

Stanza 2: “Anchor. Kite.”

Answer 3

L: Caesura
Metaphorically represents the mother as the anchor as she is a stabilising influence on her son and is restricting his freedom.
D:A kite needs someone to hold and anchor it just as the speaker

needs his mother emotionally but physically

Question 4

Stanza 3: “Zero-end”

Answer 4

Signifies her presence at the moment of his birth - she’s been there his whole life

Question 5

Stanza 3: “Space walk”

Answer 5

Metaphor
Leaving home feels like being on a different planet as it is uncharted territory

Question 6

Stanza 3: “Fall or fly”

Answer 6

Alliteration
To succeed or to fail
D: Bird imagery as he is leaving the “nest”

Question 7

Structure

Answer 7

Longer lines symbolise the need for more distance
Shorter lines represent his emotional closeness to her
Enjambment- he wants to be free but also wants to be emotionally close

Question 8

Rhyme

Answer 8

There are rhyming pairs to represent their closeness but in line 6, the rhyme scheme breaks which symbolises his need for independence but reappears in the last 2 lines which represent how the speaker wants to always stay emotionally close.

Question 9

Mood

Answer 9

Emotionally conflicted - wants independence but is nervous to be on his own
“Fall or fly”

Question 10

Meaning and message

Answer 10

Parents need to allow their children to grow up and be independent