Mother, any distance

Question 1

Who wrote the poem?

Answer 1

Simon Armitage

Question 2

When was the poem published?

Answer 2

1993

Question 3

What is the poem about?

Answer 3

The narrator (the son) is moving into a new house, his mother is helping him. She holds onto the end of the tape while he goes to measure things. This makes the narrator think about how his mother has always looked after him, but now she has to let him go. The narrator is looking forward to being independent but is also scared by it, he doesn’t know if he’ll succeed without his mother or not. He hints that she will always be there metaphorically even if they are not together anymore.

Question 4

Describe the form of the poem

Answer 4

The poem is loosely written in the form of a sonnet, which is traditionally used to show love for somebody - this shows his love for his mother. But unlike a sonnet, this poem has an irregular rhyme pattern, showing the narrator’s uncertainty whether he will make it or not. The uneven line length of the last two stanzas show that the narrator and his mother are getting further away from each other and he is becoming more independent.

Question 5

Describe the structure of the poem

Answer 5

The narrator talks about how he needs his mother in the first stanza, but in the second stanza he begins to explore independence, and in the final stanza, he understands that “Something // Has to give” if he’s going to be independent. The poem ends with the reader unsure as to whether the narrator will succeed or fail.

Question 6

Describe how language about measurements is used in the poem

Answer 6

Measurements and distances are an extended metaphor for the narrator’s changing relationship with his mother, and how they get further away from one another, physically and emotionally as he becomes more independent.

Question 7

Describe how language about movement is used in the poem.

Answer 7

Movement is used to show how the poet is breaking away from his mother. Walking around his new house is like exploring a new world.

Question 8

Describe how imagery is used in the poem

Answer 8

The visual imagery of the tape as a link between mother and son is reminiscent of an umbilical cord. The image of the narrator as a kite and his mother as the anchor suggests how she protects him and keeps him secure. At the end of the poem, this link seems to be at the breaking point, which shows the narrator is becoming more independent from his mother.

Question 9

What is the impact of the poem starting with “Mother” (Line 1)?

Answer 9

The narrator addresses his mother personally at the start of the poem much like a letter, it’s a personal message to her. It also introduces her as the main topic of the poem.

Question 10

What is the significance of “single span” (Line 1)?

Answer 10

A single span is the distance between his outstretched hands, he needs help to measure anything larger than that, despite it being a relatively small distance, which shows that he is still reliant on his mother.

Question 11

What is the importance of “second pair of hands” (Line 2)?

Answer 11

This highlights his reluctance to leave his mother at the beginning of the poem - this is a direct contrast to his “flight” at the end.

Question 12

What is the effect of “acres” and “prairies” (Line 4)?

Answer 12

The metaphors and hyperbole crate an image of vast, open spaces, which hints at adventure and exploration, but also that the narrator feels slightly daunted by it all.

Question 13

What is the significance of “zero-end” (Line 5)?

Answer 13

The narrator’s mother holding the start of the tape measure reflects how she was the start of him, starting form his birth.

Question 14

What is the impact of “up the stairs,” (Line 7)?

Answer 14

This shows he is moving away from his mother physically as well as emotionally.

Question 15

What is the significance of “centimetres back to base” (Line 7)?

Answer 15

This highlights that his mother is his rock, she will always be available and is his origin point.

Question 16

What is the significance of “unreeling // years” (Lines 7 and 8)?

Answer 16

The tape measure reflects their shared history. The enjambment reflecting how they’ve crossed into a new phase of their relationship

Question 17

What is the significance of “Anchor. Kite” (Line 8)?

Answer 17

The narrator is a kite, attempting to fly, but his mother will always keep him anchored and secure. The two one-word sentences slow down the pace of the poem, which suggests the reader feels apprehensive.

Question 18

What is the impact of “space-walk” (Line 9)?

Answer 18

This is the first moment that the focus of the poem drifts away from his mother, showing his first sense of freedom. The imagery of space-walking also suggests that he is still connected to the ‘mother ship’, highlighting his consistent connection with his mother.

Question 19

What is the impact of “empty bedrooms” (Line 9)?

Answer 19

The fact that they are empty shows the narrator’s sense of unknown, and how his life without his mother is ‘empty’ and his progress without his mother is just beginning. The blank space shows his opportunities on his own.

Question 20

What is the impact of “breaking point” (Line 10)?

Answer 20

This shows that the narrator feels vulnerable as he travels further from his mother. He worries that his life may break down if he is not attached to his safety support.

Question 21

What is the significance of “your fingertips still pinch” (Line 12)?

Answer 21

This reinforces the metaphor that his mother is still trying to protect her son. The verb “pinch” creates the idea that she is struggling to keep hold of him. This line introduces the idea that the mother is equally reluctant to let go of her son, and is trying to protect him.

Question 22

What is the significance of “endless sky” (Line 14)?

Answer 22

This highlights that he is just starting his new life on his own, and his opportunities are endless. The fact he is watching the endless sky from the home with his mother shows his eagerness to enter his new life but also reluctance to leave the other behind. The fact that the sky is “endless” could also be hinting that there is a sense of danger he is not seeing beyond.

Question 23

What is the impact of “to fall or fly.” (Line 15)?

Answer 23

This links back to the previous quote “Anchor. Kite.”, as the anchor, representing his mother, would fall. The kite, representing the narrator, would fly. This emphasizes the main focus of the poem of whether he will make it without his mother. The reader is left on a cliff-hanger of whether the narrator would make it or not.