Mother, any distance

Question 1

Structure

Answer 1

Written in free verse - the first and third stanzas are written in couplets. Free verse is used to reflect how chaotic the speaker’s life truly is whereas the rhyming couplets are used to represent the ‘ending’ of the speaker’s dependence on his mother

Question 2

Imagery

Answer 2

The speaker is described as a ‘kite’ and the mother is described as an ‘anchor’

Question 3

What do the words ‘acres’ and ‘you’ represent

Answer 3

They are used as metaphors, ‘acres of the walls’ is used to represent how separated he feels. Whereas ‘you at the zero end’ is used to express how important and valued the mother is.

Question 4

“The line still…

Answer 4

feeding out, unreeling years between us.”

Question 5

“To fall…

Answer 5

or fly.”