my father would not show us

Question 1

what is the poem about?

Answer 1

The speaker’s mind when look at dead father and regrets childhood and how his father hid is illness, wish father could be there so they could cope with grief

Question 2

summary of poem?

Answer 2

sees dad’s dead body in casket , coffin not arrived yet, speaker notes prepared to see face, speaker thinks he has lost his childhood, released did not tell anyone about his disease death was shock, final image was him lying alone

Question 3

context?

Answer 3

south african poet
parent child relationships transcend nationality and race
emotional distance from generation

Question 4

alitteration?

Answer 4

my fathers face five days dead- slow down words death is hitting you

Question 5

metaphor

Answer 5

tunnelling sounds of the dogs next door- the father has gone unconscious the dogs are digging but we don’t understand anymore

Question 6

my what does this show ?

Answer 6

how close their relationship was

Question 7

what is the contrast?

Answer 7

borrowed coffin gleams unatrually- contrast of light to death

Question 8

message of poem

Answer 8

difficult relationship made for complicated grief- nothing you can do to repair a relationship once that person has died