Never Go Back

Question 1

What themes are in the poem?

Answer 1

Confusion, journey, loss, death, location, growth, power, time, supernatural

Question 1

Who is the speaker and what perspective is the poem from?

Answer 1

The speaker is attempting to leave behind a location of her town, with an attached mindset to it. It is directed to the reader which is herself

Question 2

Describe what happens in the poem.

Answer 2

First stanza- In the bar, jukebox is reminiscing but old, everthing is over-used, time has lost the importance of the place

Second stanza- On the street, the town is tired, deteriorating due to the lack of movement and journey of speaker

Third stanza- In the house, old house of the speaker, reflecting on all emotions experienced there

Fourth stanza- Waiting for taxi, telling herself to leave

Fifth stanza-In taxi which implies death to the station, reflecting on drunk state and how everything in town has changed, but the speaker hasn’t

Sixth stanza-On train, leaving officially, desperately trying to forget

Question 3

What is the structure of the poem?

Answer 3

Octane, read like a story which she has control over
Dramatic monologue

Question 4

What techniques are used in the poem?

Answer 4

Temporal/spacial diexis
Antithesis (blurred air)
Personification
Zoomorphism (suddenly swarm)- Sibilance
Anadoplosis and fricative alliteration (forget. Forget)