Poem 8 - Maura Dooley - Letters from Yorkshire Flashcards
When was the poet born?
1957
When was the poem published?
2002
What is the poem about?
The speaker’s father is tending his garden when he sees a flock of birds migrating for the season. He then writes to the speaker. The speaker reflects on their different life experiences, her father spends a lot of time in his garden whereas she spends most of her’s writing at a computer, inside. She contemplates whether his life is more fulfilling because he is closer to nature and feels disconnected from him because of this, but his letters do help bridge that gap.
Describe the form of the poem.
It is written in free verse, making seem more like natural speech or a letter. This effect is aided by the use of enjambment throughout, and the continuous movement of the text mimics the changing seasons.
The use of tercets makes the poem feel disjointed, which reflects the speakers’ feelings of disconnection from her father.
Describe the structure of the poem.
The first three stanzas are used to present how different the speaker and her father are, but the focus shifts in the final two stanzas to present the profundity of their connection.
Describe the poet’s use of physical verbs in the poem.
Physical verbs are used at the start of the poem to describe the father’s normal life, they are simple and satisfying, which displays his connection to the natural world.
How is contrast used in the poem?
The narrator presents her lifestyle as different from the father’s, he works outside, she sits at a computer. While to him, his life seems normal, the narrator romanticises it.
How is language about communication used in the poem?
The use of communication bridges the physical distance between them, while the use of figurative language makes it appear as though they have a deep, almost spiritual, connection.
What is suggested by “digging his garden,” (Line 1)?
It implies he works closely with the land, the simple, physical verb “digging” makes it seem as though often repeated- which makes it appear to be a normal activity for him.
What is the significance of “planting potatoes,” (Line 1)?
The alliteration of the repeated “P” sound emphasises the repetitiveness of the action and how ordinary it is to the father.
What is shown by “saw the first lapwings return” (Line 2)?
It demonstrates the father’s connection with nature and its cycles, since he recognised that it was time for the lapwings to return.
What is the significance of “, his knuckles singing” (Line 3)?
The use of caesura shifts the focus from the father’s daily life to the personification which ironically mimics his delight at the lapwings’ return with the painful feeling of stiff cold hands.
What is shown by “It’s not romance, simply how things are.” (Line 5)?
On one hand, it informs the reader the two’s relationship is familial but it also tells us that though the narrator may romanticise the father’s life, he just sees it as reality. The impact of the statement is emphasised by the finality of the end-stopping.
What does “You out there, in the cold,” (Line 6) suggest?
The use of monosyllabic words reflects the simplicity of the father’s way of life. Also, the direct address shows the closeness of the two- it’s like they’re talking
What is the effect of the enjambement in “seasons // turning,” (Lines 6 and 7)?
The enjambment between the two stanzas mimics the shifting between seasons.
