Poem 9 - Charles Causely - Eden Rock Flashcards
When was the poet alive?
1917-2003
When was the poem published?
1988
What is the poem about?
The narrator imagines that his parents are young again, his mother is 23 and his father is 25. They both sit at the edge of a stream, preparing a picnic, the scene is idyllic. He’s on the opposite bank and is encouraged to cross and join them. The scene may be a real memory, or it may be an imagined scene about death or birth, with his parents encouraging him to join them in life or the afterlife.
Describe the form of the poem.
The poem is made up of five stanzas, mostly quartets and almost all lines have ten syllables, the regular structure reflects the steady nature of the narrator’s relationship with his parents. The final line is separated from its stanza, which emphasises its significance, this could be the narrator’s current separation from his parents or it could show he has now crossed the stream and is looking to what is beyond. The use of half-rhyme creates a light-hearted, gentle and natural rhythm.
Describe the structure of the poem.
The first three stanzas centre around the narrator lovingly describing his parents, displaying his fondness and their healthy relationship. In the fourth and fifth stanzas focus on the parents turning their attention to him and encouraging him to join them.
Describe the use of language about memories in the poem.
The narrator uses childhood memories to create a vivid scene, the beautiful and peaceful descriptions of his parents reflect how special his childhood was to him.
Describe the use of language about light in the poem.
The references to the colour white and the bright light in the scene have connotations with descriptions of heaven and other religious aspects.
Describe the use of language about ordinariness in the poem.
The narrator includes specific details, such as the “H.P. Sauce bottle”, which demonstrates the narrator’s nostalgia for his everyday life as a child. The use of ordinary language reflects how much simpler and uncomplicated things were back then and the narrator’s fondness for that time in his life.
What is the effect of “They are waiting for me” (Line 1)?
The use of present tense informs the reader that the events are happening in real time, as well as making the scene he’s describing feel more vivid.
What is suggested by “somewhere beyond” (Line 1)?
The ambiguity infers to the reader that the scene may be imagined.
What is the significance of “Eden Rock:” (Line 1)
It is a reference to the Bible, The Garden of Eden was a perfect place, which suggests that, for the narrator, this was his Eden, with his parents, perfect and peaceful.
What is the impact of “My father, twenty-five, in” (Line 2) and “My mother, twenty-three, in” (Line 5)?
Their introductions mirror one another- which reflects the closeness of their relationship.
What is the significance of “same” (Line 2) and “Still” (Line 4)?
The narrator appears to take comfort in remembering specific details about his parents.
What effect do “sprigged dress” (Line 5) and “ribbon” (Line 6) have on the reader”
The details describe his mother as beautiful, which demonstrates how precious his memories of her are to the narrator.
What is the impact of “Thermos” (Line 9), “old H.P. Sauce bottle” (Line 10), “paper for a cork” (Line 11) and “tin cups” (Line 12)?
The detailed descriptions of these specific, ordinary things show their importance to the narrator and the affection he has for the way his parents did things.
