Poem At Thirty-nine

Question 1

Form and structure

Answer 1

• free verse: no regular rhyme scheme or metre - reflects the natural flow of memory and thought
• first person narrative: very intimate and personal tone - like sharing personal reflections with the reader
• enjambment: allows ideas and emotions to spill across lines - like the chaotic nature of memory
• shifts from grief and nostalgia to appreciation and self acceptance

Question 2

Language and techniques

Answer 2

• opening line is direct and emotive
• lack of punctuation: makes it feel like a thought ratchet than a declaration - part of an internal monologue
• simile: ‘’he cooked like a person dancing’’ - conveys joy freedom and grace
• past tense and memory driven structure show her looking back with affection

Question 3

Tone and mood

Answer 3

• starts as wistful and sorrowful, then becomes warm admiring and celebratory