poem quotes and meanings Flashcards
“planting potatoes”, letters from yorkshire, what does this show
alliteration, empathises that it is a repetitive task
“his knuckles singing”, language feature, what does it show, LFY
personification, shows the delight he feels
“is your life more real because you dig and sow?” LFY
Rhetorical question, as it is in the middle stanza it reflects how this issue is at the centre of what the poem is about
“breaking, clearing, planting, digging” LFY
active/physical verbs, he works closely with land and shows how he finds his life ordinary
“seeing the seasons/turning”, LFY
enjambment, imitates the changing of seasons
“feeding words onto a blank screen” LFY
figurative language, “blank screen” seems lifeless and empty compared to his “singing knuckles”, it shows how their lifestyles and professions are different
“Pale grew thy cheek and cold/Colder thy kiss” WWTP
Repetition of harsh K sound which empathises coldness, the narrator describes his lover like a corpse- this suggests that her feelings for him have died
“A knell in mine ear” WWTP
Metaphor, suggests that her name sounds like a death knell/ bell to him- it reminded him of the death of their relationship
“Why thou so dear?” WTTP
Rhetorical question, empathises how deeply he felt for her- he can’t bear to hear that she’s having affairs with other men
“In silence I grieve” WWTP
“In silence”- because no one knew they were lovers, he can’t talk about the pain
“Grieve”- he mourns their relationship like a death
“Long, long” WWTP
Repetition, empathises how long he’ll feel forget
“To sever for years”WWTP
The violent imagery suggests that the parting was painful and traumatic for the narrator
“The fountains mingle with the river” LP
Imagery of flowing water shows that everything is connected to everything else
“Mingle”- personification, to draw parallels between what happens in nature and his own desire to be with his lover
“Mingle” LP
Repetition- empathises how everything in nature is connected
“Law divine” LP
The narrator thinks it’s Gods law that everything in nature mingles together
“Why I not with thine?” LP
Rhetorical question-
“see the mountains kiss high heaven” LP
metaphor- use of physical language such as “kiss” and “clasp” hints at his frustration that he can’t kiss or clasp her
“mingle, mix kiss clasp” LP
physical verbs- empathises the physical relationship he wants
“my thoughts do twine and bud” sonnet 29
natural imagery- shows how her thoughts focus on him like a vine wraps around a tree- her thoughts are constantly growing and developing
“as wild vines, about a tree” sonnet 29
metaphor- the narrator is the wild vines and her love is the “tree”
“o my palm tree” sonnet 29
metaphor
“there’s nought to see” sonnet 29
her thoughts threaten to stop her from seeing him as he really is
“renew”
“rustle” sonnet 29
imperatives and alliteration- empathise how much she wants him to act
“burst, shattered, everywhere”
list of 3 different verbs, describe the way his presence replaces her thoughts empathises her excitement
“winter day” NT
weather reflects their feelings- they are emotionally cold towards each other
“the sun was white as though chidden of God” NT
simile- images that God scolded the sun, this adds to the bleak mood of the poem and hints that the narrator sees everything in a negative way
“a few leaves lay on the starving sod” NT
“leaves lay”
“starving sod” alliteration and personification empathises this impression of suffering- the lifeless ground reflects their dying relationship
“riddles, played lost” NT
game imagery- love should be fun and playful and their’s is not
“the smile on your mouth was the deadest thing” NT
oxymoron- a smile should not be dead- this empathises er complete lack of feeling towards him
“like an ominous bird a-wing…” NT
simile, imagery of a bird flying away suggests the end of their relationship
ellipses represents the time when the relationship came to an end
“keen lessons” NT
keen means sharp or strong- these lessons have been painful
