poem quotes and meanings

Question 1

“planting potatoes”, letters from yorkshire, what does this show

Answer 1

alliteration, empathises that it is a repetitive task

Question 2

“his knuckles singing”, language feature, what does it show, LFY

Answer 2

personification, shows the delight he feels

Question 3

“is your life more real because you dig and sow?” LFY

Answer 3

Rhetorical question, as it is in the middle stanza it reflects how this issue is at the centre of what the poem is about

Question 4

“breaking, clearing, planting, digging” LFY

Answer 4

active/physical verbs, he works closely with land and shows how he finds his life ordinary

Question 5

“seeing the seasons/turning”, LFY

Answer 5

enjambment, imitates the changing of seasons

Question 6

“feeding words onto a blank screen” LFY

Answer 6

figurative language, “blank screen” seems lifeless and empty compared to his “singing knuckles”, it shows how their lifestyles and professions are different

Question 7

“Pale grew thy cheek and cold/Colder thy kiss” WWTP

Answer 7

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

Question 8

“A knell in mine ear” WWTP

Answer 8

Metaphor, suggests that her name sounds like a death knell/ bell to him- it reminded him of the death of their relationship

Question 9

“Why thou so dear?” WTTP

Answer 9

Rhetorical question, empathises how deeply he felt for her- he can’t bear to hear that she’s having affairs with other men

Question 10

“In silence I grieve” WWTP

Answer 10

“In silence”- because no one knew they were lovers, he can’t talk about the pain
“Grieve”- he mourns their relationship like a death

Question 11

“Long, long” WWTP

Answer 11

Repetition, empathises how long he’ll feel forget

Question 12

“To sever for years”WWTP

Answer 12

The violent imagery suggests that the parting was painful and traumatic for the narrator

Question 13

“The fountains mingle with the river” LP

Answer 13

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

Question 14

“Mingle” LP

Answer 14

Repetition- empathises how everything in nature is connected

Question 15

“Law divine” LP

Answer 15

The narrator thinks it’s Gods law that everything in nature mingles together

Question 16

“Why I not with thine?” LP

Answer 16

Rhetorical question-

Question 17

“see the mountains kiss high heaven” LP

Answer 17

metaphor- use of physical language such as “kiss” and “clasp” hints at his frustration that he can’t kiss or clasp her

Question 18

“mingle, mix kiss clasp” LP

Answer 18

physical verbs- empathises the physical relationship he wants

Question 19

“my thoughts do twine and bud” sonnet 29

Answer 19

natural imagery- shows how her thoughts focus on him like a vine wraps around a tree- her thoughts are constantly growing and developing

Question 20

“as wild vines, about a tree” sonnet 29

Answer 20

metaphor- the narrator is the wild vines and her love is the “tree”

Question 21

“o my palm tree” sonnet 29

Answer 21

metaphor

Question 22

“there’s nought to see” sonnet 29

Answer 22

her thoughts threaten to stop her from seeing him as he really is

Question 23

“renew”

“rustle” sonnet 29

Answer 23

imperatives and alliteration- empathise how much she wants him to act

Question 24

“burst, shattered, everywhere”

Answer 24

list of 3 different verbs, describe the way his presence replaces her thoughts empathises her excitement

Question 25

“winter day” NT

Answer 25

weather reflects their feelings- they are emotionally cold towards each other

Question 26

“the sun was white as though chidden of God” NT

Answer 26

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

Question 27

“a few leaves lay on the starving sod” NT

Answer 27

“leaves lay”

“starving sod” alliteration and personification empathises this impression of suffering- the lifeless ground reflects their dying relationship

Question 28

“riddles, played lost” NT

Answer 28

game imagery- love should be fun and playful and their’s is not

Question 29

“the smile on your mouth was the deadest thing” NT

Answer 29

oxymoron- a smile should not be dead- this empathises er complete lack of feeling towards him

Question 30

“like an ominous bird a-wing…” NT

Answer 30

simile, imagery of a bird flying away suggests the end of their relationship
ellipses represents the time when the relationship came to an end

Question 31

“keen lessons” NT

Answer 31

keen means sharp or strong- these lessons have been painful