Poems - Time and Place

Question 1

Summarise - I started early - took my dog

Answer 1

The speaker describes a morning walk to the sea, encountering personified elements of nature

Question 2

summarise - first flight

Answer 2

This poem typically describes the experience of a first significant independent action, often likened to a bird’s initial flight.

Question 3

summarise - Presents from my Aunts

Answer 3

The speaker reflects on clothes and gifts received from her aunts, which stir feelings of being split between two cultures.

Question 4

summarise - hurricane hits England

Answer 4

A Caribbean woman in England connects a hurricane to her ancestral roots, finding solace and identity in the storm.

Question 5

Summarise - Where the picnic was

Answer 5

The speaker revisits a place where a happy event occurred, now desolate, reflecting on change and the impermanence of happiness.

Question 6

summarise - To Autumn

Answer 6

An ode to autumn, celebrating its beauty and acknowledging the cycle of life and the passage of seasons.

Question 7

Mood and theme - I STARTED EARLY - TOOK MY DOG

Answer 7

Eerie yet whimsical, exploring the sea’s overwhelming power, possibly symbolizing societal pressures or inner emotions.

Question 8

Structure and techniques - I STARTED EARLY - TOOK MY DOG

Answer 8

1.Irregular meter and varied line lengths create a sense of unpredictability.
2.Personification is key, as the sea is depicted as a pursuer, and sea creatures as observing entities - “I started Early - Took my dog”

Question 9

Key quote - I STARTED EARLY - TOOK MY DOG

Answer 9

“the tide went past my shoe - past my apron - and my belt- and past my Bodice too”
Shows the encroaching nature of the sea, hinting at a dangerous allure

Question 10

Mood and Theme - FIRST FLIGHT

Answer 10

Uplifting, encapsulating the nervous excitement of new experiences, symbolizing independence and personal growth.

Question 11

Structure and techniques - FIRST FLIGHT

Answer 11

The structure likely reflects the narrative arc of anticipation, action, and reflection.
Metaphors of flight convey the exhilaration and fear of new ventures.

Question 12

Key quote - FIRST FLIGHT

Answer 12

Oxymoron - “Too cold, too near the sun”

Question 13

Mood and theme - PRESENTS FROM MY AUNTS

Answer 13

Contemplative, exploring cultural identity, the dichotomy of East and West, and the personal struggle of belonging.

Question 14

Structure and Techniques - PRESENTS FROM MY AUNTS

Answer 14

The free verse form mirrors the fluid and often fragmented sense of identity.
Vivid imagery is used, contrasting Eastern splendor with Western simplicity.

Question 15

Key Quote - PRESENTS FROM MY AUNTS

Answer 15

“I longed for denim and corduroy” – highlights the speaker’s yearning for Western attire, symbolizing a deeper desire for cultural assimilation.

Question 16

Mood and theme - HURRICAN HITS ENGLAND

Answer 16

Reflective and empowering, addressing themes of cultural displacement, reconnecting with one’s heritage, and the universality of nature’s forces.

Question 17

Structure and techniques - HURRICANE HITS ENGLAND

Answer 17

varied stanza lengths mimic the hurricane’s unpredictability.
The poem uses cultural allusions, connecting the storm to Caribbean and African deities.

Question 18

Key quote - HURRICANE HITS ENGLAND

Answer 18

“O why is my heart unchained?” – reflects the speaker’s newfound connection and liberation through the natural phenomenon.

Question 19

Mood and Theme - WHERE THE PICNIC WAS

Answer 19

Melancholic, emphasizing the transient nature of life, the passage of time, and nostalgia.

Question 20

Structure and Techniques - WHERE THE PICNIC WAS

Answer 20

Regular rhyme and meter contrast with the theme of loss and change. Hardy employs stark imagery to depict the now desolate picnic spot.

Question 21

Key quote - WHERE THE PICNIC WAS

Answer 21

“In the summer time…. through winter mire” This is jusxtaposition between 2 environments but also between the best times and the end of life