Poetry: Praise Song for My Mother Flashcards
What is Praise Song for My Mother?
A poem that is a daughter’s tribute to her mother
What verse structure does Praise Song for My Mother have?
Four verses and then a line
What do the first four verses in Praise Song for My Mother do?
They recall the mother’s special qualities
What does the final line in Praise Song for My Mother do?
It recalls the mother’s advice
What is the theme of Praise Song for My Mother?
It discusses the theme of mother-love, and links to nature
What is the setting of Praise Song for My Mother?
There is no specific setting
What is the voice of Praise Song for My Mother?
The voice is strong and celebratory
Quotations for Praise Song for My Mother
‘You were … to me’
3
11
12
13
15
‘You were
…
deep and bold and fathoming’
Reveals a woman with insight and courage
‘You were
the fishes red gill to me’
Evokes the image of the mother as the breath of life - fish breathe with their gills
‘the flame tree’s spread’
Suggests a Caribbean setting
‘the crab’s leg/the fried plantain smell’
The forward slash creates a close connection between different foods and their smell, helping to suggest images of maternal nourishment
‘Go to your wide futures, you said’
An imperative is used, which sounds a note of fearlessness
The voice is like a blessing that sends the daughter to experience the richness of life
‘You were … to me’
Shows deep affection to the mother
Written in past tense - evoking a sense of looking back
‘moon’s eye to me
pull and grained and mantling’
‘pull’ - verb used as adjective suggests that her mother, and her influence are still active
“manting” – suggest wrapping - that her mother protects her
