poppies Flashcards
context of poem
- poppies are used to commemorate the centenary of WW1
- worn every year in the lead up to the 11 nov
- in the battle of Ypres, the only signs of life were red poppies blowing in the wind, he was so moved by the flowers resilience that he penned a poem about them called in Flanders field
“three days before armistice sunday” analysis
Sound
- sibilance in “days” “armistice” “sunday” is evocative of a snake, which symbolises danger and death, which can reflect all the lives lost during the world war
- internal rhyme of “before” and “war” reinforces the sense of haunting ghostliness which is also invoked by the morbid imagery of the “individual war graves”
- internal rhyme of “days” “sunday” “placed” creates a sense of pounding heaviness, as if the speaker is weighed down by the dread of each new day, bringing her one step closer to sending her son away, and potentially to that grave, which is the battlefield
- the word “before” implies looking back, which adds to the sense of nostalgia and loss
- allusion to war “armistice sunday” creates a sense of realism
“spasms of paper red….
disrupting a blockade of yellow bias binding around your blazer
spasms of paper red, disrupting a blockade of yellow bias binding around your blazer analysis
word choice
- “spasms” suggests a sudden and violent movement, which highlights the unpredictable and chaotic nature of war
- the phrase “paper red” - in particular the word “paper” creates an image of something fragile and delicate, emphasizing the fragility of life, the word “red” may symbolise blood, and may therefore signify the violence and destruction of war
- “blockade” suggests large object, could suggest a psychological resistance on the sons part towards his mothers anxiety, his mother sees herself as an obstacle in her sons attempt to laze a path for himself
language techniques :
personification in “spasms of red” give the poppies a sense of agency and power, suggesting they are capable of disrupting the speakers world.
- the verb “disrupting” emphasizes the sudden and unexpected nature of the poppies appearance, creating. sense of shock and surprise for the reader
- colour imagery emphasizes the beauty of the poppies, contrasting the ciolent imagery in the previous line
sound :
plosives - “d” “p” “b” could be a sonic recreation of machine gun sounds, and theres a frictional thrust to these consonants, which conveys the sense of muffled tension in the mother and sons relationship, and its the kind of tension that needs to be released
I wanted to …
graze my nose across the tip of your nose, play at being Eskimos like we did when you were little”
I wanted to graze my nose across the tip of your nose, play at being Eskimos like we did when you were little” analysis
- homely imagery signal a mental reprieve from the discomforting reminder of what her son will soon face, and may perhaps offer the speaker a moment of solace
- sudden concatenation of internal rhymes, such as “face” “graze “play” , also in repetition of “nose” and internal rhyme of “eskimos” , reflecting the harmonies of nursery rhymes, these suggest a fleeting but consoling restoration of mental harmony in the speakers otherwise anxious mind. the sonic harmony translates into a mental harmoney
- The imagery evokes a gentle and intimate gesture, suggesting a desire for closeness and connection between the speaker and the addressed person. The use of the word “graze” adds a tender and delicate quality to the interaction.
meaning of reprieve
cancel or postpone the punishment of
meaning of solace
comfort or consolation in a time of distress or sadness
released a song bird from its cage…
later a single dove flew from the pear tree
released a song bird from its cage, later a single dove flew from the pear tree analysis
- songbird is a symbol of the son who is released from the confined “cage” of his home and from the cocooned bedroom of his youth, once he steps out into the world as both an adult and soldier
- “single dove” associated with peace and divinity, seems to represent the faith that the speaker feels, holds onto the conviction that her son will be safe, despite her lingering anxiety
on reaching the top of the hill I traced analysis
- biblical allusion of reaching the top of the hill, individuals going to the top of the mountain to communicate with God (Moses and 10 commandments)
- she’s receiving a holy communion about her sons fate
- combined with her leaning against the war memorial “like a wishbone” suggests shes made a prayer wishing for her sons safe return
“blackthorns of your hair”
- suggests his purity
- may have purposely picked a hairstyle which would have discouraged her from touching it
- metaphorical of how hes prckly towards her and wants to break away from the bonds of motherhood, perhaps he feels like she is an oppressive mother
- blackthorns of your hair” could symbolize the complexities and challenges of the mother-son relationship. Blackthorns, with their sharp and thorny nature, represent the difficulties and obstacles that arise in the process of a child asserting their independence and separating from their mother. The tangled nature of the hair suggests the intricate and sometimes entangled emotions experienced by both the mother and the son during this stage of growth.
- Biblical imagery as Jesus wore blackthorns on the cross, so she may be seeing her son as a sacrificial offering to the world
“all my words flattened, rolled, turned into felt”
- imagery of clothing
- felt, words are conveying how she feels but shes not actually coming out and telling her son how she actually feels because her words are “flattened” theyre not sharp, shes not revealing her true emotions
- this could be irritating to her son, who is her opposite, as the metaphor of his hair being blackthorns show that he expresses his emotions exactly as they are, he doesnt try to repress them
- suggests a loss of clarity, substance, and impact in their communication. Felt, a dense and non-porous material, conveys the idea of words becoming dull, muted, and lacking the ability to effectively convey the speaker’s emotions.
form
- lack of structure reflects the mother exploring her own feelings, emphasising monologue and authenticity
- begins with interior life, hes not there
- then she moves from her actions to try and explain her feelings to him, conflicting feelings of missing him but also being excited for the opportunities that await him
- “song bird” represents both his and her freedom, as hes breaking free from her overprotective nature whilst she is finally finding her voice
- ends with imagery of a dove which has Biblical allusions as Noah would release a dove everyday and if it didnt come back, it would give him hope that there would be land
- suggests that there isnt tragedy in the poem
