Poppies Flashcards
What does the quote “Three days before Armistice Sunday and poppies had already been placed” show
The mention of Armistice Sunday and use of reported speech alerts readers to the poem’s themes of conflict and remembrance.
What does the quote “on individual war graves. Before you left, I pinned one onto your lapel, crimped petals.” Show
Weir vividly describes the intimate act of a mother pinning a poppy on her son’s lapel, highlighting the personal sacrifice made by families in war. The intimacy of tone is reflected in the use of “I” and “you” pronouns, highlighting how war affects individuals.
What does the quote “Sellotape bandaged around my hand, I rounded up as many white cat hairs as I could …” show
Mundane details like cat hairs on clothing convey a sense of familiarity, enhancing the poignancy of the speaker’s grief and memories.
What does the quote Upturned collar, steeled the softening of my face. I wanted to graze my nose across the tip of your nose.” Show
Weir portrays the mother’s struggle to contain her emotions with intimate detail. The oxymoron “Steeled the softening” suggests a poignant internal conflict, subverting typical ideas of bravery in war.
What does the quote “to run my fingers through the gelled blackthorns of your hair. All my words flattened, rolled, turned into felt,” show
The tactile imagery of grooming highlights the loss of physical connection. Weir’s metaphor of words becoming felt symbolises the depth of the parent’s grief and their struggle to articulate it.
What does the quote “After you’d gone I went into your bedroom, released a song bird from its cage.” Show
Weir employs metaphor, with the release of a bird symbolising the son’s departure. This signifies the parent’s act of letting go and the journey towards acceptance.
What does the quote “skirting the church yard walls, my stomach busy making tucks, darts, pleats,…” show
The repeated reference to clothes-making links parenthood to the formation of something new, but with the use of “tucks”, “darts” and “pleats” suggesting containment, echoing the repressed grief the mother feels.
What does the quote “On reaching the top of the hill I traced the inscriptions on the war memorial, leaned against it like a wishbone.” Show
Weir uses sensory imagery to evoke the experience of visiting the graveyard. The comparison to a wishbone conveys the parent’s fragility in their grief-stricken state (and seems ironic as a traditional symbol of luck).
What does the quote “The dove pulled freely against the sky, an ornamental stitch, I listened, hoping to hear your playground voice …” show
The speaker uses the image of a dove and of a stitch coming loose to symbolise feelings of loss and frustration. The speaker is stuck in the past and unable to resolve their grief, still listening for their voice on the wind.
What does the quote “…without a winter coat or reinforcements of scarf, gloves.” Show
Weir juxtaposes domestic imagery with military terms, emphasising the lack of comfort and support felt by the parent. This highlights the sacrifice made by families in times of conflict.
What is the form in the poem
-1st person narrative
-long sentences and enjambment give the impression that the narrator is absorbed in her own thoughts and memories
-caesura shows how she tries to hold her emotions together
What is the structure of the poem
The poem is chronological however the time ram is ambiguous as memories of the son’s childhood are intermingled with memories of him leaving
