Poppies

Question 1

Jane Weir

Answer 1

Born in 1963
Textile designer and poet
Lived during the The Troubles in Ireland

Question 2

Military Terms (examples)

Answer 2

“Poppies”, “war graves”, “spasms” “paper red” “crimped” “blockade” “Sello” “bandaged” “steeled” “graze”

Question 3

Form

Answer 3

• dramatic monologue –> dont hear mother’s son’s voice
• no rhyme scheme
• freeverse (chaotic)

Question 4

“Spasms of paper red, disrupting a blockade of yellow bias binding”

Answer 4

Could be seen as a metaphorical bullet wound, noun “blockade” acts as a barrier (protective structure), shhows how the mother aims to protect her son,
However the verb “disrupting” shows this is unable to happen.
Language from both the semantic field of war and the semantic field of textiles (represnting motherhood)

Question 5

“Steeled the softening of my face”

Answer 5

Softening - her inner turmoil and trauma, apprehension, nerves, anxiety
Steel - Metal, hard - she is trying to appear strong
‘Steeled’ and ‘softened’ juxtaposes as his mother has to put on a brave face snd be firm but st the same tjme, it contrasts with the motherly, warm-hearted and kind figure that has to diminish as her son is leaving.
The alliteration and antithesis shows the joining of her two emotions, showing how they are felt st the same time - inner turmoil

Question 6

“The world overflowing like a treasure chest”

Answer 6

Simile - imagery represent opportunities and hopes for the boy

Question 7

“Released a song bird from its cage”

Answer 7

Metaphor - now he has gone, she can release her emotions after they have been trapped - crying

Question 8

“My stomach busy making tucks, darts, pleats … without reinforcements”

Answer 8

Semantic field of textiles - her stomach is folded with fear, merged with words from semantic field of war.
She suggests that she has gone outside, unprotected, showing her guilt that she is unable to protect her son from the raw elements and harsh realities of war.