Poppies Flashcards
Who wrote poppies
Jane weir
when was it written
2009
What is caused in the first stanza and give example
ambiguity, could be the mother sending the child off to school or war- uncertainty of his fate
“before you left”
What is the form of the poem
form of first person dramatic monologue allows us to experience the inner emotions of the speaker
what are there frequent symbols of
remembrance and peace
eg- “3 days before armistice sunday”
“Poppies had already been placed”
what does “smoothed down your shirts up turned collar” show
an element of playfulness and childish semantic field which juxtapose innocence end experience
give some context of the poem
The setting of the poem is also ambiguous, as there are suggestions of modern conflict but also frequent links to the past and memory
published in the guardian
where is there a shift of tone in the poem
3rd stanza “a split second and you were away, intoxicated
what is a symbol of letting go
” released a song bird from its cage”
Finish the quotation “later a………….
later a single dove flew from the pear tree
doves are normally in pairs, emphsises her loneliness without saying it-still trying to be strong “i was brave” even though her son is no longer there- maternal semantic fields
what are the effects of the textiles semantic field
“my stomach busy making tucks, pleats, hat-less”
“ornamental stitch”
mother like act to do, making things to protect him from the cold- trying to protect him from war and the real world
adds texture to the poem
whats the last line
“I listened, hoping to hear
your playground voice catching on the wind”
longing for him to go back in the past where he was safe at school
interesting time scales in the poem= shows how war is always happening no matter when- emotive
