Poppies Flashcards
In summary what is this poem about?
A poem about a mother who has lost her son due to war which touches upon the inevitability of growing up, every soldier is someone’s son. This poem is fluid with time
Identify the tonal shift in this poem
‘I released a songbird from its cage’ Raw emotion, also reveals the son is free
Quote near beginning of poem
‘Before you left, I pinned one (a poppy) onto your lapel’ This connection between her son and poppies foreshadows his death
Identify a use of enjambment
‘skirting the church walls, my stomach busy // making darts, pleats, hat-less // without // a winter coat or reinforcements of scarf, gloves’
Identify the volta
‘On reaching the top of the hill, I traced’ Overcoming her loss
Identify a simile near the end, what does it reveal?
‘leaned against it like a wishbone’ Not only was her son dependent on her, she was dependent on him. She is catching her breath because she couldn’t keep up with her son’s rate of growth
What is the last line?
‘your playground voice catching on the wind’ Ends with a sense of pathos, the voice he had as a child is gone and she will never heart it again because time is transient and cruel
What does the contrast between semantic fields of war and childhood reveal?
Juxtaposes a young child with a man fighting
Identify a simile and enjambment before the tonal shift, what does it reveal?
‘threw // it open, the world overflowing // like a treasure chest’ Ironic as it suggests there are so many opportunities open to him but he may be dead now
What does the enjambment reveal?
Reveals she is in a hurry because her thoughts are elsewhere (sense of urgency and upset), reveals the speed at which her son has grown up. These dynamic verbs reveal she did everything for her son
