Poppies

Question 1

Context (4)

Answer 1

• The poem looks at a mother of a son who has grown and gone to war
• The poem suggests that this is a modern conflict however it ends at a memorial suggesting the son has died
• Poem is based heavily around the idea of memory - it flashes back to key moments of the life of the mother and son
• Poem contains a range of emotions - sense of genuine sadness and pride

Question 2

Themes (6)

Answer 2

• Effects of conflict
• Loss and absence
• Memory
• Fear
• Identity
• Individual experience

Question 3

Structure (6)

Answer 3

• Written as a monologue in 4 stanzas and no rhyme scheme
• The stanzas are structured along events in the life of mother and child - chronological order:
• 1st - remembrance day triggered the memory
• 2nd - mother talks about helping her son get ready and seeing him off
• 3rd - The poem explores the emptiness that his absence has created
• The poem uses lots of enjambment and familiar nouns to enhance the idea of the natural tone and the mothers voice

Question 4

War and peace

Answer 4

• Huge contrast with some of the imagery, sometimes links to violence “blackthorns of your hair”/”blockade” and the more peaceful homely images “released a song bird”/”playing at being Eskimos” - this contrast emphasises the conflicting emotions in the mother

Question 5

Key quotes (4)

Answer 5

• “Poppies had already been placed”
• “Steeled the softening of my face”
• “All my words flattened, rolled, turned into felt, slowly meeting”
• “I went into your bedroom, released a song bird from its cage”

Question 6

Analyse “Poppies had already been placed” (2)

Answer 6

• Symbolism

* The poppy has symbolic kinks with violence, death and memory it is quite foreboding in this poem

Question 7

Analyse “Steeled the softening of my face”

Answer 7

Sibilance “steeled, softening” gives a calm tone to the scene described in the poem

Question 8

Analyse “All my words flattened, rolled, turned into felt, slowly melting”

Answer 8

Rule of three - reflects the way the mother is tongue tied and doesn’t no what to say, she is proud of her son but also doesn’t want him to go

Question 9

Analyse “I went into your bedroom, released a song bird from its cage”

Answer 9

metaphor - connotes that he is like a beautiful caged created and needs to be set free this implies that she understands this includes free to make mistakes and be harmed

Question 10

Tone quote

Answer 10

“I listened, hoping to hear your playground voice”

Question 11

Tone quote analysis - “I listened, hoping to hear your playground voice”

Answer 11

• Tone of lament

* caesura - breaks down the verses implies the choking back of tears