Poppies by Weir

Question 1

opening

Answer 1

‘three days before armistice sunday’
-This use of temporal deixis establishes the theme of remembrance from the start.

Question 2

memory

Answer 2

‘I pinned one onto your lapel.. spasms of paper red …yellow bias binding around your blazer.
-This use of asyndetic listing shows how detailed the memory is to the narrator to show its significance and how dear it is to her
-spasms of paper red may show the pain felt by the family and soldiers
-yellow bias may be the image of an innocent life (son) being blocked out by death which suggests the war stopped him from living his life

Question 3

nose

Answer 3

‘I wanted to graze my nose across the tip of your nose’
-The word choice implies that the memory also has painful undertones
-highlights the memory of when he was little

Question 4

impluse

Answer 4

‘I resisted the impulse to run my fingers through the gelled blackthorns of you hair’
-words impulse and resisted shows her craving and desire to relive these moments which enhances the emotional impact of the poem
-blackthorns may represent an innocent sacrificial figure

Question 5

brave

Answer 5

‘I was brave’
-mother put her feelings aside for the sake of her country which shows her patriotic feelings towards her country

Question 6

world

Answer 6

‘the world overflowing like a treasure chest’
-This simile creates an image of there being an outpouring of emotion by the narrator
-caesura after it to indicate she stopped speaking
-represents the child is excited for the adventure ,journey and treasures of the world

Question 7

sickness

Answer 7

‘my stomach busy making tucks, darts, pleats’
-the metaphor and asyndetic listing shows how she feels guilty and sick
-trying to keep herself busy so she can keeps her mind off the grief

Question 8

lack of control

Answer 8

‘leaned against it like a wishbone’
-using it for support as she cant carry herself as her emotions make it difficult to stand straight
-simile of wishbone shows that after seeing the grave she desires and longing to have her son back which indicates her desperation and craving

Question 9

last line

Answer 9

‘I listened, hoping to hear your playground voice catching on the wind.’
-poignant ending with a very sad metaphor
-she wants to hear him one last time and she wants to believe he will come back