Poppies - Key quotes Flashcards
Which quote uses a caesura to show the faltering voice of the mother as she’s on the verge of tears?
‘I listened hoping to hear / your playground voice catching on the wind’
Which quote is a metaphor for the struggle of the mother to deal with sending her son to war?
‘On reaching the top of the hill I traced / the inscriptions on the war memorial, / leaned against it like a wishbone’
-climbing the hill is metaphor for her struggle
Which quote uses a metaphor and rule of 3 to indicate the mother’s grief has left her speechless?
‘All my words flattened, rolled, turned into felt’
Which quote uses symbolism to show she’s acknowledging and coming to terms with her son’s desire for freedom?
‘Later a single dove flew from the pear tree’
Which quote uses symbolism to show she’s let her son go?
‘Released a song bird from it’s cage’
Which quote uses symbolism to show she’s accepted her son’s choice?
‘To the front door, threw / it open’
Which quote uses imagery of innocence to show the mother’s intense love for her son?
‘Sellotape bandaged around my hand, / I rounded up as many white cat hairs / as I could, smoothed down your shirt’s / upturned collar’
Which quote uses colour and military imagery to foreshadow the dangers her son will face?
‘Spasms of paper red, disrupting a blockade / of yellow bias binding around your blazer’
-colour imagery of ‘red’ and military imagery of ‘blockade’
Which quote uses a similie to indicate the mother understands her son’s excitement to see the world and new opportunities?
‘The world overflowing / like a treasure chest’
- treasure chest = similie for new experiences
Which quote uses tender imagery and juxtaposition to highlight the uncertain future of her son?
‘I resisted the impulse / to run my fingers through the gelled / blackthorns of your hair’
-tender image of the mother touching her son is juxtaposed by sharp ‘blackthorns’ and the uniform.
Which quote uses images of innocence to remind the reader the innocence corrupted by war?
‘I wanted to graze my nose / against the tip of you nose play at / being eskimos like we did when you were little’
Which 2 quotes use tactile (touch) imagery to emphasise the mother’s desire for closeness?
‘I traced / the inscriptions on the war memorial’
‘Run my fingers through the gelled / blackthorns of your hair’
Which 4 themes appear in Poppies?
- Powerful and/or negative feelings
- Effects and reality of war
- Powerful emotions
- conflicted emotions
Which poems can you compare Poppies to when discussing the theme of powerful and/or negative feelings?
- Remains.
- War Photographer.
- The Emigree.
- Checking Out My History.
- London.
- My Last Duchess.
Which poems can you compare Poppies to when discussing the theme of effects and reality of war?
- Remains
- Charge of the light brigade
- Bayonet charge
- Exposure
- War photographer
