Positive Romantic Love Poetry Flashcards
Give the author and contextual information of ‘Winter Swans’.
The author of this poem is Owen Sheers. He is a modern poet, and wrote this poem to highlight the benefits of reconciliation amongst partners.
‘Winter Swans’: “The waterlogged earth/
gulping for breath at our feet.”
‘Winter Swans’: …gulping for breath at our feet.”
“The waterlogged earth/
‘Winter Swans’: “Until the swans came and stopped us/
with a show of tipping in unison.”
‘Winter Swans’: …with a show of tipping in unison.”
“Until the swans came and stopped us/
In ‘Winter Swans’, what is “Until the swans came and stopped us/ with a show of tipping in unison” in the poem?
The volta.
In ‘Winter Swans’, what does “show of tipping in unison” contrast?
The couple’s deteriorated relationship.
‘Winter Swans’: Icebergs of
white feather”
‘Winter Swans’: …white feather”
“icebergs of
‘Winter Swans’: “Porcelain over the
stilling water.”
‘Winter Swans’: …the stilling water.”
“Porcelain over
‘Winter Swans’: “Our hands had, somehow,
swum the distance between us.”
‘Winter Swans’: …swum the distance between us.”
“Our hands had, somehow,
In ‘Winter Swans’, what does the word ‘somehow’ imply, near the end?
‘Somehow’ illustrates the unforeseen, confusing nature of love.
In ‘Winter Swans’, how many lines is the last stanza, and what does this show in the relationship?
The last stanza is two lines, contrasting the discordant nature of the previous three line stanzas. This change reveals the end of the couple’s repeated conflicts, as they become a single, unified pair.
Give the author and contextual information of ‘Sonnet 29’.
The author is Elizabeth Barett Browning, who wrote this poem without any intention for it to be shared, building on the inner focus on herself with love, and the deeply personal connection.
‘Sonnet 29’: “My thoughts do
twine and bud.”
‘Sonnet 29’: …twine and bud.”
“My thoughts do
‘Sonnet 29’: “As wild vines,
about a tree.”
‘Sonnet 29’: …about a tree.”
“As wild vines,
‘Sonnet 29’: “The straggling green
which hides the wood.”
‘Sonnet 29’: …which hides the wood.”
“The straggling green
‘Sonnet 29’: “Yet, O, my
palm-tree.”
‘Sonnet 29’: …palm-tree.”
“Yet, O, my
‘Sonnet 29’: “I will not have my thoughts
instead of thee / Who art dearer, better!”
‘Sonnet 29’: Renew thy
presence, as a strong tree should.”
‘Sonnet 29’: presence, as a strong tree should.”
“Renew thy
Towards the end of ‘Sonnet 29’, give examples of the semantic field of imperatives.
“Renew”, “And let”, “Drop”, are all examples of imperatives.
‘Sonnet 29’: “Drop heavily down, -
burst, shattered, everywhere!”
‘Sonnet 29’: …burst, shattered, everywhere.”
“Drop heavily down, -
‘Sonnet 29’: “Breathe within
thy shadow a new air.”
‘Sonnet 29’: …thy shadow a new air.”
“Breathe within
‘Sonnet 29’: “I do not think of
thee - I am too near thee.”
‘Sonnet 29’: …thee - I am too near thee.”
“I do not think of
Give the author and contextual information of ‘Singh Song!’.
‘Singh Song!’ by Daljit Nagra, is a poem that entails the pure love the speaker has for his wife, and from this his apathy for prejudice against the shop that he runs, and subversion of cultural expectations by his family.
‘Singh Song!’: “I just run one of my daddy’s shops /
from 9 o’clock to 9 o’clock.”
‘Singh Song!’: …from 9 o’clock to 9 o’clock.”
“I just run one of my daddy’s shops /
‘Singh Song!’: “After vee hav made luv
like vee rowing through Putney.”
‘Singh Song!’: …like vee rowing through Putney.”
“After vee hav made luv
‘Singh Song!’: “Above my head high
heel tap di ground.”
‘Singh Song!’: …heel tap di ground.”
“Above my head high
‘Singh Song!’: “Netting two cat
on her Sikh lover site.”
‘Singh Song!’: …on her Sikh lover site.”
“Netting two cat
‘Singh Song!’: “She have a red crew cut /
and she wear a Tartan sari.”
‘Singh Song!’: …and she wear a Tartan sari.”
“She have a red crew cut/
‘Singh Song!’: “Ven I return from
di tickle ov my bride.”
‘Singh Song!’: …di tick ov my bride.”
“Ven I return from
‘Singh Song!’: “From behind
di chocolate bars.”
‘Singh Song!’: …di chocolate bars.”
“From behind
‘Singh Song!’: “From di stool each night I say,
Is priceless baby.”
‘Singh Song!’: …is priceless bay.”
“From di stool each night I say
What is the final message of ‘Singh Song!’ from the last line?
The final message of ‘Singh Song!’ from the last line is that love is priceless, contradicting the rest of the poem, that includes words like “sale” and “half-price.”
