Prayer Before Birth Flashcards
Information
The poem is written in dramatic monologue (voice of an unborn baby)
Free Verse (shows the chaos of the world that the baby is being brought into.
‘I am not yet born’
Anaphora shows the reader the innocence of the speakers but also sounds like an incantation emphasising that it is a prayer.
‘O hear me’
‘Console me’
Imperatives at the start of each stanza emphasise the child’s desperation and further show that this is an apostrophe to God
‘Bloodsucking bat or rat’
Internal Rhyme Childish fears highlighting the baby’s fear
‘Club footed ghoul’
Metaphor shows how evil people are.
‘Come near me’
He wants to be protected by others
‘tall walls wall me’
Alliteration showing how he feels trapped
‘strong drugs dope me’
Metaphor shows thew horrors of the real world
Stanza 2
Nursery rhyme juxtaposes manipulation which also shows the true horrors of the world
‘Black racks rack me’
Metaphor for being tortured
‘grass to grow’
‘trees to talk’
‘sky to sing’
Natural Imagery emphasises the needs of the child. Could also show the destruction caused by WWII
‘White light’
Metaphorical representation for God to guide them
‘Forgive me’
Asking God for forgiveness prior as he knows the world is sinful.
‘rehearse me’
wants to be prepared
‘Lecture me…Hector me’
The list of actions towards the poet shows suffering
‘man who is beast of who thinks he is God’
The leaders who thought they were superior are linked to the devil and his evil
‘Freeze my humanity’
Suggests people will take away his rights
‘lethal automaton…a cog in a machine’
Refers to the baby being given a robotic job and not seen as an individual.dehumanising).
‘cog in a machine’
Metaphor showing he’ll be easily replaced and is just part of something bigger.
‘a thing’
Repetition of this shows the unborn child is unimportant
‘blow me like thistledown’
Simile and repetition suggest that they are easily manipulated
‘like water held in the hands would spill me’
Simile represents death as he is not cared for
Last Stanza
Powerful and emotive
‘a stone’
metaphorical, as he is insignificant
‘otherwise kill me’
He wants to be killed due to the horror the world has in it.
