remains

Question 1

Poet

Answer 1

simon armitage

Question 2

“probably armed, possibly not”

Answer 2

• suggests there’s a slight chance he could have been innocent and not a threat.
• internal conflict on whether the murder was justifiable
• “probably” comes first because this is what he wants to believe, as it provides justification and peace of mind
• anaphora of this phrase is him reassuring himself- he’s in denial of what he’s done, trying to distance himself from the situation

Question 3

“remains”

Answer 3

-both human remains, and the horrific memories that remained with him

Question 4

“i see

Answer 4

every round as it rips through his life”

• suggests a horrific dragging out of the event: he’s convinced himself he remembers every bullet penetrating his body, which is near importable; he cannot get the image out of his head

Question 5

“sort of

Answer 5

inside out,
pain itself, the image of agony”

• gruesome imagery
• a childish description suggests inability to process
• colloquial language could also come from him convincing himself that he has not been affected, by not taking the situation seriously. writing the poem is a process of going over emotions, which which he’s struggling with

Question 6

“his bloody

Answer 6

life in my bloody hands”

• double entendre: both swearing and physical blood
• poem ending on this line suggests guilt is staying with him forever