Slate Flashcards
“Their heels kicked flint, chalk, slate.”
“Heels kicked” shows their impatience for new things to arrive and make their mark.
The fact that the poem ends on “slate” where it began shows that Scotland is timeless and external.
“Kicked” is a violent action that I forced the idea of Scotland’s forceful and brutal creation, it also shows that although the violent creation has stopped Scotland is still restless.
“Memory of men! That was to come.”
This shows that men are yet to make an impact and in the grand scheme-of things- they are only really small and insignificant part of Scotland.
“Memory implies that men will not be around forever and one day you will just be a memory.
The exclamation mark shows that Scotland is excited for the arrival of men.
This appears at the end as so much has happened before men arrived.
“Raised and shaken”
This tells us that Scotland was shaken in a violent way and that this allowed them to become a greater country.
“Streak, surely strike, seldom stroke”
The ages have all left their mark.
All very violent actions apart from “stroke” which does not happen very often.
This is alliteration and shows us that Scotland is not always kind as a nation but always comes through it.
“Drumlins blue as bruises were grated off like nutmeg”
Bruises are caused by violent action although this shows that bruises heel over time and that Scotland as a formation will heel.
“The sorry glory of a rainbow”
Oxymoron, as glory is normally seen as joyful. Although rainbow is usually happy and thanking Scotland for their patience.
“There is no beginning”
This is ironic as this statement is at the beginning of the poem, and that Scotland is internal because Scotland has always been here. This implies that there also will be no beginning and the nation will continue to strive.
