Stafford Afternoons Flashcards
What perspective is the poem from and who is the speaker?
A child going on a journey, looking at past experience of grown up memory
What themes are in the poem?
Childhood, memory, exploration, curiosity, danger, freedom, time, location
Describe what happens in the poem.
First stanza- Reminiscing of simplicity of childhood, childhood dwindling away from her
Second stanza- Going to motorway bridge, feeding a horse, exploring
Third stanza- Different place of cul-de-sac, going into forest, mischievous, location consuming her
Fourth stanza- Exploring imagination in the forest, forest is alive
Fifth stanza- Man came to her, people consumed her space while she wanted to be with nature. Consiousness comes back through senses
Sixth stanza- Ran home, fear, time comes back to bring the memories back but they always are let go of again, like playing ball
What structure is the poem?
Quintaine stanzas-structured narrative with free verse, no set rhyme/rhythm which shows childhood memories are deceptive and unreliable, can change
What techniques are used in the poem?
Personification of forest
Metaphor of time
Aspirant alliteration
Temporal deixis
Antithesis (suddenly pause)
Synesthesia (sight made sound rush back)
