The Manhunt

Question 1

What kind of poet is Simon Armitage?

Answer 1

Contemporary English

Question 2

What position does he hold currently?

Answer 2

He is the current poet laureate.

Question 3

What did he write this poem for?

Answer 3

A documentary called ‘Forgotten Heroes: The Not Dead’, about various war veterans, perhaps reflecting his interest in the lives of everyday people. We can assume this as his previous job was a probation officer.

Question 4

What war is this poem about?

Answer 4

The Bosnian War: 1992-1995

Question 5

What was the Bosnian war like?

Answer 5

Very violent - cities and towns were shelled, ethnic cleanses occurred and women were raped.

Question 6

What were UN peacekeepers sent to do?

Answer 6

Protect civilians.

Question 7

What man is the poem about?

Answer 7

Eddie Beddoes - British soldier

Question 8

What did Eddie Beddoes suffer with?

Answer 8

PTSD - An anxiety disorder caused by distressing events.

Question 9

Who’s perspective is the poem written in?

Answer 9

Laura, Eddie’s wife

Question 10

‘____ the first phase,
____ _______ nights and ____ days,’

Answer 10

‘After the first phase,
after passionate nights and intimate days,’

Question 11

‘____ ____ would he let me ____
the ______ _____ which ran through his ____,’

Answer 11

‘only then would he let me trace
the frozen river which ran through his face,’

Question 12

‘and ______ and ____
the damaged, ________ collar-bone,’

Answer 12

‘and handle and hold
the damaged, porcelain collar-bone,’

Question 13

‘and ____ and _____
the ________ ______ of shoulder-blade,’

Answer 13

‘and mind and attend
the fractured rudder of shoulder-blade,’

Question 14

‘and ______ and _____
the ________ ____ of his punctured lung,’

Answer 14

‘and finger and thumb
the parachute silk of his punctured lung,’

Question 15

‘Only then could I ____ the _____
and _____ the _____ of his broken ribs,’

Answer 15

‘Only then could I binds the struts
and climb the rungs of his broken ribs,’

Question 16

‘and feel the ____
of his ______ _____.’

Answer 16

‘and feel the hurt
of his grazed heart.’

Question 17

‘________ along,
only then could I _______ the scan,’

Answer 17

‘Skirting along,
only then could I picture the scan,’

Question 18

‘the ______ of _____ beneath his _____
where the bullet had _______ come to ____.’

Answer 18

‘the foetus of metal beneath his chest
where the bullet had finally come to rest.’

Question 19

‘traced the ________ back to its source
to a ________, _______ ____
______ ____ in his ____,’

Answer 19

‘traced the scarring back to its source
to a sweating, unexploded mine buried deep in his mind,’

Question 20

‘around which
every ____ in his ____ had ________ and closed.
Then, and ____ ____, did I come ____.’

Answer 20

‘around which
every nerve in his body had tightened and closed.
Then, and only then, did I come close.’