This Moment by Eavan Boland

Question 1

What are the themes in ‘This Moment’ by Eavan Boland

Answer 1

Motherhood

Ordinary, suburban life

Question 2

What is the tone of ‘This Moment’ by Eavan Boland?

Answer 2

Warm, gentle, celebrative, sense of anticipation

Question 3

Give examples of sibilance in ‘This Moment’ by Eavan Boland. How does this add to the poem?

Answer 3

Repeated ‘s’ sounds in “stars rise”, “moths”, “apples sweeten”. Creates a softness and quietness that mirrors the atmosphere felt at the end of a day

Question 4

What is the effect of punctuation in ‘This Moment’ by Eavan Boland?

Answer 4

Short sentences and full stops create a sense of stillness and anticipation

Question 5

Give an example of simile/metaphor in ‘This Moment’ by Eavan Boland

Answer 5

“one tree is black / one window is yellow as butter”

Question 6

What can you say about the structure of ‘This Moment’ by Eavan Boland?

Answer 6

○Lyric poem
○The three lines in which the child runs into the mother’s arms mimics the motion of a child running towards the mother. The lines become shorter until the mother and child could not be any closer at “this moment”

Question 7

“Stars and …

Answer 7

“Stars and moths

And rind slanting around fruit”

Question 8

“Stars ris…

Answer 8

“Stars rise.
Moths flutter.
Apples sweeten in the dark.”

Question 9

“A woman …

Answer 9

“A woman leans down to catch a child
Who has run into her arms
This moment.”