To My Nine Year Old Self

Question 1

‘you must forgive me’

Answer 1

‘must’ imperative desperation and regret

caeusra distance that has grown between speaker and past self

Question 2

‘rather climb than run’

‘I have spoiled this body we once shared’

Answer 2

• beautiful physicality of first stanza corrupted enjambment to caesura freedom to restriction
• i = ownership
• physical distance between pronounds

Question 3

‘bad back or brusied foot’

Answer 3

semantic field of ill health

plosive alliteration ailments of adulthood pain and suffering

Question 4

‘white paper’

Answer 4

unblemished and pure indicative of childhood

Question 5

‘id’

Answer 5

conditional tense defeated by realisation they have nothing in common

Question 6

‘from men in cars after girl-children’

Answer 6

stanzas no longer end in full stops growing emotions being consumed with memories and nostalgia

Question 7

‘that tree’

Answer 7

naturistic development of childhood to adulthood

- joy is obliterated by the mandanity of adult practicalities

Question 8

‘i shant cloud your morning’

Answer 8

contrasts summer imagery a continued presence of the speaker will undermine the happiness of the childhood memories

Question 9

‘peeling a ripe scab;

Answer 9

universally relatable, readers will hear these memories and find them recalling thier own