Winter: My Secret Flashcards
formerly
“nonesense”
sexuality
voyeuristic reader, “peck” vs sexual violence in GM,
peck
The verb ‘pecked’ continues the idea of ‘nipping’.
It also has erotic undertones, subverting the typical Victorian view of female sexuality — that women had no sexual drive and submitted to the man’s demands.
culturally feminine clothing
shawl, veil, cloak
POV
1 to 1 or 1 to society, “you’re too curious” “You want to hear it?” second person
stanzas
winter stanza longer than spring and summer
spring
I don’t trust
March with its peck of dust,
Nor April with its rainbow-crowned brief showers,
negative connotations to spring
The seasons seem to be personified, apparently attempting to exert control which the speaker doesn’t trust.
The narrator said the secret was frozen, but if it were warm it would be released. But this would only happen with the narrator’s agency. She is in control.
disregarding new birth
summer
lethargic, low energy,
Perhaps some languid summer day,
When drowsy birds sing less and less,
golden
And golden fruit is ripening to excess,
even at height of summer she conceals
strength
celebration of winter, winter as a test of her strength, suffering - test of moral strength
flirt
coquettish flirtation from start to finish, who knows?, fie!, you want to hear it?, but only just my fun, you would not peck?
ope
I cannot ope to everyone who taps,
socially focused poem - open door
bounding
Come bounding and surrounding me,
Come buffeting, astounding me,
bounding, surrounding, buffeting, astounding, these can be symbolic of affection. The narrator might feel invaded yet flattered. Does it sound like love? Someone caged by fondness but enjoys it at the same time.
blows
To be pecked at by every wind that blows?
to be embraced by every suitor
