Winter Swans Flashcards
What is the poem about?
Follows a couple walking together in a brief patch of good weather after rain. It is suggested they are separated by an argument maybe but are reunited by the end.
What is the form of the poem?
There is no consistent rhyme scheme perhaps reflecting the complex and unpredictable nature of the relationship.
Caesura used to show break in relationship and conversation
What is the structure of the poem?
Enjambment used to reflect fluidity of conversation characters are having
Stanzas are in lines of three (tercets) to perhaps symbolise the obstruction between the two that causes the break in their relationship
What is the context of the poem?
Sheers is a welsh poet whose work focuses on relationships and how people live together in society
Who wrote the poem?
Owen Sheers
What does the title of the poem suggest?
Winter- nature, cold links to death, worst part of relationship, purity of relationship (snow)
Swans- mate for life symbol of love, regal, royal, majestic,graceful, swan lake rivalry
Finish and analyse the quote: “The clouds __________” LINE 1
“The clouds had given their all”
-personification of weather
-symbolises external forces impacting their relationship but also creates a foreboding atmosphere for rest of the poem
What can be said about the semantic field of pairings in the poem?
“two days”
“halved”
“pair of wings”
Represents the couple’s intimacy and desire to be together but also their enduring and unconditional love
Finish and analyse the quote: “waterlogged_____// _______ for breath” LINE 4-5
“waterlogged earth// gulping for breath”
waterlogged- heavy burden of relationship as others affect it
gulping- personification of earth’s desperation to symbolise how relationship is struggling to find life or claustrophobia couple felt in relationship
enjambment to show separation but reuniting again
Analyse the quote: “We skirted the lake” LINE 6
Represent them keeping to the edge of the lake but also keeping distance from each other, avoiding the issue in their relationship
Finish and analyse the quote: “icebergs _________” LINE 11
“icebergs of white feather”
icebergs- more below the surface which may symbolise their lack of communication or a strong foundation for their relationship
white- contrasts with dark in line before shows that they always return to each other even after separation
feather- can spiritually mean unconditional love so represents the hope in the stability of their love
Analyse the quote: “They mate for life” LINE 13
Speech to show they are now communicating? Swans are a symbol of timeless and enduring love. Their colour is linked to light and purity. Symbolise melding of opposites (opposites attract?)
What is the couplet that ends the poem?
“folded, one over the other,// like a pair of wings settling after flight.”
What can be said about the couplet that ends the poem?
Resolution to separation (full stop). Does not rhyme so perhaps symbolises unconventional nature of relationsip as they get back together.They are no longer two separate things but part of a whole.
