Power And Conflict Poetry Cluster 4g5f67

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POWER AND CONFLICT POETRY CLUSTER

Poem Summary

Comparison Linking 2

Ozymandias – Percy Bysshe Shelley

Power of Human Power of Natur Prid Context

The One Where... The Narrator meets a traveller who tells him

about a statue standing in the middle of the desert. Its a statue of a king who ruled over past civilisation. His face us proud and he arrogantly boasts about how powerful he is and there is an inscription of it’s base. However the statue has crumbled away so that only “Two ruins remain. vast and trunkless legs of

stone” “Sneer of cold command” “Colossal wreck” “ King of Kings” “ Lone and level sands stretch far

Percy Shelley was one of a group of poets who became known as The Romantics. Shelley was well known as a 'radical' during his lifetime and some people think Ozymandias reflects this side of his character. Although it is about the remains of a statue of Ozymandias (another name for the Egyptian pharaoh Rameses II) it can be read as a criticism Structu of people or systems that become huge re and believe themselves to be invincible. •There are no clear stanzas as such.  •Although it doesn't have an easy, memorable rhyme

Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley Themes: Power of Nature, Decay, Pride Content, Meaning and Purpose -The narrator meets a traveller who tells him about a decayed stature that he saw in a desert. -The statue was of a long forgotten ancient King: the arrogant Ozymandias, ‘king of kings.’ -The poem is ironic and one big metaphor: Human power is only temporary – the statue now lays crumbled in the sand, and even the most powerful human creations cannot resist the power of nature. Language -‘sneer of cold command’: the king was arrogant, this has been recognised by the sculptor, the traveller and then the narrator. -‘Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair.’: ‘Look’ = imperative, stressed syllable highlights commanding tone; ironic – he is telling other ‘mighty’ kings to ire the size of his statue and ‘despair’, however they should really despair because power is only temporary. ‘The lone and level sands stretch far away.’: the desert is vast, lonely, and lasts far longer than a statue. 4

Tones: Ironic, rebellious Context -Shelley was a poet of the ‘Romantic period’ (late 1700s and early 1800s). Romantic poets were interested in emotion and the power of nature. -Shelley also disliked the concept of a monarchy and the oppression of ordinary people. -He had been inspired by the French revolution – when the French monarchy was overthrown. Form and Structure -A sonnet (14 lines) but with an unconventional structure… the structure is normal until a turning point (a volta) at Line 9 (..these words appear). This reflects how human structures can be destroyed or decay. -The iambic pentameter rhyme scheme is also disrupted or decayed. -First eight lines (the octave) of the sonnet: the statue is described in parts to show its destruction. -Final two lines: the huge and immortal desert is described to emphasise the insignificance of human power and pride.

London – William Blake

Power of Human Loss and Absenc Ange Context

The One Where... The narrator is describing a walk around the city of London

He says that everywhere he goes, the people he meets are affected by misery and despair. This misery seems relentless. No one can escape it – not even the young People in Power (Church, Wealthy people and the Monarchy) seem to be the problem and are doing nothing to help

“ Chartered Street...Chartered Thames” “Every cry of every man... Every infant’s cry of fear... Every voice” “black’ning church appals” “And blights and plagues the

In 1789, the French people revolted against the monarchy and aristocracy, using violence and murder to overthrow those in power. Many saw the French Revolution as inspirational - a model for how ordinary, disadvantaged people could seize power. Blake alludes to the revolution in London, arguably suggesting that the experience of living there could encourage a revolution on the streets of the capital.

Structu re •The four stanzas offer a glimpse of different aspects of the city, almost like snapshots seen by the speaker during his "wander thro'" the streets.

London by William Blake Themes: Power, Inequality, Loss, Anger Content, Meaning and Purpose -The narrator is describing a walk around London and how he is saddened by the sights and sounds of poverty. -The poem also addresses the loss of innocence and the determinism of inequality: how new-born infants are born into poverty. -The poem uses rhetoric (persuasive techniques) to convince the reader that the people in power (landowners, Church, Government) are to blame for this inequality.

Tones: Angry, Dark, Rebellious Context -The poem was published in 1794, and time of great poverty is many parts of London. -William Blake was an English poet and artist. Much of his work was influenced by his radical political views: he believed in social and racial equality. -This poem is part of the ‘Songs of Experience’ collection, which focuses on how innocence is lost and society is corrupt. -He also questioned the teachings of the Church and the decisions of Government. Language Form and Structure -Sensory language creates an immersive effect: -A dramatic monologue, there is a firstvisual imagery (‘Marks of weakness, marks of person narrator (‘I) who speaks woe’) and aural imagery (‘cry of every man’) ionately about what he sees. -‘mind-forged manacles’: they are trapped in -Simple ABAB rhyme scheme: reflects the poverty. unrelenting misery of the city, and perhaps -Rhetorical devices to persuade: repetition (‘In the rhythm of his feet as he trudges around every..’); emotive language (‘infant’s cry of fear’). the city. -Criticises the powerful: ‘each chartered street’ – -First two stanzas focus on people; third everything is owned by the rich; ‘Every black’ning stanza focuses on the institutions he holds church appals’ - the church is corrupt; ‘the responsible; fourth stanza returns to the hapless soldier’s sigh / Runs in blood down people – they are the central focus. 6 palace walls’ – soldier’s suffer and die due to the decisions of those in power, who themselves live

The Prelude – William Wordsworth

Power of Natur Memor Context Fea “The horizon’s bound, a huge peak, black Prid and huge”

The One Where... The extract begins on a summer evening when the narrator finds a boat tied to a tree. He unties it and

takes it onto the lake. Initially he seems happy and confidant but a mountain appears on the horizon and the narrator is afraid of its power. He turns the boat around and goes home but his view on nature has changed.

“Upreared its head” “And through the meadows homeward went, in grave” “for many days” “By day, and were a trouble to my

He was born in Cockermouth in Cumbria, part of the region commonly known as the Lake District, and his birthplace had a huge influence on his writing Wordsworth is believed to have started writing poetry when he was at school; during this time he was orphaned by the death of this father. Structu

The Prelude can definitely be viewed as an epic re

poem, in length at least. Epics are very long pieces of writing that usually deal with exciting, action-packed heroic events like wars or explorations. Although many of the events Wordsworth writes about are 'ordinary' they are given an epic quality, to fully describe the they had on his life. dreams” impact This is an extract of 44 lines written in blank verse.

Extract from The Prelude: Stealing the Boat by William Wordsworth Themes: Power of Nature, Fear, Childhood Tones: Confident > Dark / Fearful > Reflective Content, Meaning and Purpose Context -The story of a boy’s love of nature and a night-Published shortly after his death, The time adventure in a rowing boat that instils a Prelude was a very long poem (14 books) deeper and fearful respect for the power of that told the story of William Wordsworth’s nature. life. -At first, the boy is calm and confident, but the -This extract is the first part of a book sight of a huge mountain that comes into view entitled ‘Introduction – Childhood and scares the boy and he flees back to the shore. School-Time’. -He is now in awe of the mountain and now -Like Percy Shelley, Wordsworth was a fearful of the power of nature which are romantic poet and so his poetry explores described as ‘huge and mighty forms, that do not themes of nature, human emotion and how live like living men.’ humans are shaped by their interaction with -We should respect nature and not take it for nature. granted. Language Form and Structure -‘One summer evening (led by her)’: ‘her’ might -First person narrative – creates a sense that be nature personified – this shows his love for it is a personal poem. nature. -The regular rhythm and enjambment add to -‘an act of stealth / And troubled pleasure’: the effect of natural speech and a personal confident, but the oxymoron suggests he knows voice. it’s wrong; forebodes the troubling events that -The extract can be split into three sections, follow. each with a different tone to reflect his -‘nothing but the stars and grey sky’: emptiness shifting mood: of sky. Lines 1-20: (rowing) carefree and confident -‘the horizon’s bound, a huge peak, black and Lines 21-31: (the mountain appears) dark 8 huge’: the image of the mountain is more and fearful shocking (contrast). Lines 32-44: (following days) reflective and

My Last Duchess – Robert Browning

Power of Human Memor Context Prid “Looking as if she were alive.” Identit

The One Where... The duke proudly points out the portrait of the Duchess to a visitor.

The duke was angered by the Duchess’ behaviourshe was friendly to everyone. There are strong hints that he had her murdered The duke walks away to arrange his next marriage.

“none puts by the curtain I have drawn for you” “too soon made glad, too easily impressed” “My gift of a nine-hundred-yearsold name” I gave commands; then all smiles

Ferrara is in Italy where The Duke’s wife died in suspicious circumstances. There are rumours she was poisoned.

Structu re This is one long speech, pretending to be a conversation. It is divided up into rhyming couplets but to mimic unrehearsed speech there are lots of twists and turns within the lines, shown by a variety of punctuation (colons and lots of dashes as well as the usual commas and full stops). For example "She thanked men good! but thanked/Somehow - I know not how".

My Last Duchess by Robert Browning Themes: Power, Pride, Control, Jealousy, Status Content, Meaning and Purpose -The Duke is showing a visitor around his large art collection and proudly points out a portrait of his last wife, who is now dead. He reveals that he was annoyed by her over-friendly and flirtatious behaviour. -He can finally control her by objectifying her and showing her portrait to visitors when he chooses. - He is now alone as a result of his need for control. -The visitor has come to arrange the Duke’s next marriage, and the Duke’s story is a subtle warning about how he expects his next wife to behave. Language -‘Looking as if she was alive’: sets a sinister tone. -‘Will’t please you sit and look at her?’ rhetorical question to his visitor shows obsession with power. -‘she liked whate’er / She looked on, and her looks went everywhere.’: hints that his wife was a flirt. -‘as if she ranked / My gift of a nine-hundredyears-old name / With anybody’s gift’: she was beneath him in status, and yet dared to rebel 10 against his authority. -‘I gave commands; Then all smiles stopped

Tones: Sinister, Bitter, Angry Context -Browning was a British poet, and lived in Italy. The poem was published in 1842. -Browning may have been inspired by the story of an Italian Duke (Duke of Ferrara): his wife died in suspicious circumstances and it was rumoured that she had been poisoned.

Form and Structure -Dramatic Monologue, in iambic pentameter. -It is a speech, pretending to be a conversation – he doesn’t allow the other person to speak! -Enjambment: rambling tone, he’s getting carried away with his anger. He is a little unstable. -Heavy use of caesura (commas and dashes): stuttering effect shows his frustration and anger: ‘She thanked men, – good! but thanked / Somehow – I

The Charge of the Light BrigadeAlfred Tennyson

Effects of Conflic Reality of Conflic Context Identit

The One Where... The poem describes a disastrous battle between British Cavalry and Russian Forces during the

Crimean War (1853-1856) A misunderstanding meant that the Light Brigade were ordered to advance into a valley surrounded by enemies The cavalry were only armed with swords where the a league, half were a league” Russians had“Half guns. The light Brigade defenceless and many were killed.

“theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why Theirs but to do and die” “into the mouth of hell” “Then they rode back, but not, Not the six hundred” “When can their glory fade?”

Alfred, Lord Tennyson was one of the most important poets of the Victorian period. He was the Poet Laureate (the country's official poet) from 1850 until his death in 1892. His poems range from those focused on the legend of King Arthur to those dealing with the loss of a loved one.

Structu re The Charge of the Light Brigade makes great use of alliteration to violent story.

tell

its

The poem is very regular in it structure, with several examples of repetition. The Charge of the Light Brigade is a narrative poem, with each of the stanzas progressing the story of the attack.

Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

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Themes: Conflict, Suffering, Reality of War, Patriotism Content, Meaning and Purpose - Published six weeks after a disastrous battle against the Russians in the (unpopular) Crimean War -Describes a cavalry charge against Russians who shoot at the lightly-armed British with cannon from three sides of a long valley. -Of the 600 hundred who started the charge, over half were killed, injured or taken prisoner. -It is a celebration of the men’s courage and devotion to their country, symbols of the might of the British Empire. Language -“Into the valley of Death”: this Biblical imagery portrays war as a supremely powerful, or even spiritual, experience. -“jaws of Death” and “mouth of Hell”: presents war as an animal that consumes its victims. -“Honour the Light Brigade/Noble six hundred”: language glorifies the soldiers, even in death. The ‘six hundred’ become a celebrated and prestigious group. -“shot and shell”: sibilance creates whooshing sounds of battle.

Tones: Energetic, Tragic, Haunting Context -As Poet Laureate, he had a responsibility to inspire the nation and portray the war in a positive light: propaganda. -Although Tennyson glorifies the soldiers who took part, he also draws attention to the fact that a commander had made a mistake: “Someone had blunder’d”. -This was a controversial point to make in Victorian times when blind devotion to power was expected. Form and Structure -This is a ballad, a form of poetry to historical events – we should their courage. -6 verses, each representing 100 men who took part. -First stanza tightly structured, mirroring the cavalry formation. Structure becomes awkward to reflect the chaos of battle and the fewer men returning alive. -Dactylic dimeter (HALF-a leaugue / DUMde-de) mirrors the sound of horses galloping and increases the poem’s pace. -Repetition of ‘the six hundred’ at the end

Exposure – Wilfred Owen

Power of Natur Effects of Confli Reality of Confli Loss and Absenc Context

The One Where... Soldiers in the trenches of World War One are awake at night and afraid of enemy attack. However, nature seems to be their main enemy. The men imagine returning home, but the doors are closed to them. They believe that sacrificing themselves in the war is the only way to keep everyone safe. They return to thinking about their deaths in icy, “ But nothing happens” bleak trenches.

Owen and his fellow soldiers were forced to lie outside in freezing conditions for two days. It was against this background that Owen wrote Exposure. Owen used his writing to inform people back in Britain about the horrors of the war and in particular about life on the front line. Owen had ed the army in 1915 but was hospitalised in May 1917 suffering with PTSD – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Owen eventually returned to the war but was tragically killed just days before the war ended; he was just 26.

“Worried by silence, sentries whisper, curious, nervous” “poignant misery” “all their eyes are ice”

Structu The re poem is structured as a series of eight stanzas of five lines. The last line

of each stanza is noticeably shorter and indented which emphasises its importance. It is also part of the more general disruption of the rhythmic structure. Many of these short lines are either rhetorical questions or the repetition of the phrase ‘But nothing happens’. Both have the effect of emphasising the apparent pointlessness of what is going on. The first four lines of each stanza follow the rhyming pattern of abba. This regularity emphasises the unchanging nature of daily life in the trenches. Closer inspection shows that many of the rhymes do not quite work as full rhymes eg: knive us/nervous, wire/war, brambles/rumbles. Owen is employing a technique known as half rhyme. This helps to unsettle the

“For love of God seems dying”

Exposure by Wilfred Owen Themes: Conflict, Suffering, Nature, Reality of War, Patriotism Content, Meaning and Purpose -Speaker describes war as a battle against the weather and conditions. -Imagery of cold and warm reflect the delusional mind of a man dying from hypothermia. -Owen wanted to draw attention to the suffering, monotony and futility of war.

Language -“Our brains ache” physical (cold) suffering and mental (PTSD or shell shock) suffering. -Semantic field of weather: weather is the enemy. -“the merciless iced east winds that knive us…” – personification (cruel and murderous wind); sibilance (cutting/slicing sound of wind); ellipsis (never-ending). -Repetition of pronouns ‘we’ and ‘our’ – conveys togetherness and collective suffering of soldiers. -‘mad gusts tugging on the wire’ – personification 14

Tones: Tragic, Haunting, Dreamy Context -Written in 1917 before Owen went on to win the Military Cross for bravery, and was then killed in battle in 1918: the poem has authenticity as it is written by an actual soldier. - Of his work, Owen said: “My theme is war and the pity of war”. -Despite highlighting the tragedy of war and mistakes of senior commanders, he had a deep sense of duty: “not loath, we lie out here” shows that he was not bitter about his suffering. Form and Structure -Contrast of Cold>Warm>Cold imagery coveys Suffering>Delusions>Death of the hypothermic soldier. -Repetition of “but nothing happens” creates circular structure implying never ending suffering -Rhyme scheme ABBA and hexameter gives the poem structure and emphasises the monotony. -Pararhymes (half rhymes) (“nervous / knife us”) only barely hold the poem together, like the men.

Storm on the Island – Seamus Heaney

Power of Human Power of Natur Fea

The One The narrator describes how a community thinks it’s Where... well prepared for a coming storm As the poem goes on, their confidence starts to disappear as the storm develops. The power and sounds of the storm are described. The ending of the poem describes the fear as the storm hits the island. “We are prepared”

Context

“can raise a tragic chorus in a gale”Seamus Heaney was born in Northern Ireland in 1939. His father “pummels” “no trees, no natural shelter”

farmed 50 acres in rural County Derry. Much of Heaney's poetry is centred on the countryside and farm life that he knew as a boy. He studied at Queen's University, Belfast and spent some years teaching. In 1965 he married Marie Devlin, and went on to lecture on poetry at his old university, Queen's, for six years (1966 - 72). STORMONT- Irish parliament

“spray hits” & “spits like a tame cat”Structu “bombarded” “it is a huge nothing that we fear”

re poem consists of nineteen lines of blank verse The unrhyming lines each containing five beats or feet. This verse form (much used by Shakespeare) follows the natural patterns of spoken English, so we feel that Heaney is talking to us.

Storm on the Island by Seamus Heaney Themes: Power of Nature, Fear Content, Meaning and Purpose -The narrator describes how a rural island community prepared for a coming storm, and how they were confident in their preparations. -When the storm hits, they are shocked by its power: its violent sights and sounds are described, using the metaphor of war. -The final line of the poem reveals their fear of nature’s power

Tones: Dark, Violent, Anecdotal Context -Seamus Heaney was Northern Irish, he died in 2013. -This poem was published in 1966 at the start of ‘The Troubles’ in Northern Ireland: a period of deep unrest and violence between those who wanted to remain part of the UK and those who wanted to become part of Ireland. -The first eight letters of the title spell ‘Stormont’: this is the name of Northern Ireland’s parliament. The poem might be a metaphor for the political storm that was building in the country at the time.

Language -‘Nor are there trees which might prove company’: the island is a lonely, barren place. -Violent verbs are used to describe the storm: ‘pummels’, ‘exploding’, ‘spits’. -Semantic field of war: ‘Exploding comfortably’ (also an oxymoron to contrast fear/safety); ‘wind dives and strafes invisibly’ (the wind is a fighter plane); ‘We are bombarded by the empty air’ (under ceaseless attack). -This also reinforces the metaphor of war / troubles. -‘spits like a tame cat turned savage’: simile compares the nature to an animal that has turned on its owner.

Form and Structure -Written in blank verse and with lots of enjambment: this creates a conversational and anecdotal tone. -‘We’ (first person plural) creates a sense of community, and ‘You’ (direct address) makes the reader feel immersed in the experience. -The poem can split into three sections: Confidence: ‘We are prepared:’ (ironic) The violence of the storm: ‘It pummels your house’ Fear: ‘it is a huge nothing that we fear.’ -There is a turning point (a volta) in Line 14: ‘But no:’. This monosyllabic phrase, and the caesura, reflects the final calm before the storm.

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Bayonet Charge – Ted Hughes

Effects of Conflic Reality of Conflic Fea

The One The poem focuses on a single soldier’s experience of Where... a charge towards enemy lines. It describes his

thoughts and actions as he tries to stay alive. The soldier’s overriding emotion and motivation is fear, which has replaced the more patriotic ideals that he held before thekhaki, violence began.heavy” “hot his sweat “a rifle numb as a smashed arm” “patriotic tear” “sweating like molten iron from the centre of his chest” “cold clockwork” “a yellow hare that rolled like a flame” “green hedge” “king, honour, human dignity, etcetera”

Context Ted Hughes (1930-1998) was born in Yorkshire, in the North of England, and grew up in the countryside. After serving in the RAF for two years, he won a scholarship to Cambridge University where he studied Archaeology and Anthropology. The themes of the countryside, human history and mythology therefore already deeply influenced his Structu imagination by the time he started writing poetry as a student.

The poem is written in three stanzas. All three are filled with words and images, which could suggest the thick mud appropriate for a poem whose main theme is about a man running across a muddy field carrying a heavy gun. The length of the lines varies a lot. Hughes uses long and short lines to suggest the quick and slow progress of the soldier. The first stanza is all about action and running. The soldier is awake and running within six words of the opening line. The flow, however, is broken by the use of dashes "–" (three in the first stanza, one at the beginning of the second). This breaks up the flow of the poem and shows how the soldier is waking up to what is happening and slowly starting to think. The second stanza therefore happens in a kind of slow-motion (note the three lines that are broken in the middle by punctuation – lines 11, 14 and 15). The second half of line 15 breaks this spell and he knows he has to rush, without thinking, towards his death in the final stanza.

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Bayonet Charge by Ted Hughes Themes: Conflict, Power, Reality of War, Nature, Bravery, Patriotism Content, Meaning and Purpose -Describes the terrifying experience of ‘going over the top’: fixing bayonets (long knives) to the end of rifles and leaving a trench to charge directly at the enemy. -Steps inside the body and mind of the speaker to show how this act transforms a soldier from a living thinking person into a dangerous weapon of war. -Hughes dramatises the struggle between a man's thoughts and actions. Language “The patriotic tear that brimmed in his eye Sweating like molten iron”: his sense of duty (tear) has now turned into the hot sweat of fear and pain. “cold clockwork of the stars and nations”: the soldiers are part of a cold and uncaring machine of war. “his foot hung like statuary in midstride.”: he is frozen with fear/bewilderment. The caesura (full stop) jolts him back to reality. “a yellow hare that rolled like a flame And crawled in a threshing circle”: impact of war on 18nature – the hare is distressed, just like the soldiers

Tones: Bewildered, Desperate, Dreamy Context -Published in 1957, but most-likely set in World War 1. -Hughes’ father had survived the battle of Gallipoli in World War 1, and so he may have wished to draw attention to the hardships of trench warfare. -He draws a contrast between the idealism of patriotism and the reality of fighting and killing. (“King, honour, human dignity, etcetera”) Form and Structure -The poem starts ‘in medias res’: in the middle of the action, to convey shock and pace. -Enjambment maintains the momentum of the charge. -Time stands still in the second stanza to convey the soldier’s bewilderment and reflective thoughts. -Contrasts the visual and aural imagery of battle with the internal thoughts of the soldier = adds to the confusion.

Remains – Simon Armitage

Effects of Conflic Reality of Conflic Gui Context Memor

The One AWhere... group of soldiers shoot a man who’s running away from a bank raid he’s been involved in. His death is described in graphic detail The soldier telling the story isn’t sure whether the man armed or not- this plays on his mind. He can’t get the man’s death out of his mind.

“Probably armed, Possibly not” “three” “chucked” “then I’m home on leave” “dug in behind enemy lines” “drink and drugs” “His bloody life in my bloody

Known for colloquial style Sometimes darkly humorous. Desert sand suggests this poem is set in the gulf war

Structu re •Eight stanzas. •The first seven are largely unrhymed. •The last stanza is two lines and stands out •Title may refer to remains of the dead man and the remains of the memory that is in his head •Written as a monologue therefore feels like fast paced natural speech

Remains by Simon Armitage Themes: Conflict, Suffering, Reality of War Content, Meaning and Purpose -Written to coincide with a TV documentary about those returning from war with PTSD. Based on Guardsman Tromans, who fought in Iraq in 2003. -Speaker describes shooting a looter dead in Iraq and how it has affected him. -To show the reader that mental suffering can persist long after physical conflict is over. Language -“Remains” - the images and suffering remain. -“Legs it up the road” - colloquial language = authentic voice -“Then he's carted off in the back of a lorry” – reduction of humanity to waste or cattle -“he’s here in my head when I close my eyes / dug in behind enemy lines” – metaphor for a war in his head; the PTSD is entrenched. 20-“his bloody life in my bloody hands” – alludes to Macbeth: Macbeth the warrior

Tones: Tragic, Haunting, Anecdotal Context -“These are poems of survivors – the damaged, exhausted men who return from war in body but never, wholly, in mind.” Simon Armitage -Poem coincided with increased awareness of PTSD amongst the military, and aroused sympathy amongst the public – many of whom were opposed to the war. Form and Structure -Monologue, told in the present tense to convey a flashback (a symptom of PTSD). -First four stanzas are set in Iraq; last three are at home, showing the aftermath. -Enjambment between lines and stanzas conveys his conversational tone and gives it a fast pace, especially when conveying the horror of the killing -Repetition of ‘Probably armed, Possibly not” conveys guilt and

Poppies – Jane Weir

Effects of Conflic Loss and Absenc Memor Context Fea Identit Structur

The One A mother describes her son leaving home, seemingly to Where... the army.

The poem is about the mother’s emotional reaction to her son leaving – she feels sad, lonely and scared for his safety She describes helping him smarten his uniform ready to leave. After“Spasms he leaves, she to places of goes paper red”that remind her of him, desperately trying to find a trace of him.

“many white cat hairs” I was brave” “a treasure chest” “a single dove” “intoxicated” “war memorial”

She has written biographies Iraq and Afghanistan

•e Regular form •Four stanzas •Variation in the form indicates her inner emotion •It uses time phrases to move along the structure

Poppies by Jane Weir Themes: Bravery, Reality of War, Suffering, Childhood Content, Meaning and Purpose -A modern poem that offers an alternative interpretation of bravery in conflict: it does not focus on a soldier in battle but on the mother who is left behind and must cope with his death. -The narration covers her visit to a war memorial, interspersed with images of the soldier’s childhood and his departure for war.

Tones: Tender, Tragic, Dreamy, Bitter

Context -Set around the time of the Iraq and Afghan wars, but the conflict is deliberately ambiguous to give the poem a timeless relevance to all mothers and families. -There are hints of a critical tone; about how soldiers can become intoxicated by the glamour or the military: “a blockade of yellow bias” and “intoxicated”. Language Form and Structure -Contrasting semantic fields of -This is an Elegy, a poem of mourning. home/childhood (“cat hairs”, “play at being -Strong sense of form despite the free Eskimos”, “bedroom”) with war/injury verse, stream of consciousness (“blockade”, bandaged”, “reinforcements”) addressing her son directly – poignant -Aural (sound) imagery: “All my words -No rhyme scheme makes it flattened, rolled, turned into felt” shows melancholic pain and inability to speak, and “I listened, -Enjambment gives it an anecdotal hoping to hear tone. your playground voice catching on the -Nearly half the lines have caesura – 22wind” shows longing for dead son. she is trying to hold it together, but -“I was brave, as I walked with you, to the can’t speak fluently as she is breaking

War Photographer – Carol Ann Duffy The One A war photographer is in his darkroom, developing Where... pictures that he’s taken in war zones across. Being back in England is a big contrast- it’s safe and calm compared to where he’s been. A photo begins to develop, and the photographer re the death of the man, and the cries of his wife. The final stanza focuses on the people in England “All flesh on is grass” who will see his photographs their Sunday papers. The speaker thinks that they really don’t care about the people in do” the “He and has places a job to photographs.

“Which did not tremble then but seem to now” “of running children in a nightmare heat” “A stranger’s features” “a half formed ghost” “blood stained into foreign dust”

Effects of Conflic Reality of Conflic Loss and Absenc Context Ange Gui In line 12 there is a reference to when there was a famous photo of a Vietnamese nine year old girl during the Vietnam war. The photo was published and won a prize.

Structur e Stanzas •Four •Equal length rhyme scheme •Use of enjambment creates a gradual effect as the photo develops.

War Photographer Themes: Conflict, Suffering, Reality of War Content, Meaning and Purpose -Tells the story of a war photographer developing photos at home in England: as a photo develops he begins to the horrors of war – painting a contrast to the safety of his dark room. -He appears to be returning to a warzone at the end of the poem. -Duffy conveys both the brutality of war and the indifference of those who might view the photos in newspapers and magazines: those who live in comfort and are unaffected by war. Language “All flesh is grass”: Biblical reference that means all human life is temporary – we all die eventually. “He has a job to do”: like a soldier, the photographer has a sense of duty. “running children in a nightmare heat”: emotive imagery with connotations of hell. “blood stained into a foreign dust”: lasting impact of war – links to Remains and ‘blood shadow’. “he earns a living and they do not care”: ‘they’ is ambiguous – it could refer to readers or the wider 24 world.

Tones: Painful, Detached, Angry Context -Like Tennyson and Ted Hughes, Duffy was the Poet Laureate. -Duffy was inspired to write this poem by her friendship with a war photographer. She was intrigued by the challenge faced by these people whose job requires them to record terrible, horrific events without being able to directly help their subjects. -The location is ambiguous and therefore universal: (“Belfast. Beirut. Phnom Penh.”) Form and Structure -Enjambment – reinforces the sense that the world is out of order and confused. -Rhyme reinforces the idea that he is trying to bring order to a chaotic world – to create an understanding. -Contrasts: imagery of rural England and nightmare war zones. -Third stanza: A specific image – and a memory – appears before him.

Tissue – Imtiaz Dharker

Power of Human Power of Natur Identit

The One The first three stanzas talk about the importance of paper Where... as a means of recording history

Stanzas four to six focus on the paradox that paper is fragile yet controls our lives The final thirteen lines look at creating things, particularly human life. Life is more complex and precious than other things we create. It’s also temporary but forms part of a bigger and ongoing story.

“Koran”

“The sun shines through their boarder lines” “might fly our lives like paper kites” “through capitals and monoliths” “never meant to last”

Context

Born in Pakistan

Structur •TISSUE PAPER = EXTENDED METAPHOR FOR LIFE e

•Unrhymed •Ten stanzas •Last stanza is one line long which makes us notice it more •Enjambment only adds to the flowing feeling

Tissue by Imtiaz Dharker Themes: Power of Nature, Control, Identity Content, Meaning and Purpose -Two different meanings of ‘Tissue’ (homonyms) are explored: firstly, the various pieces of paper that control our lives (holy books, maps, grocery receipts); secondly, the tissue of a human body. -The poet explores the paradox that although paper is fragile, temporary and ultimately not important, we allow it to control our lives. -Also, although human life is much more precious, it is also fragile and temporary.

Tones: Gentle, Flowing, Ethereal Context -Imtiaz Dharker was born in Pakistan and grew up in Glasgow. ‘Tissue’ is taken from a 2006 collection of poems entitles ‘The Terrorist at My Table’: the collection questions how well we know people around us. -This particular poem also questions how well we understand ourselves and the fragility of humanity.

Language -Semantic field of light: (‘Paper that lets light shine through’, ‘The sun shines through their borderlines’, ‘let the daylight break through capitals and monoliths’) emphasises that light is central to life, a positive and powerful force that can break through ‘tissue’ and even monoliths (stone statues). -‘pages smoothed and stroked and turned’: gentle verbs convey how important documents such as the Koran are treated with respect. -‘Fine slips […] might fly our lives like paper kites’: this simile suggests that we allow ourselves to be controlled by paper.

Form and Structure -The short stanzas create many layers, which is a key theme of the poem (layers of paper and the creation of human life through layers) -The lack of rhythm or rhyme creates an effect of freedom and openness. -All stanzas have four lines, except the final stanza which has one line (‘turned into your skin’): this line focuses on humans, and addresses the reader directly to remind us that we are all fragile and temporary. -Enjambment between lines and stanzas creates an effect of freedom and flowing movement.

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The Emigree – Carol Rumens

Loss and Absenc Memor Identit Context

The One The speaker talk about a city in a country she left as a Where... child- she has purely positive view of it.

The city seems to be under attack and unreachable, but in the third stanza it appears to the speaker. An unknown “they” accuse and threaten the speaker, but she still sees the old city in a positive way. The City may not be a real place- it could represent a time, person or emotion that the speaker was forced toWas born in South London, and the “There was once a country...” leave. fascination with places elsewhere is

“Sunlight clear”, “bright”, “sunlight”, “white streets”, “glow” “That child’s vocabulary” “I have no port, there’s no way back at all” “My city hides behind me” “My shadow falls as evidence of

evident. Structur •First e person •Three stanzas •The first two have 8 lines •Last stanza has an extra line perhaps because the narrator wants to hold on as long as possible to the memory •No rhyme •End stops in last stanza, could reflect her confinement in the walls.

The Emigree by Carol Rumens Themes: Conflict, Power, Identity, Protest, Bravery, Childhood Content , Meaning and Purpose -‘Emigree’ – a female who is forced to leave their county for political or social reasons. -The speaker describes her memories of a home city that she was forced to flee. The city is now “sick with tyrants”. -Despite the cities problems, her positive memories of the place cannot be extinguished. Language -“I left it as a child”: ambiguous meaning – either she left when she was a child or the city was a child (it was vulnerable and she feels a responsibility towards it). -“I am branded by an impression of sunlight”: imagery of light - it will stay with her forever. -Personification of the city: “I comb its hair and love its shining eyes” (she has a maternal love for the city) and “My city takes me dancing” (it is romantic and ionate lover) -“My city hides behind me”: it is vulnerable and – despite the fact that she had to flee – she is strong. -Semantic field of conflict: “Tyrant, tanks, 28frontiers”

Tones: Mournful, Defiant, Nostalgic Context -Emigree was published in 1993. The home country of the speaker is not revealed – this ambiguity gives the poem a timeless relevance. -Increasingly relevant to many people in current world climate Form and Structure -First person. -The last line of each stanza is the same (epistrophe): “sunlight”: reinforces the overriding positivity of the city and of the poem. -The first two stanzas have lots of enjambment – conveys freedom. The final stanza has lots of full-stops – conveys that fact that she is now trapped.

Kamikaze– Beatrice Garland

Power of Natur Effects of Conflic Loss and Absenc Context Memor Identit

The One The poem opens with a Kamikaze pilot setting off on his Where... mission.

It becomes clear that the pilot turned around and didn’t complete his mission- his daughter imagines that this was because on the way he saw the beauty of nature and ed his innocent childhood. The pilot was shunned when he got home- even his family acted as if her wasn’t there. Kamikaze pilots were specially

“Full of powerful incantations” “strung out like bunting” “Like a huge flag”

“flashing silver bellies swivelled towards the sun” “and though he came back” “they treated him as though he no longer existed”

trained Japanese pilots, who were used towards the end of WW2. They flew their planes on suicide missions into enemy ships- it is seen as a great honour to serve your country in this way.

Structur •Narrative poem- emphasizes sadness the narrator feels e

•Seven, six line stanzas •Only three sentences, the rest is enjambment •Each sentence is spoken by a new narrative which is jarring end perhaps expresses the turbulent feelings of the daughter •The absence of the pilots voice displays just how much he has been cut off.

Kamikaze by Beatrice Garland Themes: Conflict, Power, Patriotism, Shame, Nature, Childhood

Tones: Sorrowful, Pitiful

Content, Meaning and Purpose -In World War 2, Japanese Kamikaze pilots would fly manned missiles into targets such as ships. -This poem explores a kamikaze pilot’s journey towards battle, his decision to return, and how he is shunned when he returns home. -As he looks down at the sea, the beauty of nature and memories of childhood make him decide to turn back.

Context -Cowardice or surrender was a great shame in wartime Japan. -To surrender meant shame for you and your family, and rejection by society: “he must have wondered which had been the better way to die”.

Language -The Japanese word ‘kamikaze’ means ‘divine wind’ or ‘heavenly wind’, and has its origin in a heaven-sent storm that scattered an invading fleet in 1250. -“dark shoals of fish flashing silver”: image links to a Samurai sword – conveys the conflict between his love for nature/life and his sense of duty. Also has sibilance. - “they treated him as though he no longer existed”: cruel irony – he chose to live but now must live as though he is dead. -“was no longer the father we loved”: the pilot was forever affected by his decision. 30

Form and Structure -Narrative and speaker is third person, representing the distance between her and her father, and his rejection by society. -The first five stanzas are ordered (whilst he is flying on his set mission). -Only full stop is at the end of Stanza Five: he has made his decision to turn back. -The final two are in italics and have longer line to represent the fallout of his decision: his life has shifted and will no longer be the same. -Direct speech (“My mother never spoke again”) gives the poem a personal tone.

Checking out Me History– John Agard

Power of Human Ange Identit

The One The narrator is talking about his identity and how it links to his knowledge of history Where... He as taught British history but wasn’t taught about his Caribbean roots. He lists famous figures from history and questions why he doesn’t know about people from other cultures who did great things. He mentions men and women from diverse backgrounds who should be celebrated.  At the end, he says he’s going to create his own identity based on his heritage.

“Bandage up me eye with me own history” “Dem tell me” “Nanny de Maroon” “and how Robin Hood used to camp” “She still brave the Russian snow a healing star” “But now I checking out me own history I carving out me Identity”

Context

Born in Guyana in the Caribbean in 1949 and moved to the UK in the late 70’s. He challenges the view of history

Structur •Alternates between structures e

•Two fonts •Variations in spellings to suggest Caribbean dialect •Uses syntax to make the Caribbean history seem more important.

Checking Out Me History by John Agard Themes: Power, Protest, Identity, Childhood Content, Meaning and Purpose -Represents the voice of a man from the Caribbean colony of British Guiana, who was frustrated by the Eurocentric history curriculum that he was taught at school – which paid little attention to black history. -Black history is in italics to emphasise its separateness and to stress its importance. Language -Imagery of fire and light used in all three stanzas regarding black historic figures: “Toussaint de beacon”, “Fire-woman”, “yellow sunrise”. -Uses non-standard phonetic spelling (“Dem tell me wha dem want”, to represent his own powerful accent and mixes Caribbean Creole dialect with standard English. -“I carving out me identity”: metaphor for the painful struggle to be heard, and to find his identity.

Tones: Defiant, Angry, Rebellious, Cynical Context -John Agard was born in the Caribbean in 1949 and moved to the UK in the 1970s. -His poetry challenge racism and prejudice. -This poem may, to some extent, have achieved its purpose: in 2016, a statue was erected in London in honour of Mary Seacole, one of the subjects of the poem. Form -Dramatic monologue, with a dual structure. -Stanzas concerning Eurocentric history (normal font) are interspersed with stanzas on black history (in italics to represent separateness and rebellion). - Black history sections arranged as serious lessons to be learned; traditional history as nursery rhymes, mixed with fairytales (mocking of traditional history). - The lack of punctuation, the stanzas in

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free verse, the irregular rhyme scheme and the use of Creole could represent the narrator’s rejection of the rules. -Repetition of “Dem tell me”: frustration.

Repetition – repeating a word or phrase for effect. Volta - A turning point in a poem, when the argument or tone changes dramatically. Stanza – a group of lines in a poem. Sibilance – Repetition of s and sh sounds Colloquial – Sounding like everyday spoken language Caesura – A pause in a line of poetry Metre – The arrangement of stressed and unstressed syllables to create rhythm in a line of poetry. Oxymoron – A phrase which appears to contradict itself Irony – When words are used to imply the opposite of what they normally mean. Iambic Pentameter – Poetry with a metre of ten syllables, five stressed and five unstressed. Plosive – A short burst of sound made when you say a word containing the letters b,d, g, k, p or t. Dramatic Monologue- A form of poetry that uses the assumed voice of a single speaker who is not the poet to address an implied audience. Chronological – When events are arranged in the order of when they happened. 33 Consonance – Repetition of a consonant sound un nearby words.