To My Nine Year Old Self - Dunmore

contemporary poetry

What is the overall message of the poem?

Childhood should be treasured; despite the hardships of adulthood, childhood remains joyful and worth celebrating

How is the child presented at the start?

Energetic and fearless - verbs like “run,” “climb,” and “leap” show exuberance and freedom

What does “I have spoiled this body we once shared” suggest?

Adulthood brings damage (physical/emotional), contrasting with childhood vitality

What does “white paper” symbolise?

Innocence, potential and a blank future

What is the significance of the “cloud” imagery?

represents adult fears overshadowing childhood innocence (Blakean loss of innocence)

What does the final image of the child tasting the scab represent?

A vivid celebration of childhood experience; the child is preserved in memory, full of sensory joy