Poppies - Jane Weir

Jane Weir

Anglo-Italian poet, who has an interest in historical and social issues. Has worked as a clothes designer so has interest in materials. Famous for her use of domestic imagery which is evident throughout the poem.

Poppies

Published in 2009. Title is a symbol of universal remembrance and has connotations of blood and death. Ambiguous title could also be a symbol of fragility of human life.

Dramatic monologue

This form of poem creates a one-sided viewpoint. Shows that the poem is about the pain caused to the family, a perspective that is not often thought about. "I was brave" is an ironic line - not expected of the mother.

No regular rhyme scheme, varying stanza lengths, enjambment, caesura

This structure makes the poem seem chaotic, emphasising chaotic nature of war. Also reflects the broken feelings of a family after loss, highlighting their grief.

"Spasms of paper red"

Metaphor "spasms" has implications of injury or death, perhaps foreshadowing the future death of the narrator's son. "Red" has similar connotations.

"Blockade of yellow bias binding"

"Blockade" has military connotations - may reflect how she feels that war is a blockade to reaching her son. Plosive 'b' could imply her anger at her son leaving, and her conflicting emotions.

Domestic imagery

"Sellotape bandaged around my hand"
"Graze my nose"
"Reinforcements of scarf, gloves"
Infuses domestic imagery into the scene of war with double meaning: 'bandaged', 'graze' 'reinforcements'

"Steeled the softening of my face"

Mother is trying to suppress her emotions. Juxtaposition of "steel" and "soft" shows her conflicting emotions of pride and sadness.

"gelled blackthorns of your hair"

"Blackthorns" could be an allusion to the crown of thorns that Jesus wore - soldiers sacrifice themselves to protect others. Shows mother's pride, but also anger.

"flattened, rolled, turned into felt"

Tripalism emphasises that the narrator's is speechless and unable to convey her emotions through words - shows trauma.

"the world overflowing like a treasure chest"

Narrator sees from her son's perspective. Simile is used to convey the son's excitement at going to war, however the lexis "intoxicated" could show that the mother thinks her son was caught up (or drunk) with excitement.

"Released a song bird from its cage"

Could be a euphemism of the narrator's mourning for her son - "cage" once again implies that she had been suppressing her emotions. Could be a metaphor of the son's newfound freedom in going to war.

"Leaned against it [the war memorial] like a wishbone"

Simile creates a reminiscent, domestic feel ie wishbone of a chicken. Also shows that the narrator wishes her son not to killed.

"Spasms", "Blockade", "Bandaged", "Reinforcements"

Semantic field of war and the military shows that the mother sees her son in everyday activities and objects. Highlights the permanence of memory and her mourning.

Recurring motif of the "dove"

A historic symbol of freedom, but also a symbol of mourning. Used throughout to highlight the narrator's conflicting emotions of pride, sadness and anger.

"I was brave"

Unexpected of the mother and ironic as we do not expect her to be so deeply affected.