Paula Meehan

The pattern Meehans mother violent behaviour and what was passed down to her

“a sewing machine wedding band clutch of photos sting of her hand across my face in one of our wars”. displays repeated arguments. little of her mothers legacy

Gender role of woman difficult to escape. Meehan wanted to meet mother without these titles. the pattern

“as women without tags like mother wife sister daughter”. doesn’t want to be defined like her mother. wants to be seen as then more then just a mother

meehans mother had a lot of children the pattern

“her brood banished to the bedroom.” shows how a womans worth is definied by being a mother or not

the pattern quote about the history of social class of the mother. the pattern

“history has brought her to her knees” meehan realises that her mothers generation never had the freedom to pursue their dreams because of the social structure of a patriachal ireland

Hearth lesson quote shows trauma of arguing

either phrase will bring it back money to burn burning hole in your pocket

greek mythology used heart lesson

in the flat in SeanMcdermott stree while zeus and Hera battle it out. use of zeus and hera shows the significance of parents in childs life.

use of colloqial language argument about money and fathers gambling heart lesson

she’ll she his fancyman and raise him cosmo snooker hall

tennis metaphor to describe insults flying over childs head as she doesn’t understand what they are fighting about heart lesson

im net umpire and court most balls are lobbed over my head

themes hearth lesson

poverty exacerbates problems in marriage along with how the fighting is routine

shows the money is not enough heart lesson

she threw the lot in the fire. it’s not enough she stated. a marvelous sight an alchemical scene

shows patterns of abuse the pattern

he was a right tyrant your granda

title of exact moment became poet leads into first line. shows how this is a moment the child never forget

was in 1963 when miss shannon rapping the dustor on the easel’s peg

teachers thoughtless comment that stuck with meehan. shows

attend to your books girls or mark my words you’kk end up in the sewing factory

metaphor of chicken being plucked how teachers words affected her. this is the exact moment she became a poet

words could pluck you leave you naked

shows how those words dont do sewing factory workers justice. power of words

‘end up robbed the labour of it’s dignity’

meehan comes to realisation teacher was right. monosyllabic language. shows even though meehan was aware of the elitism of the teachers mentality education is the route to a better life. how meehan has persued education and ended up in a better life

“the teacher was right and no one knows it like i do myself

simile about how these woman were thrown into labour and social conditions of woman during meehans childhood that woman in working class backround have little power

trussed like chicken on a conveyor belt

themes of exact moment i became a poet

teachers remarks robbed poets family’s dignity even though teacher was correct. pursues education while also rejecting snobbery of her teacher

who is the statue of the virgin at granard speaks about

Ann lovett

SVG contrastingg vieiws between weather and sleep. contrast of how Ann is alone in isolation at night compared to the town tucked in bed

it can be bitter times like this. whole time tucked up safe

speaking of how the statue first encounters ann

i remember the child who came with 15 summers to her name she layed down alone at my feet without midwife or doctor or friend to hold her hand

repitition of didn’t emphasises isolation of the girl.. virgin mary symbol catholic church letting lovett suffer. symbol of how the church fails to live up to it’s christian beliefs. she felt helpless as she knew society would codemn her because sin like this was damned in catholic church

i did not mmove i didn’t lift a finger to help her