Analysis of Warsan Shire's 'What They Did Yesterday Afternoon'

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering the literary techniques and themes found in the analysis of Warsan Shire's poem.

Warsan Shire

The poet of “What They Did Yesterday Afternoon” who explores themes of war, displacement, and cultural conflict.

“Ran my fingers across the whole world / and whispered / where does it hurt?”

A metaphor symbolising the speaker searching for pain and conflict across the globe, suggesting suffering is universal.

Alliteration in “where” and “whispered”

A poetic technique used to create a sorrowful tone, encouraging readers to empathise with victims of war.

Repetition of “everywhere, / everywhere, / everywhere”

A technique used to emphasise that violence and pain exist across the world.

Truncated sentence structure

A device used to add emphasis and create a hopeless tone, showing how conflict affects countless people globally.

Religious allusion

Represented by the phrase “Dear God, I come from two countries,” acting as a plea for help and revealing desperation.

Antithesis between “thirsty” and “on fire”

Contrasting imagery symbolising different forms of suffering experienced by two separate countries.

Pathos

A quality created through emotive language, such as “I cried the way women on TV do,” to convey the trauma of conflict and migration.

“Like a five-pound note”

A simile used by Shire to help emphasise the overwhelming emotional pressure caused by war and displacement.

Divided identity

A central theme explored through symbolism and imagery to highlight the emotional suffering of belonging to multiple cultures.