simon armitage - mother, any distance

metaphor - “spool of tape”

emulates the umbilical cord

symbolic of beginning of a child’s life and they’re dependency on their mother for growth and development

the distance between them grows with age but bond is still intact - could suggest that it’s not needed anymore and overdue for change

metaphor + direct contrast - “Anchor. Kite.”

“anchor” symbolises the mother holding the child back but it also helps the child to not drift in the wrong direction

“kite” symbolises the child’s wish for freedom but it will fly away forever if let go of

metaphor - “space-walk”

connotes exploration and discovery but astronauts are always tethered otherwise there is no control due to zero gravity in space

caesura - “Anchor. Kite.“

mirrors the mother’s role as a barrier to the child’s freedom

mirrors the child attempting to put distance between them

rhyme scheme 

becomes less regular as the poem progresses which represents the stability being lost over time

rhyme is restored at the end - “sky” & “fly” - giving hope for a new healthy beginning

sonnet with an extra line

shows that love is present but doesn’t follow the conventions of a sonnet symbolising the child breaking free from the norms of parental control