Simpler Power & Conflict Poems Flashcards

London — William Blake

Quote 1:
“I wander through each _____ street, near where the _____ Thames does flow.”

What is going on?

“I wander through each chartered street, near where the chartered Thames does flow.”

The speaker walks through London, observing the city’s man-made restrictions and control over nature and life.

Quote 2:
“Marks of _____, marks of _____.”
What is going on?

“Marks of weakness, marks of woe.”
The speaker notices visible signs of suffering and despair on the faces of London’s inhabitants.

Quote 3:
“In every cry of every Man, in every Infant’s cry of _____.”
What is going on?

“In every cry of every Man, in every Infant’s cry of fear.”
There is universal suffering affecting all ages, showing deep social pain.

Quote 4:
“The mind-forged _____ I hear.”
What is going on?

“The mind-forged manacles I hear.”
The speaker hears metaphorical chains symbolizing mental and social oppression.

Quote 5:
“How the _____-sweeper’s cry every _____ Church appalls.”
What is going on?

“How the chimney-sweeper’s cry every black’ning Church appalls.”

The poem condemns the Church for ignoring the suffering of the poor and the corruption of institutions.

Exposure — Wilfred Owen

Quote 1:
“Our brains ache, in the merciless _____ east winds that _____ us…”

What is going on?

“Our brains ache, in the merciless iced east winds that knive us…”

Soldiers suffer brutal cold and the harshness of nature acting like an enemy.

Quote 2:
“Worried by silence, sentries whisper, _____, nervous, but _____ happens.”

What is going on?

“Worried by silence, sentries whisper, curious, nervous, but nothing happens.”

The soldiers wait tensely in silence, anxious but with no action.

Quote 3:
“Sudden successive _____ of bullets streak the silence.”

What is going on?

“Sudden successive flights of bullets streak the silence.”
Gunfire suddenly disrupts the quiet, showing the unpredictable dangers of war.

Quote 4:
“But _____ happens.”

What is going on?

“But nothing happens.”
A repeated phrase emphasizing the monotony and helplessness soldiers feel.

Quote 5:
“Like twitching agonies of men among its _____.”

What is going on?

“Like twitching agonies of men among its brambles.”

Simile describing soldiers’ pain and entrapment in a harsh natural environment.

Bayonet Charge — Ted Hughes

Quote 1:
“He lugged a rifle numb as a smashed _____.”

What is going on?

“He lugged a rifle numb as a smashed arm.”

The soldier struggles physically, burdened and injured in the charge.

Quote 2:
“Suddenly he awoke and was running – raw in raw-seamed hot _____.”
What is going on?

“Suddenly he awoke and was running – raw in raw-seamed hot khaki.”

The soldier jolts to life, painfully aware of his vulnerable, exposed state.

Quote 3:
“In what cold _____ of the stars and nations was he the hand pointing that second?”

What is going on?
The soldier questions fate and his role in the chaotic war machine.

“In what cold clockwork of the stars and nations was he the hand pointing that second?”

The soldier questions fate and his role in the chaotic war machine.

Quote 4:
“The patriotic tear that had brimmed in his eye / Sweating like molten _____ from the centre of his chest.”

What is going on?

The patriotic tear that had brimmed in his eye sweating like molten iron from the centre of his chest.”

Contrasts initial pride with overwhelming fear and physical stress.

e 5:
“He plunged past with his bayonet toward the green _____.”

What is going on?

“He plunged past with his bayonet toward the green hedge.”

The soldier violently charges forward, symbolizing the brutal clash of war and nature.

Storm on the Island — Seamus Heaney

Quote 1:
“We are prepared: we build our houses _____, ”

What is going on?

“We are prepared: we build our houses squat, ”

Opening line showing the community’s readiness and resilience against storms.

Quote 2:
“Sink walls in rock and roof them with good _____.”

What is going on?

“Sink walls in rock and roof them with good slate.”

Description of strong, practical construction to withstand nature’s force.

Quote 3:
“Spits like a tame cat turned _____.”

What is going on?

“Spits like a tame cat turned savage.”

Simile comparing the storm’s sudden violence to a wild animal.

Quote 4:
“Strange, it is a huge _____ that we fear.”

What is going on?

“Strange, it is a huge nothing that we fear.”

Reflects on fear of an unseen, intangible threat from nature.

Quote 5:
“Exploding comfortably down on the _____.”

What is going on?

“Exploding comfortably down on the cliffs.”

Oxymoron describes the storm’s impact as both violent and strangely calm.

What is Blake criticising in “London”?

Blake, a romantic poet, attacks industrial society, social injustice, and how power restricts the poor's freedom.

What does the storm metaphor represent in Heaney’s poem?

It reflects both natural danger and political conflict, showing human resilience.

What suffering is highlighted in “Exposure”?

Owen shows the soldiers’ pain from weather and fear, not just enemy attacks.

What does “Bayonet Charge” reveal about war and the individual?

It shows a soldier’s raw panic, questioning the reality behind patriotic motives.

How does Tennyson present the Light Brigade’s actions?

He glorifies their bravery while subtly hinting at the tragedy of military error.

How does “Remains” explore the mental effects of war?

It shows a soldier haunted by guilt and trauma after killing, reflecting PTSD.

How is war shown through a family lens in “Poppies”?

The poem explores a mother’s silent grief and emotional struggle after her son leaves for war.

What contrast is shown in “War Photographer”?

It contrasts the horror seen by photographers with the public’s indifference at home.

Why does the pilot in “Kamikaze” face shame?

He returns home alive, defying his mission, and is rejected by his family and society.

What does paper symbolise in “Tissue”?

Paper represents fragility, power, and how human structures are temporary and delicate.

How does “The Emigree” present memories of homeland?

It shows how idealised memories survive despite conflict and exile, preserving identity.

What is Agard criticising in “Checking Out Me History”?

He attacks Eurocentric education for ignoring Black history and celebrates cultural pride.

What is the message about power in “Ozymandias”?

It warns that all rulers and empires eventually crumble, leaving only ruins.

What does “My Last Duchess” reveal about the Duke?

He is possessive and controlling, hinting he had his wife killed for defying him.

What is the effect of nature in “The Prelude” extract?

It shows nature’s overwhelming power and how it shapes the speaker’s sense of self.