poetry anthologys

when we two parted by lord byron

3 quotes + explain

start-“Pale grew thy cheek and cold, Colder thy kiss”death connotations- speaker morning the relationships death, Physical impact of speakers sadness. “colder thy”- implications of emotional detachment, speaker putting blame on his lover not taking responsibility for his actions

middle-“A knell in mine ear” funeral bell, theme of death and speaker morning, synesthesia effect, “shudder” in the next line - overwhelming nature of senses could be argued to mirror the all-consuming nature of the couples relationship

end-“How should I greet thee?- With silence and tears.” response to rhetorical question (unusual) could be argued to mirror the unconventional dynamic of the relationship, Cyclical structure - speaker is trapped in a persisant circle of suffering

when we two parted rhyme and structure by lord byron

Rhyme

regular ABABCDCD - shows how he is fixated on on emotions, these emotions have been built up over time and is desperate to express them. Could be split into two - how their ives are different or there are 4 people and their not meant to be.

Structure

accentual verse - number of stresses is consistant (2 here) - two seperate people

irregular line lengths - how theior relationship has been bumpy

When we two parted by lord byron context

-Per thought to be an autobiographical account of one of Byron’s many affairs

-Claimed to have published it in 1808 but did not publish it until 1816 in order to hide the identity of the marriage woman in the poem

-The account of the love affair may be somewhat one-sided and potentially an unfair portrayal of the women. This might reflect his bitterness and pain

Loves Philosophy by Percy Bysshe Shelly

3 quotes + explain

start-”the fountains mingle with the river And the rivers with the Ocean” - Sexual imagery, theme of nature, idea of fountains mingling with the rivers evokes passive images implying its only natural for them to be together. “And the rivers… ocenan“femenist motif - speakers awe at the woman he loves could be infered “O“ = important

middle-”See the mountains kiss high heaven” pathetic falacy + assonance - suggests how simple it would be for them to be together, making nature a beautiful thing

end-”what are all these kissings worth, If thou not kiss me” rhetorical question - why does nature work but not us? repetition emphasises speakers desire, culminates (climax) with a question - listener has no catharsis (relfief), shellys use of questions shows the persuasive style, monosyllibals used to reinforce the speakers argument

Loves Philosophy by Percy Bysshe Shelly

rhyme and structure

rhyme

consistant, flows - shows hoe their meant to be together OR how long the speaker has been trying to convince the persona to be together

ABABCDCD

structure

2 stanzas - two seperate people the speaker is trying to cinvince together

Loves Philosophy by Percy Bysshe Shelly

context

-made himself unpopular with some of his ideas on atheism vegetarianism I need for social and political change

-had many relationships

Porphyria’s lover by Robert browning

quotes + explain

start-“When glided jn Porphyria”-True connotations of glided imply that the speaker does not view poor Feria as a human being. Pia is a rare blood disease so her name helps to create a requiring theme of sickness. It may cause psychiatric symptoms including hallucinations which add to the theme of madness.

middle-“And laid her soiled gloves” use of enjamberement implies that these lines are a stream of consciousness due to the speaker being transfixated on Porphyria soil has connotations of cheating and promiscuous behaviour and implies the speakers doubt that his lover has been loyal to him.

end-“her head” alliterative ”h” is used create a difficult sound for the listener leading to the horrific nature of the poem. The speaker is a sociopath who is not concerned about his actions. Can be supported by the quote.”Blushed bright beneath my burning kiss”-the connotations of burning suggest that he is like the devil and she has been punished for loving him. heavy “b” sounds emphasises the speakers creepiness

Porphyria’s lover by Robert browning

rhyme + structure

rhyme

ABABB- asymmetrical rhyme scheme and enchantment creates an effect of instability and unpredictability-just like the speaker himself

structure

-parmesan two parts that murror Each other first half Peria is dominant speaker is passive turning point speaker is dominant pia is passive

Porphyria’s lover by Robert browning

context

-married Elizabeth Barrett in secret against her father’s wishes and moved Italy until her death 15 years later

-Moved back to England after-wrote more poetry

Sonnet 29 by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

3 quotes + explain

start-”About thee, as wild vines about a tree” - phallic imagery, natural imagery - her thoughts focus on him like vines wrapping around a tree - his thoughts constantly growing and developing, metaphor her love is so obsessive its harmful - can see from the invasive plant (vines), vines are inferior to the tree - her thoughts about her lover are inferior to the man, extended metaphor of hes the tree

middle-”Yet, O my palm tree” tropical tree, special, firm, solid - how she views RB?, religous interpretation - making RB holy - (shes religous so is aware of this), “my“ shows how they are dependant on each other

end-”because, in this deep joy” “because“ if hes there all the obsessive thoughts will shatter as the love they have for each other is beautiful + good? or the plosive sound marks the conclusion to her argument and she wants him to understand the how much she enjoys being with him. “joy“ - she doesnt have to think about him when shes with him - hes better than anything she could imagine

Sonnet 29 by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Rhyme + structure

Rhyme

ABBCCBBCDBDBDB

italian sonnet could show the slight unconventionality of her affections

Structure

1 stanza - they are together

iambic pentameter but one line “put out broad leaves, and soon there’s naught to see“ unconventionality of their love - so intense she must express it in any way rather than worrying about guidelines

Sonnet 29 by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

context

-was ill most of her life

- in 1845. She received a letter from Robert Browning admiring her poetry. She replied and continued writing to exchange 500+ letters

-when they met that summer he asked her to marry her. She was years older so invalid, father forbid her to marry so they secretly married and went to Italy.

-She wrote a series of sonnets for him called sonnets from the Portuguese(his nickname for her) her health improved had a son,health deteriorated and died an 1861 in Italy

neutral tones by Thomas hardy

quotations + explain

start-“ We stood by a pond that winter day” Standing still and the cold Set for the tone of their relationship. Winter shows that is cold emotionally.

middle-“ and the sun was white, as though chidden of God” white sun-boring plain, past tense relationship was pure not yellow not happy,drained white could commentate heaven death of their relationship. “God”- God wanted this to happen it was meant to be

end-“the smile on your mouth was the deadest thing” juxtaposition between life and death shows pain caused by love

neutral tones by Thomas hardy

rhyme + structure

rhyme

raheem is ABBA- Repetitive, a block that keeps coming up between them, never able to resolve the problem, Is never a closure-first and last rhyme, Could be new people coming into the relationship,isn’t meant to be no break-cyclical-won’t get out of the bad hurtful memory

structure

starts and ends with the pond-can’t escape the past- cyclical structure

Slight change-grey-grace just the feelings from the speaker has evolved and there might be some colour soon

neutral tones by Thomas hardy

context

-persona In the poem is ambiguous, poem could be in response to the end of his relationship with eliza . Had a relationship with Florence who was 28 years younger than him.

Letters from Yorkshire by maura dooley

3 quotations + explain

start-”digging his garden, planting potatoes” digging- shows speakers respect for his dad- addressing them as an active character, alliteration implies this happens regularly

middle/end-”pouring air and light into an envolope” shows joy they recieve from writting to each other, image created someone pouring air and light into an envolope which suggests shes longing for the rural life and feels trapped in her urban one

end-”our souls tap out messages across the icy miles” icy miles-pathetic falacy denotes something negative however dooly hasnt allowed it. ends with metaphor showing how they arent letting them become diconnected with each other

Letters from Yorkshire by maura dooley

Rhyme + Structure

Rhyme

lack of rhyme scheme

enjamberment emphasises poem as a piece of communicating speech and ties the speech together

Structure

first 4 stanzas centered on the speaker and her fathers seperate lives but the last stanza is describing them being together

change of pronouns from he and you to our moves from the individual to the combined narrative writing

Letters from Yorkshire by maura dooley

context

-born in Cornwall, spent three years living in Yorkshire now lives in London

-when is autobiographical it reflects her own life

The farmers bride by Charlotte Mew

quotations + explain

start-“I chose a maid”- Theme of patriarchy, Not that special, doesn’t say her name, he isn’t romantic, Farmer is rude

middle-“all in a shiver and a scare We caught her” sibilance and “Shiver and scare” creates an ominous tone surrounding her returning to the farmhouse this dominates that she is treated in the same way that the farm were treating an animal that had run away

end-“the brown, The brown of her - her eyes, her hair, her hair!” repetition shows how he’s possessive and becoming infatuated frantic reputation and ending on an exclamation mark conveys the climax of his frustration, he’s going to have what he wants, more obsessive

The farmers bride by Charlotte Mew

rhyme + structure

rhyme

irregular- reflects their unstable relationship, unbalanced

4th stanza rhyme scheme is AAAA which is dreamlike and how he thinks of her

structure

The farmer narrates throughout, his wife has no voice, reflecting the patriarchal theme of the poem

The farmers bride by Charlotte Mew

context

-middle class, father unable to manage family financials to live life in poverty

-Some of her brothers, sisters died at an early age, two went to insane asylum, suffered mental illnesses

-charlotte and her sister were terrified of’passinv insanity’ their children so promise they’d never married and have children

Walking Away by Cecil Day-Lewis

3 quotations + explain

start-”leaves just turning”- pathetic falacy - autumn - end of stage in life, cycle of seasons, theme of change + development, reflects the change in relationship, beginning of the school year

middle-“then, like a satellite, wrenched from its orbit go drifting away” - “wrenched” enjamberement- allows you to see th son physically drifting. “drifing“ subconsciously isn’t realising he’s doing this-natural theme, contrast suggests father is reluctant to let his son go but the son is ready for independence “away” repetition highlights the introduction of distance in the relationship, growing distance

end-“ saying what God alone could perfectly show”-biblical imagery God is perfect and we are flawed religious reference-this was inevitable

Walking Away by Cecil Day-Lewis

Rhyme + Structure

Rhyme

ABACA

4 Quintects - 4 seasons

Consistent rhyme scheme-stable nature of parental love

Structure

solid structure -stable nature of parental love

Walking Away by Cecil Day-Lewis

context

-poem published about his first son

-When boarding School so could appreciate the anxiety and pain from both sides of the relationship

Eden Rock by Charles Causley

3 quotations + explain

start-“ in a sprigged dress Drawn At the waist, Ribbon in her straw hat” old-fashioned-Memory from when he was young-vivid, distant memory-has had a solid relationship constantly. Mother is written in more detail compared to the father as the father died and grew up knowing the mother more

middle-“Her hair, the colour of wheat, takes on the light” Connates gold, light-pure, glowing, heaven she’s godly. Mother is presented as flowing through Causley use of tautology (saying the same thing twice)

middle/end- “ the same three plates, the tin cups painted blue” “three plates”- holy Trinity-religious connotations-pure, “ blue”-religious connotations represents the Virgin Mary -views mother as angelic

Eden Rock by Charles Causley

Rhyme + Structure

rhyme

Half rhyme - could reflect an incomplete nature of their relationship - relate to the separation of the speaker and his parents-creates the feeling of immediacy to the tone of the poem as full rhymes would make the tone to jovial(cheerful)

Structure

stable, fixed structure of quadrants throughout - shows the simple life they had on the steady relationship

final line separated- gap between life and death

10 syllables per line ( iambic pentameter) -steady tone-steady relationship

Eden Rock by Charles Causley

context

-born 1917, quite modest man, born and stayed in cornwall

-father died whrn he was 7

Follower by Seamuss Heaney

3 quotations + explain

Start-”his shoulders globed like a full sail strung” sibilance- father works smoothly + deliberatly. Comparison - emphasized how much he admires his power. simile-like how the sails harness the winds power, he does the same for horses

middle”I stumbled in his hob-nailed wake… Sometimes he rode me on his back” nautical imagery- choppy water- son finds it difficult to follow father, his boots are sturdy- like ‘family footsteps‘-expected to follow. Uncertanty about his abilioty to take his fathers path, shows how he is struggling to mold an identity when he cant follow his fathers path. unusual-he remains a passive character-contrast to father who plays an active role in childhood and poem. Reflects northern dialect actively taking place away from work-suggests father strengthen the father son bond through the form

end-“ it is my father who keeps stumbling Behind me, and will not go away.” cycle of life.-shows how relationships change over time. Repetition.-Highlights, cycle form and role reversal taken place.

Follower by Seamuss Heaney

Rhyme and structure

Rhyme

Steady rhythm- Steady relationship

Lots of ironic tetrameter but not consistent-Has ben tension

structure

Solid-emphasises hard work

quatrain stanza-neat, staple structure-well ploughed fields

Follower by Seamuss Heaney

context

-he’s from a rigid farming community

-eldest of 9 - pressure to reach expectations of his environment and upbringing as well as farming

Mother, any distance by Simon Armitage

three quotations and explain

start-“ any distance greater than a single span requires a second pair of hands”needs his mother’s support and help as he navigates the overwhelming new territories of adulthood - links to quote “Anchor.Kite” As he viewed his mother as his anchor, but gradually breaks away-He craves freedom but anxious exploring the world without the security of her support-Bird metaphor

middle-“recording length, recording metres, centimetres back to base”symbolise his mum atHome-They have more emotional connection between them than just them sharing a house-Tape measure measurement, symbolise an umbilical cord(Metaphor)Physical connection between mother and son-Now lost as he’s moving out.Makes metaphor more vivid engaging reader and contrasting with basic central theme of a child’s reliance

End-“ I reach towards a hatch that opens on an end the sky to full or to fly” “hatch” Symbolises the freedom offered to Armitage through the process of growing up,left on the word fly suggests positive ending rhyming structure is implemented in final two lines may suggest harmony and a return to a certainty of Armitage period of reflection - He’s a bird exploring when we fail or survive without his mum’s help.

Mother, any distance by Simon Armitage

rhyme and structure

rhyme

uneven rhyming structure-Uneven relationship-Son clearly relies a lot more on his mother than the other way round

Structure

Sonnet like-extra line symbolising him breaking away

First two stanza start with’ you’ or ‘ mother’ so she’s the focus but last dance starts with I so he’s a focus

Mother, any distance by Simon Armitage

Context

1published 1993 whrn he was 30

part of a collection called book of matches where all the poems were short enough to be read within the time it took for a match to burn

This poem aims to convey powerful parent child relationship in a short space of time

Before You Were Mine by Carol Ann Duffy

three quotations and explain

start-“ Sheek at the pavement. Your polkadot dress blows round your legs. Marilyn.” “shriek” playful image Duffy milling over mother‘s carefree life before birth, not considering future living in the moment or before birth and social pressures of being a mum on unfair disparities in mother and father’s expectations. “Marilyn” comparing her mum to Marilyn Monroe single sentence emphasises their separation Marilyn committed suicide reference as associated with unhappiness associated with Duffeys birth

middle-“ I remember my hands in those high heeled red shoes, relics,” alliteration, metaphor-symbolises have fun, carefree life was lost when she became a mother, the shoes becoming a toy for Duffy

end-“ you’d teach me the steps on the way home from mass, stamping stars from the wrong pavement” sensual 1950s dance inappropriate practice on the way home from mass rebellious streak.” wrong pavement” metaphorically represents her mum taking’ wrong path’ in her life, sacrificing her life for her daughters, contrasts circumstances up before where she was a mum-right walk

Before You Were Mine by Carol Ann Duffy

rhyme and structure

Rhyme

free verse, conversational, in the moment without worring about the future or the disjointed nature of memory or may reflect the loss of harmony of order - mirroring how her carefree life was disrupted by the responsibilitys of motherhood

Structure

very uniform and has four standards of five equal lines-reflects the initial structure of her mother’s life before coming a mother contrasting it with the flexibility and sacrifice she had to make after giving birth. Or stable structure mirrors a photo album.

Before You Were Mine by Carol Ann Duffy

-born in Glasgow

-Feminist

-Is an autobiographical poem and makes references to the streets of Glasgow (george square) conveying her nostalgia for her home city

Winter swans by Owen Sheers

start-“the clouds had given their all - two days of rain” personification and pathetic fallacy, symbolises two days of arguments and heartbreak between the couple

middle-“slow-stepping in the lake’s shingle and sand” they are dancing although slowly the sibilance creates a soft calming sound helping to heal their problems

end-“like a pair of wings settling after flight” they are reunited present participle setting conveys how they will need to continue to work on their problems

Winter swans by Owen Sheers

context

-welsh poet

-part of a collection which translates to shattered mountain - collection deals with death, seperation ect

Winter swans by Owen Sheers

3 quotations + explain

start-”The clouds had given their all-two days of rain”

Singh Song! by Daljit Nagra

start-“cos up di stairs is my newly bride” Bride connotes to pure white youth, Stereotypes living with parents “my” possessive imbalance between the speaker and his wife. “newly” novelty-reflecting honeymoon stage.”cos up di stairs” introduces his wife-clearly devoted to, seen as another responsibility he has to fulfil-has conflict with responsibilities

middle-“ set on my silver stool… vee step past di half-price window signs” precious-metals connotative modernism and sophistication. Sibilance mirrors calming language emphasises how the shop is now void for customers. “half-price” references money-makes readers consider how much he actually values his wife and spending time with her a lot more

“from di stool each night I say, Is priceless baby” He’s choosing to neglect material goods and suggest that in material things such as spending time together or nature are much more important than the work he does in his father’s shop, final line sums up message of the poem-love means more than money or business

Singh Song! by Daljit Nagra

rhyme

no regular rhythm or rhyme scheme-reflecting his new carefree and lighthearted attitude to life, arranged in the form of a song with a chorus which creates a joyous tone

structure

multiple voices-create sense of a rich community, reflecting his emotions

Singh Song! by Daljit Nagra

context

Climbing My Grandfather by Andrew Waterhouse

three quotations and explain

start-“ I decide to do it free, without a rope or net” Element of risk with getting to know his grandfather reflects the generational divide, familiarity-he can catch him if he falls

middle-“ I can only lie watching clouds and birds circle” symbolises the rewards of the relationship, once the mountain is climbed also thinks their bond to nature

end-“ knowing the slow pulse of his good heart.” grandson admires his grandfather he has finally gained knowledge, and feels this steady and reliable love of his grandfather.

Climbing My Grandfather by Andrew Waterhouse

rhyme and structure

Rhyme

free verse-mimics a natural rhyme of speech by using enjambment creates an adventurous pace the speaker barely pauses for breath in his pursuit of closeness and knowledge

Structure

one stanza- Representing the solid structure and impressiveness of both mountain and his grandfather. Each line tracks the journey of the ascent and charts the speakers growing relationship with grandfather.

Climbing My Grandfather by Andrew Waterhouse

-interested in nature

-very academic-turned down camberidge

-suffered depression - commited suicude at 42