Poppies

“On reaching the top of the hill I traced / the inscriptions on the war memorial, / leaned against it like a wishbone” (3)

Metaphor

Simile

Climbing to the top of the hill could be a metaphor for her struggle to deal with the grief of sending her son to war.

“All my words flattened, rolled, turned into felt” (3)

Metaphor

Rule of three

This indicates that the mother’s grief and fear has left her speechless

"I listened, hoping to hear / your playground voice catching on the wind (2)

Caesura

The caesura (breaks in the line) in the last stanza could indicate her faltering voice as she is on the verge of tears

“to the front door, threw / it open” (1)

You could argue that this is symbolic of the mother accepting her son’s choice

“Released a song bird from its cage” (1)

This could reflect her acknowledging and trying to come to terms with her son’s desire for freedom and independence.

“Later a single dove flew from the pear tree” (1)

This could reflect her acknowledging and trying to come to terms with her son’s desire for freedom and independence

“the world overflowing / like a treasure chest” (1)

This simile indicates that the mother recognises her son’s excitement and is understanding about the opportunities that await him.

“run my fingers through the gelled / blackthorns of your hair” (3)

Tactile (relating to touch) images emphasise the mother's desire for closeness

Biblical imagery

Could also reflect the sacrifice he will make at war, as Jesus wore a crown of blackthorns when he sacrificed his life to save

“I traced / the inscriptions on the war memorial". (1)

Tactile (relating to touch) images emphasise the mother's desire for closeness