Winter Swans

Context

author - Owen Sheers

• poet, author, playwright

• and TV presenter

Form & Structure

tercet stanza structure

3 line stanzas for a poem about a couple gives a sense of imbalance, this could suggest that there are problems in the relationship, however the last stanza is a couplet, suggesting that by the end they are solving their problems, they are becoming more united

Language

Pathetic Fallacy + Personification

at the start of the poem the weather is bad, full of clouds and rain. This could reflect the constant conflict between the couple. The poem is also set in winter, helping to present the miserable and harsh atmosphere

Personification - “waterlogged earth gulping for breath”

this imagery helps present how their relationship is overwhelmingly filled with conflict and hatred

Imagery of Swans

the swans are presented in a completely positive way, which is a contrast in the natural imagery. This shift helps to display the shift in the relationship from troubled to hopeful