Po

we

r and

Co

nflict

1

p.7

Pe

rcy B

yssh

e S

he

lley

Ozym

an

dia

s

p.9

Willia

m B

lake

L

on

do

n

p.1

1W

illiam

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rdsw

orth

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xtra

ct fro

m, T

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Pre

lud

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p.1

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5R

ob

ert B

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My L

ast D

uch

ess

p.1

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lfred

Lo

rd T

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e C

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rge

of th

e L

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t Brig

ad

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p.1

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ilfred

Ow

en

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xp

osu

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p.2

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ea

mu

s H

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ne

y

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rm o

n th

e Is

lan

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p.2

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d H

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ne

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2

Paper 2 – 2 hr 15 mins Modern Texts and Poetry

Question number

marks time What students have to do What is being assessed notes

a. 9 or 10 30+4 40 + 5 for proof reading

Answer ONE of a choice of two questions on “A Curious incident…”. Both will be essay questions and are likely to guide students to focus on a character or theme, using the question starter: “How does Stephens present…?” Students will NOT have a copy of the text.

AO1 Read, understand and respond to texts. Maintain a critical style and develop an informed personal response. (12 marks) A02 Analyse the language, form and structure used by a writer to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology where appropriate. (12 marks) A03 Show understanding of the relationships between texts and the contexts in which they were written. (6 marks) A04 (4 marks) – Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate spelling and punctuation.

Must proof read. Will need to have memorised quotations.

b. 26 30 40 Students must compare how a theme is presented in a named poem (a copy of which will be provided) and one other poem from the anthology chosen by the student. Aside from the named poem students will not have a copy of the poems.

AO1 Read, understand and respond to texts. Maintain a critical style and develop an informed personal response. (12 marks) A02 Analyse the language, form and structure used by a writer to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology where appropriate. (12 marks) A03 Show understanding of the relationships between texts and the contexts in which they were written. (6 marks)

Will need to have memorised quotations.

c. 27.1 24 30 Students need to answer an essay style question on an unseen poem.

AO1 Read, understand and respond to texts. Maintain a critical style and develop an informed personal response. (12 Marks) A02 Analyse the language, form and structure used by a writer to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology where appropriate. (12 marks)

c. 27.2 8 15 Students need to identify and analyse similarities and differences between two previously unseen poems (one of which will be the same poem as in c.27.1) to show how the two poets present feelings, topics, themes, etc.

A02 Analyse the language, form and structure used by a writer to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology where appropriate.

Students need to compare effects and HOW the two poets create these; should use subject terminology.

5 minutes remaining for reading/checking

How The Poetry Anthology fits into the exam.

3

Comm

enting on the form and structure of the poem

For both the unseen text and anthology poems question you get m

arks for comm

enting on the form and structure of

the poem. These can be easy m

arks to pick up.

First steps…

Look at the poem

H

ow m

any stanzas (verses) are there? Do they follow

a pattern?

H

ow m

uch empty space is there in the poem

?

Then look closer…

Are there any patterns to the use of rhym

e and repetition?

H

ow does the poem

begin and end?

Are certain im

ages concentrated in certain sections of the poem? (i.e. does it start off w

ith images of dryness

then move to w

et images?)

H

ow is punctuation used – is there a lot or a little or none at all? Can you spot exam

ples of enjambm

ent or

caesura?

Highlight and label the poem

s accordingly.

Now

we need to com

ment on the effect of these:

W

hat do they make the reader do?

W

hy did the poet arrange the words like this?

H

ow do they relate to the them

es and message of the poem

?

Some suggestions:

O

ne stanza – gives us no time to think or reply – the poet is firing ideas at us and w

e have to respond

instinctively. (e.g. My last D

uchess, Ozym

andias, Storm on the Island)

Lots of stanzas/em

pty space – the poet wants us to dw

ell on certain words and im

ages, picturing them

clearly before we m

ove on to the next stanza. (e.g. Checking out me history, Tissue, Kam

ikaze)

Punctuation – full stops, com

mas, colons and sem

i-colons make the reader pause: in this w

ay the poet

makes us focus on specific w

ords and ideas. Punctuation draws our attention to key ideas. (e.g. O

zymandias;

War Photographer). The w

riter may use caesura – punctuation in the m

iddle of lines – to do this.

N

o/Little punctuation – suggests the poet is writing quickly, from

the heart and wants us to get caught up in

the emotions they feel. The w

riter may use enjam

bment and spread a single sentence over several lines.

Then when they do use punctuation it is m

ore significant (e.g. London, Kamikaze).

Patterns – often the m

ost important ideas get put first and last; that w

ay the reader is more likely to

remem

ber them. Repetition and rhym

e can help emphasize this. (e.g. The Charge of the Light Brigade).

Usefu

l links:

•h

ttp://w

ww

.shm

oo

p.co

m/p

oetry/

•Stacey R

eay’s You

Tub

e chan

nel, w

hich

inclu

des vid

eo an

alysis of all

po

ems in

the an

tho

logy.

•h

ttp://w

ww

.bb

c.co.u

k/scho

ols/gcseb

itesize/english

_literature/

•h

ttp://w

ww

.sparkn

otes.co

m/p

oetry

4

Literary techn

iqu

es and

their effects

It is NO

Tim

po

rtant yo

u can

say wh

attech

niq

ue is b

eing u

sed –

you

get mo

st marks fo

r explain

ing th

e

effect.So, if yo

u sp

ot effective lan

guage o

r imagery –

bu

t can’t say w

hat tech

niq

ue it is –

do

n’t w

orry.

As lo

ng as yo

u can

explain

the effect yo

u w

ill get marks.

That said

, here are so

me co

mm

on

techn

iqu

es…

Senso

ry descrip

tion

Thin

gs we see, h

ear, smell, to

uch

and

feel.

e.g. “volley’d

and

thu

nd

er’d” (Th

e Ch

arge of th

e Light B

rigade); “in

raw-seam

ed h

ot kh

aki, his sw

eat

heavy” (B

ayon

et Ch

arge); “It tastes of su

nligh

t” (The Ém

igree);

The effect

–Th

e senses h

elp u

s imagin

eth

e scene an

d p

ut

us in

the p

oe

m: th

is help

s us em

path

ise

with

the in

divid

uals in

the p

oem

and

un

derstan

dw

hat th

ey are feeling.

Alliteratio

n

Two

or m

ore w

ord

s that b

egin w

ith th

e same so

un

d(o

ften th

e same letter b

ut n

ot alw

ays).

e.g. “measu

red m

otio

n” (Th

e Prelu

de) “flo

win

g flakes that flo

ck” (Expo

sure)

The effect

–

4 grad

e com

men

t: The alliteratio

n d

raws o

ur atten

tion

to key w

ord

s, help

ing th

e writer m

ake their

feelin

gs clear.

7 grad

e com

men

t: The rep

etition

of so

un

ds creates an

on

om

atop

oe

iceffect, w

hich

app

eals to o

ur

sense o

f sou

nd

, help

ing u

s imagin

e mo

re clearly wh

at is bein

g describ

ed.

Sibilan

ce

A co

ncen

tration

of ‘s’ so

un

ds, also

pro

du

ced b

y the letters ‘z’, ‘x’ an

d so

metim

es ‘c’.

e.g. “Worrie

d b

y s

ilen

ce

, se

ntrie

s w

his

pe

r, cu

riou

s, n

erv

ou

s “ (E

xp

osu

re); “S

olu

tion

s s

lop

in

trays

be

ne

ath

his

ha

nd

s” (W

ar P

ho

togra

ph

er)

The effect –

4 grad

e com

men

t: The sib

ilance creates a sin

ister ton

e, like hissin

g snake, w

hich

pu

ts the read

er on

edge.

7 grad

e com

men

t: The rep

etition

of ’s’ so

un

ds creates an

on

om

atop

oe

iceffect, w

hich

app

eals to o

ur

sense o

f sou

nd

, help

ing u

s imagin

e mo

re clearly wh

at is bein

g describ

ed, b

e it the w

ind

or w

aves on

the sea sh

ore, o

r the p

erson

ality of th

e speaker.

Rep

etition

Wo

rds, p

hrases o

r wh

ole

senten

ces that get rep

eated. e.g. “H

alf a league, h

alf a league, h

alf a league”

(The C

harge o

f the Ligh

t Brigad

e); “Dem

tell me” (C

heckin

g ou

t me h

istory);

The effect

–

4 grad

e com

men

t: The rep

etition

draw

s ou

r attentio

n to

key wo

rds, h

elpin

g the w

riter make th

eir

feelin

gs clear.

7 grad

e com

men

t: Regu

lar repetitio

n o

f creates rhyth

m, w

hich

help

s make th

e po

em

mem

orab

le so

the w

riter’s message sticks in

ou

r min

ds an

d th

e po

em

con

tinu

es to sp

eak to u

s lon

g after we’ve read

it.

Rh

yme

Wo

rds th

at have a sim

ilar sou

nd

–n

ote th

ese wo

rds d

on

’t have to

com

e at the en

d o

f lines.

The effect

–

V

ery littlerh

yme –

this d

raws o

ur atten

tion

to key w

ord

s, help

ing th

e writer m

ake their fee

lings

clear.

R

egular

rhym

e of creates rh

ythm

, wh

ich h

elps m

ake the p

oe

m m

emo

rable so

the w

riter’s

message sticks in

ou

r min

ds an

d th

e po

em

con

tinu

es to sp

eak to u

s lon

g after we’ve read

it. (e.g.

My Last D

uch

ess, Ozym

and

ias)

H

alf-rhym

esh

ave a similar effect to

sibilan

ce: they p

ut u

s on

edge (e.g. Exp

osu

re)

5

On

om

atop

oe

ia

Wo

rds th

at sou

nd

like their m

eanin

g. E.g. “solu

tion

s slop

in trays” (W

ar Ph

oto

graph

er); “the

flickering gu

nn

eryru

mb

les” (Expo

sure)

The

effect–

The sen

ses help

us im

agine

the scen

e and

pu

tu

s in th

e po

em: th

is help

s us em

path

ise

with

the in

divid

uals in

the p

oe

m an

d u

nd

erstand

wh

at they are fee

ling.

Similes

Wh

en so

meth

ing o

r som

eon

e is describ

ed u

sing ‘like’ o

r ‘as’. E.g. “a yellow

hare th

at rolle

d like a

flame

” (Bayo

net C

harge); “th

e little fishin

g bo

ats/ strun

g ou

t like bu

ntin

g” (Kam

ikaze)

The effect -

4 grad

e: Similes h

elp u

s better im

agine w

hat is b

eing d

escribed

by givin

g us a fu

ller

pictu

re.

7 grad

e –Sim

iles asso

ciate wh

at is bein

g describ

ed w

ith o

ther p

eop

le/ob

jects, and

the asso

ciated

con

no

tation

s e.g. we get th

e sense th

at the h

are is in d

anger, b

ut “flam

e” rem

ind

s us o

f fire, and

the p

oetic vo

ice is bein

g fired at; th

e “bu

ntin

g” creates a co

ntrasts w

ith th

e patrio

tic flags of w

ar.

Metap

ho

r

Wh

en so

meth

ing o

r som

eon

e is describ

ed as b

eing

som

ethin

g else. E.g. “spo

ols o

f sufferin

g” (W

ar

Ph

oto

graph

er); “All m

y wo

rds/ flatten

ed, ro

lled

, turn

ed in

to felt” (Po

pp

ies)

The effect -

4 grad

e: Metap

ho

rs help

us b

etter imagin

e wh

at is bein

g describ

ed b

y giving u

s a fuller

pictu

re.

7 grad

e –M

etaph

ors asso

ciate wh

at is bein

g describ

ed w

ith o

ther p

eop

le/ob

jects, and

the

associated

con

no

tation

s e.g. The p

ho

tograp

hs are a reco

rd o

f pain

; the p

oetic vo

ice’s wo

rds

beco

me so

ft –like “felt” –

bu

t also fu

zzy, almo

st as if she can

feel th

em.

Perso

nificatio

n

Wh

en an

ob

ject or id

ea is given h

um

an ch

aracteristics. E.g. “Daw

n m

assing in

the east h

er

melan

cho

ly army” (Exp

osu

re); “Bu

llets smackin

g the b

elly ou

t of th

e air” (Bayo

net C

harge)

The effect

–Id

eas such

as love, tim

e, triu

mp

h, d

isaster are abstract

–h

ard fo

r us to

imagin

e; by

usin

g perso

nificatio

n th

e po

et makes th

ese feelin

gs seem alive an

d m

ore real. It h

elps u

s to p

icture

wh

at the w

riter is talking ab

ou

t. Wh

en p

erson

ification

is used

to m

ake realob

jects seem alive, it

add

s a sense o

f magic o

r ho

rror to

the p

oet.

Pro

no

un

s

I, you

, thee

, he, sh

e, we, th

ey –th

ese are all pro

no

un

s. E.g. “I met a travelle

r from

an an

tiqu

e

land

” (Ozym

and

ias); “turn

ed in

to yo

ur

skin” (Tissu

e); “W

ill’tp

lease you

sit and

loo

k at her?” (M

y

Last Du

chess) “W

eare p

repared

” (Storm

on

the islan

d); “

The effect –

Wh

en ‘I/w

e’ is u

sed th

is makes u

s beco

me th

e po

et wh

en w

e read it, esp

ecially if we

read it alo

ud

. This h

elps u

s see thin

gs from

his/h

er po

int o

f view an

d b

etter un

derstan

d h

is/her

feelin

gs. Wh

en ‘yo

u’is u

sed, it m

akes us fee

l like the p

oet is talkin

g directly to

us: th

e writer is

trying to

persu

ade u

s of so

meth

ing. W

hen

‘she/h

e/they’is u

sed w

e feel like w

e are ob

serving, w

e

are there w

atchin

g –th

is pu

ts distan

ce betw

een

us an

d th

e peo

ple in

the p

oe

m, creatin

g interest

and

intrigu

e.

6

InspirationOzymandias was a Greek name for the Egyptian pharaohRamesses II. Shelley began writing his poem in 1817, soon after the British Museum's acquisition of a large fragment of a statue of Ramesses II from the thirteenth century BC. The 7.25-ton fragment of the statue's head and torso had been taken from a temple in Thebes, Egypt. Shelley wrote the poem in friendly competition with his friend and fellow poet Horace Smith (1779–1849), who also wrote a sonnet on the same topic with the very same title. Smith's poem was first published in The Examiner a few weeks after Shelley's sonnet. Both poems explore the fate of history and the ravages of time: that all prominent figures and the empires that they build are impermanent and their legacies fated to decay and oblivion. Shelley and Smith chose a passage from the Greek Historian Diodorus Siculus, which described a massive Egyptian statue and quoted its inscription: "King of Kings Ozymandias am I. If any want to know how great I am and where I lie, let him outdo me in my work." In the poem Diodorus becomes "a traveller from an antique land”. It is interesting that only Shelley’s poem has stood the test of time…

Glossary:Antique – very oldTrunkless – without a bodyShatter’d – brokenVisage – faceMocked – 1. made, copied 2. made fun ofPedestal – plinth, stand for a statueColossal – massive (like an ancient statue, the Colossus of Rhodes)Boundless – without borders

Ozymandias

I met a traveller from an antique landWho said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stoneStand in the desert. Near them on the sand,Half sunk, a shatter’d visage lies, whose frownAnd wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command 5Tell that its sculptor well those passions readWhich yet survive, stamp’d on these lifeless things,The hand that mock’d them and the heart that fed;And on the pedestal these words appear:‘My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: 10Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!’Nothing beside remains. Round the decayOf that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,The lone and level sands stretch far away.

PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY

7

8

William Blake (1757 – 1827) was an artist and poet who made and sold his own books. For him his art and poetry went hand in hand. He was never famous or rich during his life time, and he was disappointed that his work wasn’t more popular. He was a political and religious radical: he didn’t like the way society or religion was organised and wanted to change it. As a result, many people at the time thought he was mad. For example, he thought that marriage was a form of slavery.

Glossary:Chartered – 1. hired 2. granted a certain rightMark – 1. see, observe 2. signsWoe – sadness, miseryBan – 1. announcement, notice 2. forbidMind-forged – made in the mindManacles – chains, handcuffsHapless – unlucky, unfortunateHarlot – prostitute Blights – spoils, ruinsPlagues - diseasesHearse – vehicle for a funeral

9

London

I wander through each chartered street,Near where the chartered Thames does flow,And mark in every face I meetMarks of weakness, marks of woe.

In every cry of every man, 5In every infant’s cry of fear,In every voice, in every ban,The mind-forged manacles I hear:

How the chimney-sweeper’s cryEvery black’ning church appalls, 10And the hapless soldier’s sighRuns in blood down palace walls.

But most through midnight streets I hearHow the youthful harlot’s curseBlasts the new-born infant’s tear, 15And blights with plagues the marriage hearse.

WILLIAM BLAKE

10

This is an

extract from

a very lon

g auto

bio

graph

ical po

em. In

this b

it a you

ng W

ord

swo

rth fo

un

d a

bo

at hid

den

by a lake.

He sto

le th

e bo

at, and

head

ed o

ut o

nto

the lake o

n a m

idn

ight jo

y-ride.

It w

as a beau

tiful scen

e, with

the b

oy h

imself ad

mirin

g the su

rrou

nd

ing rid

ges and

the stars an

d th

e sky b

eyon

d.

Bu

t then

this p

eaceful im

age too

k a scary turn

.To

un

derstan

d w

hat h

app

ened

here, it is h

elpfu

l to

keep

in m

ind

the geo

metry o

f this lakesid

e land

scape.

Wh

en ro

win

g a bo

at, the o

arsman

actually faces b

ackward

. So, in

ord

er to stee

r a straight lin

e, he

nee

ded

to p

ick som

e spo

t on

the h

orizo

n an

d kee

p th

at spo

t directly b

ehin

d th

e bo

at.W

ord

swo

rth

fixed h

is view "U

po

n th

e sum

mit o

f a craggy ridge."

To b

egin w

ith th

e bo

at was still clo

se to

the

willo

w co

vert at po

sition

(A) o

n th

e diagram

, and

as the b

oy lo

oked

up

he saw

no

thin

g bu

t the

"craggy ridge" an

d th

e stars beyo

nd

.

Bu

t then

as the b

oy ro

wed

ou

t the sigh

t lines ch

anged

. Beh

ind

the first "craggy rid

ge" a "hu

ge, peak,

black an

d h

uge, / A

s if with

volu

ntary p

ow

er instin

ct, / Up

rearedits h

ead."

Imagin

e ho

w th

is wo

uld

lo

ok fro

m th

e po

int o

f view o

f the b

oy: as h

e mo

ved fro

m (A

) to (B

), the "h

uge p

eak" wo

uld

app

ear to

rise up

from

beh

ind

the first "craggy Stee

p."

The sigh

t frighten

ed th

e bo

y, bu

t the h

arder h

e ro

wed

, the m

ore th

e "hu

ge peak" seem

ed to

com

e after him

. The p

eak wasn

’t really mo

ving o

f co

urse –

it was ju

st a trick of p

erspective. Th

e furth

er away th

e bo

y got fro

m th

e ridge, th

e mo

re of

the p

eak he co

uld

see: this created

the o

ptical illu

sion

that th

e peak w

as chasin

g him

and

grow

ing.

Scared, h

e turn

ed b

ack and

return

ed th

e bo

at.

Wo

rdsw

orth

, even as a b

oy, reco

gnized

that th

is was o

nly an

op

tical illusio

n—

the p

eak "seemed

" to

have a "p

urp

ose

of its o

wn

"; the m

ou

ntain

rises up

"As if

with

volu

ntary p

ow

er instin

ct."B

ut th

is d

oe

s no

t matter –

he can

’t simp

ly explain

away h

is child

ho

od

experien

ce, his sen

se of h

aving b

een

p

ursu

ed b

y a "hu

ge and

migh

ty Form

."Th

at’s the p

oin

t of th

e passage's clo

sing lin

es.Th

is was a

form

ative experien

ce, a Wo

rdsw

orth

ian"sp

ot o

f time" th

at shap

ed an

d co

ntin

ued

to sh

ape th

e p

oet's ad

ult co

nscio

usn

ess.

Glo

ssary:‘h

er’ in

line o

ne = N

ature

Bark

= bo

atC

raggy= ro

ugh

, covered

in

rocks

Elfin= d

elicate, thin

Pin

nacle

= peak, h

ighest

po

int

Solitu

de

= lon

eliness

The p

oem

takes p

lace in th

e Lake D

istrict, an area o

f great n

atural

beau

ty in n

orth

ern

Englan

d. W

illiam

Wo

rdsw

orth

spen

t m

uch

of h

is life th

ere.

11

Extra

ct fro

m, T

he

Pre

lud

e

On

e s

um

me

r eve

nin

g (le

d b

y h

er) I fo

un

d

A little

bo

at tie

d to

a w

illow

tree

With

in a

rocky c

ove

, its u

su

al h

om

e.

Stra

ight I u

nlo

osed h

er c

hain

, and s

teppin

g in

Pu

sh

ed

from

the

sh

ore

. It wa

s a

n a

ct o

f ste

alth

5

An

d tro

ub

led p

lea

su

re, n

or w

itho

ut th

e v

oic

e

Of m

ou

nta

in-e

cho

es d

id m

y b

oa

t mo

ve

on

;

Le

avin

g b

eh

ind

he

r still, o

n e

ithe

r sid

e,

Sm

all c

ircle

s g

litterin

g id

ly in

the

mo

on

,

Un

til the

y m

elte

d a

ll into

on

e tra

ck

10

Of s

pa

rklin

g lig

ht. B

ut n

ow

, like

on

e w

ho

row

s,

Pro

ud

of h

is s

kill, to

rea

ch

a c

ho

se

n p

oin

t

With

an

un

sw

erv

ing

line

, I fixe

d m

y v

iew

Up

on

the

su

mm

it of a

cra

gg

y rid

ge

,

The h

oriz

on’s

utm

ost b

oundary

; far a

bove

15

Wa

s n

oth

ing

bu

t the

sta

rs a

nd

the

gre

y s

ky.

Sh

e w

as a

n e

lfin p

inn

ace

; lustily

I dip

pe

d m

y o

ars

into

the

sile

nt la

ke

,

An

d, a

s I ro

se

up

on

the

stro

ke

, my b

oa

t

We

nt h

ea

vin

g th

rou

gh th

e w

ate

r like

a s

wa

n;

20

Wh

en

, from

be

hin

d th

at c

rag

gy s

tee

p till th

en

Th

e h

oriz

on

’s b

ou

nd

, a h

ug

e p

ea

k, b

lack a

nd

hu

ge

,

As if w

ith v

olu

nta

ry p

ow

er in

stin

ct,

Up

rea

red

its h

ea

d. I s

truck a

nd

stru

ck a

ga

in,

An

d g

row

ing

still in

sta

ture

the

grim

sh

ap

e25

To

we

red

up

be

twe

en

me

an

d th

e s

tars

, an

d s

till,

Fo

r so

it se

em

ed

, with

pu

rpo

se

of its

ow

n

An

d m

ea

su

red m

otio

n lik

e a

livin

g th

ing

,

Stro

de

afte

r me

. With

trem

blin

g o

ars

I turn

ed

,

An

d th

rou

gh th

e s

ilen

t wa

ter s

tole

my w

ay

30

Ba

ck to

the

co

ve

rt of th

e w

illow

tree

;

Th

ere

in h

er m

oo

ring

-pla

ce

I left m

y b

ark

, –

An

d th

rou

gh th

e m

ea

do

ws h

om

ew

ard

we

nt, in

gra

ve

An

d s

erio

us m

oo

d; b

ut a

fter I h

ad

se

en

Th

at s

pe

cta

cle

, for m

an

y d

ays, m

y b

rain

35

Work

ed w

ith a

dim

and u

ndete

rmin

ed s

ense

Of u

nkn

ow

n m

od

es o

f be

ing

; o’e

r my th

ou

gh

ts

Th

ere

hu

ng

a d

ark

ne

ss, c

all it s

olitu

de

Or b

lan

k d

ese

rtion

. No

fam

iliar s

ha

pe

s

Re

ma

ine

d, n

o p

lea

sa

nt im

ag

es o

f tree

s,

40

Of s

ea

or s

ky, n

o c

olo

urs

of g

ree

n fie

lds;

Bu

t hu

ge

an

d m

igh

ty fo

rms, th

at d

o n

ot liv

e

Lik

e liv

ing

me

n, m

ove

d s

low

ly th

rou

gh th

e m

ind

By d

ay, a

nd

we

re a

trou

ble

to m

y d

rea

ms.

WIL

LIA

M W

OR

DS

WO

RT

H

12

The poem is a dramatic monologue – meaning it’s meant to be performed by one speaker – which makes it seem as we are being spoken to. In effect, the reader becomes the Count’s servant. It is also written in iambic pentameter, making it sound more like normal speech.

The poem is based on historical fact: The poem is preceded by "Ferrara", indicating that the speaker is most likely Alfonso II d'Este, the fifth Duke of Ferrara(1533–1598), who, at the age of 25, married Lucrezia di Cosimo de' Medici, the 14-year-old daughter of Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany. He then abandoned her for two years before she died on 21 April 1561, at age 17. The Duke then sought the hand of Barbara, eighth daughter of the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I and the sister of the Count of Tyrol, Ferdinand II.T he count was in charge of arranging the marriage; the chief of his entourage, NikolausMadruz was his courier. Madruz (from Innsbruck) is presumably the silent listener in the poem.

Browning visited Italy in 1838 – 4 years before the poem was published – and probably saw the portrait of Lucrezia in Mantua.

What happens in the poem?

From www.shmoop.com The Duke of Ferrara is negotiating with a

servant for the hand of a count’s daughter in marriage. (We don’t

know anything about the Count except that he is a count. And that

he’s not the Count from Sesame Street – different guy.) During the

negotiations, the Duke takes the servant upstairs into his private art gallery and shows him several of the objects in his collection.

The first of these objects is a portrait of his "last" or former duchess,

painted directly on one of the walls of the gallery by a friar named

Pandolf. The Duke keeps this portrait behind a curtain that only he

is allowed to draw. While the servant sits on a bench looking at the

portrait, the Duke describes the circumstances in which it was painted and the fate of his unfortunate former wife.

Apparently the Duchess was easily pleased: she smiled at

everything, and seemed just as happy when someone brought her a

branch of cherries as she did when the Duke decided to marry her.

She also blushed easily. The Duchess’s genial nature was enough

to throw the Duke into a jealous, psychopathic rage, and he "gave

commands" (45) that meant "all smiles stopped together" (46).

We’re guessing this means he had her killed although it’s possible

that he had her shut up somewhere, such as in a convent. But it’s way more exciting if you interpret it as murder, and most critics do.

After telling this story to the servant of the family that might provide

his next victim – er, sorry, bride – the Duke takes him back

downstairs to continue their business. On the way out, the Duke

points out one more of his favourite art objects: a bronze statue of Neptune taming a seahorse.

Glossary:Countenance – facial expressionEarnest – sincere, honestDurst – daredMantle – cloak, shawlCourtesy – politenessFavour – a giftOfficious – interfering, self-importantForsooth - indeed

13

My Last DuchessFerrara

That’s my last Duchess painted on the wall,Looking as if she were alive. I callThat piece a wonder, now: Frà Pandolf’s handsWorked busily a day, and there she stands.Will’t please you sit and look at her? I said‘Frà Pandolf’ by design, for never read 5Strangers like you that pictured countenance,The depth and passion of its earnest glance,But to myself they turned (since none puts byThe curtain I have drawn for you, but I)And seemed as they would ask me, if they durst, 10How such a glance came there; so, not the firstAre you to turn and ask thus. Sir, ’twas notHer husband’s presence only, called that spotOf joy into the Duchess’ cheek: perhapsFrà Pandolf chanced to say ‘Her mantle laps 15Over my lady’s wrist too much,’ or ‘PaintMust never hope to reproduce the faintHalf-flush that dies along her throat’: such stuffWas courtesy, she thought, and cause enough

14

For calling up that spot of joy. She had 20A heart – how shall I say? – too soon made glad,Too easily impressed; she liked whate’erShe looked on, and her looks went everywhere.Sir, ’twas all one! My favour at her breast,The dropping of the daylight in the West, 25The bough of cherries some officious foolBroke in the orchard for her, the white muleShe rode with round the terrace – all and eachWould draw from her alike the approving speech,Or blush, at least. She thanked men, – good! but thanked 30Somehow – I know not how – as if she rankedMy gift of a nine-hundred-years-old nameWith anybody’s gift. Who’d stoop to blameThis sort of trifling? Even had you skillIn speech – (which I have not) – to make your will 35Quite clear to such an one, and say, ‘Just thisOr that in you disgusts me; here you miss,Or there exceed the mark’ – and if she letHerself be lessoned so, nor plainly setHer wits to yours, forsooth, and made excuse, 40– E’en then would be some stooping; and I chooseNever to stoop. Oh sir, she smiled, no doubt,

15

Whene’er I passed her; but who passed withoutMuch the same smile? This grew; I gave commands;Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands 45As if alive. Will’t please you rise? We’ll meetThe company below, then. I repeat,The Count your master’s known munificenceIs ample warrant that no just pretenceOf mine for dowry will be disallowed; 50Though his fair daughter’s self, as I avowedAt starting, is my object. Nay, we’ll goTogether down, sir. Notice Neptune, though,Taming a sea-horse, thought a rarity,Which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me! 55

ROBERT BROWNING

Glossary:Munificence – generosity, charity ample – good enough warrant - justification, cause dowry – money received by the husband from the wife’s family when they marry avowed – swore, promised object – what he wants

16

The

Ch

arge o

f the

Light B

rigade

was a

charge

of

British

light cavalry

led b

yLo

rd C

ardigan

against

Ru

ssian fo

rces du

ring th

eB

attle of B

alaclavao

n 2

5

Octo

ber 1

85

4, in

the

Crim

ean W

ar. This w

as war

fou

ght in

sou

thern

Ru

ssia –B

ritain, Tu

rkey and

France

against R

ussia. Lo

rd R

aglan, o

verall com

man

der o

f th

e British

forces, h

ad in

tend

ed to

send

the 6

70

stro

ng Ligh

t Brigad

e to ch

ase a retreating

Ru

ssianartillery b

attery. This w

ou

ld h

ave been

a task w

ell-suited

to ligh

t cavalry, wh

o w

ere armed

with

sp

ears and

swo

rds. H

ow

ever, du

e to

misco

mm

un

ication

in th

ech

ain o

f com

man

d, th

e Ligh

t Brigad

e was in

stead sen

t on

afro

ntal

assault

against a d

ifferent artillery b

attery (grou

p o

f can

on

), on

e well-p

repared

with

excellent field

s of

defen

sive fire.A

ltho

ugh

the Ligh

t Brigad

e reached

the b

attery un

der

with

ering

direct fire

and

scattered so

me o

f the

gun

ners, th

e bad

ly mau

led b

rigade w

as forced

to

retreat imm

ediately. Th

us, th

e charge en

ded

with

very h

igh B

ritish casu

alties and

no

ben

efits.B

lame fo

r the m

iscom

mu

nicatio

n h

as remain

ed

con

troversial, as th

e origin

al ord

er itself was vagu

e, an

d th

eo

fficer wh

o d

eliveredth

e written

ord

ers, with

so

me verb

al interp

retation

, died

in th

e first min

ute o

f th

e assault.

The attack w

as witn

ess and

repo

rted b

y The Tim

es’ jo

urn

alist William

Ru

ssell. Tenn

yson

’s po

em w

as p

ub

lished

just six w

eeks after the even

t.

Glo

ssary:Leagu

e–

three

miles

Light b

rigade –

a lightly

equ

ipp

ed m

ilitary grou

p,

design

ed to

mo

ve qu

icklyD

ismay’d

–p

ut o

ff, up

set, in

desp

airB

lun

der’d

–m

ade a m

istake, m

essed u

pV

olley’d

–fired

repeated

lySab

res–

swo

rds u

sed b

y ho

rse rid

ersB

attery–

a grou

p o

f cano

nC

ossack

–A

grou

p o

f peo

ple

from

sou

thern

Ru

ssia and

U

kraine

Alfred

, Lord

Tenn

yson

was

Po

et Laure

ate fro

m 1

85

0

un

til his o

wn

death

in

18

92

. The Po

et Laureate is

app

oin

ted b

y the K

ing o

r Q

ueen

as the o

fficial po

et o

f Britain

–so

there w

ou

ld

be an

expectatio

n th

at th

eir po

ems w

ou

ld sh

ow

B

ritain in

a po

sitive way.

Tenn

yson

was a

particu

larly po

pu

lar Poet

Laureate an

d th

e Ch

arge of

the Ligh

t Brigad

e was a

particu

larly po

pu

lar po

em.

Afterw

ards o

nly 1

95

men

were still alive an

d w

ith h

orses. Th

e reckless bravery o

f the

charge led

the Fren

ch C

om

man

der

Pierre B

osq

uet

to say: "C

'estm

ag

nifiq

ue, m

ais

cen

'estp

as la

gu

erre. C'est

de la

folie." ("It is m

agnificen

t, bu

t it is no

t war. It is m

adn

ess.”)

17

Th

e C

ha

rge

of th

e L

igh

t Brig

ad

e

1.

Half a

lea

gu

e, h

alf a

lea

gu

e,

Half a

lea

gu

e o

nw

ard

,

All in

the

va

lley o

f Dea

th

Rod

e th

e s

ix h

un

dre

d.

‘Fo

rwa

rd, th

e L

igh

t Brig

ad

e!

5

Cha

rge

for th

e g

un

s!’ h

e s

aid

:

Into

the

va

lley o

f Dea

th

Rod

e th

e s

ix h

un

dre

d.

2.

‘Fo

rwa

rd, th

e L

igh

t Brig

ad

e!’

Was th

ere

a m

an

dis

ma

y’d

?1

0

Not th

o’ th

e s

old

ier k

ne

w

So

me

on

e h

ad

blu

nd

er’d

:

Th

eirs

no

t to m

ake

rep

ly,

Th

eirs

no

t to re

aso

n w

hy,

Th

eirs

bu

t to d

o a

nd

die

:1

5

Into

the

va

lley o

f Dea

th

Rod

e th

e s

ix h

un

dre

d.

3.

Can

no

n to

righ

t of th

em

,

Ca

nn

on to

left o

f the

m,

Can

no

n in

fron

t of th

em

20

Vo

lley’d

an

d th

un

der’d

;

Sto

rm’d

at w

ith s

ho

t an

d s

he

ll,

Bo

ldly

the

y ro

de

an

d w

ell,

Into

the

jaw

s o

f Dea

th,

Into

the

mo

uth

of H

ell

25

Rod

e th

e s

ix h

un

dre

d.

4.

Fla

sh

’da

ll the

ir sa

bre

s b

are

,

Fla

sh

’da

s th

ey tu

rn’d

in a

ir

Sa

brin

gth

e g

un

ne

rs th

ere

,

Cha

rgin

g a

n a

rmy, w

hile

30

All th

e w

orld

wo

nd

er’d

:

Plu

nge

d in

the

ba

ttery

-sm

oke

Rig

ht th

ro’ th

e lin

e th

ey b

roke

;

Cossa

ck a

nd

Russia

n

Ree

l’dfro

m th

e s

ab

re-s

troke

35

Sh

atte

r’da

nd

su

nd

er’d

.

Th

en

the

y ro

de

ba

ck, b

ut n

ot

Not th

e s

ix h

un

dre

d.

5.

Can

no

n to

righ

t of th

em

,

Can

no

n to

left o

f the

m,

40

Can

no

n b

eh

ind th

em

Vo

lley’d

an

d th

un

der’d

;

Sto

rm’d

at w

ith s

ho

t an

d s

he

ll,

While

ho

rse a

nd

he

ro fe

ll,

Th

ey th

at h

ad

fou

ght s

o w

ell

45

Cam

e th

ro’ th

e ja

ws o

f Dea

th

Ba

ck fro

m th

e m

ou

th o

f Hell,

All th

at w

as le

ft of th

em

,

Le

ft of s

ix h

un

dre

d.

6.

When c

an th

eir g

lory

fad

e?

50

O th

e w

ild c

ha

rge

the

y m

ad

e!

All th

e w

orld

wo

nd

er’d

.

Hon

ou

r the

ch

arg

e th

ey m

ad

e!

Hon

ou

r the

Lig

ht B

riga

de

,

Nob

le s

ix h

un

dre

d!

55

AL

FR

ED

TE

NN

YS

ON

18

Wilfre

d O

we

n jo

ine

d th

e B

ritish

Arm

y in

19

15

,

at th

e a

ge

of 2

2. H

e h

ad

pre

vio

usly

be

en

work

ing a

s a

n E

nglis

h te

acher in

Fra

nce. A

fter

train

ing

he

wa

s p

oste

d to

no

rthe

rn F

ran

ce

: his

exp

erie

nce

s th

ere

form

ed

the

ba

sis

for m

an

y

of h

is p

oe

ms.

In J

un

e 1

91

6 h

e w

as b

low

n h

igh

into

the

air

by a

tren

ch

mo

rtar a

nd

lan

de

d in

the

rem

ain

s

of a

fello

w s

old

ier. W

ou

nd

ed

an

d d

aze

d, h

e

lay th

ere

for s

eve

ral d

ays b

efo

re h

e w

as

fou

nd

. He

wa

s s

en

t ba

ck to

En

gla

nd

to

reco

ve

r an

d c

ou

ld h

ave

sta

ye

d th

ere

for th

e

rest o

f the w

ar. In

ste

ad h

e c

hoseto

retu

rn to

Fra

nce

in J

uly

19

18

. In O

cto

be

r 19

18

he

wa

s

aw

ard

ed

the

Milita

ry C

ross fo

r bra

ve

ry.

Ow

en

wa

skille

d in

actio

no

n 4

No

ve

mb

er

19

18

du

ring

the

cro

ssin

g o

f the

Sa

mb

re–O

ise

Ca

na

l, exa

ctly

on

e w

ee

k (a

lmo

st to

the

ho

ur)

be

fore

the

sig

nin

g o

f the

Arm

istic

ea

nd

the

en

d o

f the

Wa

r. His

mo

the

r rece

ive

d th

e

tele

gra

m in

form

ing

he

r of h

is d

ea

th

on

Arm

istic

e D

ay, a

s th

e c

hu

rch

be

lls w

ere

ring

ing

ou

t in c

ele

bra

tion

.

Glo

ssary:Flare

s–

brigh

t lights fired

into

th

e skySalie

nt

–an

expo

sed, d

angero

us

po

sition

on

the fro

ntlin

e, su

rrou

nd

ed b

y the en

emy

Sen

tries

–so

ldiers o

n lo

ok o

ut

du

tyA

gon

ies

–p

ainIn

cessan

tly–

with

ou

t stop

pin

gP

oign

ant

–m

ovin

g, sadM

elan

cho

ly–

sad, so

rrow

ful

Succe

ssive–

follo

win

g on

, on

e after th

e oth

erN

on

chalan

ce–

no

t caring,

un

feeling

Crin

ge–

hid

e in fear

Dro

wse

–sleep

lightly

Glo

zed

–an

excuse fo

rN

ot lo

ath –

no

t un

willin

g, w

itho

ut regret

Pu

ckerin

g–

shrin

king, cru

mp

ling

19

Ex

po

su

re

Ou

r bra

ins a

ch

e, in

the

me

rcile

ss ic

ed

ea

st w

ind

s th

at k

niv

eu

s ...

We

arie

d w

e k

ee

p a

wa

ke

be

ca

use th

e n

igh

t is s

ilen

t ...

Lo

w, d

roo

pin

g fla

res c

on

fuse

ou

r me

mo

ry o

f the

sa

lien

t ...

Wo

rried b

y s

ilen

ce

, se

ntrie

s w

his

pe

r, cu

riou

s, n

erv

ou

s,

Bu

t no

thin

g h

ap

pe

ns.

5

Wa

tch

ing

, we

he

ar th

e m

ad

gu

sts

tug

gin

g o

n th

e w

ire,

Lik

e tw

itch

ing

ag

on

ies o

f me

n a

mo

ng

its b

ram

ble

s.

No

rthw

ard

, ince

ssa

ntly, th

e flic

ke

ring g

un

ne

ry ru

mb

les,

Far o

ff, like a

dull ru

mour o

f som

e o

ther w

ar.

Wh

at a

re w

e d

oin

g h

ere

?10

Th

e p

oig

na

nt m

ise

ry o

f da

wn

be

gin

s to

gro

w ...

We

on

ly k

no

w w

ar la

sts

, rain

so

aks, a

nd

clo

ud

s s

ag

sto

rmy.

Da

wn

ma

ssin

g in

the

ea

st h

er m

ela

nch

oly

arm

y

Atta

cks o

nce

mo

re in

ran

ks o

n s

hiv

erin

g ra

nks o

f gre

y,

Bu

t no

thin

g h

ap

pe

ns.

15

Su

dd

en

su

cce

ssiv

e flig

hts

of b

ulle

ts s

trea

k th

e s

ilen

ce

.

Le

ss d

ea

dly

tha

n th

e a

ir tha

t sh

ud

de

rs b

lack w

ith s

no

w,

With

sid

elo

ng flo

win

g fla

kes th

at flo

ck, p

ause, a

nd re

new

,

We

wa

tch

the

m w

an

de

ring

up

an

d d

ow

n th

e w

ind

's n

on

ch

ala

nce,

Bu

t no

thin

g h

ap

pe

ns.

20

Pa

le fla

ke

s w

ith fin

ge

ring

ste

alth

co

me

fee

ling

for o

ur fa

ce

s -

We

crin

ge

in h

ole

s, b

ack o

n fo

rgo

tten

dre

am

s, a

nd

sta

re, s

no

w-d

aze

d,

De

ep

into

gra

ssie

r ditc

he

s. S

o w

e d

row

se

, su

n-d

ozed

,

Litte

red w

ith b

losso

ms tric

klin

g w

he

re th

e b

lackb

ird fu

sse

s.

–Is

it tha

t we

are

dyin

g?

25

Slo

wly

ou

r gh

osts

dra

g h

om

e: g

limp

sin

g th

e s

un

k fire

s, g

loze

d

With

cru

ste

d d

ark

-red je

wels

; cric

kets

jingle

there

;

Fo

r ho

urs

the

inn

oce

nt m

ice

rejo

ice

: the

ho

use

is th

eirs

;

Sh

utte

rs a

nd

do

ors

, all c

lose

d: o

n u

s th

e d

oo

rs a

re c

lose

d, -

We

turn

ba

ck to

ou

r dyin

g.

30

Sin

ce

we

be

lieve

no

t oth

erw

ise

ca

n k

ind

fires b

urn

;

No

w e

ve

r su

ns s

mile

true

on

ch

ild, o

r field

, or fru

it.

Fo

r Go

d's

invin

cib

le s

prin

g o

ur lo

ve

is m

ad

e a

fraid

;

Th

ere

fore

, no

t loa

th, w

e lie

ou

t he

re; th

ere

fore

we

re b

orn

,

Fo

r love

of G

od

se

em

s d

yin

g.

35

To

nig

ht, H

is fro

st w

ill faste

n o

n th

is m

ud

an

d u

s,

Sh

rive

lling

ma

ny h

an

ds. p

ucke

ring

fore

he

ad

s c

risp

.

Th

e b

ury

ing-p

arty, p

icks a

nd

sh

ove

ls in

the

ir sh

akin

g g

rasp

,

Pa

use

ove

r ha

lf-kn

ow

n fa

ce

s. A

ll the

ir eye

s a

re ic

e,

Bu

t no

thin

g h

ap

pe

ns.

40

WIL

FR

ED

OW

EN

20

Glossary:Squat – short and thick, stumpySlate – a grey stone often used for roofingWizened – shrivelled, weather-beatenStooks – pyramid shaped piles of hayPummels – beats, punchesSavage – wild, violentStrafe – attack repeatedly with machine gun fire, usually from an aeroplaneSalvo – lots of guns firing at the same timeBombarded – fire on, bombed

Seamus Heaney (1939 -2013) was born in Northern Ireland. As Ireland is in the Atlantic Ocean, parts of it receive around 225 days of rain a year. Many of the smaller islands are also treeless, like those off the coast of Arran.

21

Storm on the Island

We are prepared: we build our houses squat,

Sink walls in rock and roof them with good slate.

This wizened earth has never troubled us

With hay, so, as you see, there are no stacks

Or stooks that can be lost. Nor are there trees 5

Which might prove company when it blows full

Blast: you know what I mean – leaves and branches

Can raise a tragic chorus in a gale

So that you can listen to the thing you fear

Forgetting that it pummels your house too. 10

But there are no trees, no natural shelter.

You might think that the sea is company,

Exploding comfortably down on the cliffs

But no: when it begins, the flung spray hits

The very windows, spits like a tame cat 15

Turned savage. We just sit tight while wind dives

And strafes invisibly. Space is a salvo,

We are bombarded by the empty air.

Strange, it is a huge nothing that we fear.

SEAMUS HEANEY

22

Glossary:Bayonet – a blade fixed onto the end of a rifle; used for stabbingKhaki – in this case the word means an army uniformClods – lumps of earth or soilPatriotic – feeling passionate about your country, deeply loyalMolten - meltedBewilderment – confusionStatuary – a collect of statuesFurrows – lines cut in the earth by a ploughThreshing – beating the wheat with sticks to remove the seeds

Inspiration:The poem was published in 1957, in Ted Hughes’ first collection. As Ted Hughes (1930 - 1998) was a teenager during the second World War it may have been inspired by news footage and films of that war. However his father had fought in World War 1, so it may have been inspired by stories his father told him. He also did National Service (1949-1951) in the days when all young men had to do service in the military: this may also have helped inspire the poem.

23

Bayonet Charge

Suddenly he awoke and was running – raw

In raw-seamed hot khaki, his sweat heavy,

Stumbling across a field of clods towards a green hedge

That dazzled with rifle fire, hearing

Bullets smacking the belly out of the air – 5

He lugged a rifle numb as a smashed arm;

The patriotic tear that had brimmed in his eye

Sweating like molten iron from the centre of his chest, –

In bewilderment then he almost stopped –

In what cold clockwork of the stars and the nations 10

Was he the hand pointing that second? He was running

Like a man who has jumped up in the dark and runs

Listening between his footfalls for the reason

Of his still running, and his foot hung like

Statuary in mid-stride. Then the shot-slashed furrows 15

Threw up a yellow hare that rolled like a flame

And crawled in a threshing circle, its mouth wide

Open silent, its eyes standing out.

He plunged past with his bayonet toward the green hedge,

King, honour, human dignity, etcetera 20

Dropped like luxuries in a yelling alarm

To get out of that blue crackling air

His terror’s touchy dynamite.

TED HUGHES

24

This poem comes from the collection The Not Dead by Simon Armitage. It was published in 2008. Most of the poems – including this one – are based on interviews with soldiers who were stationed in Afghanistan and/or Iraq. This poem deals with the shooting of a looter in Basra, a port city in southern Iraq under British control. After the fall of Saddam Hussein, most of the Iraqi police were sacked. This meant that there were no Iraqis to prevent crime. As many people were hungry and desperate they turned to crime. The British soldiers had to deal with looters.

The soldier in the poem clearly suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This is a condition of persistent mental and emotional stress occurring as a result of injury or severe psychological shock. It typical involves disturbance of sleep and constant vivid recallof the experience. A result is dulled responses to others and to the outside world.

Armitage’s poem seems to echo William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth. Towards the end of the play, Lady Macbeth is driven mad by the constant memory of the murdered King Duncan’s blood on her hands. These memories have invaded her sleep and she is constantly trying to wash the blood only she can see from her hands.

Glossary:Looter – somebody stealing during war time.Agony – pain, sufferingPatrol –soldiers sent out onto the streets to keep order Smothered – covered over, denied air

25

Re

ma

ins

On

an

oth

er o

cca

sio

n, w

e g

et s

en

t ou

t

to ta

ckle

loote

rs ra

idin

g a

bank.

An

d o

ne

of th

em

leg

s it u

p th

e ro

ad

,

pro

ba

bly

arm

ed

, po

ssib

ly n

ot.

We

ll myse

lf an

d s

om

eb

od

y e

lse

an

d s

om

eb

od

y e

lse

5

are

all o

f the

sa

me

min

d,

so

all th

ree

of u

s o

pe

n fire

.

Th

ree

of a

kin

d a

ll lettin

g fly, a

nd

I sw

ea

r

I se

e e

ve

ry ro

un

d a

s it rip

s th

rou

gh

his

life –

I se

e b

roa

d d

aylig

ht o

n th

e o

the

r sid

e.

10

So

we

’ve

hit th

is lo

ote

r a d

oze

n tim

es

an

d h

e’s

the

re o

n th

e g

rou

nd

, so

rt of in

sid

e o

ut,

pa

in its

elf, th

e im

ag

e o

f ag

on

y.

On

e o

f my m

ate

s g

oe

s b

y

an

d to

sse

s h

is g

uts

ba

ck in

to h

is b

od

y.15

Th

en

he

’s c

arte

d o

ff in th

e b

ack o

f a lo

rry.

En

d o

f sto

ry, exce

pt n

ot re

ally.

His

blo

od-s

had

ow

sta

ys o

n th

e s

tree

t, an

d o

ut o

n p

atro

l

I walk

right o

ver it w

eek a

fter w

eek.

Th

en

I’m h

om

e o

n le

ave

. Bu

t I blin

k20

an

d h

e b

urs

ts a

ga

in th

rou

gh

the

do

ors

of th

e b

an

k.

Sle

ep

, an

d h

e’s

pro

ba

bly

arm

ed

, po

ssib

ly n

ot.

Dre

am

, an

d h

e’s

torn

ap

art b

y a

do

ze

n ro

un

ds.

An

d th

e d

rink a

nd

the

dru

gs w

on

’t flush

him

ou

t –

he

’s h

ere

in m

y h

ea

d w

he

n I c

lose

my e

ye

s,

25

du

g in

be

hin

d e

ne

my lin

es,

no

t left fo

r de

ad

in s

om

e d

ista

nt, s

un

-stu

nn

ed

, sa

nd

-sm

oth

ere

d la

nd

or s

ix-fe

et-u

nder in

desert s

and,

bu

t ne

ar to

the

kn

uckle

, he

re a

nd

no

w,

his

blo

od

y life

in m

y b

loo

dy h

an

ds.

30

SIM

ON

AR

MIT

AG

E

26

Glo

ssary:A

rmistice

Sun

day –

the Su

nd

ay close

st to 1

1th

No

vemb

erC

rimp

ed–1

. pu

sh in

to sm

all ridges 2

. limit so

meth

ing in

a w

ay that affects it n

egativelySp

asms

–m

ovem

en

t of th

e mu

scle wh

ich yo

u can

’t con

trol

Blo

ckade

–an

ythin

g that sto

ps p

eop

le or fo

od

enterin

gB

ias–

1. a p

attern o

n clo

thin

g that is at a d

iagon

al 2.

preju

dice o

r discrim

inatio

n again

st a grou

pFelt

–typ

e o

f cloth

mad

e from

wo

ol

Into

xicated–

dru

nk, u

nd

er the in

fluen

ceIn

scriptio

ns

–w

riting carved

into

ston

e or m

etalO

rnam

ental–

deco

rative, attractive

Jane

We

ir is an A

nglo

-Italian

writer, d

esigner an

d ed

itor w

ho

grew

up

inM

anch

ester and

N

orth

ern Italy. Sh

e lived in

B

elfast

for several years.

'Pop

pies'w

as pu

blish

ed in

the

selection

of co

ntem

po

rary war

po

etryco

mm

ission

ed b

y Caro

lA

nn

Du

ffy for th

e Gu

ardian

in

July 2

00

9.

Jane W

eir Interv

iewed

by

Lu

ca Bran

cati(V

icenza 2010, Italy

)H

ow

did

yo

ur p

oem

‘ Po

pp

ies’ com

e abo

ut, w

hat m

ade y

ou

write th

e po

em?

Th

e po

em cam

e ou

t of sad

ness an

d an

ger, th

e two

emo

tion

s com

bin

ed, an

d it w

as written

q

uick

ly,w

hich

is fairly u

nu

sual. I d

on

’t wan

t to d

issect the p

oem

, bit b

y b

it and

spell o

ut

com

pletely

wh

at the

po

em’s ab

ou

t becau

se I thin

k it’s im

po

rtant to

let the read

er hav

e space to

m

ake u

p th

eir ow

n m

ind

, bu

tI su

pp

ose if I’m

pressed

I’d say

that th

e po

em is a co

ntem

po

rary

war p

oem

; by

this I m

ean ‘w

ar’ in all its

vario

us g

uises; after all th

ere are lots o

f differen

t ‘wars’.

An

yh

ow

, I’d b

een read

ing

a lot ab

ou

t wo

men

s’ exp

eriences d

urin

g th

e First an

d S

econ

d W

orld

W

arsan

d w

as particu

larly stru

ck b

y th

eir div

ersity; w

om

en w

ork

ing

no

t just as n

urses o

r VA

D’s,

wo

men

wo

rkin

g in

mu

nitio

ns facto

ries, ship

yard

s, on

the lan

d; w

om

en w

ork

ing

ou

tside th

e h

om

e env

iron

men

tin

a wid

e variety

of o

ccup

ation

s. I was aw

are of th

e variety

of w

om

en’s

vo

ices, in p

articular M

oth

ers,wiv

es and

girlfrien

ds, w

riting

from

the ‘h

om

efron

t’ to th

e ‘b

attlefield fro

ntlin

e’ in letters. I read

lettersfro

m all so

rts of w

om

en, in

clud

ing

som

e by

Su

san O

wen

, Wilfred

Ow

en’s m

oth

er.

At th

e time th

e new

s was fu

ll of co

nflict; Iraq

, Afg

han

istan, Israel, an

d o

f cou

rse we’d

had

the

Balk

ans,

and

vario

us ‘trib

al wars’ in

Africa…

.We v

ery rarely

hear th

e wo

men

speak

. I hav

e two

so

ns m

yself an

d I’d

read in

the n

ewsp

apers, seen

on

TV

the v

erdicts fro

m th

e inq

uests o

n so

ldiers

killed

in Iraq

. Wh

o co

uld

forg

et the h

arrow

ing

testimo

nies

of th

e sold

iers families, an

d in

p

articular th

eir Mo

thers…

and

I was an

gry

and

frustrated

at the ap

athy,

or w

hat I p

erceived

as ‘v

oicelessn

ess’ and

ability

to b

e heard

or g

et any

kin

d o

f justice.

I wan

ted to

write

a po

em fro

m

the p

oin

t of v

iew o

f a mo

ther an

d h

er relation

ship

with

her so

n, a ch

ild w

ho

was

lov

edch

erished

and

pro

tected…

and

it had

led to

this…

. heig

hten

ed an

d ab

solu

te fear that

paren

ts exp

erience

in lettin

g th

eir child

ren g

o, th

e anx

iety an

d u

ltimately

the p

ain o

f loss…

I h

op

ed to

som

eho

w ch

ann

el allth

is, con

vey

it into

som

ethin

g co

ncise an

d co

ntem

po

rary, bu

t also

histo

rically classic, in

terms o

fu

niv

ersal exp

erience.

I also w

anted

to ‘d

o’ so

meth

ing

abo

ut w

hat I w

as witn

essing

, the fu

tility o

f war, an

d in

my

ow

n

way

;‘do

ing

’ is ‘mak

ing

’ a po

em, it’s m

y w

ay o

f particip

ating

, and

altho

ug

h w

riting

a po

em ab

ou

t lo

sing

ach

ild, in

on

e way

or an

oth

er, may

app

ear to b

e ineffectiv

e, I believ

e that sp

eakin

g o

ut,

just as p

oets h

ave

alway

s do

ne ab

ou

t inju

stice, as did

Sh

elley o

r By

ron

or B

lake, is p

art and

p

arcel of w

hat p

oetry

is abo

ut,-

do

es that m

ake sen

se?

Yo

u’re a textile d

esign

er as well as a w

riter -h

ow

do

yo

u th

ink

this h

as imp

acted o

n

yo

ur

po

ems?

It’s inescap

able, its w

hat I d

o an

d m

ou

lds th

e way

I thin

k an

d ‘see’ th

ing

s. I thin

k in

pattern

, it sh

apes

my

wo

rld, n

ot o

nly

in th

e form

s I app

ly to

my

po

ems, b

ut in

the so

un

ds th

e po

ems m

ake

wh

en read

. ‘Po

pp

ies’ draw

s up

on

‘stitch craft’, as d

oes th

e com

pan

ion

po

em I w

rote to

‘Po

pp

ies’ called

‘A H

ank

of

Yello

w W

oo

l in a L

and

scape’.

Ap

pro

priatin

g an

d ap

ply

ing

the lan

gu

age o

f the to

o o

ften co

nd

emn

ed ‘d

om

estic’ fron

t is, I su

pp

ose, a

po

litical act. I’m n

ot fro

m th

e scho

ol o

f wo

men

po

ets wh

o co

nsid

er we sh

ou

ld releg

ate th

is aspect o

f ou

rex

perien

ce in o

rder to

win

favo

ur o

r acceptan

ce by

a male estab

lishm

ent w

hich

ev

en after th

e ho

rrificw

ars of th

e twen

tieth cen

tury

and

witn

essing

their co

st in h

um

an term

s still w

age p

hy

sical con

flict with

little un

derstan

din

g o

f the so

cial con

sequ

ences.

Mak

ing

a po

em fo

r me is lik

e desig

nin

g a p

attern fo

r cloth

, all I do

as a po

et is thin

k th

rou

gh

my

p

rints,

exp

lore m

otifs, an

d co

lou

rs, and

som

eho

w th

e po

ems co

me o

ut, lik

e leng

ths o

f cloth

.

27

Po

pp

ies

Thre

e d

ays b

efo

re A

rmis

tice S

unday

an

d p

op

pie

s h

ad

alre

ad

y b

ee

n p

lace

d

on in

div

idual w

ar g

raves. B

efo

re y

ou le

ft,

I pin

ned o

ne o

nto

your la

pel, c

rimp

ed p

eta

ls,

spasm

s o

f paper re

d, d

isru

ptin

g a

blo

ckade

5

of y

ello

w b

ias b

indin

g a

round y

our b

lazer.

Sello

tape

ba

nd

ag

ed

aro

un

d m

y h

an

d,

I rounded u

p a

s m

any w

hite

cat h

airs

as I c

ould

, sm

ooth

ed d

ow

n y

our s

hirt’s

uptu

rned c

olla

r, ste

ele

d th

e s

ofte

nin

g1

0

of m

y fa

ce

. I wa

nte

d to

gra

ze

my n

ose

acro

ss th

e tip

of y

our n

ose, p

lay a

t

bein

g E

skim

os lik

e w

e d

id w

hen

you w

ere

little. I re

sis

ted th

e im

puls

e

to ru

n m

y fin

gers

thro

ugh th

e g

elle

d1

5

bla

ckth

orn

s o

f your h

air. A

ll my w

ord

s

flatte

ned, ro

lled, tu

rned in

to fe

lt,

slo

wly

meltin

g. I w

as b

rave, a

s I w

alk

ed

with

yo

u, to

the

fron

t do

or, th

rew

it open, th

e w

orld

overflo

win

g2

0

like a

treasure

chest. A

split s

econd

and y

ou w

ere

aw

ay, in

toxic

ate

d.

Afte

r you’d

gone I w

ent in

to y

our b

edro

om

,

rele

ased a

song b

ird fro

m its

cage.

Late

r a s

ingle

dove fle

w fro

m th

e p

ear tre

e,

25

and th

is is

where

it has le

d m

e,

skirtin

g th

e c

hurc

h y

ard

walls

, my s

tom

ach b

usy

makin

g tu

cks, d

arts

, ple

ats

, hat-le

ss, w

ithout

a w

inte

r coat o

r rein

forc

em

ents

of s

carf, g

loves.

On re

achin

g th

e to

p o

f the h

ill I traced

30

the in

scrip

tions o

n th

e w

ar m

em

oria

l,

leaned a

gain

st it lik

e a

wis

hbone.

The d

ove p

ulle

d fre

ely

again

st th

e s

ky,

an o

rnam

enta

l stitc

h. I lis

tened, h

opin

g to

hear

your p

laygro

und v

oic

e c

atc

hin

g o

n th

e w

ind.

35

JA

NE

WE

IR

28

CITIESBelfast – the capital of Northern Ireland;Beirut – the capital of Lebanon;Phnom Penh – the capital of Cambodia.Line 6: These cities all saw great violence and bloodshed, especially during the 1980s. It was mostly neighbour against neighbour violence – civil wars along religious or political lines.

Taking photographs with film:“In his darkroom (line1)…. Spools of suffering (line 2)…solutions slop in trays (line 7)”. Before digital cameras were invented, cameras used film that was kept in spools. These spools needed to be developed in darkrooms lit only with red light. The photos would be dunked in trays of chemical solutions. The image would slowly reveal itself on photographic paper (“a half-formed ghost” line 15).

Carol Ann Duffy (born 23 December 1955) is a Scottish poet and playwright. She was appointed Britain's Poet Laureate in May 2009. She is the first woman, the first Scot, and the first openly LGBT person to hold the position. She was born in Glasgow and was raised a Roman Catholic, attending Catholic Schools. The poem War Photographer was published in 1985, in her collection Standing Female Nude.

Beirut 1983Belfast 1984 Phnom Penh 1983

29

War Photographer

In his darkroom he is finally alone

with spools of suffering set out in ordered rows.

The only light is red and softly glows,

as though this were a church and he

a priest preparing to intone a Mass. 5

Belfast. Beirut. Phnom Penh. All flesh is grass.

He has a job to do. Solutions slop in trays

beneath his hands, which did not tremble then

though seem to now. Rural England. Home again

to ordinary pain which simple weather can dispel, 10

to fields which don't explode beneath the feet

of running children in a nightmare heat.

Something is happening. A stranger's features

faintly start to twist before his eyes,

a half-formed ghost. He remembers the cries 15

of this man's wife, how he sought approval

without words to do what someone must

and how the blood stained into foreign dust.

A hundred agonies in black-and-white

from which his editor will pick out five or six 20

for Sunday's supplement. The reader's eyeballs prick

with tears between the bath and pre-lunch beers.

From the aeroplane he stares impassively at where

he earns his living and they do not care.

CAROL ANN DUFFY

30

Glo

ssary:K

oran

–th

e ho

ly bo

oks o

f IslamSe

pia

–a red

dish

bro

wn

colo

ur (m

any o

ld

ph

oto

graph

s are this co

lou

r)G

roce

ry–

a sho

p th

at sells tinn

ed fo

od

, clean

ing p

rod

ucts, etc

Lum

ino

us –

giving o

ff light, b

right o

r sh

inin

gM

on

olith

s –a large stan

din

g ston

e, often

a m

on

um

ent o

f som

e kind

Transp

aren

t–

see thro

ugh

The im

age belo

w acco

mp

anies th

e po

em

‘Tissue’ o

n D

haker’s

web

site.

31

Tis

su

e

Pa

pe

r tha

t lets

the

ligh

t

sh

ine

thro

ug

h, th

is

is w

ha

t co

uld

alte

r thin

gs.

Pa

pe

r thin

ne

d b

y a

ge

or to

uch

ing

,

the

kin

d y

ou

find

in w

ell-u

se

d b

oo

ks,

5

the

ba

ck o

f the

Ko

ran

, wh

ere

a h

an

d

ha

s w

ritten

in th

e n

am

es a

nd

his

torie

s,

wh

o w

as b

orn

to w

ho

m,

the

he

igh

t an

d w

eig

ht, w

ho

die

d w

he

re a

nd

ho

w, o

n w

hic

h s

ep

ia d

ate

,10

pa

ge

s s

mo

oth

ed a

nd

stro

ked

an

d tu

rne

d

tran

sp

are

nt w

ith a

tten

tion.

If bu

ildin

gs w

ere

pa

pe

r, I mig

ht

feel th

eir d

rift, see h

ow

easily

the

y fa

ll aw

ay o

n a

sig

h, a

sh

ift15

in th

e d

irectio

n o

f the

win

d.

Ma

ps to

o. T

he

su

n s

hin

es th

rou

gh

the

ir bo

rde

rline

s, th

e m

ark

s

tha

t rive

rs m

ake

, roa

ds,

railtra

cks, m

ou

nta

info

lds,

20

Fin

e s

lips fro

m g

roce

ry s

ho

ps

tha

t sa

y h

ow

mu

ch

wa

s s

old

and w

hat w

as p

aid

by c

redit c

ard

mig

ht fly

ou

r live

s lik

e p

ap

er k

ites.

An

arc

hite

ct c

ou

ld u

se

all th

is,

25

pla

ce

laye

r ove

r laye

r, lum

ino

us

scrip

t ove

r nu

mb

ers

ove

r line

,

an

d n

eve

r wis

h to

bu

ild a

ga

in w

ith b

rick

or b

lock, b

ut le

t the

da

ylig

ht b

rea

k

thro

ug

h c

ap

itals

an

d m

on

olith

s,

30

thro

ug

h th

e s

ha

pe

s th

at p

ride

ca

n m

ake

,

find

a w

ay to

trace

a g

ran

d d

esig

n

with

livin

g tis

su

e, ra

ise

a s

tructu

re

ne

ve

r me

an

t to la

st,

of p

ap

er s

mo

oth

ed

an

d s

troke

d35

an

d th

inn

ed

to b

e tra

nsp

are

nt,

turn

ed

into

yo

ur s

kin

.

IMT

IAZ

DH

AR

KE

R

32

In this poem a displaced person pictures the country and

the city where he or she was born. Neither the city nor the

country is ever named and this lack of specific detail seems

intentional. It is as if Rumens wants her poem to be

relevant to as many people who have left their homelands

as possible.

Emigrants are people who have left the country of their

birth to settle elsewhere in the world. The spelling of the

word Rumens chooses - émigrée - is a feminine form and

suggests the speaker of the poem is a woman.

The exact location of the city is unclear and precise details

of it are sparse. Perhaps it only ever really existed in the

émigrée’s imagination.

Rumens suggests the city and country may now be war-

torn, or under the control of a dictatorial government that

has banned the language the speaker once knew. Despite

this, nothing shakes the light-filled impression of a perfect

place that the émigrée’s childhood memories have left. This

shows the power that places can have, even over people

who have left them long ago and who have never revisited

since. Though there is a clear sense of fondness for the

place, there is also a more threatening tone in the poem,

suggesting perhaps that the relationship with the past and

with this place is not necessarily positive for the speaker.

Rumens herself was born in Britain, so this is not an

autobiographical poem. However she was teaching in

Belfast, Northern Ireland, when she published the poem so

it may have been inspired by that city’s troubled history.

Glossary:Émigrée = a French word meaning a (female) person who has left their home countryPaperweight = a heavy and decorative object used to stop piles of paper from blowing awayFrontiers = borders, barriersDocile = tame, meek, unaggressive, passiveMutter = complain quietly

33

The Émigree

There once was a country… I left it as a child

but my memory of it is sunlight-clear

for it seems I never saw it in that November

which, I am told, comes to the mildest city.

The worst news I receive of it cannot break 5

my original view, the bright, filled paperweight.

It may be at war, it may be sick with tyrants,

but I am branded by an impression of sunlight.

The white streets of that city, the graceful slopes

glow even clearer as time rolls its tanks 10

and the frontiers rise between us, close like waves.

That child’s vocabulary I carried here

like a hollow doll, opens and spills a grammar.

Soon I shall have every coloured molecule of it.

It may by now be a lie, banned by the state 15

but I can’t get it off my tongue. It tastes of sunlight.

I have no passport, there’s no way back at all

but my city comes to me in its own white plane.

It lies down in front of me, docile as paper;

I comb its hair and love its shining eyes. 20

My city takes me dancing through the city

of walls. They accuse me of absence, they circle me.

They accuse me of being dark in their free city.

My city hides behind me. They mutter death,

and my shadow falls as evidence of sunlight. 25

CAROLE RUMENS

34

Joh

n A

gardw

as bo

rn in

19

49

in G

uyan

a, an

English

speakin

g cou

ntry in

Sou

th A

merica, o

n

the C

aribb

ean

coast. A

s Gu

yana w

as then

a B

ritish co

lon

y, at scho

ol A

gardw

as taugh

t all ab

ou

t British

histo

ry and

hero

es (Ad

miral

Nelso

n, D

ick Wh

ittingto

n, R

ob

in H

oo

d) as w

ell as silly n

ursery rh

ymes. Th

is po

em is essen

tially a co

mp

laint ab

ou

t this. H

e wo

uld

have rath

er learn

ed ab

ou

t Carib

be

an h

istory, w

hich

he

wo

uld

have felt a m

ore p

erson

al con

nectio

n to

.

Mary Seaco

lew

as a mixed

race w

om

en

from

Jamaica

wh

o travelled

to

Ru

ssian to

h

elp care fo

r w

ou

nd

ed

sold

iers there.

Tou

ssaint L’O

verture

was a

leader o

f the slave revo

lt w

hich

led to

the C

aribb

ean

island

of H

aiti win

nin

g in

dep

end

ence fro

m

Nap

oleo

n’s Fran

ce in 1

80

4 –

the o

nly slave revo

lt to led

to

the creatio

n o

f a new

co

un

try.

Shaka

Zulu

–a

military lead

er w

ho

un

ited

tribes in

Sou

th

Africa to

create a p

ow

erful

kingd

om

that

resisted B

ritish

colo

nists.

Maro

on

s were ru

n-aw

ay slaves in

British

ruled

Jam

aica. They set u

p th

eir o

wn

free villages in th

e m

ou

ntain

s and

help

ed o

ther

slaves escape. N

ann

y (16

85

-1

75

5) w

as on

e of th

eir mo

st fam

ou

s leaders. Sh

e came

from

Africa –

po

ssibly fro

m a

royal fam

ily –an

d w

as said to

b

e an o

beah

(witch

do

ctor).

Glo

ssary:Lick b

ack-b

eat back,

defeated

Nap

ole

on

–G

eneral

and

Emp

eror o

f France

17

99

–1

81

5B

eaco

n–

a shin

ing

light, a sign

alSe

e-far

–w

ise, forw

ard

thin

king

Wate

rloo

–1

81

5 b

attle w

here N

apo

leon

was

defeated

Carib

s and

Araw

aks–

the o

riginal p

eop

le of

the C

aribb

ean islan

ds

befo

re Euro

pean

s arrived

Flo

ren

ce Nigh

tingale

–vo

lun

teer Nu

rse in th

e C

rimean

War, w

ho

did

m

uch

to p

rom

ote

nu

rsing as a career

35

Ch

ec

kin

g O

ut M

e H

isto

ry

Dem

tell m

e

Dem

tell m

e

Wha

de

mw

an

t to te

ll me

Ba

nd

age

up

me

eye

with

me

ow

n h

isto

ry

Blin

d m

e to

me

ow

n id

en

tity

Dem

tell m

e b

ou

t 10

66

an

d a

ll da

t

de

mte

ll me

bo

ut D

ick W

hittin

gto

n a

nd h

e c

at

Bu

t To

ussa

int L

’Ou

ve

rture

no

de

mn

eve

r tell m

e b

ou

t da

t

To

ussa

int

a s

lave

with

vis

ion

lick b

ack

Nap

ole

on

ba

ttalio

n

an

d firs

t Bla

ck

Rep

ub

lic b

orn

To

ussa

int d

e th

orn

to d

e F

ren

ch

To

ussa

int d

e b

ea

co

n

of d

e H

aitia

n R

evo

lutio

n

Dem

tell m

e b

ou

t de

ma

n w

ho

dis

cove

r de

ba

lloon

an

d d

e c

ow

wh

o ju

mp

ove

r de

mo

on

Dem

tell m

e b

ou

t de

dis

h ra

n a

wa

y w

ith d

e s

po

on

bu

t de

mn

eve

r tell m

e b

ou

t Nan

ny d

e m

aro

on

Nan

ny

se

e-fa

r wo

ma

n

of m

ou

nta

in d

rea

m

fire-w

om

an

stru

gg

le

ho

pe

ful s

trea

m

to fre

ed

om

rive

r

Dem

tell m

e b

ou

t Lo

rd N

els

on

an

d W

ate

rloo

bu

t de

mn

eve

r tell m

e b

ou

t Sh

aka

de

gre

at Z

ulu

Dem

tell m

e b

ou

t Colu

mb

us a

nd

14

92

bu

t wh

at h

ap

pen to

de

Carib

s a

nd

de

Ara

wa

ks

too

Dem

tell m

e b

ou

t Flo

ren

ce

Nig

htin

ga

le a

nd

sh

e la

mp

an

d h

ow

Rob

in H

oo

d u

se

d to

ca

mp

Dem

tell m

e b

ou

t ole

Kin

g C

ole

wa

s a

me

rry o

le s

ou

l

bu

t de

mn

eve

r tell m

e b

ou

t Ma

ry S

ea

co

le

Fro

m J

am

aic

a

sh

e tra

ve

l far

to th

e C

rime

an

Wa

r

sh

e v

olu

nte

er to

go

an

d e

ve

n w

he

n d

e B

ritish

sa

id n

o

sh

e s

till bra

ve

the

Russia

n s

no

w

a h

ea

ling s

tar

am

on

g th

e w

ou

nd

ed

a y

ello

w s

un

rise

to th

e d

yin

g

Dem

tell m

e

Dem

tell m

e w

ha

de

mw

an

t to te

ll me

Bu

t no

w I c

he

ckin

g o

ut m

e o

wn

his

tory

I ca

rvin

g o

ut m

e id

en

tity

JO

HN

AG

AR

D

36

Kam

ikazeis a Jap

anese w

ord

mean

ing “sp

irit win

d” o

r “divin

e

win

d”. D

urin

g the Seco

nd

Wo

rld W

ar the Jap

ane

se w

ere losin

g, so

they b

egan se

nd

ing p

ilots o

n su

icide

missio

ns. Jap

ane

se

Kam

ikaze pilo

ts wo

uld

de

libe

rately crash th

eir plan

es into

en

emy sh

ips to

try to d

estro

y them

. Man

y Japan

ese

follo

wed

th

e cod

e of th

e sam

urai w

arriors an

d w

ou

ld rath

er die th

an

surren

de

r. Ab

ou

t 3,6

80

pilo

ts died

.

In th

is po

em

, ho

wever, th

e pilo

t has se

con

d th

ou

ghts. H

e clearly tu

rned

back an

d lan

de

d, h

is suicid

e m

ission

inco

mp

lete. In

Japan

ese

cultu

re this b

etrayal of h

is pro

mises an

d vo

ws w

ou

ld

have b

rou

ght great sh

ame

to h

im an

d h

is family. H

is wife an

d all

oth

ers act like he

is de

ad an

d n

ot th

ere.

Glo

ssary:Em

barke

d–

wen

t on

bo

ard, go

t into

Samu

rai–w

arriors fro

m Jap

an w

ho

follo

wed

a very strict co

de o

f loyalty

Incan

tation

s–

spells

Re

cou

ntin

g–

telling (a sto

ry)B

un

ting

–little trian

gular flags o

n strin

gsTran

sluce

nt

–see th

rou

gh, clear

Swath

es

–a b

and

age or w

rapp

ing

Sho

als–

1. a large gro

up

of fish

2. a sh

allow

p

art of w

aterSw

ivelle

d-

turn

edC

airns

–p

rotective sh

elters for su

pp

lies bu

ilt of

ston

esW

ithsto

od

-lasted

Turb

ule

nt

–d

isturb

ed, sh

akySo

dd

en

-so

aked

Tun

a –a h

ighly

prized

fish in

Jap

ane

se co

okin

g.

37

Kam

ika

ze

Her fa

ther e

mb

ark

ed

at s

un

rise

with

a fla

sk o

f wa

ter, a

sa

mu

rai s

wo

rd

in th

e c

ockp

it, a s

ha

ve

n h

ea

d

full o

f po

we

rful in

ca

nta

tions

an

d e

no

ugh fu

el fo

r a o

ne

-wa

y5

jou

rne

y in

to h

isto

ry

bu

t ha

lf wa

y th

ere

, sh

e th

ou

gh

t,

reco

un

ting it la

ter to

he

r ch

ildre

n,

he

mu

st h

ave

loo

ke

d fa

r do

wn

at th

e little

fishin

g b

oa

ts1

0

stru

ng o

ut lik

e b

un

ting

on

a g

ree

n-b

lue tra

nslu

ce

nt s

ea

an

d b

en

eath

the

m, a

rcin

g in

sw

ath

es

like

a h

uge

flag w

ave

d firs

t on

e w

ay

the

n th

e o

the

r in a

figu

re o

f eig

ht,

the

da

rk s

ho

als

of fis

he

s1

5

flash

ing s

ilve

r as th

eir b

ellie

s

sw

ive

lled

tow

ard

s th

e s

un

an

d re

me

mbe

red h

ow

he

an

d h

is b

roth

ers

wa

iting o

n th

e s

ho

re

bu

ilt ca

irns o

f pe

arl-g

rey p

eb

ble

s

to s

ee

wh

ose

with

sto

od

lon

ge

st

20

the

turb

ule

nt in

rush

of b

rea

ke

rs

brin

gin

g th

eir fa

the

r’s b

oa

t sa

fe

-ye

s, g

ran

dfa

ther’s

bo

at –

sa

fe

to th

e s

ho

re, s

alt-s

od

de

n, a

wa

sh

with

clo

ud

-ma

rked m

acke

rel,

25

bla

ck c

rab

s, fe

ath

ery

pra

wn

s,

the

loo

se

silv

er o

f wh

iteb

ait a

nd

on

ce

a tu

na

, the

da

rk p

rince

, mu

scu

lar, d

an

ge

rou

s.

An

d th

ou

gh h

e c

am

e b

ack

my m

oth

er n

eve

r sp

oke

ag

ain

30

in h

is p

rese

nce

, no

r did

sh

e m

ee

t his

eye

s

an

d th

e n

eig

hbo

urs

too

, the

y tre

ate

d h

im

as th

ou

gh h

e n

o lo

ng

er e

xis

ted

,

on

ly w

e c

hild

ren

still c

ha

ttere

d a

nd

lau

gh

ed

till gra

du

ally

we

too

lea

rne

d3

5

to b

e s

ilen

t, to liv

e a

s th

ou

gh

he

ha

d n

eve

r retu

rne

d, th

at th

is

wa

s n

o lo

ng

er th

e fa

the

r we

love

d.

An

d s

om

etim

es, s

he

sa

id, h

e m

ust h

ave

wo

nd

ere

d

wh

ich h

ad

be

en

the

be

tter w

ay to

die

.4

0

BE

AT

RIC

E G

AR

LA

ND

38