Poetry Across Time- 1 ¼ hours

Section A: Moon on the tide Anthology- Poetry of Conflict 45mins (36 marks)

Section B: Unseen Poetry analysis: 30 Minutes (18 marks)

Literature Key Skills• Show an understanding of the message/meaning of a

text• Identify the key themes/ideas• Identify key features of language and structure: • language- similes, metaphors, personification,

alliteration, imagery, word choice etc• Structure- Repetition, sentence structure, sentence

length, enjambment, foreshadowing, dramatic irony etc

• Explain the effect on the reader• Compare texts (conflict poetry only)

What Not to Do!• Don’t be vague!

• Don’t forget to answer the question!

• Don’t forget to explain why the writer has used a technique!

• Don’t forget to explain in detail!

• Don’t forget to plan!

Meaning• Examiners report: “What some candidates find difficult is to

link a comment on a feature of the writing with how it relates to what the writer is actually saying.”

• Mark Scheme: AO2: Explain how language, structure and form contribute to writers’ presentation of ideas themes and settings

Meaning

Meaning

Flag

The poem explores the dangers of how a flag can become a symbol of patriotism often to

justify morally questionable actions

The Right Word

The poem explores how abstract words can be used to differentiate, define and divide people

whereas we should seek for understanding and empathy

Futility

The poem explores the futility of life that only leads to death (especially in conflict). It asks

why man even came into existence if he uses that existence to end life.

Falling Leaves

The poem uses the extended metaphor of falling leaves to represent the transitory nature of life and the tragedy of soldiers cut down in

their prime

Mametz Wood

The poem explores the impact of conflict on the environment and the importance of

remembering those who died without a voice

Bayonet Charge

The poem explores the brutal realities of war where the reasons and justifications for

conflict become ‘luxuries’ in the face of the desperate fight for survival.

Out of the Blue

The poem focuses on the experience of the individual in a mass tragedy to try to help the

reader empathise on a personal level in response to a large scale event.

Belfast Confetti

The poem explores how living in a place surrounded by conflict can dislocate and trap an individual leading them to lose a sense of

their own identity

Poppies

The poem explores the response of a mother seeing her son go to war. It contrasts images

of conflict with those of childhood, linking the idea of remembrance for those lost in

conflict to the mother’s remembrance of the bond of childhood now lost.

Come on Come Back

The poem explores the devastating impact of war on the individual as something that you

can not ‘come back’ from, while also emphasising the circularity and pointlessness

of conflict.

Next to of course god…

The poem presents a speaker who is criticised by the poet for using patriotic rhetoric to justify the death of young soldiers. The

confused dislocated style reflects the poet’s opinion that the speakers arguments are

nonsensical.

Charge of the light brigade

The poem eulogises the heroic tragedy of soldiers sent to their death. It asks us to remember the sacrifice they made and

honour the nobility of a heroic endeavour against the odds.

At the Border 1979

The poem explores the impact of conflict on refugees who have been separated from their homes. It looks at the patriotism and division caused by national and cultural boundaries,

and emphasises the natural continuity of the landscape in contrast to the barriers mankind

imposes.

The Yellow Palm

The poem juxtaposes the beauty of a culture/society in contrast with the ongoing impact of a conflict on the people and the

place.

Hawk Roosting

The poem is a monologue from the point of view of a hawk. The hawk is portrayed as

narcissistic and ruthless. He can be seen as representative of either a dictatorial leader or

of the savagery of nature.

Themes• Impact of conflict on a society/culture• Impact on the individual• Experience of conflict• Patriotism • Response to death• Remembrance• Attitudes created by conflict• Violence of conflict• Impact on nature

Approaching the question

4 Steps to success!

Step 1: Analyse the questionStep 2: Choose a poemStep 3: PlanStep 4: Write your essay!

Analyse the question

Compare how the poets write about death in Mametz Wood and one other poem

Choose a Poem

Compare how the poets write about death in Mametz Wood and one other poem

Mametz Wood and… ?

Simple Essay Structure

• Intro: What happens in the poems+ key themes + address the question.

• Main body: Named poem/Poem 2 Language key quotes

Structure key quotes

• Conclusion: What is the overall message of the poems? How do they deal with the theme of the question?

Plan

• Conclusion: Both represent the tragedy of death. Futility is hopeful but leads to anger. Mametz wood shows the need for remembrance. Different attitudes due to when they were written? Futility more immediate?

Mametz Wood Futility

Meaning- What is the message of the poem? How does this link to the question? Which quote sums up the poem?

Mametz wood- the way death has effected the landscape and the importance of remembering those who died without a voice. “have only now with this unearthing slipped from their absent tongues

Futility- The grief at the death of a friend which turns into anger at the nature of man’s destructive nature causing death where nature is aimed at producing life.“what made the fatuous sunbeams toil”

Language- Which techniques have been used? Imagery etc.?

“The china plate of a shoulder blade” fragility of soldiers/dehumanising

“whispering of fields half sown”- died too soon, assonance creates a sense of grief, nature disrupted.

Structure- Rhyme, rhythm, line length, stanza arrangement etc.

Uniform 3 line stanzas represent soldiers in grave

Juxtaposition between 1st and second stanza moves from grief/denial to anger

PEEDCEED

Point- Link a feature you have spotted in poem 1 to the question.

Evidence- Short effective quote

Explain- What does the quote show (link to question)

Develop- Analyse what makes the quote effective (key words) and the impact on the reader

Compare- similarity/difference between how theme/idea in the question is presented in poem 2

Evidence-Explain- SAME THING!Develop-

PEEDCEED- Point Evidence Explain Develop Compare Evidence Explain Develop

• In Mametz Wood one way the poet writes about death is… Evidence for this is “…” This shows… because … The words “…” are effective because… The effect on the reader is…

• Similarly/in contrast in Futility one way the poet writes about death is… Evidence for this is “…” This shows… because … The words “…” are effective because… The effect on the reader is…

Your Task: Produce a plan for the question below

Compare how poets present the experience of Soldiers in Bayonet Charge

and one other poem (36 marks)

Plan

• What is the overall message of the poems? How do they deal with the theme of the question?

Poem 1 Poem 2

Meaning

Language

Structure

Unseen Poetry

30 minutes (18 marks)

Re-cap: Key Literature Skills• Show an understanding of the message/meaning of a

text• Identify the key themes/ideas• Identify key features of language and structure: • language- similes, metaphors, personification,

alliteration, imagery, word choice etc• Structure- Repetition, sentence structure, sentence

length, enjambment, foreshadowing, dramatic irony etc

• Explain the effect on the reader• Compare texts (conflict poetry only)

Format of Question

• Foundation- 2 parts:• Part a) will ask you to show your

understanding of a theme/idea in the poem• Part b) will ask you to explain how the poet

has presented this theme/idea

• Higher- 1 question but it will still ask you to show understanding of a key idea and then explain the methods used to present it!

Approaching the Unseen Poetry

• 5 Steps to success!

• Step 1: Analyse the question• Step 2: Understand the poem• Step 3: Annotate the poem

(LIES/FLIRTS/SMILE etc.)• Step 4: Plan your essay• Step 5: Write your essay!

Example plan- Does your planning look like this?

Analyse the question

Question: answer both parts A and B:Part (a)What is the significance of water in the poem?And Part (b)How does the poet present the importance of

water in the poem?

What is the poem about? (meaning)Blessing:

The skin cracks like a pod.There never is enough water.

Imagine the drip of it,the small splash, echoin a tin mug,the voice of a kindly god.

Sometimes, the sudden rushof fortune. The municipal pipe bursts,silver crashes to the groundand the flow has founda roar of tongues. From the huts,a congregation : every man womanchild for streets aroundbutts in, with pots,brass, copper, aluminium,plastic buckets,frantic hands,

and naked childrenscreaming in the liquid sun,their highlights polished to perfection,flashing light,as the blessing singsover their small bones.

Key Questions:

What happens in the poem?What is the mood of the poem?What does it make us think about?What is the central message of thepoem?

Annotate the poem (LIES)Blessing:

The skin cracks like a pod.There never is enough water.

Imagine the drip of it,the small splash, echoin a tin mug,the voice of a kindly god.

Sometimes, the sudden rushof fortune. The municipal pipe bursts,silver crashes to the groundand the flow has founda roar of tongues. From the huts,a congregation : every man womanchild for streets aroundbutts in, with pots,brass, copper, aluminium,plastic buckets,frantic hands,

and naked childrenscreaming in the liquid sun,their highlights polished to perfection,flashing light,as the blessing singsover their small bones.

Image of water as a benignDeity- shows importance

Described as “silver” valuable

Long, list-like sentenceShows frantic excitement/ mirrorsFlow of water (contrast toStart)

Excitement/joy water brings“sings” shows overflow ofemotion

Plan your essay

• Intro: (part a) What happens in the poem+ how is the key theme/idea mentioned in the question presented?

• Main body: (part b) Language key quote Imagery key quoteEmotion key quoteStructure key quote

• Conclusion: What is the overall message of the poems? How do they deal with the theme of the question?

Plan• Intro (What is the poem about- Link to key words in the question):• Poem describes a pipe bursting in a village. Exciting/important

event. The poem is about the importance of water in developing countries where it is scarce. The water is a blessing.

• Main body (2-4 paras on techniques used):• Language key quote “The municipal pipe bursts, silver crashes to

the ground” • Imagery key quote “the voice of a kindly god.”• Emotion key quote “as the blessing sings over their small bones.”• Structure key quote “butts in, with pots, brass, copper, aluminum,

plastic buckets, frantic hands”

• Conclusion: Makes us think about the importance of basic human needs (like water) which we take for granted. Shows how community can be brought together by good fortune. The importance of water is huge both for survival and as a positive force, a gift from God.

PEED/PEEA Format

Point: One way (key idea/theme in the question) is presented by the poet is…

Example: Evidence for this is “…”Explain: This shows…Develop/analyse:

The words “…” are effective because…The effect on the reader is…

Exemplar• One way the importance of water is presented by the poet in

Blessing is the use of the extended metaphor of water as a “blessing”. An example of this is “the blessing sings over their small bones”. This shows that water has almost a divine importance in their culture and that it is almost acting as a baptism, purifying the children. The word “sings” creates a jubilant, celebratory association with the water and the description of children with their “small bones” suggests the water is nurturing as well as linking it to the innocence and purity of youth. The effect on the reader is to emphasise the importance of water in developing countries and to make the point that something we see as abundant and common is actually extremely precious and valued in these societies, similar to a gift from God.

Address the question Evidence Technique

Explanation/analysis Effect on the reader

PEED Format

Point: One way (key idea/theme in the question) is presented by the poet is…

Example: Evidence for this is “…”Explain: This shows…Develop: The words “…” are effective

because…The effect on the reader is…