Analysis for all poems in AQA Anthology Conflict Cluster

SMILEPoem - Flag

Structure

How is this piece organised?

How does the poem look on the page?

How many stanzas?

How are the ideas developed?

Line length, rhyme scheme?

Is there any rhythm, repetition or enjambment?

Five regular stanzas of three lines – opening line is always a question – next two are answers – two
voices in the poem – 1st four stanzas are answered in a similar way which shows an echo throughout
the poem – it becomes more personal as the poem develops – could be on a journey as the flag is
in a different place every time – there is repetition and rhyme – half rhyme in second and fourth
stanzas.

Meaning

What is the poem about?

Does it have a message?

What is the poet discussing? Why?

Is there an overall theme or idea in the poem?

Poem is about the colonialism of countries and taking over of nations – the message is that
nationalism is only abstract – man’s lust for power is corrupting our species and causing unnecessary
bloodshed – a flag is a symbol of power – dangerous symbol made by mankind that is killing
mankind.

Imagery

What pictures do you get in your mind when you read the poem?

Does the poem contain similes/metaphors/personification?

Why do you think the poet has included these images in the poem?

Contrasts positive poetic words with harsh heavy words – the ‘dull’ piece of cloth is the source of
energy in the poem – its effects on people and nations are also active – it also has negative effects
– the defeat is shown clearly in a final, violent image – it is very simple to get a ‘flag’ but not as easy
to control its power.
Language

What words has the poet used to create an image?

What literary devices are being used (metaphor, simile, etc.) and why?

How does the diction contribute to the effect of the poem?

He uses ‘just’ repeatedly to lessen the flags power – uses a lot of sound – rise and fall of questions –
first voice naturally rises but is brought down by the second voice in their clear answer – repetition
of middle shows an echo which could be the poet denying the flags power no matter what – last
two lines sound like a defeat.

Effect

What does the poem make you feel/think about?

What lines in the poem best convey its mood?

What opinion does it show about the subject?

What is the poet trying to say about their subject?

Who might find this particularly effective?

Views countries as imagined communities which are groups bound together by myths, stories and
flags – nationalism is abstract – admits the flag is a powerful symbol – but it is only a symbol – he
wants to lessen the power of the flag – an army or nation that takes control of another land has no
sense of right or wrong.

SMILEPoem – Out of the Blue

Structure

How is this piece organised?

How does the poem look on the page?

How many stanzas?

How are the ideas developed?

Line length, rhyme scheme?

Is there any rhythm, repetition or enjambment?

End of the poem – both towers have been hit – people above the impact points realise they can’t
escape – he is at a window and has been seen by a TV viewer – stanza four confronts his options and
death is inevitable – short, four lined stanzas - shows he still has control however the line lengths
portray his changing emotions – short clear thoughts change to desperate awareness that he is going
to die.
Meaning

What is the poem about?

Does it have a message?

What is the poet discussing? Why?

Is there an overall theme or idea in the poem?

Wrote on the 5th anniversary of 9/11 – tells a story of a man on the 80th floor of the North Tower –
first to be hit but last to fall – real man from many news clips – realises he is spotted – begins to
speak to the people who have spotted him – the narrator and reader become hopeless together.

Imagery

What pictures do you get in your mind when you read the poem?

Does the poem contain similes/metaphors/personification?

Why do you think the poet has included these images in the poem?

Exposes the distance between the reader and the event and the narrator and his inevitable fate – he
keeps on reminding us of what he is doing - this maybe to make sure that we do not forget him –
observer and narrator are so close but so far away – event is so surreal the images created seem
unreal.

Language

What words has the poet used to create an image?

What literary devices are being used (metaphor, simile, etc.) and why?

How does the diction contribute to the effect of the poem?

Describes how a viewer would feel and see – ordinary images emphasise the ordinary people being
affected – also expresses the viewer’s inability to comprehend what is happening – repetition evokes
a sense of powerlessness – either of words or movements – emphasises the pointlessness as
nothing can help now – collision of mundane words and the horrific subject matter.

Effect

What does the poem make you feel/think about?

What lines in the poem best convey its mood?

What opinion does it show about the subject?

What is the poet trying to say about their subject?

Who might find this particularly effective?

How hard it is to understand an event like this – how do we connect meaningfully with the victims –
many people watched the even unfold – irony is used in the last stanzas as good images are being
used to torment him – emotional power is an understatement – this is used because we have no
way of understanding something so senseless – believe your eyes – understand the unimaginable
things the victims has to face – TV was not an abstract image but a real event – ordinary day with
ordinary people is turned upside down by violence.

SMILEPoem – Mametz Wood

Structure

How is this piece organised?

How does the poem look on the page?

How many stanzas?

How are the ideas developed?

Line length, rhyme scheme?

Is there any rhythm, repetition or enjambment?

7, three line stanzas – longer lines in poem break up neat form and could show the uneven ploughed
field/shits of bone arising from the earth – full stops show clear regular structure – seventh stanza
acts as a conclusion – single stanzas (1 and 4) reflects the land ad paired stanzas (2,3,5,6) reflect the
bones and people – final stanza combines the two elements.

Meaning

What is the poem about?

Does it have a message?

What is the poet discussing? Why?

Is there an overall theme or idea in the poem?

Battle of the welsh division during the Battle of Somme – we should remember all of the people
who died – the events have been buried with the dead soldiers rather than letting them be
recognised for what they did – we need to give them recognition for their courage and bravery.

Imagery

What pictures do you get in your mind when you read the poem?

Does the poem contain similes/metaphors/personification?

Why do you think the poet has included these images in the poem?
Last stanza pulls together the disparate images of earth, bones and the bodies – mixes imagery to
show no simple division between human kind and mother nature – shows that the farmers are
healing the earth – pathetic fallacy – it has the memories of what happened – bones are seemingly
in a comic form of a dance routine and their jaws are open as if they were singing.

Language

What words has the poet used to create an image?

What literary devices are being used (metaphor, simile, etc.) and why?

How does the diction contribute to the effect of the poem?

Prosaic language – hymn to the dead – final image is that they are singing – no rhyme scheme –
assonance and alliteration link stanzas – perhaps it echoes the sound of gunfire and battlefield
destruction – dead seem to be singing and vowels are used more in the last stanza which could
represent voice exercises before they would have sung – last stanza shows the only clear rhyme
throughout.

Effect

What does the poem make you feel/think about?

What lines in the poem best convey its mood?

What opinion does it show about the subject?

What is the poet trying to say about their subject?

Who might find this particularly effective?

Reflects how events of this battle have been buried – bones are seen as china – relics of history –
their skeletons look almost comic – he could have just retold the events but he shows the injustice
of history – offering some kind of redemption – also to the land that has held them – bones have
come free of the ground and also in some way become their selves again – he has given them a
voice – three elements have reconciled – the earth is free of the bones and the bones have become
the people they once were – a hymn for them but is also sung by the soldiers themselves.

SMILEPoem – The Yellow Palm

Structure

How is this piece organised?

How does the poem look on the page?

How many stanzas?

How are the ideas developed?

Line length, rhyme scheme?

Is there any rhythm, repetition or enjambment?

First line of every stanza is repeated – represents the repetitiveness of bad events like wars or battles
– lively rhythm – contrasts with content – these contrasts highlight the conflict – it’s a ballad –
triple alternate rhyme scheme – society has been torn apart and spaced out – 6 stanzas with 6 lines
– last two stanzas finish positively – contrasts with feelings and initial thoughts – leaves us
questioning whether war actually does have positive outcomes.

Meaning

What is the poem about?

Does it have a message?

What is the poet discussing? Why?

Is there an overall theme or idea in the poem?

Contrasts natural beauty of a palm tree – shows conflict destroys life, even nature – could mean
death and decay – ‘yellow’ is symbolic of ageing – people are often oblivious to war – He always
watches or smells – hints that we need to change our actions in order for other things to change
too – ‘the fruit fell in his arms’ – shows how after conflict people can rebuild their life – much like
nature.

Imagery

What pictures do you get in your mind when you read the poem?

Does the poem contain similes/metaphors/personification?

Why do you think the poet has included these images in the poem?

‘the barbarian sun’ vs ‘the river smell that lifts the air’ – people are trying to forget it in order to get
on with their lives – highlights the severity of the situation – even though they are trying to
regenerate the city, they know that the threat will not leave – represents the threat of war – its
constantly creating pressure on the people – the people are represented by the river – conflict
shows that even though people are trying to stop conflict, it don’t relent.

Language

What words has the poet used to create an image?

What literary devices are being used (metaphor, simile, etc.) and why?

How does the diction contribute to the effect of the poem?

‘Silver caravan’ – they view the cruise missile to be precious – even though it’s a device that brings
death – highlights how desperate people are for survival – they even go as far as worshipping a
weapon. ‘Poison gas’ vs ‘river’ which ‘lifts the air’ – contrasting smells could highlight the diversity of
the city – death and the refreshing air. ‘Coffin made of glass’ – in Baghdad death is viewed openly –
people knew it happened and is inevitable.
Effect

What does the poem make you feel/think about?

What lines in the poem best convey its mood?

What opinion does it show about the subject?

What is the poet trying to say about their subject?

Who might find this particularly effective?

Makes you think about how people had to cope with devastation of war – it also made people both
optimistic and pessimistic – at the start of the poem, straight after the conflict, people are negative
and mourning their losses – by the end they learn to rebuild and defend themselves making them
positive and hopeful – Minhinnick was trying to portray how the majority of use are only observers of
conflicts – ‘I watched’ – links to how people would only understand the severity if they experienced
the situation themselves.

SMILEPoem – The Right Word

Structure

How is this piece organised?

How does the poem look on the page?

How many stanzas?

How are the ideas developed?

Line length, rhyme scheme?

Is there any rhythm, repetition or enjambment?

Mirrors the intention of the poem – aims to describe a single event accurately – built around a single
image – broken down into three lines to give it clarity – self conversation constructed – poet stops
using words and uses her eyes – loses its ambiguity and is clear and confident – the truth comes out
and the poem returns to its regular three line structure which was lost after the first stanza.

Meaning

What is the poem about?

Does it have a message?

What is the poet discussing? Why?

Is there an overall theme or idea in the poem?

Is there any right words – you shouldn’t judge people as it may not be true – first impressions are
important but should not shape what you think of a person before really knowing – language and
identity – terrorist is either a powerless fighter or a murder.

Imagery

What pictures do you get in your mind when you read the poem?

Does the poem contain similes/metaphors/personification?

Why do you think the poet has included these images in the poem?

Suggests hope – uses subtleties and connotations of language to explore perceptions and values –
things are hidden and therefore not clear – prejudice takes over – we see her beliefs develop and
then become more relatable to her – one person’s terrorist could be another person’s child – no
real definition for people – as soon as she uses her eyes rather than words her views become more
clear and reach a final conclusion.

Language

What words has the poet used to create an image?

What literary devices are being used (metaphor, simile, etc.) and why?

How does the diction contribute to the effect of the poem?

She explores all different labels – the phrases describing the outside’s actions begin to make us see
him with evil intent however in the end we have sympathy for him – ‘martyr’ has had positive
connotations for centuries however now suicide bombers are described as martyrs it has changed –
this all colours our intentions and interpretations of who we really believe it is.

Effect

What does the poem make you feel/think about?

What lines in the poem best convey its mood?

What opinion does it show about the subject?

What is the poet trying to say about their subject?

Who might find this particularly effective?

Really about the role of poetry itself – she has a difficult task of describing a scene without taking
sides of a conflict – she questions words but also her role as a poet – she is supposed to know how
to use words correctly however they have left her useless – words show which side your on – you
should look at who a person is before judging them – the right words should be used and if you
don’t have them then you should talk.

SMILEPoem –At the Border, 1979

Structure

How is this piece organised?

How does the poem look on the page?

How many stanzas?

How are the ideas developed?

Line length, rhyme scheme?

Is there any rhythm, repetition or enjambment?

No set poetic form – length of lines and stanzas vary – sentences are punctuated/ broken by single
sounds and phrases – this links to the fact that national borders do not mark out divisions that are
real – four different perspectives – stanza 1 border guard and families – stanza 2 is a child – stanza 3
sister – stanza 4 mother - stanza 5 families and mothers crying – stanza 6 another reflection of a
child – concluding observation from the child.

Meaning

What is the poem about?

Does it have a message?

What is the poet discussing? Why?

Is there an overall theme or idea in the poem?

Set at the border of Iran – partly autobiographical – ideas of national borders – abstract things that
divide mankind for no particularly reason – national borders may not be real but your homeland is
precious to you no matter what.

Imagery

What pictures do you get in your mind when you read the poem?

Does the poem contain similes/metaphors/personification?

Why do you think the poet has included these images in the poem?

The language has many connotations.

Language

What words has the poet used to create an image?

What literary devices are being used (metaphor, simile, etc.) and why?

How does the diction contribute to the effect of the poem?

Many connotations of language – border could be between life and death – youth and age –
innocence and experience – date in title shows particular time and place – good memory –
unexciting language – anti-climax of a dream being replaced by reality – adults romantic views vs
child’s simple clear view – no judgement from children

Effect

What does the poem make you feel/think about?

What lines in the poem best convey its mood?

What opinion does it show about the subject?

What is the poet trying to say about their subject?

Who might find this particularly effective?

Dramatizes – a core experience of being a refugee – growing distance between the adults idea of
home and the reality – child is cold + distant because the lands are going to be meaningless to her –
where is home for you? – child is cut adrift from everyone – final line is ambiguous – assonance of
‘ai’ suggests weariness – we are all chained to the ideas of home – the idea of ‘all of us’ is not
entirely positive – they may be home but they cannot leave their problems at the border.

SMILEPoem – Belfast Confetti

Structure

How is this piece organised?

How does the poem look on the page?

How many stanzas?

How are the ideas developed?

Line length, rhyme scheme?

Is there any rhythm, repetition or enjambment?

Organised story – lines are over long – stanzas are stretched – 2 stanzas – expressed confusion
caused by the riot and bomb – end up reading backwards as our eyes have to travel all over the page
– riot and then an explosion – time and place is confused in the poet’s head which is shown by the
irregular stanzas and lines.

Meaning

What is the poem about?

Does it have a message?

What is the poet discussing? Why?

Is there an overall theme or idea in the poem?

IRA conflict in Northern Ireland – trying to make the region independent – British troops on the
streets – Catholics vs Protestants – became, to nationalists a symbol of unwanted occupation –
conflict can confuse everything around you even if you are so familiar of it.

Imagery

What pictures do you get in your mind when you read the poem?

Does the poem contain similes/metaphors/personification?

Why do you think the poet has included these images in the poem?

Confusion of the riot causes psychological confusion in the mind of the poet – ‘confetti’ is the
debris of the bomb going off – streets named after Crimea war which likens the riot to a bigger war
– force is used when communication breaks down – thinks of punctuation marks but has nothing to
punctuate anymore – his words have failed him in the confusion of conflict – words are what he
uses all the time but they cannot cope under pressure.

Language

What words has the poet used to create an image?

What literary devices are being used (metaphor, simile, etc.) and why?

How does the diction contribute to the effect of the poem?

Soft alliteration in the title could relate to the image of a wedding celebration – sound of the bomb
going off – constant metaphor created by the punctuation marks – harsh unpoetic words – simple
lists to express lack of emotional association.

Effect

What does the poem make you feel/think about?

What lines in the poem best convey its mood?

What opinion does it show about the subject?

What is the poet trying to say about their subject?

Who might find this particularly effective?

Upside down/back to front – leaves us asking questions rather than answering them – questions are
a ‘fusillade’ – under these conditions language is impossible – the thing he uses all of the time have
failed him alike his country when it is supposed to protect him – unequal sides in this conflict –
finally succeeds with expressing his confusion.

SMILEPoem – Poppies
Structure

How is this piece organised?

How does the poem look on the page?

How many stanzas?

How are the ideas developed?

Line length, rhyme scheme?

Is there any rhythm, repetition or enjambment?

Strong regular sense of form – four clear stanzas – great deal of movement within this – caesuras in
19 lines – careful variation in form shows inner emotion of the narrator – trying to remain calm but
is breaking with sadness – movement is also in the time sequence – ends with her suspended, on the
hill, between present + past tense.

Meaning

What is the poem about?

Does it have a message?

What is the poet discussing? Why?

Is there an overall theme or idea in the poem?

Set in modern day but goes back to the poppy origins – Armistice Sunday for World War One –
remember the men who dies and died in wars and conflicts since then – trying to understand
suffering from a mother’s point of view of the death of her son.

Imagery

What pictures do you get in your mind when you read the poem?

Does the poem contain similes/metaphors/personification?

Why do you think the poet has included these images in the poem?

Images of touch and feel throughout – richly textured – wide selection of poetic technique and
different levels of meaning – sense of her trying to block her memory of his violent death with a
sweeter purer memory within stanza 2 – ‘sellotape bandaged’ carries echoes of injury as well as
cleaning his blazer – contrast between death in battle and domestic happiness is powerful.

Language

What words has the poet used to create an image?

What literary devices are being used (metaphor, simile, etc.) and why?
How does the diction contribute to the effect of the poem?

Colour and texture of poppies though powerful language – alliteration – feel the closeness between
mother and child – however we see words when she may be recalling the violence of his death –
sounds are restrained – no rhyme as it would sound too lively for the content that is being used –
3rd stanza becomes more symbolic – door to house is the door to the world – song-bird is mother
setting child free – changed into dove – only peace found in death.

Effect

What does the poem make you feel/think about?

What lines in the poem best convey its mood?

What opinion does it show about the subject?

What is the poet trying to say about their subject?

Who might find this particularly effective?

Poem is about the nature of grief – speaking directly to her son but the son shifts in time – all
different versions of her son exist inside her mind – when it reaches present she is vulnerable without
protection – present holds too many memories and pain – good memories can only be expressed if
distanced in imagery held safely in the past.

SMILEPoem – Futility

Structure

How is this piece organised?

How does the poem look on the page?

How many stanzas?

How are the ideas developed?

Line length, rhyme scheme?

Is there any rhythm, repetition or enjambment?

14 lines – alike a sonnet – 2 seven line stanzas – reflects the poem’s change in tone – hope and
confidence to despair – first line suggests an action happening now – sun is seen as something
positive – changes from one death to life and death in general – sees a bigger picture suggesting
everything always leads to something bigger – the sun then becomes the object of anger rather than
hope.

Meaning

What is the poem about?

Does it have a message?

What is the poet discussing? Why?

Is there an overall theme or idea in the poem?

Personal experience of a soldier – from the trenches in World War One – reflects sudden change
from patriotic hope to despair – patriotism should not always be used to shape your views.

Imagery

What pictures do you get in your mind when you read the poem?

Does the poem contain similes/metaphors/personification?

Why do you think the poet has included these images in the poem?

Key image is the sun – positive force at first – imagery about waking up – soft motherly force –
changes to a more negative image – contradiction of ‘cold star’ – shows sun may be literally warm
but has no feelings for what is happening – it does not care for life it creates but only watches it die.

Language

What words has the poet used to create an image?

What literary devices are being used (metaphor, simile, etc.) and why?

How does the diction contribute to the effect of the poem?

The title is blunt but strong – shows poem is going to be clear and straightforward – ‘bleak realism’ –
direct about his anger and grief from the death of his friend – half-rhymes bring the poem together
– by creating a broken pattern of rhymes it could show a broken harmony beneath a seemingly
strong surface.

Effect

What does the poem make you feel/think about?

What lines in the poem best convey its mood?

What opinion does it show about the subject?

What is the poet trying to say about their subject?

Who might find this particularly effective?

An elegy – something to remember a death – contrasts from the normally long poems – there is no
reason to celebrate a life – no hope anywhere – life is futile – becomes and elegy for the whole of
mankind – anger comes from the knowledge of the man’s peaceful past – made stronger by
metaphor’s that apply to all life – does not reach any conclusions – would be too futile if it did –
instead he expresses his anger in a series of rhetorical questions – he is angry not just at war or the
sun but the whole of creation as well.

SMILEPoem – The Charge of the Light Brigade

Structure

How is this piece organised?

How does the poem look on the page?

How many stanzas?

How are the ideas developed?

Line length, rhyme scheme?

Is there any rhythm, repetition or enjambment?

Loosely narrative – bare facts of the event – the last stanza is a short tribute to the men that died in
the battle – uses powerful and regular form to show the determination of the men – their
dedication to duty – stanzas 1,2,3,5,6,7 move on quickly whereas 4 and 8 break this which contrast
the brave charge with their slight blunder – repetition is used a lot to get the point of their tragic
death engraved into the readers mind.

Meaning

What is the poem about?

Does it have a message?

What is the poet discussing? Why?

Is there an overall theme or idea in the poem?

Commemorates a brave but suicidal cavalry charge that took place in the Crimean war – due to
confused communications it went wrong – they charged into firing cannons and were killed
instantly.

Imagery

What pictures do you get in your mind when you read the poem?

Does the poem contain similes/metaphors/personification?

Why do you think the poet has included these images in the poem?

Movement and energy is used throughout the poem – he shows the stiff upper lip of the Victorian’s
through stanza two – the men are always referred to in a collective term – there is a glory in war –
from aspirations to the corpses.
Language

What words has the poet used to create an image?

What literary devices are being used (metaphor, simile, etc.) and why?

How does the diction contribute to the effect of the poem?

Trying to paint a broad picture rather than making us think – no ambiguous language – emotive
phrases that readers will immediately understand – repetition of imagery creates emphasis but also
represents the men’s determination to get home – verbs show heroic actions – the damaged
inflicted on the soldiers is also conveyed through emotive language – there is a rhyme a rhythm
throughout.

Effect

What does the poem make you feel/think about?

What lines in the poem best convey its mood?

What opinion does it show about the subject?

What is the poet trying to say about their subject?

Who might find this particularly effective?

Courage is conveyed throughout the poem – poet wants the brave actions of the soldiers to be
remembered – he also sees the mistake that the leaders made and wants people to understand that
that is the reason why the men were determined to fight in this battle – he suggests glory through
their courage rather than the futility of conflict.

SMILEPoem – Bayonet Charge

Structure

How is this piece organised?

How does the poem look on the page?

How many stanzas?

How are the ideas developed?

Line length, rhyme scheme?

Is there any rhythm, repetition or enjambment?

Three stanzas – one full stop – enjambment – repetition of words to engrave them onto the minds
of the reader – structure immediately shows urgency and danger – 2nd person but one soldier –
one sentence in the whole poem which could show the desperation of the soldier.
Meaning

What is the poem about?

Does it have a message?

What is the poet discussing? Why?

Is there an overall theme or idea in the poem?

Set in World War One – it is from one soldier’s point of view but in 2nd person – the soldier is
nameless so it could relate to anyone – violence is overcoming nature – mankind is destroying
mother nature – reality of war.

Imagery

What pictures do you get in your mind when you read the poem?

Does the poem contain similes/metaphors/personification?

Why do you think the poet has included these images in the poem?

Rich description contrast with where the soldier is heading – a simple, almost childlike description in
line three – another contrast is between the imagery of war and the imagery of nature – background
of farming and nature however the image of the hare becomes a symbol of death – similes bring a
sense of hell to the battlefield.

Language

What words has the poet used to create an image?

What literary devices are being used (metaphor, simile, etc.) and why?

How does the diction contribute to the effect of the poem?

Frantic action of the battlefield – thick difficulty of mud – sudden fear and clear thoughts from the
soldier which could show he hasn’t been blinded by the lies of war – these feelings are represented
by the images you see and hear – dense repetition of words – repetition of ‘h’ shows the soldier’s
heavy breathing.

Effect

What does the poem make you feel/think about?

What lines in the poem best convey its mood?

What opinion does it show about the subject?

What is the poet trying to say about their subject?

Who might find this particularly effective?

Tries to step into the body of soldier in the middle of a battle – one of the most terrifying acts in war
– walking straight into a rifle path – dramatizes the struggle between the man’s thoughts and actions
– at the start he instinctively obeys orders – he then seems to clarify what he is doing and time
stands still – in the end he becomes a weapon is war and realises the injustice of the war itself.

SMILEPoem – The Falling Leaves

Structure

How is this piece organised?

How does the poem look on the page?

How many stanzas?

How are the ideas developed?

Line length, rhyme scheme?

Is there any rhythm, repetition or enjambment?

Iambic pentameter – the whole poem is only one sentence – it has a rigid rhyming scheme – the
first six lines of the poem is literally what she is seeing – the last six are comparing the leaves to the
dying soldiers – it is an elegy – resembles the shift in her thoughts.

Meaning

What is the poem about?

Does it have a message?

What is the poet discussing? Why?

Is there an overall theme or idea in the poem?

The poet is anti-war meaning that she feels the loss of life within conflict is futile – although she
doesn’t agree with what the soldiers are doing she still shows respect to them – shows the reality of
war and that the soldiers do not receive the recognition they should.

Imagery

What pictures do you get in your mind when you read the poem?

Does the poem contain similes/metaphors/personification?

Why do you think the poet has included these images in the poem?

Leaves symbolise the dead soldiers – ‘brown’ could show that the leaves are already dead alike to
soldiers or that they have just been left there to rot – snowflakes melt which could show that the
men have been forgotten after the war - they are also like a blanket which could be a cover up of
the deaths or alike a blanket which is placed over a dead body.
Language

What words has the poet used to create an image?

What literary devices are being used (metaphor, simile, etc.) and why?

How does the diction contribute to the effect of the poem?

Symbolic and connoted language used throughout the poem – no one is interrupting her and she is
preoccupied – verbs used a lot – she can’t just have a normal walk without being reminded of what
the soldiers when through – semi-colon cuts the poem in half which could show the violence but
also the disruption to the people’s lives because of the soldier’s deaths.

Effect

What does the poem make you feel/think about?

What lines in the poem best convey its mood?

What opinion does it show about the subject?

What is the poet trying to say about their subject?

Who might find this particularly effective?

She can’t live knowing these men died without being recognised for what they did – she does not
agree with war and what is does to the people afterwards – futility is a large part of this poem – she’s
mourning for those who did not have anyone for them – she shows the sheer amount of lives that
were lost during this battle.

SMILEPoem – Come on, Come Back

Structure

How is this piece organised?

How does the poem look on the page?

How many stanzas?

How are the ideas developed?

Line length, rhyme scheme?

Is there any rhythm, repetition or enjambment?

There is a lack of punctuation throughout this poem which could show that the poet wants to
express their ideas quickly and are not putting thought into it – enjambment could also suggest this
– long sentences reflect the lack of structure with no memory.

Meaning
What is the poem about?

Does it have a message?

What is the poet discussing? Why?

Is there an overall theme or idea in the poem?

The poet is showing the effects of war on people directly and indirectly involved – it also shows how
false propaganda can be within war and the lies created – relent and death are constantly used
throughout.

Imagery

What pictures do you get in your mind when you read the poem?

Does the poem contain similes/metaphors/personification?

Why do you think the poet has included these images in the poem?

There is a lot of moonlight and darkness contrasts due to the fact that it is at midnight – water
imagery is used a lot which could represent the fluidity of the poem as there is not punctuation –
everything is against the subject which could be why she turns to her suicide and death in general.

Language

What words has the poet used to create an image?

What literary devices are being used (metaphor, simile, etc.) and why?

How does the diction contribute to the effect of the poem?

The poem communicated a profound sadness through language – despair is conveyed through
stanza 5 – a future war, with links to wars’ of the past could show that nothing actually changes after
conflict as it always returns to that.

Effect

What does the poem make you feel/think about?

What lines in the poem best convey its mood?

What opinion does it show about the subject?

What is the poet trying to say about their subject?

Who might find this particularly effective?

It is a personal story so we feel obliged to feel sympathy – it shows how war can dramatically
change people no matter how they are affected – it also shows the reality of war and what actually
happens behind the lies created by others – it is a disorientating poem.
SMILEPoem – next to of course god America i

Structure

How is this piece organised?

How does the poem look on the page?

How many stanzas?

How are the ideas developed?

Line length, rhyme scheme?

Is there any rhythm, repetition or enjambment?

Enjambment – no punctuation throughout – ironic use of sonnet form – iambic pentameter –

rhyme scheme is distorted – corrupt scheme of mind – lower case letters demeans the theme of
patriotism – use of two voices – little thought in patriotism – unusual grammar makes the poem
difficult to read – one stanza and one separate line.

Meaning

What is the poem about?

Does it have a message?

What is the poet discussing? Why?

Is there an overall theme or idea in the poem?

Patriotism should not drive conflict – patriotism is dangerous and takes away freedom that people
have in their country – discusses political arrogance – bravery and fearlessness – extreme
nationalism is dangerous – sheer futility of war.

Imagery

What pictures do you get in your mind when you read the poem?

Does the poem contain similes/metaphors/personification?

Why do you think the poet has included these images in the poem?

Metaphor of ‘happy dead’ – hypnotised into thinking they will become a hero – oxymoron as well –
government make it seem as if war is a good thing and shows betrayal of soldiers when they are
fighting for the country that I supposed to be run properly.

Language

What words has the poet used to create an image?

What literary devices are being used (metaphor, simile, etc.) and why?

How does the diction contribute to the effect of the poem?

Patriotism: shows love for their country – American national anthem is unfinished which could show
the insincere view from the poet – personified country could show that he wants to mock the
speaker’s patriotic remarks – contradiction: we always question his love for America as he
undermines himself.

Effect

What does the poem make you feel/think about?

What lines in the poem best convey its mood?

What opinion does it show about the subject?

What is the poet trying to say about their subject?

Who might find this particularly effective?

Focuses on the idea of ‘hubris’ – great pride and arrogance that leads to disaster – extreme
patriotism is empty and dangerous – mostly fatal consequences – meaningless clichés show this –
patriotism should not be a reason or cover up for war – it is not an excuse for the destruction
caused to homeland and loss of life.

SMILEPoem – Hawk Roosting

Structure

How is this piece organised?

How does the poem look on the page?

How many stanzas?

How are the ideas developed?

Line length, rhyme scheme?

Is there any rhythm, repetition or enjambment?

First two stanzas are about his superiority – physical rather than mentally – stanza 3 and 4 reveal his
power of nature and how he holds everything included life and death – the final two stanzas form a
justification for his actions – he uses the sun to support his ways and ideas – he has a right over
everyone else.

Meaning

What is the poem about?

Does it have a message?

What is the poet discussing? Why?

Is there an overall theme or idea in the poem?

This poem is about a dictator and how he sees the place he is controlling - he decides everything in
his advantage and doesn’t take notice of the people – this shows that not every leader has the right
state of mind to control a country or nation.

Imagery

What pictures do you get in your mind when you read the poem?

Does the poem contain similes/metaphors/personification?

Why do you think the poet has included these images in the poem?

Extended metaphor of the hawk – dictator or someone in power – he is looking at his own
advantages not the people’s – negatives are used which makes the lines sound like political slogans
– the hawk is relying on brute force – uses the sun to support him which could symbolise his
political party.

Language

What words has the poet used to create an image?

What literary devices are being used (metaphor, simile, etc.) and why?

How does the diction contribute to the effect of the poem?

Language is some of what you would use within an office – it is simple – contrasts with the
threatening language used as well – this could show the political leader who is actually a violent
thug – one key sound that echoes throughout – ‘ee’ – the only sound to be heard is the hawk
screeching through the wood – repetition is used when referring to himself – this shows how
egocentric and self-important he is.

Effect

What does the poem make you feel/think about?

What lines in the poem best convey its mood?

What opinion does it show about the subject?

What is the poet trying to say about their subject?

Who might find this particularly effective?

Controversial – the poem made everyone think of how Nazi Germany was with Hitler – the Nazi
symbol was an eagle standing on a wreath – he wanted to show that thoughts can be brutal – the
hawk clearly rejects the political process and works by different parties putting arguments before the
general public – he is controlling everything within the area he is sitting – he uses the threat of
violence to put this in place alike a dictator – Hughes wanted to show ‘nature thinking’ but even that
is bad – he has seized power from the forces that made it.