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GCSE Poppies Poem Analysis and Annotations by Jane Weir

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Abdul Basit

11/11/2022

English Literature

poppies annotations

GCSE Poppies Poem Analysis and Annotations by Jane Weir

The poem "Poppies" by Jane Weir explores the emotional journey of a mother as her son leaves for war. This poppies poem analysis delves into themes of loss, memory, and the impact of conflict on families.

Key points:

  • Written in 2009 as part of a collection of 21st-century war poetry
  • Narrated from a mother's perspective
  • Uses vivid imagery to convey emotions and memories
  • Explores the tension between national duty and personal loss
  • Incorporates symbolism related to remembrance and sacrifice
...

11/11/2022

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War photographer-effects of conflict
kamikaze-nationall family elentity.
The Filigrée-loss.
Coesurae reflect her attempt to
salos ampedsjed

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Page 2: Continuation and Analysis

The poem continues with the mother's journey after her son's departure. She traces inscriptions on a war memorial, a poignant reminder of the potential dangers her son faces.

Quote: "On reaching the top of the hill I traced the inscriptions on the war memorial, leaned against it like a wishbone."

This imagery of the mother leaning against the memorial "like a wishbone" creates a powerful visual representation of her hope and desperation for her son's safety.

The poem's structure is chronological, following the son's departure preparations, his leaving, and his mother's subsequent actions. However, the timeframe remains ambiguous, with childhood memories intertwining with the present, reflecting the mother's emotional state.

Highlight: The poem's form, a first-person narrative in free verse, enhances the sense of reality and immediacy of the mother's experiences and emotions.

Sensory language plays a crucial role in conveying the mother's separation from her son. The poem emphasizes touch and sound, highlighting what the mother can no longer experience with her son:

"I listened, hoping to hear your playground voice catching on the wind."

Definition: Caesura - A pause or break in a line of poetry, often for emphasis or emotional effect.

The poppies poem analysis reveals a juxtaposition of war imagery with domestic scenes, creating a poignant contrast between the harsh realities of conflict and the comfort of home life. This technique underscores the personal impact of war on families.

Vocabulary: Enjambment - The continuation of a sentence or phrase from one line of poetry to the next without a pause.

In conclusion, Jane Weir's "Poppies" offers a deeply personal perspective on war and its effects on those left behind. Through its vivid imagery, emotional depth, and careful structure, the poem provides a powerful exploration of love, loss, and the enduring bonds between mother and child in the face of conflict.

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English Literature

3,493

11 Nov 2022

2 pages

GCSE Poppies Poem Analysis and Annotations by Jane Weir

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Abdul Basit

@abdulbasit_uoep

The poem "Poppies" by Jane Weir explores the emotional journey of a mother as her son leaves for war. This poppies poem analysis delves into themes of loss, memory, and the impact of conflict on families.

Key points:

  • Written in... Show more

War photographer-effects of conflict
kamikaze-nationall family elentity.
The Filigrée-loss.
Coesurae reflect her attempt to
salos ampedsjed

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Page 2: Continuation and Analysis

The poem continues with the mother's journey after her son's departure. She traces inscriptions on a war memorial, a poignant reminder of the potential dangers her son faces.

Quote: "On reaching the top of the hill I traced the inscriptions on the war memorial, leaned against it like a wishbone."

This imagery of the mother leaning against the memorial "like a wishbone" creates a powerful visual representation of her hope and desperation for her son's safety.

The poem's structure is chronological, following the son's departure preparations, his leaving, and his mother's subsequent actions. However, the timeframe remains ambiguous, with childhood memories intertwining with the present, reflecting the mother's emotional state.

Highlight: The poem's form, a first-person narrative in free verse, enhances the sense of reality and immediacy of the mother's experiences and emotions.

Sensory language plays a crucial role in conveying the mother's separation from her son. The poem emphasizes touch and sound, highlighting what the mother can no longer experience with her son:

"I listened, hoping to hear your playground voice catching on the wind."

Definition: Caesura - A pause or break in a line of poetry, often for emphasis or emotional effect.

The poppies poem analysis reveals a juxtaposition of war imagery with domestic scenes, creating a poignant contrast between the harsh realities of conflict and the comfort of home life. This technique underscores the personal impact of war on families.

Vocabulary: Enjambment - The continuation of a sentence or phrase from one line of poetry to the next without a pause.

In conclusion, Jane Weir's "Poppies" offers a deeply personal perspective on war and its effects on those left behind. Through its vivid imagery, emotional depth, and careful structure, the poem provides a powerful exploration of love, loss, and the enduring bonds between mother and child in the face of conflict.

War photographer-effects of conflict
kamikaze-nationall family elentity.
The Filigrée-loss.
Coesurae reflect her attempt to
salos ampedsjed

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Page 1: Context and Opening Stanzas

Jane Weir, born in 1963, is a writer and textile designer with roots in Manchester, Italy, and Belfast. Her poem "Poppies" was commissioned by Carol Ann Duffy for a collection of 21st-century war poetry, providing a contemporary perspective on conflict and its effects on families.

The poem opens three days before Armistice Sunday, setting a tone of remembrance and loss. The speaker, a mother, describes pinning a poppy to her son's lapel, a gesture laden with symbolism.

Highlight: The repetition of poppy imagery emphasizes the parallel between national and personal mourning and remembrance.

The mother's actions are described with domestic and tactile details, creating a sense of intimacy and care:

"I rounded up as many white cat hairs as I could, smoothed down your shirt's upturned collar, steeled the softening of my face."

Vocabulary: Armistice - An agreement to stop fighting in a war.

The poem uses enjambment and caesurae to reflect the mother's emotional state and her struggle to maintain composure. This technique is evident in lines like:

"I wanted to graze my nose across the tip of your nose, play at being Eskimos like we did when you were little. I resisted the impulse"

Example: The use of "blackthorns" to describe the son's gelled hair alludes to Jesus' crown of thorns, suggesting sacrifice and potential suffering.

As the son departs, the world is described as "overflowing like a treasure chest," contrasting the mother's sorrow with her son's excitement for adventure. This juxtaposition highlights the complex emotions surrounding a loved one's departure for war.

Quote: "A split second and you were away, intoxicated."

The imagery shifts to symbolize the son's departure, with the mother releasing a songbird from its cage and observing a dove flying from a pear tree. These actions represent both freedom and loss, mirroring the mother's conflicting emotions.

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Thomas R

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Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.

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This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.

David K

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Greenlight Bonnie

Android user

very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.

Rohan U

Android user

I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.

Xander S

iOS user

THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮

Elisha

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This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now

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