Marrysong, by Dennis Scott

He never learned her, quite. Year after year

That territory, without seasons, shifted

under his eye. An hour he could be lost

in the walled anger of her quarried hurt

on turning, see cool water laughing where

the day before there were stones in her voice.

He charted. She made wilderness again.

Roads disappeared. The map was never true.

Wind brought him rain sometimes, tasting of sea -

and suddenly she would change the shape of shores

faultlessly calm. All, all was each day new;

the shadows of her love shortened or grew

like trees seen from an unexpected hill,

new country at each jaunty helpless journey.

So he accepted that geography, constantly strange.

Wondered. Stayed home increasingly to find

his way among the landscapes of her mind.

Story

The speaker of this person is an anonymous third person, but it is about the relationship between a man and a woman, and how it changes and develops over time as they go through life, get to know each other better, and yet still find the other one strange and mysterious.

Tone

This has a varied tone, but overall it is reflective. It gradually becomes more excited and lively as it goes on, reflecting their relationship becoming both more interesting and more tempestuous over time. The last three lines are much quieter and more conclusive, however, and give a sense of resolution.

Deeper Meanings

The poet is showing how love is like a journey, and is getting the idea across that love is full of ups and downs, not always perfect, and not necessarily leading to people understanding each other. However, this changing and this mysterious element to it make it exciting, as well as dangerous. It suggests that ultimately the most exciting adventures people have are those that take place in the heart, not in the wild outside world.

Structure and Form

The poet has structured the poem to get across the idea of surprises and changes, which is shown by the placement of punctuation in the middle of lines, enjambment, very short sentences, and the shift between regular meter/ rhythm, and irregular/more jumpy meter and rhythm.

The poem is basically in iambic pentameter and without the last 3 lines is a sonnet of sorts; perhaps this reflects the idea of the poet looking at something which is both unfamiliar and familiar; taking the familiar sonnet form and changing it, as the love he describes keeps shifting between familiar and unknown.

Prominent Words

learned her’ – the idea that he is studying her, she is complex ‘accepted’ – by the end of the poem he has found some resolution ‘constantly strange’ – always difficult to understand/ unfamiliar ‘on turning’/ ‘suddenly’ – how quickly their relationship changes                                                                                                   ‘cool water’ – her voice is refreshing, almost thirst quenching for him

Imagery & Symbolism

Journeys and exploration: the centre metaphor in this poem is the idea that love is like a journey through wilderness: this highlights how love is dangerous, exciting, unknown, everchanging etc. Mapping: ‘territory’, ‘charted’, ‘map’ How people try to understand and categorise their feelings Nature/ time: the sea, days, wind, hours, years: these are images which show love to be powerful but ever changing.

Pain/ difficulty: ‘stones’, ‘anger’: how love is not just the ‘good times’

Sound

The iambic pentameter creates a certain liveliness in the poem, to reflect the excitement of the ‘journey’ he describes. There is little alliteration or rhyme, perhaps reflecting the ever changing and unpredictable nature of the relationship being described. There is some subtle sibilance, however, for example ‘suddenly she would change the shape of shores’, which adds a calmness to the atmosphere of the poem.

First Love, by John Clare

Story
This is a first person account of falling in ‘love’ for the first time having only seen someone from afar. It is addressed to an imaginary reader, and explores the pains and turmoil, and the confusion involved in this experience. The speaker is changed forever by this.

Tone

Melancholy, questioning – particularly self-questioning. There is a feeling of dark bewilderment. Rhapsodic – the parts addressed to the woman are lyrical and admiring. By the end, there is a reluctant sense of acceptance of the situation.

Deeper Meaning

The confusing, paradoxical nature of feelings – how can you love something which causes you so much pain? The poet is hinting at how words are inadequate, yet it is a poem about trying to articulate and explain what cannot be explained or articulated. We are also being shown how this kind of love is not based on reality so much as on the speakers own thoughts and feelings.

Structure and Form

No punctuation – gives a sense of things going out of control, being hard to make sense of. Regular meter and form (length of stanzas and lines stays the same) – this is ironic given the speaker’s confusion, but perhaps reflects a longing for coherence and regularity on the part of the speaker.

Prominent Words

blood’ – this suggests both the depth of his feeling (it is inside his body) and the pain of it (blood associated with wounds) ‘stole’ – he doesn’t feel in control of what happens to him; he almost blames the woman

‘sweet’ – the word repeated three times about his love/ her. It conflicts with the pain elsewhere, but is oddly quite a mild word, almost suggesting his feelings weren’t based on much.

Imagery & Symbolism

Physical pain – deadly pale etc – suggests love affects his body, and makes him ill it is so strong. Seeing/ sight – being able to see represents being able to understand, yet love blinds him and puts him in the dark

Dwelling place – symbolising safety and calm, a home which the speaker no longer feels he has

Sound

The meter/ rhythm are very regular and establish quite a persistent atmosphere in the poem, almost mirroring the way the poet got swept along by his feelings. There is lots of sibilance, creating a rather sinister undertone. The alliteration around ‘blood burnt’ adds a harshness to their sound, underlining the pain he experiences.

The Flower-Fed Buffaloes, by Vachel Lindsay

The flower-fed buffaloes of the spring

In the days of long ago,

Ranged where the locomotives sing

And the prarie flowers lie low:

The tossing, blooming, perfumed grass

Is swept away by wheat,

Wheels and wheels and wheels spin by

In the spring that still is sweet.

But the flower-fed buffaloes of the spring

Left us long ago,

They gore no more, they bellow no more:--

With the Blackfeet lying low,

With the Pawnee lying low. 

Story

This poem is about the destruction of the Native American people and their joint culture. This was destroyed by the coming of settlers and their new technology (trains and locomotives.) and their new forms of agriculture (wheat). As a result of this, the old things have died out, for example, the old tribes and the buffaloes.

Tone

The poem has a mournful tone as it feels nostalgic for it's past. As the old things have been swept away by modern life. Furthermore, there is slight anger for those who are responsible, yet it is fairly hidden.

Deeper Meaning

The poem is fairly unambiguous, as his point is very clear. The speakers tells us how despite people think it is progress, but in fact it's the opposite and it's destruction.

The poet is trying to get the reader to feel sympathy for nature, and admire the beautiful nature. However, there is tension whether this loss should just be accepted, or resisted.

Structure and Form

The poem is separated into 3 clear parts. Firstly, it shows how things were, then how things changed, and then how things are now. This chronological features, mimics how the effects are permanent and there is no going back.

 The lines get shorter as the poem goes on, which represents how the amount of buffaloes is dwindling. The phrase 'lying low' is repeated many times, which creates a mournful tone and emphasises the message that they have gone.

Full Moon and Little Frieda, by Ted Hughes

 A cool small evening shrunk to a dog bark and the clank of a bucket - 

And you listening. 

A spider's web, tense for the dew's touch. 

A pail lifted, still and brimming - mirror 

To tempt a first star to a tremor. 

Cows are going home in the lane there, looping the hedges with their warm 

wreaths of breath - 

A dark river of blood, many boulders, 

Balancing unspilled milk. 

'Moon!' you cry suddenly, 'Moon! Moon!' 

The moon has stepped back like an artist gazing amazed at a work 

That points at him amazed.

Story

This poem describes the poet, Hughes, addressing his daughter, Frieda, talking about an amazing moment when she sees the reflection of the moon inside a bucket, and calls it by it's name. This could possibly be her first world.

The setting is the yard of their house, or farm.

Tone

The tone is very affectionate and loving and the father is joyful in the progress of his daughter. There is a sense of joy in this shared momentous experience.

Deeper Meaning

The father's pride in the linguistic development of his daughter. He conveys this through how the world is shaped through the language we use.

However, as amazing as a moment this is for the father, it is actually a very small event on the cosmic scale of things. Nonetheless, it is an extremely important event for him as a father.

Structure and Form

This poem is written in free verse which means that he can structure the poem how he wants, and talk about his surrounding scene.

We are given the component parts of the scene is a list-like form, which makes the poem extremely visual, and more like an artistic painting.