Who Loves You Carol Ann Duffy

Objectives To be able to comment on the speaker’s thoughts and feelings about the absence of a loved one To understand how language and structure are used within the poem

Starter Have you ever worried about the absence of a loved one whether it be for a few hours or a few years? How did this experience make you feel?

Glossary HYPERBOLE = a language technique that exaggerates the meaning CAESURA = a complete pause in a line of poetry

Who Loves You Read the poem through twice. How does the poet feel about the loved one being away? How do you know?

Stanza 1 Highlight the alliteration in the first line and explain what it means. ‘Every day’ is an example of hyperbolic language. What des this tell us about the speaker’s mind? Why does the poet use a caesura at the end of line 2? What does line 3 suggest about the speaker’s emotions?

‘Safety, safely, safe home’ Why is the word ‘safe’ (even though it used slightly differently each time) linked with the word home? Why is this repeated throughout the poem?

Stanza 2 Why on earth would you put a photo of a loved ‘in the fridge’? Highlight the hyperbole in this stanza and comment on the effect on the reader. The poet contrasts the cold, ‘fridge, cool, shade’ with heat, ‘burnt’. What does this suggest about being home or away?

Stanza 3 What ‘dangerous’ activity is suggested in line 1? Highlight the powerful imagery on line 2. What does this hyperbole suggest?

Stanza 4 The use of sibilance in the first line refers to the dangerous men and boys. How does this technique help that image? ‘Walk in the light’ is ambiguous. What are the two meanings? ‘Who loves you?’ Who loves the them and what do they want in the end?

Structure There is no rhyme scheme or obvious rhythm and the line length fluctuates. What does this chaotic structure suggest to you about the speaker?

Assessment In the poem ‘Who Loves You’ how does the speaker feel about an absent loved one?