A01 (12 marks) A02 (12 marks) A03 (6 marks) Clear and intelligent interpretation of the poems Clear and precise comparison of the poems Select a wide range of quotations which justify your points A02 (12 marks) Analyse the poets’ use of language Analyse the poets’ use of structure Clearly explain the effects on the reader Use subject specific terminology A03 (6 marks) Relate the poems to their historical and social contexts

What is Weir’s ‘Poppies’ about? Knowledge Weir, a textiles specialist, wrote the poem to help others relate to the loss and grief caused by conflict. Skills: Close reading of the poem, focussed on meaning and content. Understanding: Annotate your anthology to demonstrate your understanding.

What words, ideas, emotions, images, attitudes, beliefs etc What words, ideas, emotions, images, attitudes, beliefs etc. come to mind when you see poppies? A01 Clear and intelligent interpretation of the poems Select a wide range of quotations which justify your points

Three days before Armistice Sunday and poppies had already been placed on individual war graves. Before you left, I pinned one onto your lapel, crimped petals, spasms of paper red, disrupting a blockade of yellow bias binding around your blazer. Sellotape bandaged around my hand, I rounded up as many white cat hairs as I could, smoothed down your shirt's upturned collar, steeled the softening of my face. 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 to run my fingers through the gelled blackthorns of your hair. All my words flattened, rolled, turned into felt, slowly melting. I was brave, as I walked with you, to the front door, threw it open, the world overflowing like a treasure chest. A split second and you were away, intoxicated. After you'd gone I went into your bedroom, released a song bird from its cage. Later a single dove flew from the pear tree, and this is where it has led me, skirting the church yard walls, my stomach busy making tucks, darts, pleats, hat-less, without a winter coat or reinforcements of scarf, gloves. On reaching the top of the hill I traced the inscriptions on the war memorial, leaned against it like a wishbone. The dove pulled freely against the sky, an ornamental stitch. I listened, hoping to hear your playground voice catching on the wind. Which words, ideas, emotions, images, attitudes, beliefs etc. you came up with a minute ago are relevant to this poem? A01 Clear and intelligent interpretation of the poems Select a wide range of quotations which justify your points

How is Weir’s ‘Poppies’ written? Knowledge Language devices and structure are how Weir crafts her poem for impact. Skills: Close reading of the poem, focussed on language and structure. Understanding: Annotate your anthology to demonstrate your understanding.

Analyse the poets’ use of language Explore the effect of the contrast between domestic images and images of war and conflict. Explore the way different senses are appealed to explain the mothers sense of loss and distance from her son. What is the symbolism of the mother going to the son’s bedroom and releasing ‘a song bird from its cage’? A02 Analyse the poets’ use of language Clearly explain the effects on the reader Use subject specific terminology

Analyse the poets’ use of structure What does the inconsistent stanza length suggest about the mother’s experiences? Make a comment on the frequent use of caesura and what impression this gives the reader. A02 Analyse the poets’ use of structure Clearly explain the effects on the reader Use subject specific terminology

Why was Weir’s ‘Poppies’ written? Knowledge Weir is talking generally about the impacts of war, and it doesn’t really relate to an individual conflict. This itself is a telling choice about Weir’s feelings. Skills: Link contextual factors to textual details. Understanding: Annotate your anthology to demonstrate your understanding.

What does this suggest about the nature of conflict and war? The poem was written during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The symbol of the poppy derives from World War One. What does this suggest about the nature of conflict and war? A03 Relate the poems to their historical and social contexts

How are ‘Remains’ and ‘Poppies’ similar? Knowledge Both poets use their poetry to explore the impact of conflict on an individual. Skills: Make connections between the two poems. Understanding: Write a thirty minute essay response to the comparison question.

Compare the portrayal of personal, emotional responses to conflict in ‘Poppies’ and ‘Remains’. Clear and precise comparison of the poems