What words do you associate with ‘Grandparents’? Heading – Poetry 5 What words do you associate with ‘Grandparents’? What do grandparents do?

Objective We have a new poem and a new poet today. We’re going to examine the poem now and the next day: the themes and poet together.

GRANDFATHER They brought him in on a stretcher from the world, Wounded but humorous; and he soon recovered. Boiler-rooms, row upon row of gantries rolled Away to reveal the landscape of a childhood Only he can recapture. Even on cold Mornings he is up at six with a block of wood Or a box of nails, discreetly up to no good Or banging round the house like a four-year-old -- Never there when you call. But after dark You hear his great boots thumping in the hall And in he comes, as cute as they come. Each night His shrewd eyes bolt the door and set the clock Against the future, then his light goes out. Nothing escapes him; he escapes us all.

(We’re going to write things on the sheet and in your copy.) Grandfather (We’re going to write things on the sheet and in your copy.) Injured – sad image They brought him in on a stretcher from the world, Wounded but humorous; and he soon recovered. Puts on a happy face (Copy) This elderly person was physically hurt as we see the image of the stretcher. How might an old person’s pride be wounded also?

Cranes – shipyard Boiler-rooms, row upon row of gantries rolled Away to reveal the landscape of a childhood Only he can recapture.

Is an elderly person becoming ‘childlike’ uncommon? Cranes – shipyard Boiler-rooms, row upon row of gantries rolled Away to reveal the landscape of a childhood Only he can recapture. The Grandfather begins to remember his past, his old job and then his childhood before he re-enters the “landscape of childhood”. Is an elderly person becoming ‘childlike’ uncommon?

Assonance – what vowels repeat here? The Grandfather has a set routine from working at a shipyard, early in the morning when it was cold. Assonance – what vowels repeat here? ‘O’ – represents the wonder of a child as you say it. ‘U’ ‘I’ and ‘E’ – represent the pain the old man feels. Even on cold Mornings he is up at six with a block of wood Or a box of nails, discreetly up to no good Or banging round the house like a four-year-old -- Keeping busy

Never there when you call Never there when you call. But after dark You hear his great boots thumping in the hall And in he comes, as cute as they come. Making noise Like a rebellious child, he is never there when wanted. He stumbles home late at night. (Where might he go? Where do sad old men go?) Alliteration: the poet makes light of the old man’s mood by using alliteration. (Do certain letters repeat at the beginning of words?)

The grandfather is still very capable, locking up the house and setting his clock. His mind is not completely gone. What else might ‘his lights go out’ mean? Each night His shrewd eyes bolt the door and set the clock Against the future, then his light goes out. Clever, smart, with it

What do you think this means? Nothing escapes him; he escapes us all. Remember, he has lived a long life.

What did you think of the poem? Homework What did you think of the poem? (feelings, reminds you of..., language, images: there is lots to have thoughts about.)

GRANDFATHER They brought him in on a stretcher from the world, Wounded but humorous; and he soon recovered. Boiler-rooms, row upon row of gantries rolled Away to reveal the landscape of a childhood Only he can recapture. Even on cold Mornings he is up at six with a block of wood Or a box of nails, discreetly up to no good Or banging round the house like a four-year-old -- Never there when you call. But after dark You hear his great boots thumping in the hall And in he comes, as cute as they come. Each night His shrewd eyes bolt the door and set the clock Against the future, then his light goes out. Nothing escapes him; he escapes us all.

Reflection I think... I like... I want to know...