Hardi info Objective: to learn about the themes covered in conflict poetry. Outcome: Annotated poetry Choman Hardi was born in 1974. She spent the first part of her life in Southern Kurdistan before her family moved to Iran in 1975. Four years later they returned to Iraq. However, they had to flee again in 1988 when Saddam Hussein started attacking the Kurdish people with chemical weapons.   In 1993 she entered the United Kingdom as a refugee. She studied philosophy and psychology at Queen’s College, Oxford, completed an MA in philosophy at University College London and did a PhD at the University of Kent. She is a poet, translator and painter. However, she has not painted for some time because of a lack of time. She had collections of her poems published in Kurdish before she started writing in English. One of the reasons she began writing in English was because she wanted to share her poetry, something very important to her, with her friends. She had tried translating what she had written from Kurdish into English but found that it didn’t really work. For example, Kurdish poems use many more adjectives than English ones.

At the border Objective: to learn about the themes covered in conflict poetry. Outcome: Annotated poetry ‘It is your last check-in point in this country!’ We grabbed a drink – soon everything would taste different. The land under our feet continued divided by a thick iron chain. My sister put her leg across it. ‘Look over here,’ she said to us, ‘my right leg is in this country and my left leg in the other.’ The border guards told her off. My mother informed me: We are going home. She said that the roads are much cleaner the landscape is more beautiful and people are much kinder. Dozens of families waited in the rain. ‘I can inhale home,’ somebody said. Now our mothers were crying. I was five years old standing by the check-in point comparing both sides of the border.   The autumn soil continued on the other side with the same colour, the same texture. It rained on both sides of the chain. We waited while our papers were checked, our faces thoroughly inspected. Then the chain was removed to let us through. A man bent down and kissed his muddy homeland. The same chain of mountains encompassed all of us.

At the border, 1979 Experience something- family’s life will change- Apprehension ‘It is your last check-in point in this country!’ We grabbed a drink – soon everything would taste different. The land under our feet continued divided by a thick iron chain. My sister put her leg across it. ‘Look over here,’ she said to us, ‘my right leg is in this country and my left leg in the other.’ The border guards told her off. Adults notice importance of chain- child doesn’t Playful stern Hardi- Born Iraqi Kurdistan 1974- fled Iran when she was a baby. Returned when 5 years old. When 14yrs old Iraq Kurds attacked by chemical weapons. Moved to England when 20.

My mother informed me: We are going home. Mothers are emotional Repetition – highlight it will be better to a confused child who thought it would be the same. My mother informed me: We are going home. She said that the roads are much cleaner the landscape is more beautiful and people are much kinder.   Dozens of families waited in the rain. ‘I can inhale home,’ somebody said. Now our mothers were crying. I was five years old standing by the check-in point comparing both sides of the border. Refugee trying to breathe in all the pleasures and memories of a former life Structure- free verse 7 stanzas varying length= conversational. 2nd stanza shorter= key message.

The autumn soil continued on the other side Language- autobiographical- direct speech=immediacy- Hardi questions what is the same and what is different. Simple uncomplicated language- 2nd language- nostalgic- distanced from situation and lack of understanding. The autumn soil continued on the other side with the same colour, the same texture. It rained on both sides of the chain.   We waited while our papers were checked, our faces thoroughly inspected. Then the chain was removed to let us through. A man bent down and kissed his muddy homeland. The same chain of mountains encompassed all of us. Chain used 4 times- binding/connecting/tying up- collective known for mountain range- reference to setting and country. Kurdistan- mountainous area- Kurds identity repressed.

Questions on ‘At the border’ Objective: to learn about the themes covered in conflict poetry. Outcome: Annotated poetry What does the poem show us about family? Why does Hardi use a child’s perspective? Why does Hardi use repetition in stanza 4?