1. Love and Relationships
Poetry Anthology
Love and Relationships

2. Friday’s paper:

3. Recap the structure of the poetry essays:
Section B/C: intro focused on task and the texts. What is/are the poem/s literally about? What is/are the poem’s/poems’ messages on the focus of the question? What is the poem’s tone? Focus on language/form and structure in exploring the focus of the task (using comparative connectives in the comparative section)

4. Example intro section: question how do the poets explore relationships through nature
In ‘Letters from Yorkshire’ and ‘Neutral Tones’ the poets use nature as a device to explore the poets’ feelings. In ‘Letters from Yorkshire’ the poet describes how a letter from a friend brings her positive news of changes in the natural world, which provides an insight beyond London where she writes as a journalist. ‘Neutral Tones’, on the other hand, is told from the narrative viewpoint of a jilted lover who describes the natural world around him as he broke up with a previous relationship. In both poems the poets seem to suggest that love is intrinsically linked to the natural world, perhaps suggesting love, and indeed the death of love, is a natural process. The tone of ‘Letters from Yorkshire’ is reflective as she reviews her life in relation to his insight into ‘seeing the seasons/turning’ ‘out there, in the cold’. She asks ‘Is your life more real because you dig and sow?’. Her question suggests she feels somewhat detached from the real world as she works behind a computer, ironically reporting on ‘real life’ and yet he is actually physically engaging with the world. Nature is therefore used to reveal their relationship makes her reconsider her own life and offers a fresh perspective on ‘reality’. It ultimately is an enriching process. Whereas the tone of ‘Neutral Tones’ is bitter and the natural imagery enhances the sense of bitterness through references to ‘the sun was white’ and the ‘starving sod’ both of which symbolise the cold nature of their relationship and the way in which it no longer provides enrichment for either couple which contrasts dramatically with the message in ‘Letters from Yorkshire’.

5. Main paragraphs should then explore L, F and S but stay firmly linked to the task
‘Letters from Yorkshire’ begins by using asyndeton to describe ‘digging his garden, planting potatoes’ which firmly establishes his ongoing connection to the land. It creates the impression that he continuously and actively explores the natural world by preparing the earth, planting crops and later ‘breaking ice on the water butt’. Whilst it is similar to ‘Neutral Tones’ on a literal level, in that the season is ‘winter’ and there is a sense that the landscape is tough and barren, the effect is somewhat different as Dooley uses positive imagery such as the personification of his knuckles ‘singing’ in contrast to the ‘ash’ and ‘grey’ leaves in Neutral Tones. Through this the reader can infer that the man’s connection with the natural world in the first poem bring a positive aspect to their relationship, as he is able to convey to the narrator fresh experiences, however raw and harsh, and they can bond over this, whereas Neutral Tones merely uses Winter as a means of conveying the impending death of their feelings and the coldness between the pair.

6. Do the same but with just one poem!
Unseen poetry
Do the same but with just one poem!

7. 8 Mark comparative question: dive straight in
8 Mark comparative question: dive straight in! Remember the focus is on HOW not message however so you MUST talk technique

8. Group Work
In your groups discuss the ways in which the grouped poems could be linked. Consider:
Content
Themes
Techniques
Be prepared to feed back to/teach the rest of the class.

9. When we Two Parted Love’s Philosophy Porphyria’s Lover
Linking Poems
When we Two Parted Love’s Philosophy Porphyria’s Lover

10. Mother, any distance Walking Away Before you were Mine
Linking Poems
Mother, any distance Walking Away Before you were Mine

11. Climbing my Grandfather
Linking Poems
Climbing my Grandfather
Follower

12. Linking Poems
Eden Rock
Follower
Walking Away

13. Singh Song Sonnet 29 – I think of Thee The Farmer’s Bride
Linking Poems
Singh Song Sonnet 29 – I think of Thee The Farmer’s Bride

14. Neutral Tones Winter Swans Letters from Yorkshire
Linking Poems
Neutral Tones Winter Swans Letters from Yorkshire

15. Name that Poem An easy scramble onto his trousers
The glassy ridge of a scar
Reaching for the summit
Climbing My Grandfather: what’s it about, what’s it’s message? What’s it’s tone? What type of poem/poetic structure is it?

16. Name that Poem My father, twenty-five, in the same suit
…an old H.P. sauce bottle, a screw/Of paper for a cork
Crossing is not as hard as you might think
Eden Rock: what’s it about, what’s it’s message? What’s it’s tone? What type of poem/poetic structure is it?

17. Name that Poem …digging his garden, planting potatoes
My heartful of headlines
Our souls tap out messages across the icy miles
Letters From Yorkshire: what’s it about, what’s it’s message? What’s it’s tone? What type of poem/poetic structure is it?

18. Name that Poem …more’s to do/ At harvest time than bide and woo
…flying like a hare/ Before our lanterns
Her eyes, her hair, her hair
The Farmer’s Bride: what’s it about, what’s it’s message? What’s it’s tone? What type of poem/poetic structure is it?

19. Name that Poem A sunny day with leaves just turning
That hesitant figure, eddying away
…love is proved in the letting go
Walking Away: what’s it about, what’s it’s message? What’s it’s tone? What type of poem/poetic structure is it?

20. Name that Poem Thy vows are all broken Long, long shall I rue thee
With silence and tears
When We two Parted: what’s it about, what’s it’s message? What’s it’s tone? What type of poem/poetic structure is it?

21. Name that Poem Cos up di stairs is my newly bride
Hey Singh, ver yoo bin?
How much do yoo charge for dat moon baby?
Singh Song!: what’s it about, what’s it’s message? What’s it’s tone? What type of poem/poetic structure is it?

22. Name that Poem We stood by a pond that winter day
The smile on your mouth was the deadest thing
And a pond edged with greyish leaves
Neutral Tones: what’s it about, what’s it’s message? What’s it’s tone? What type of poem/poetic structure is it?

23. Name that Poem The waterlogged earth/gulping for breath
They halved themselves in the dark water
…our hands, that had, somehow/ swum the distance between us
Winter Swans: what’s it about, what’s it’s message? What’s it’s tone? What type of poem/poetic structure is it?

24. Name that Poem The horse strained at his clicking tongue
I stumbled in his hob-nailed wake
It is my father who keeps stumbling
Follower: what’s it about, what’s it’s message? What’s it’s tone? What type of poem/poetic structure is it?

25. Name that Poem Nothing in the World is single
See the mountains kiss high heaven
What are all these kissings worth,
If thou kiss not me?
Love’s Philosophy: what’s it about, what’s it’s message? What’s it’s tone? What type of poem/poetic structure is it?

26. Name that Poem …a second pair of hands Anchor. Kite.
…a hatch that opens on an endless sky
Mother, any distance: what’s it about, what’s it’s message? What’s it’s tone? What type of poem/poetic structure is it?

27. Name that Poem The sullen wind was soon awake
She put my arm about her waist
Again/ laughed the blue eyes without a stain
Porphyria’s Lover:what’s it about, what’s it’s message? What’s it’s tone? What type of poem/poetic structure is it?

28. Name That Poem Put out broad leaves
Rustle thy boughs and set thy trunk all bare
I am too near thee
Sonnet 29 – I think of Thee: what’s it about, what’s it’s message? What’s it’s tone? What type of poem/poetic structure is it?

29. Name That Poem Your polka-dot dress blows round your legs. Marilyn.
The thought of me doesn’t occur
I wanted the bold girl walking in Portobello
Before You Were Mine: what’s it about, what’s it’s message? What’s it’s tone? What type of poem/poetic structure is it?