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‘Letters from Yorkshire’
Maura Dooley
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Which seems most likely to you?
First Impressions Which seems most likely to you? Son or daughter Brother or sister Wife or husband Lover Grandparent Grandson or granddaughter Parent Getting a letter from
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Maura Dooley Born in 1957 in Cornwall
She has Irish roots that are sometimes apparent in her poetry Her poetry is often based on her own personal memories, but she is quick to point out that ‘I’ isn’t her own voice She studied at York University In 1987 she won the Eric Gregory Award for poets under 30. She promotes the arts and teaches writing. She says that she writes poetry to ‘work out how I feel’ and that poetry can help her ‘understand the world’
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Starts off in 3rd person He works closely with the land Alliteration – shows it is a repetitive and ordinary action In February, digging his garden, planting potatoes, he saw the first lapwings return and came indoors to write to me, his knuckles singing Use of caesura shifts the focus from his ordinary actions to personification – he enjoys doing this He’s connected with nature and it’s cycles Lapwings represent spring
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It is just the man’s reality – short sentence shows it is definitely not ‘romantic’
Contrast between ‘warmth’ and ‘cold’ as they reddened in the warmth It’s not romance, simply how things are. You out there, in the cold, seeing the seasons Monosyllabic words reflect his way of life The ‘he’ becomes ‘you’ – directly addressing makes it more personal
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Use of present participle – like the actions described continue to happen now – 2 lives go on, but in different and contrasting ways Enjambment – reflects how seasons merge into one another Contrast between her feeding words and him feeding people Imagery – her work revolves around words which is a contrast to his physical work. Is she watching something upsetting? turning, me with my heartful of headlines feeding words onto a blank screen. Is your life more real because you dig and sow? The computer shows a contrast between their lifestyles and professions –’blank screen’ sounds lifeless and empty compared to his ‘singing’ knuckles The question stands out. Who is asking it? Why wouldn’t he agree?
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Their lifestyle is very different
Description of boring, physical tasks show how he sees himself as ordinary – also shows his connection with nature Caesura shows a contrasting perspective – the narrator thinks there is something special about his life You wouldn’t say so, breaking ice on a waterbutt, clearing a path through snow. Still, it’s you who sends me word of that other world Alliteration and assonance – the words sound similar but different. They are close, but also very distant Their lifestyle is very different
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Metaphor - More natural than the words that she writes – almost sounds magical
Shared experience – makes her feel closer to him pouring air and light into an envelope. So that at night, watching the same news in different houses, our souls tap out messages across the icy miles. Spiritual language show that they have a deep and meaningful connection Communication brings them together, despite the distance between them. The distance is ‘icy’ suggests that she dislikes being so far away from him ‘me’ and ‘you’ have become ‘our’- shows connection between them
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Structure and form 5 stanzas – each 3 lines
Fairly orderly although there is some difference in line length – does this reflect their orderly routines? Uses everyday language to convey deeper meanings e.g ice on water butt, breaking the ice Enjambment – carries the meaning of the poem across verses – symbolises the connection, despite the distance Commas used for list of jobs First 2 stanzas – man’s life Stanza 3 – sat at computer Stanza 4 – return to man Stanza 5 - connection
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Imagery Caesura Pronouns Contrast Enjambment Simile Personification Third person Comparison Physical Verbs Alliteration Free Verse Bond Communication Imagery Caesura Pronouns Contrast Enjambment Simile Personification Third person Comparison Physical Verbs Alliteration Free Verse Bond Communication Imagery Caesura Pronouns Contrast Enjambment Simile Personification Third person Comparison Physical Verbs Alliteration Free Verse Bond Communication Imagery Caesura Pronouns Contrast Enjambment Simile Personification Third person Comparison Physical Verbs Alliteration Free Verse Bond Communication DIGGING – HE – ME – WARMTH – ROMANCE – YOU – HEADLINE – BLANK – REAL – ICE – SNOW – OTHER – POURING – DIFFERENT - SOULS DIGGING – HE – ME – WARMTH – ROMANCE – YOU – HEADLINE – BLANK – REAL – ICE – SNOW – OTHER – POURING – DIFFERENT - SOULS DIGGING – HE – ME – WARMTH – ROMANCE – YOU – HEADLINE – BLANK – REAL – ICE – SNOW – OTHER – POURING – DIFFERENT - SOULS DIGGING – HE – ME – WARMTH – ROMANCE – YOU – HEADLINE – BLANK – REAL – ICE – SNOW – OTHER – POURING – DIFFERENT - SOULS
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