1. Amends
By Adrienne Rich

2. Adrienne Rich American Woman Active feminist
From the 1960’s onwards wrote many poems about women’s role in society, racism, and the Vietnam War
Father encouraged her to write
Felt unfulfilled due to conflicting roles/ambitions (poet & mother)

3. Title
Amends =
Reparation
Putting things right
Improvement
Forgiveness

4. Stanza 1 The moon shines bright: in such a night as this,
Nights like this: on the cold apple-bough
A white star, then another
Exploding out of the bark:
On the ground, moonlight picking at small stones
‘nights like this’ = Merchant of Venice, Act 5
The moon shines bright: in such a night as this,
When the sweet wind did gently kiss the trees,
And they did make no noise, in such a night,
Troilus methinks mounted the Troyan walls,
And sigh'd his soul toward the Grecian tents,
Where Cressid lay that night.

5. Stanza 1 “cold” = “white star” = “then another” = Atmosphere Night
Nights like this: on the cold apple-bough
A white star, then another
Exploding out of the bark:
On the ground, moonlight picking at small stones
“cold” =
Atmosphere
Night
Harsh
“white star” =
Blossoms/moonlight
“then another” =
Keeps happening
Many blossoms/light beams

6. Stanza 1 “exploding” = “moonlight picking” = “small stones” = Violent
Nights like this: on the cold apple-bough
A white star, then another
Exploding out of the bark:
On the ground, moonlight picking at small stones
“exploding” =
Violent
Incongruous
Loud
Harsh
“moonlight picking” =
1st mention
Personification
Reflecting off some stones
more than others
“small stones” =
‘Zoomed in’
Small range of view

7. Stanza 1 Mood = No rhyming Colons = Busy Itemise/list progression Sky
Nights like this: on the cold apple-bough
A white star, then another
Exploding out of the bark:
On the ground, moonlight picking at small stones
Mood =
Busy
No rhyming
Colons =
Itemise/list progression
Sky
Tree
Ground

8. Stanza 2 “Greater Stones” = “rises with surf” = “laying its cheek” =
As it picks at greater stones, as it rises with the surf
Laying its cheek for moments on the sand
As it licks the broken ledge, as it flows up the cliffs
As it flicks across the tracks
“Greater Stones” =
‘Zoomed out’
“rises with surf” =
Reflects
Transparent effect
Bobbing
“laying its cheek” =
Relaxing
Touch
Femininity

9. Stanza 2 “moments” = “sand” = “licks” = “broken” = Longer than picking
As it picks at greater stones, as it rises with the surf
Laying its cheek for moments on the sand
As it licks the broken ledge, as it flows up the cliffs
As it flicks across the tracks
“moments” =
Longer than picking
Sand more than stones
“sand” =
Relaxation
“licks” =
Semi-appeal to taste
Femininity (caring, motherly
figure)
“broken” =
Confirms motherly nature
Moonlight trying to make amends

10. Stanza 2 “flows up the cliffs” = “flicks” = “tracks” = Water
As it picks at greater stones, as it rises with the surf
Laying its cheek for moments on the sand
As it licks the broken ledge, as it flows up the cliffs
As it flicks across the tracks
“flows up the cliffs” =
Water
Lots of reflection
Cliffs common near beaches
Uncontrolled
Relaxed, calm (no violent
language)
“flicks” =
Little reflection
“tracks” =
Common near beaches
Relaxing environments
Nature

11. Stanza 2 “picks”, “licks”, “flicks” = Mood & Rhythm = Rhyme
As it picks at greater stones, as it rises with the surf
Laying its cheek for moments on the sand
As it licks the broken ledge, as it flows up the cliffs
As it flicks across the tracks
“picks”, “licks”, “flicks” =
Rhyme
Light touches
Femininity
Mood & Rhythm =
Relaxed
Calm

12. Stanza 3 “unavailing” = “pours” = “gash” = Pointless Too weak
As it unavailing pours into the gash
Of the sand-and-gravel quarry
As it leans across the hangared fuselage
Of the crop-dusting plane
“unavailing” =
Pointless
Too weak
Continuously
“pours” =
Lots of light
“gash” =
Wound in nature

13. Stanza 3 “quarry” = “leans” = Links to gash Destruction of nature
As it unavailing pours into the gash
Of the sand-and-gravel quarry
As it leans across the hangared fuselage
Of the crop-dusting plane
“quarry” =
Links to gash
Destruction of nature
Too weak
Continuously
“leans” =
Reflection off plane
Lack of balance

14. Stanza 3 “hangared fuselage” = “crop-dusting” = Body of plane
As it unavailing pours into the gash
Of the sand-and-gravel quarry
As it leans across the hangared fuselage
Of the crop-dusting plane
“hangared fuselage” =
Body of plane
Plane ‘sleeping’
Links to “sleepers”
“crop-dusting” =
Poisons (insecticides etc.)
Damage nature

15. Stanza 4 “soaks” = “cracks” = “trailers” = Saturated in light
As it soaks through cracks into the trailers
Tremulous with sleep
As it dwells upon the eyelids of the sleepers
As if to make amends
“soaks” =
Saturated in light
Gathering more energy
Like water
“cracks” =
Light is ever-present
Cannot be destroyed
“trailers” =
Caravans
Poor people

16. Stanza 4 “tremulous” = “dwells” = “as if to make amends” =
As it soaks through cracks into the trailers
Tremulous with sleep
As it dwells upon the eyelids of the sleepers
As if to make amends
“tremulous” =
People are afraid
Contrasts with
the moon
“dwells” =
Gentle word
Protecting the “sleepers”
“as if to make amends” =
Uncertain why
Inanimateness of the moon
Light comforts the “sleepers”

17. Whole Poem No full stops (periods)= “it” = Constant use of “as” =
Continuous
“it” =
Moonlight
Reader forgets “it” is the moon
Constant use of “as” =
Adds to the itemising affect caused by the colons in stanza 1
Provides a source of animation for the light

18. Themes Femininity versus masculinity The destruction of nature by man
The relationship between humanity and the environment
The powerlessness of nature to retaliate against man’s actions

19. Essay Questions
How does Adrienne Rich describe the environment to present a theme in the poem Amends?
How is femininity expressed in the poem Amends by Adrienne Rich?
What figurative techniques are used to help express Adrienne Rich's opinions of the moon in the poem Amends?

20. THE END