Mother Any Distance By Simon Armitage Flashcards
What is the poem about?
Narrator’s mother comes to the house he’s moving into
Reflects on how his mother has always helped him-but has to let him go
Narrator is excited but also sacred
Form of the poem
Loosely written int he form of a sonnet
Unlike a sonnet,the poem has an irregular rhyme scheme-narrators uncertainty
Uneven lines if the last stanza reflects how the bond between soma son mother is at “breaking point”
Structure of the poem
Stanza 1=how he needs his mother
Stanza 2=begins to explore independence
Final stanza= something has to go if he wants to succeed independently
“Acres of the walls, the priories of the floors”
Metaphors and hyperbole create image of vast,open spaces -hints at adventure but also daunting
“You are at the zero end”
Reflects Start of his life
“Anchor. Kite”
He’s a kite starting to fly, but his mother anchors him to keep him secure
Two one word sentences slow the pace of the eps, suggesting he feels apprehensive and thoughtful
“Your fingerprints still pinch “
“Pinch” desperately she doesn’t want to let go but also suggest pain he will experience if she holds him back
“An endless sky
To fall or fly”
“Fly”Bird imagery-suggests he is breaking free from his mother but doesn’t know if he will succeed.
“Endless sky” he feels there is no limit
Language about movement in the poem
Used to show how the poet is breaking away from his mother
Imagery in the poem
Visual imagery of the tape as a link between the mother and son suggests an umbilical cord
Imagery go t”kite”and “anchor”
