Page 2: Development and Emotional Core

The mother's narrative continues with increasingly emotional observations and memories, culminating in powerful imagery of loss and grief.

Quote: "Later a single dove flew from the pear tree, / and this is where it has led me"

Highlight: The poem uses free verse structure to mirror the mother's confused and chaotic emotional state.

Example: The imagery of "Sellotape bandaged around my hand" combines domestic elements with suggestions of injury and pain.

Vocabulary:

• Spasm: Sudden, involuntary muscle contraction
• Blockade: Military isolation or closure
• Reinforcements: Additional support or strength

The page concludes with powerful imagery of the mother tracing inscriptions on a war memorial, emphasizing the ultimate sacrifice of her son and connecting to broader themes of war remembrance in aqa english e library poems.

Page 1: Introduction and Opening Stanzas

The poem opens in the context of Armistice Sunday, establishing its connection to war remembrance. The mother describes pinning a poppy to her son's lapel before his departure.

Context: Jane Weir (b. 1963) grew up in Italy and England, working as a textile designer and experiencing the Northern Ireland troubles firsthand.

Quote: "Three days before Armistice Sunday / and poppies had already been placed / on individual war graves."

Highlight: The poem employs domestic imagery intertwined with war metaphors, creating a powerful contrast between home life and military conflict.

Vocabulary:

• Armistice: The agreement to stop fighting in World War I
• Lapel: The folded part of a coat or jacket front
• Crimped: Pressed into small folds