Poems of Time and Reflection
Explore a collection of poems reflecting on themes of education, past experiences, nostalgia, and family relationships. The poems delve into the nuances of childhood, growing up, and the impact of time on personal memories and perspectives.
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Poem Theme Link: Time = all poems Education Past Overview of Poems Meaning The Captain of the 1964 Top of the Form Team The Captain explores a reflection on school days and how at that time in his life the persona was in control of everything and felt superior to his fellow classmates and had freedom of choice. As life progressed it becomes evident that the control and pleasure that the persona had in coming top of the class and being superior to others in later life has meant he is disappointed in the way that his life has turned out. The volta in the poem between the past and the present suggests a sense of disgust and that the persona is disgruntled and unhappy with his wife and his children and perhaps there is an element of rose tinted glasses being used to portray the school days within the poem, as everything appears (in his childhood) to be positive and everything in adult life negative (including work and relationships). Perhaps, Duffy is implying that we create our own emotional responses and happiness and reflecting positively on the past isn t always conducive to a happy adult life. When comparing this we could look at ideas around: time, education, the presentation of the persona, dissatisfaction with life and life changes. A litany is a clergy led recital often in a church however in this poem the gossiping mothers appear to recite materialistic goods as if they hold a religious reverence. At their feet is a young impressionable child who learns about the lives of others through the gossip of the mothers. An act of rebellion occurs and the child swears bringing shame on the mother but also perhaps exploring the hypocrisy of these housewives. Nostalgia charts the homesickness of Swiss mercenaries who left their homes to fight for money. These men were hardened fighters who had to provide for their families. However, while away from home they could not recognise what the feelings they had were and this was then recognised as a feeling of nostalgia for the higher air and the sense of dissatisfaction that not only going away can cause, but in the poem upon returning the recognition that nothing remains the same either. This poem appears to be semi-autobiographical as Duffy grew up in Stafford and reflects on the persona as a child, yet not quite a child they appear to be on the cusp of adulthood. The persona explores the woods surrounding a street on her own and comes across a man who exposes himself to her. She runs away, but the poem clearly links to a loss of innocence as once she has seen the man masturbating, the persona cannot ignore this and Duffy appears to reflect on how a moment in time can change everything in this poem. It has a dark and sinister undertone. The poem explores how a family of five can grow up together and come back together for family occasions but have lost common ground. Duffy had four brothers and this poem talks about the differences between the characters and shows a sense of shared history, while having a life of their own as adults. Litany Past Religion Nostalgia Nostalgia Place Stafford Afternoons Place Past Isolation Brothers Family Past
Before You Were Mine Past Family Reminiscing The persona looks at a photo of her mum from a time before she was born. The mum appears to be happy, full of life and enjoying herself and the persona reflects on what her mother was like as a person throughout her life (before she was born) and then the type of mother that she was. The mother sounds fun loving and energetic and there is a sense that the persona admires and loves her very much. The poem is set in Glasgow and the colloquialisms used in the poem suggest this and may therefore indicate that this is a semi-autobiographical poem about Duffy s own mother as she was born in Glasgow, before moving to Stafford as a young child with her family. Welltread Education Past The poem discusses an autocratic head teacher who appears to be incredibly strict and uses corporal punishment in his school, however as you read you realise that the Head has good intentions and cares about the children, just that the dictatorship style of leading is at odds with Duffy s portrayal of him. Throughout the poem we see the day to day working of the school and the feelings of shame that the punishment meted out brings back many years later. This poem reflects the unsettling experience of going to confession in a catholic church. The secrecy is highlighted, and the persona appears dissatisfied with the way the religion is set up in this poem. There is a clear sinister edge to the confession box and Duffy may be reflecting on her own experiences here from childhood. A schoolgirl explores what made a good teacher in the days when you could be in a photo twice because while the camera was preparing you could run around the back of the picture and the picture would develop with you in two places the original place and the second position. A scathing account is given of the way some teachers behave in a manner that makes them sound as if they believe in their own superiority, but there is a clear hero worship for the English teacher in the poem. Interestingly, as Duffy is a poet and teaches on the creative writing masters at Manchester University it is unsurprising that the teacher she admires, and lauds is the English one. Confession Religion Place The Good Teachers Education The Past Like Earning a Living The Past Education Regret A poem which highlights how dissatisfied with teaching one teacher is. It could also reflect how upon growing up life isn t what you expect it to be. The poem could also be a reflection on the youth of the time, as they come out of this poem appearing a bit thick and stupid, whereas the teacher just sounds fed up and depressed with the routine and mundanity she experiences when teaching.
The Clich Kid Mental Health Duffy explores the mental health of a persona in this poem by reflecting on the past and how experiences seem to have shaped them and made them jumpy and nervous. The persona seems anxious not only of what has happened in the past but also of any regrets they may have in the future. Pluto Mental Health Age Past An old man appears to be in a nursing home or OAP home, suffering from dementia, reflect on memories that are sharp and painful as they return to him when he is washing his hands. The time frame fluctuates from the present to the past and is incredibly poignant and saddening. Beachcomber Past Reminiscing A persona is remembering fragments of the past, which seem disjointed and hard to piece together. There is a real sense of loss in the poem and the setting is on the beach. It feels as though the persona is looking for something or trying to remember the significance of the event that they are reflecting on. Caul The Past Memory A caul is the skin of the amniotic sac that babies are protected in the womb with. Occasionally, these sacs cover the babies head when they are born and this is said to be lucky to sailors. This semi-autobiographical poem reflects on what luck the persona may have had if they retained the caul that they were born with. Away and See The Past Reflections This colloquial phrase implies that there are many adventures to be had in the world and that we should encourage others to have these adventures. It feels like a new beginning in this poem and there is a sense of hope and joy throughout. A light-hearted poem which explores what it is like to be under the influence of alcohol and see things through a lens of drunkenness. The persona finds small things amusing and seems to love everything. This poem is very short and quite simple. Drunk Emotions Small Female Skull Love Regret This reflects on the experience of a hangover and the persona sits in the bathroom with their hands in their heads reflecting on how they got bruised and into the state that they are in.
Moments of Grace The Past Identity/Language This is a dreamlike poem where the persona appears to drift through the day in a daydream, reflecting on past events and people that they have loved and known. It appears to link to ageing and love. First Love Love Childhood Relationships Obsession Fame Reflection This poem reflects on a past relationship and leaves the persona with a sense of wonder at what could have been. The persona is looking back at their first love and wondering about what could have been. Caf Royal This poem explores the persona s obsession with Oscar Wilde and their desire to be able to warn him about what is going to happen. The persona sits in a bar that Wilde once drank in and reflects on what it would have been like to have met him and spoken to him. Crush Love Reflections/The Past Loss The Past Relationships Love is explored in this poem and the excitement of a first crush on someone. This reflection is of a past crush and the feeling of being unable to get the person out of your mind. Never Go Back Stanza one is a reflection of what is happening around the persona shows the start of the emotional negativity (tone of the whole poem). S2 the internal thinking of the persona is reflected through the pathetic fallacy. Death of a wedding and the pain wedding was the start and this reflects the end. Emotions are anger/pain/guilt/suffering as if the relationship ended badly. Offers a sense of closure realisation that they don t belong here anymore. Physical end of this life and metaphorical death of the relationship. Death of a marriage makes her notice everything and there is a sense that there is a death of hope. Her perception and view on life has changed without her partner. Entering a new life and there is a sense of optimism now. Forget all the way home ready to let go. In the end the persona is proactive in the final stanza. Oslo Journey / Place The persona appears to have travelled for a job and is in a strange Norwegian town. They discuss through the poem the relationship between being in an unfamiliar place and what you can do on our own when you don t speak the language. At the end of the poem the persona reflects on their partner who is back home.
The Grammar of Light The poem appears to be an extended metaphor for the memories that the persona is reliving throughout the day. As if the moments of grace that the persona gets are through the remembrance of different times and different places and people that they have known. There is a sense that language is important and that they have become less active as they have aged than they were in the past. Time appears to have stolen up on the persona and changed the way that they are. Valentine Love Reality The poem is an extended metaphor about love being compared to an onion. An onion is given as a real and tangible gift, something that is useful and has depth, unlike the usual frivolity that accompanies Valentine gifts. The persona seems to be reflecting on love as a realistic depiction rather than a stereotype. Sleeping Love Sex Relationships This is an incredibly sexual poem that discusses the act of having sex in the night-time when the persona is half asleep. It begins like a dream and then as the poem continues and the final line appears to be the orgasm. The whole poem explores sex as a consensual act that seems to be happening when the two parties trust each other and are in a relationship. The poem reflects on a sexual encounter or a sexual experience and the steam could be a metaphor for this being in a spa or a bathroom. It appears to reflect on a new relationship and the stages involved in getting to know that person and then being in a relationship where the person has become a real whole being as opposed to a shadow of a person that you don t know well. Steam Relationships Sex Love Close Love Relationships The poem appears to be ambiguous as suggested in the name which can be read as the end of something or being close to someone. It discusses a relationship and appears to be about the breakdown of the relationship and the fact that the persona is at the point where they aren t really communicating effectively or it could be about wanting to be close to the person they are in a relationship with again.
The Suicide Death Strong emotions Relationships The persona contemplates suicide and appears to have juxtaposing emotions about the thought of doing this. They appear to have been hurt emotionally and cheated on by a lover and this causes them to take a perverse sort of joy in the act of committing suicide. It is ambiguous as to whether the persona actually does commit the act, but there is a sense of selfishness throughout the poem and it is only in the final line that they consider the feelings of their loved ones. This poem is slightly disturbing, in that It appears to be about a taxidermist stuffing animals to begin with and then changes and becomes darker and more disturbing. Near the end the persona appears to be talking about a human and how the persona gets sexual kicks from subjecting the female to his own male dominance. The dramatic monologue is written from a male persona s point of view and has many sexual connotations referenced throughout the poem. Duffy could be commenting on the objectification of women and how this needs to stop. Stuffed Relationships Obsessive behaviour Fraud Deceit The poem tells the story of Robert Maxwell who was a media mogul who died in strange circumstances drowning from his private yacht. However, after his death many financial irregularities in his business were discovered and the poem explores this and other elements of his life. Based on a writer exploring the life of Dickens as he writes a biography of the great writer. Throughout the poem the writer becomes more and more selfish and begins to behave in some of the same ways as Dickens did in his life. The writer recognises how selfish and different he is and realises that his obsessive behaviour is not normal and out of character. As the writer spends more time writing the Dickens biography he becomes removed from his own family, has an affair and seems unhappy with his lot. Adultery is damaging to both the adulterer and their partner. The betrayed person has discovered the betrayal and is trying to come to terms with whether it was a sexual only relationship of an emotional one. Having an affair is not as glamourous as it might first seem. You gather a sense of remorse, guilt and shame. The person being cheated on has seen the signs, but been unable to put it into words. Incredibly sexual and like an addiction, even though morally they are aware it is wrong. The persona is going over and over events until they seem to be going mad from them. Throughout the poem the persona (s) appear to mix between the betrayed and the betrayer. The Biographer Idolisation Obsession Adultery Love Relationships
Havisham Relationships Loss Deceit Strong emotions Havisham is inspired by the book Great Expectations and the character of Miss Havisham, who becomes bitter and twisted as a result of being jilted on her wedding day. Duffy explores the emotions that the character has as she wallows in a self-pitying and destructive manner, until she is a shadow of her former self. The entire poem is negative, and the self-destruction is evident in every sound and action that the persona has. By removing the Miss from the title and depersonalising her she becomes even less human in the mind of the readers and her extreme reaction to being a spinster shows that love can be a life-altering and have lasting ramifications for a person. The persona is unhappy, bitter and neglected, perhaps because of being rejected, but perhaps due to her wallowing in regret and anger that she does after the event. The Windows Relationships Regret The persona is looking in on another family through the windows and reflecting on what they see and how it makes them feel. They appear to be feeling neglected in comparison and seem isolated as they wonder about how to get a life like the one that they see. The poem has a feeling of voyeurism about it as if the persona is jealous of the life that they imagine going on behind the windows. Disgrace Relationships Love Deceit Isolation Social Outcast This poem appears to reflect on the downfall of a relationship and how the two people in the relationship recognise the state that it is in but appear powerless to do anything about it. They live together but are not happy. Room appears to be about the physical state of the place they live in being reflected in their mental state. The persona appears hopeless/helpless and isolated from society. There is a sense of loss and as if they have failed or that life has not gone to plan and this leads to the loss of their future. Metaphorically, it could be about the loss of a relationship reinforced by the mention of singular objects in the room. Room Mean Time Relationships Reality The poem appears to reflect on a persona s loneliness after the break up of a relationship. There is a sense of finality in this poem as if they can t recover the love that they once had. Prayer Religion Deceit Hope/Faith Relationships This is a more uplifting poem about religion, which appears to look at religion as something that you can turn your back on, but which at certain times will still bring you comfort and joy. There is a peacefulness about this poem.
