Themes: War, Death/Human Suffering, Vivid language/imagery, Religious Imagery Type: Regular form Background Written by Carol Ann Duffy – first female Poet Laureate The poem explores the differences between Rural England and a warzone The photographer doesn’t feel at home in the warzone – “impassively” “where he earns his living” – but doesn’t feel at home…
Essay #1 ‘Prayer Before Birth’ and ‘War Photographer’ both reveal poets who are captivated by aspects of society and at the same time are concerned to explore the effects society has on individuals. Both poems are well structured and have imposing language. Through her poem ‘War Photographer’, Carol Ann Duffy casts a harsh light on…
The narrator imagines her mother’s life before she was born. The speaker says the mother was her happiest in the 10 years before she was born. She remembers glimpses of her childhood. She realizes her mother was deprived of her happiness and glamour after she was born. Ideas and Themes: Family relationships Memory Structure: Begins…
This poem is not a traditional love poem. The poem presents love in many different ways but is very unique in its interpretation of love. Havisham is a poem written in 1998 by Carol Ann Duffy. It responds to Charles Dickens’ character Miss Havisham from his novel Great Expectations, looking at Havisham’s mental and physical state many decades after being left…