lament

• Who is the poet of the poem "Lament"?

  Jillian Clark
• What type of poem is "Lament"?

  It is an elegy
• What does an elegy lament?

  Someone who has died
• What historical event does the poem "Lament" relate to?

  The Gulf War
• What year did the Gulf War occur?

  1991
• What does the title "Lament" signify in the poem?

  A list of lamented people and things
• What does the phrase "nest of sickness" imply about the turtle's habitat?

  It is polluted and unhealthy
• What does the term "pulsing burden" suggest about the green turtle?

  She is heavily pregnant
• What does the "funeral silk" refer to in the poem?

  Clothing associated with mourning
• How does the imagery of the Cormorant relate to oil spills?

  It symbolizes pollution from oil
• What does "the ocean's lap with its mortal stain" suggest?

  The ocean is polluted and dying
• Who is Ahmed in the context of the poem?

  A person affected by the Gulf War
• What does the phrase "uniform of fire" imply about the soldier?

  He is caught in an explosion
• What does the list of people in the poem signify?

  The tragic loss of life in war
• What creatures are lamented in the poem?

  Sea creatures affected by war
• What does "the whale struck down by the missiles thunder" depict?

  A whale killed by war violence
• What does "the veiled sun" symbolize in the poem?

  Smoke covering the sun from explosions
• How does the imagery of "burnt Earth" contribute to the poem's theme?

  It highlights environmental destruction
• What do "the ashes of language" imply in the context of war?

  The death of truth and communication
• How does the structure of "Lament" differ from traditional poems?

  It lacks a clear beginning, middle, and end
• What does Jillian Clark imply about war's impact on life?

  It causes grave damage to all life
• What inspired the imagery in "Lament"?

  Reports in the media
• What does the phrase "the soldier in his uniform of fire" refer to?

  A soldier burned in an explosion
• What is the effect of using specific imagery in the poem?

  It evokes strong emotional responses
• What is the title of the poem discussed in the study material?

  Lament
• Who is the poet of the poem "Lament"?

  Jillian Clark
• What type of poem is "Lament"?

  An elegy
• What historical event is the poem "Lament" about?

  The Gulf War in 1991
• What is the purpose of the poem "Lament"?

  To lament the damage and loss caused by the Gulf War
• What is the "pulsing burden" referred to in the first line of the poem?

  The pregnant green turtle
• What is the significance of the "funeral silk" and "veil of iridescence" used to describe the cormorant?

  It suggests the cormorant is covered in oil, mourning its death
• What does the "mortal stain" refer to in the poem?

  The oil spill that has polluted the ocean
• Who is "Ahmed" referred to in the poem?

  A person caught at the closed border during the war
• What is the "uniform of Fire" that the soldier is described as wearing?

  The soldier's body is on fire, likely from an explosion
• What is the significance of the list of people mentioned in the poem (e.g. gunsmith, armorer, boy fusilier, farmer's sons)?

  They represent the various people, both military and civilian, who were affected or killed in the war
• What sea creatures are mentioned in the poem as being affected by the war?

  Green turtles, cormorants, dugongs, dolphins, whales
• What is the significance of the "veiled sun" and "burnt Earth" mentioned in the poem?

  They suggest the war caused environmental damage, blocking out the sun and burning the land
• What does the phrase "ashes of language" refer to at the end of the poem?

  The death of truth and the breakdown of language during war
• What are the key structural and stylistic features of the poem "Lament"?

  • Lack of clear beginning, middle, and end - more like a collage or mosaic of images
  • Repetition of the word "lament" at the start of each stanza
  • Use of extended imagery and metaphor to describe the devastation of war
  • List-like structure with many different subjects/objects being lamented
  • Shift between human, animal, and environmental impacts of war
• What is the overall tone and message conveyed in the poem "Lament"?

  • Tone is one of deep sorrow, mourning, and lament for the widespread destruction caused by war
  • Message is that war has catastrophic impacts on all aspects of life - human, animal, and environmental
  • Poem serves as a lament for the loss and suffering inflicted by the Gulf War