Climbing My Grandfather

Cards (31)

  • Who wrote Climbing My Grandfather?
    Andrew Waterhouse
  • What era is Climbing My Grandfather from?
    Modern
  • Who is the voice of Climbing My Grandfather?
    The grandchild
  • What is the tone of Climbing My Grandfather?
    Warm and gentle
  • What are the two semantic fields in Climbing My Grandfather?
    Climbing and clothing/body
  • What relationship is presented in Climbing My Grandfather?
    Grandfather and grandson
  • What is the form of Climbing My Grandfather?
    One long, end-stopped stanza
  • I decide to do it free, without a rope or net. /
    First, the old brogues, dusty and cracked; /
    an easy scramble onto his trousers, /
    pushing into the weave, trying to get a grip.
  • By the overhanging shirt I change /
    direction, traverse along his belt /
    to an earth-stained hand. The nails /
    are splintered and give good purchase,
  • the skin of his finger is smooth and thick /
    like warm ice. On his arm I discover /
    the glassy ridge of a scar, place my feet /
    gently in the old stitches and move on.
  • At his still firm shoulder, I rest for a while /
    in the shade, not looking down, /
    for climbing has its dangers, then pull /
    myself up the loose skin of his neck
  • to a smiling mouth to drink among teeth. /
    Refreshed, I cross the screed cheek, /
    to stare into his brown eyes, watch a pupil /
    slowly open and close. Then up over
  • the forehead, the wrinkles well-spaced /
    and easy, to his thick hair (soft and white /
    at this altitude), reaching for the summit, /
    where gasping for breath I can only lie
  • watching clouds and birds circle, /
    feeling his heat, knowing /
    the slow pulse of his good heart.
  • What words are in the semantic field of climbing?
    'free', 'scramble', 'overhanging', 'traverse', 'purchase', 'ridge', 'shade', 'climbing', 'altitude', and 'summit'
  • What words/phrases are in the semantic field of clothing/body?
    'brogues', 'trousers', 'shirt', 'belt', 'hand', 'nails', 'finger', 'arm', 'shoulder', 'loose skin of his neck', 'mouth', 'teeth', 'brown eyes', 'forehead', 'wrinkles', 'hair' and 'heart'
  • What is significant about the phrase: 'the old brogues, dusty and cracked'?
    The article 'the' suggests familiarity
  • What is significant about the enjambment in the poem?
    It reflects the movements the grandchild is making
  • What is significant about the word 'purchase'?
    It suggests security and safety
  • What technique is used in the following phrase and what the effect: 'warm ice'?
    Oxymoron - it shows that although the grandfather is warm, his skin is hard
  • What is significant about the word 'discover'?
    It shows that the grandchild sees getting to know his grandfather as an adventure
  • What technique is used in the following lines and what is the effect: 'the skin of his finger is smooth and thick / like warm ice.'?
    Simile - is a direct comparison of texture to show what his finger is like
  • What does the adjective 'firm' suggest about the grandfather?
    He is strong
  • What technique is used in the following line and what does it mean: 'to a smiling mouth to drink among teeth. / Refreshed,'?
    Metaphor - describes how the grandfather's smile rejuvenates the grandchild
  • What technique is used in the following phrase and what is the effect: 'screed cheek'?
    Assonance - elongates the line
  • What is significant about the word 'screed'?
    It often refers to rough concrete which suggests the grandfather's cheek is rough
  • Why is the word 'pupil' significant?
    It refers literally to the eye but may also be a metaphor for a student who is learning from their grandfather
  • What is significant about the phrase: 'soft and white / at this altitude'?
    It is referring to the hair colour of the grandfather and comparing it to snow, altitude may be referring to his age rather than height
  • What is significant about the following line: 'the slow pulse of his good heart.'?
    It is monosyllabic and mimics a heartbeat
  • What is the main feeling presented in the poem?
    Inquisitiveness
  • What are the key themes presented in Climbing My Grandfather?
    Family relationships and getting older