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Poetry
Climbing My Grandfather
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porsha johanna
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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