War Photographer

• Context

  W.P was published in 1985, it references the Vietnam war which ended in 1975 so would still be in the living memory of Duffy's readership

  Line 12 - 'running children in a nightmare heat' alludes to Nick Ut's Napalm Girl photo - which was a photo of a 9 year old girl called Kim Phuc running towards the camera in agony during the Vietnam War

  Duffy may have been critiquing that over time, the impact of War Photography is depleting, emphasising that this single famous photograph is not enough recognition of the suffering that endures all over the world.
• spools of suffering set out in ordered rows

  The use of the metaphor creates the image of war graves. It is paradoxical that the chaotic suffering of war is wielded into an ordered form; the pain of war is placated for the eyes of the western world. The use of sibilance acts as a metaphor for the ways in which the agonies of war were silenced as the 's' sound is reminiscent of whispering.
• a hundred agonies in black and white


  The emotive metaphor shows what these photographs represent for the photographer, they are crystallisation of excruciating pain and suffering. The noun 'agonies' is used as a metonym for the photographs, we see the juxtaposition between how the photographer views them and how the Western world views them. The phrase 'black and white' is reminiscent of something historical and could perhaps be a criticism of war and how we as humans are not learning from the past—we continue to stick to our old ways.
• half-formed ghost


  The imagery of a 'half-formed ghost' has a dual meaning. It could perhaps be a graphic depiction of a body ravaged by war. Alternatively, it is a more literal allusion to a developing, but still faint image. Not only does the noun 'ghost' have ominous and harrowing connotations, it is a metaphor for how the suffering never becomes real for the Western world, it remains faint, distant and supernatural.
• all flesh is grass

  The Biblical reference (Isaiah 40:6) explains the transcience of human life. It also critiques how, in times of conflict; the gravitas of individual deaths reduces. The bodies are referred to through the noun 'flesh' which dehumanises and collectivises them; they are not recognised as individual people
• 'church', 'priest, 'mass' vs 'explode, tremble and twist'

  In the poem 'War Photographer', Duffy explores the dichotomy between religion and violence. The use of religious imagery contrasts with the rhetoric of war, highlighting the divide between war zones and England. The photographer's role is compared to that of a priest, making death more acceptable. Alternatively, it exposes Western hypocrisy in endorsing Christian values while allowing suffering to continue.
• Belfast, Beirut, Phnom Penh


  The plosive listing of war zones shows the global scale of the conflict. Despite happening worldwide, war is still overlooked and ignored. Moreover, the caesura, coupled with the plosive sound, creates a staccato sound to mirror the gunfire within warzones. By reducing conflicts to a single proper noun, Duffy highlights how the details and idiosyncrasies of different conflicts are overlooked. People forget that individual lives are affected.
• tears between the bath and pre lunch beers

  The line's internal rhyme creates joy, which contrasts with the intended shock and horror. Duffy uses "prick" to imply that the emotion is not fully formed. The photograph had no impact; readers forget it entirely. Duffy suggests people ignore the suffering of others, medicate themselves with beer, and avoid confronting reality. The photographer's life is tragic; his work ruined him.
• in his darkroom he is finally alone


  The phrase unequivocally discloses both his whereabouts and the subject matter of his photographs.
• Equal stanzas (form)


  The poem consists of four equal-length stanzas with a regular rhyme scheme, resembling the orderly arrangement of a photographer's film spools. This could be a metaphor for the imposition of order and structure on the chaos of war, or it could symbolize the poet's care in presenting her message. The unchanging form of the poem may represent the photographer's inability to influence his audience's perspectives and actions, rendering him powerless.
• Regular rhyme (form)

  • There is a regular ABBCDD rhyme scheme to once again reinforces this imposed order over the chaotic suffering of war. Even audibly, the notion of war is softened for the reader much like the horrors within the photographer's photographs are made palatable for his unreceptive audience.
• Cyclical structure (structure)

  The photographer's return to a warzone via an "aeroplane" symbolizes the never-ending cycle of war and suffering. This detachment from his home country highlights his internal conflict and inability to integrate into society. Ultimately, his vocation exposes him relentlessly to pain, but his efforts to evoke sympathy seem futile.
• Enjambment and caesura (structure)

  The enjambment represents the gradual revealing of the image as the photograph develops.

  Caesura is used to reiterate the notion of detachment, for example, "Rural England" is separated between two full stops. This highlights how overtly isolated "rural England" was from the war zones by installing a visual and audible barrier between it and the rest of the poem.
• Similarities with Poppies - Themes

  Both are written from the perspective of people outside of the conflict-external narrators. Both narrators are deeply emotionally affected by the prospect of war. Both grapple with the concept of memory.
• Differences with Poppies - Themes

  The suffering of war in W.P. is seen more explicitly and vividly, yet he is helpless. His powerful emotions extend from inner conflict and trauma from witnessing the horrors of war. However, In Poppies, the mother's powerful emotions stem from maternal love and the loss of her son to war.
• Differences with Poppies - Form

  Poppies is written as a dramatic monologue; it is a stream of emotions and is much rawer. W.P has a lack of regular rhythm, which presents it as personal and unfiltered, which contrasts the imposed order of W.P
• Similarities with Poppies - Structure

  Both use a combination of enjambment and caesura. They explore the idea of trying to control and restrain the emotional and tumultuous nature of war
• Differences with Poppies - Structure

  In Poppies, the caesura captures the speaker trying to restrain and control her emotions, yet the overall effect is a chaotic and disjointed poem to mirror her emotional state. Meanwhile, in W.P, the caesura is used to depict detachment and isolation. It builds a barrier between anarchy of war and the comparative serenity of England
• Similarities with Poppies - Context

  Both poets are currently alive and actively writing in the 21st century. They share a similar understanding of current political events. One could argue that both poets are attempting to give a personal and emotional significance to a war that may seem distant or disconnected to their readers, whether that disconnection is due to physical or temporal distance.
• Differences with Poppies - Context

  Poppies is an historical poem with allusions to WW1, i.e 'Armistice Sunday'. It was written for a collection of 21st Century War poems commissioned by Carol Ann Duffy. Published almost a century later, at the time of writing, the war would have been fleeting from people's living memory. It may have been written to ensure it remained a prevalent topic. Meanwhile, W.P is set in modern day. This meant that the reader would have first hand experience of the themes discussed
• Similarities with Remains - Themes

  Both poems discuss the traumatic effects of war and how they are relentless and haunting. They bot explore personas that have first-hand experience of a war zone but are no longer within it, interrogating how the graphic horrors stsay with them
• Differences with Remains - Themes

  Remains is narrated by an ex-soldier therefore it more overtly discusses the theme of guilt as he contributed to the suffering of others. However, in W.P, the persona was instead just an observer.
• Similarities with Remains - Form

  Mostly comprised of regular stanza lengths (quatrains in Remains, Sestets in WP). They are both written in the present tense to bring war into the current moment-exploring the haunting effects of trauma.
• Differences with Remains - Form

  Remains is a dramatic monologue, written in the first person. Its rigid structure does not reach completion as the final couplet falls short- it is unfinished to metaphorically portray the never ending effects of war. W.P is a stanzaic poem
• Similarities with Remains - Structure

  Both poems use caesura to depict separation from a war zone. In Remains, there is an attempt at detachment e.g 'Then I'm home on leave'. The full stop should be the barrier between 'home' and the war yet as the line continues after it, this barrier is never really created. In W.P, the caesura stands to represent the barrier between warzones and the western world.
• Differences with Remains - Structure

  Remains has no regular rhyme scheme to give the impression of reciting a story. It also depicts the power of emotions and how PTSD can be an overwhelming, chaotic force. Meanwhile, W.P. depicts an attempt to give structure to the chaos of war through the regular rhyme scheme.
• Similarities with Remains - Context

  Both Armitage and Duffy have been poet laureates; they both have messages which would reach a vast audience thus their poetry has the purpose of teaching, criticizing, or raising awareness.