Lives in London and works as a clinician and researcher for the NHS alongside writing poetry
Kamikaze' was published as part of Beatrice Garland's first poetry collection, The Invention of Fireworks
2013
Form
Mostly narrated in the third person using reported speech of the pilot's daughter, but her voice is heard directly in the later stanzas
The absence of the pilot's voice shows that he's been cut off from society
The use of the third person emphasises the distance between pilot and daughter
Structure
The first five stanzas form one sentence which covers an account of the pilot's flight as the pilot's daughter imagines it
The end of the sentence represents the plane landing, and the final two stanzas deal with the fallout of the pilot's actions
Irony
There are ironic reminders of how the pilot has abandoned his mission
The way he's treated when he returns to his family is ironic because they act as if he's dead, even though he chose not to die
Natural imagery
Similes, metaphors and detailed descriptions are used to emphasise the beauty and power of nature
The pilot's daughter hints that this beauty was one of the main triggers for his actions
Direct speech
The addition of direct speech makes the poem seem more personal
Hearing the daughter's voice emphasises the impact of war on a specific family
The opening stanza is full of suggestions of patriotic pride and duty--the pilot has the chance to fly "into history"
The patriotism of the pilot's family and neighbours is shown in their reaction to his return- - they treat him as if he's deadbecause he has failed in his duty to his nation
