mother any distance

• Mother Any Distance


  Simon Armitage
• "Mother,"


  Narrator addresses her directly. The poem is like a personal message to her.
• "any distance greater than a single span"


  Content: The distance between his outstretched hands - he needs two people to measure anything larger than this. It is a small distance, which suggests is still importanr to him.
• "You come to help me"

  Content: Shows the relationship between mother and child. The narrator is the child.
• "measure windows, pelmets, doors"

  Content: narrator is moving house and his mother has come to help measure things.
• "the acres of the walls, the prairies of the floors."


  Extended metaphor - language about measurement - represent the changing relationship between the mother and narrator. The growing size of the distance represents the movement away between parent and child. Could be a child like representation of the distance between them.
• "span... hands"

  "doors ... floors"

  Form: rhyme but not consistent throughout, this shows the dislocation between him and his mother.
• "You at the zero end"

  Language: Metaphor for being their at the start of their life.
• "me with the spool of tape, recording / length, reporting metres, centimetres back to base,


  Language: metaphor for the tape being compared to their shared history together and the measurements standing for time passing.
• "up the stairs"


  Language about movement: indicates the change in their relationship as the child is emotionally and physically moving away from his mother.
• "the line still feeding out"

  Language: possible metaphor reminding us of the umbilical cord between mother and child.
• "unreeling / years between us"


  Language: image of time passing and indicates the changes in their relationship. Time passing also illustrated by the enjambment.
• "Anchor. Kite"


  Structure: two single word sentences. Both with strong imagery relating to being supported or possibly restricted. Symbolic of the relationship between mother and child.
• "I space walk"

  Language: imagery relating to parent, child imagery and the support needed. Metaphor for language related to adventure and excitement, as well as fear in regard to the unknown.
• "through the empty bedrooms"


  Language: imagery relating to the moving house and the new start and beginnings that this represents.
• "climb / the ladder to the loft to breaking point where something has to give.


  Language: imagery of movment and exploration. Realisation of from the narrator that their relationship has to change.
• "your fingertips still pinch"


  Language indicates her desperation. Holding on, indicates mother's possible reluctance in letting go.
• "the last one hundredth of an inch..."

  Structure: ellipsis could represent the dots at the end of thd tape measurerer. Or it could suggest that his mother finally lets go of the tape and therefore him.
• "I reach / towards a hatch


  Language: imagery of the narrator wanting to move away. "Hatch" suggests bird imagery and of flying the nest. He is breaking free of his mother's protection, but does not know if he will succeed without her security and support.
• "endless sky"


  Language: imagery showing that he feels there is no limit to the opportunities open to him / they can't be measured like the walls. Optomistic tone, in contrast to the final line.
• "has to give"

  "to fall or fly"

  Structure: two short lines emphasise rhe contrast between parental support and the child's desire for freedom. Uncertainty of the future.
• Feelings and attitudes - excitement


  Narrator is excited about being independent. He os stepping out into the unknown.
• Feelings and attitudes - fear


  Narrator is worried about being on his own.
• Feelings and attitudes - appreciation


  Narrator appreciates thr help and security that his mother offers him.
• Feelings and attitudes - connection


  The multiple images show the strong bond between mother and son.
• Key themes - family


  'Walking Away'

  'Before You Were Mine'

  'Follower'

  'Climbing My Grandfather
• Key themes - in


  'Walking Away'

  'Before You Were Mine
• Key themes - getting older


  'Walking Away

  'Before You Were Mine'

  'Follower
• Context


  Simon Armitage born 1963 in West Yorkshires. Part of a collection called 'Book of Matches'. Poems designed to be read in thr time it takes to burn a match.
• Form


  15 lines - Armitage possibly subverting the rules of a sonnet.
• Sonnet?


  Traditionally 14 lines - this poem is 15 with two half lines.

  Traditionally form to express love- the form illustrates the narrator's love for his mother.
• Rhyme scheme


  AA,BB,

  CCC,D

  E,F,G,H,I,JJ

  Starts off with rhyming couplets but as the narrator breaks away from his mother, reflected in the rhyme scheme.

  Last stanza's irregularity shows the breaking point of the relationship.

  Rhyming couplet at the end gives hope.
• Structure


  Stanza 1 - needs his mother "any distance greater than a single span" - kept close.

  Stanza 2 - exploring independence "I space walk".

  Stanza 3 - "something / Has to give" if he will be independent.

  Ends with uncertainty will he "fall" or "fly".
• Feelings and attitudes - excitement


  Narrator is excited about being independent.
• Feelings and attitudes - fese
• Feelings and attitudes - appreciation


  Narrator appreciates thr help and security that his mother offers him.
• Feelings and attitudes - connection
• Key themes - family