Poppies

• The poem "Poppies" explores the placement of poppies on war graves before Armistice Sunday
• The speaker in "Poppies" reflects on memories and emotions after a loved one leaves
• symbolism

  The poppy has symbolic links to violence, death, and memory
• Pronouns


  “I” and “Your” used to emphasize the intimacy and closeness of the speaker and subject
• "Blockade"

  Military reference to blocking, perhaps of emotion. Alliteration also used with bias, binding, blunder to emphasize bustle, mothering over her son
• Sibilance


  The words ‘steeled, shirt, softening’ etc. give a calm tone to the scene described in the poem
• "the gelled blackthorns of your hair"

  A reference to the shortened hair stubble required in the military and how aggressive it makes her son appear to her
• "a treasure chest"

  Suggests how attractive the world appears to her son and also her aspiration for him to have opportunities
• "released a song bird from its cage"

  Connotes that he is like a beautiful caged creature and needs to be set free. Implies that she understands this includes free to make mistakes and be harmed
• Physical senses


  Implies the intimacy between mother and son, connotes the hypersensitivity and jumbled emotion
• Caesura


  Breaking down the verses, implies the choking back tears
• Uses contrasting language and ideas to emphasise the conflict and turmoil of the Mother
• Uses a very natural monologue style to give it an easy-to-understand tone
• Mixes language related to war with those that create a sense of home life
• The poem looks at a mother of a son who has grown up and gone to war
• The poem contains many clues that this is a more modern conflict, however, it ends at the memorial, suggesting the son died at war or has not yet returned home and is now missed by the mother who fears the worst
• The poem is based heavily around the idea of Poppies as memorials and therefore the idea of memory
• The poem flashes back to key moments of the life of the mother and son
• The poem contains a range of emotions including genuine sadness and pride
• The poem doesn't heavily comment on the war itself
• Themes in the poem

  Conflict

  Relationships

  Memory

  Emotions
• There is a huge contrast with some of the imagery of the poem, sometimes linking to violence and the more peaceful homely images, emphasising the conflicting emotions in the mother