Poem from a Three Year Old

Question 1

At start - captures inquisitive mind of a child from start, asking big life questions, has some awareness of these concepts, then links dead of flowers to death of people, aware that people die, hasn’t made sense of world around her

Answer 1

And will the flowers die?

And will the people die?

Question 2

she thinks she’s invincible to ageing, lots of questions milling in her mind, asking about death + passing of time

Answer 2

And every day do you grow old, do I grow old, no I’m not old, do flowers grow old?

Question 3

shes seen old flowers thrown out, we see her though process, if we throw away flowers do we throw away old people?

Answer 3

Old things - do you throw them out?

Do you throw old people out?

Question 4

her only preoccupation as a child is playing, shows world of child - innocent + carefree, worried about accumulation of dirt and petals on floor she wants to place - egocentric(ness?) of children captued

Answer 4

floor where I would like to play

is covered with old flowers

Question 5

imagines a magical broom that can clean everything, like a fairy tale

she will call on the adult to fix the problem

Answer 5

huge broom that sweeps everything away

Question 6

realises the mess will comeback, sees the futility and pointlessness in cleaning, would rather play than do cleaning, thinks we should have time to do fun things, there is logic - child’s mind at work

Answer 6

Why you work so hard

Question 7

where will new people/flowers come from to replace?

Answer 7

And who will bring new flowers? And who will bring new people?

Question 8

-where will new people/flowers come from to replace?

Answer 8

And who will bring new flowers?

And who will bring new people?

Question 9

Simile, personification, flowers dying, shrivelled up, dehydrated, ageing, like an old person that is tired, brings flowers and people together here, asks who will replace the old flowers and people

Answer 9

Who will bring new flowers that will not hang their heads like tired old people wanting sleep?

Question 10

alliteration, flowers are ageing + decaying

Answer 10

split and shrivel

Question 11

Ending - she realises ageing also impacts her, that she will age and die too, contrast to start, she still has numerous questions whirling in her mind, spaces between lines show her slow realisation

Answer 11

And will the new young flowers die?

And will the new young people die?

And why?

Question 12

themes

Answer 12

art and the imagination
cycle of life
childhood
sorrows of life