Piano Flashcards
(14 cards)
Poet
DH Lawrence
Summary
It is a NOSTALGIC poem exploring the speaker’s CHILDHOOD MEMORIES of his mother, expressing the disconnect between having these memories and the realities of childhood.
(Remembering a dead parent, memories)
Structure & Form
- STRUCTURE of its rhyme scheme is ‘ABBA’ having rhyme couplets.
Couplets insinuates two people, which could denote the mother and son, portraying them to have a strong bond, showing his memories to be based around his mum.
- CREATES a musical rhyme when reading it.
Could highlight the importance of music in their relationship,
as well as
a sense of order about the poet’s memories, presenting them as solid and safe which is JUXTAPOSED to the uncertainty of his adult life.
What’s the address?
It is from a FIRST PERSON point of view.
This makes the reader experience his memories in a more PERSONAL and MEANINGFUL way, in order to express the powerful feelings and emotions felt.
‘Taking me back down the vista of years’
- This implies that MUSIC is a POWERFUL FORCE that takes control of him, becoming powerless
- It also creates POSITIVE IMAGERY, showing their timeline of memories stretching far back towards his past.
‘boom of the tingling strings’
- There is a JUXTAPOSITION of the gentle SOFT SOUNDS to LOUD, which could reflect how a piano can be harsh but relaxing, mirroring the CONTRAST in his memories.
- The ONOMATOPOEIA allows the reader to experience this with him as well as signifying the extent to which music is ETCHED INTO HIS MEMORY, showing the importance of this in his life.
- A SEMANTIC FIELD of music is created presenting it to be a large part of their bond
‘poised feet of a mother who smiles as she sings’
- This creates a POSITIVE TONE, showing the love and respect he has for his mother, looking up to her.
She is presented as a nurturing and kind figure, reflecting the SAFETY he feels with her.
‘the heart of me weeps to belong’
- PERSONIFICATION of the heart portrays the extreme sadness he feels, longing for his past, becoming desperate to relive.
‘betrays me back’
- the verb ‘betrays’ has CONNOTATIONS of treachery and disloyalty.
The PRESENT TENSE of the line reflects how he still thinks about this memory; he is unable to move forward. - the CAESURA emphasises the PLOSIVE sound in ‘back’ reflecting how his memories have unexpectedly jolted him to his childhood.
The caesura also quickens the pace of the line emphasising the discomfort and distress he feels, being initially fond and cherished but now appears to be more sinister.
‘my manhood is cast’
- he is shown to feel less like a man due to his emotions.
Thinking of his mum makes him vulnerable and helpless like a child.
Feeling ISOLATED in his adult life, being triggered into crying by the memory of his mum.
‘great black piano’
- Black is associated with DEATH, which creates the idea of him MOURNING the of his childhood.
‘Down in the flood of rememberance’
- A METAPHOR is created for the overflow of MEMORIES once he allows himself to remember.
He is OVERWHELMED by the thought of losing his mother, desiring the innocence of childhood.
- This is supported by the ENJAMBMENT across many of the lines which could show his build up of emotions FLOWING OUT.
‘I weep like a child for the past’
- Extreme sadness, he can’t control his grief, using the EMOTIVE VERB ‘weep’ to reinforce this which is repeated.
- It also has CONNOTATIONS of IMMATURITY, wanting and needing attention, longing for comfort.
- It ends with a FULL STOP suggesting a closing and conclusion.
Creating a heavy pause, full of MELANCHOLY and sadness.
Third Stanza has a shift in VOLTA
Emphasising he has to face the present and the pain he feels by reliving his memories.
