The way my mother speaks Flashcards
“…under the shallows of my breath”
She is repeating her mother’s words as a comfort to calm herself. The word ‘shallows’ suggests shallow breathing because she feels anxious about this journey.
“The day and ever. The day and ever.”
It mimics the rhythm of the train and helps the overall flow of the poem. She is repeating these words to comfort herself. The use of the word ‘ever’ suggests that the journey feels endless just as her mothers love for her is endless.
“The train this slow evening
goes down England
browsing for the right sky”
It is a specific time (‘this’) which may relate to ‘The day’ from her mother’s phrase. The journey feels as if it is taking forever as if time is slowing down. The pace of the poem has reduced, becoming more relaxed, giving her more time to reflect. The use of word ‘browsing’ suggests an unhurried mood.
“too blue swapped for a cool grey”
The contrast between blue and grey highlights the change from childhood to adulthood. The “too blue” refers to childhood which is bright, colourful and fun in comparison to adulthood which is described as grey as being an adult comes with more difficulties and uncertainty.
“like a child
who stood at the end of summer
She is referring her progress from childhood to adulthood to the change of seasons. Summer is warm and fun like childhood whereas the coming winter is cold and dark which shows how adulthood is less fun and more serious.
Only tonight
I am happy and sad
She is feeling contradictory emotions because on the one hand she is feeling sad that she is leaving behind her childhood but on the other, excited for what the future holds and that she has her past memories to treasure as she goes forward.
“dipped a net
in a green, erotic pond.”
This suggests that childhood innocence is coming to an end. She is now wanting to try new things thus ‘dipped’ a net into the pond. The word ‘green’ bring connotations of naivity, while ‘erotic’ brings connotations of more adult themes. The juxtaposition suggests that the once innocent child is now venturing out into the world outside her childhood bubble.
“I am homesick, free, in love
with the way my mother speaks.”
This is a sum up of her reflection of her childhood and future. She misses her childhood but at the same time feels ‘free’ to experience different places like ‘England’ and beyond. The enjambament that leaves ‘in love’ hanging before the rest of the sentence emphasises how she loves life. The final sentence links back to the title and shows how she loves having such a bond with her mother which is something that she will never forget.
