Touch

Question 1

Who is the poet of ‘Touch’?

Answer 1

Hugh Lewin (1939 ~ 2019)

Question 2

What is the main theme of the poem ‘Touch’?

Answer 2

The longing for physical contact and the experience of being untouched

Question 3

Fill in the blank: The speaker has not been touched for _______ years.

Answer 3

seven

Question 4

What does the speaker want to learn again?

Answer 4

How life feels

Question 5

True or False: The speaker expresses a positive memory associated with touch.

Answer 5

False

Question 6

What does the speaker associate with the concept of ‘untouchable’?

Answer 6

The meaning of being untouched and the emotional implications

Question 7

List the two types of touch the speaker mentions.

Answer 7

• Fists
• Paws

Question 8

Fill in the blank: The speaker remembers ‘fierce mad _______’.

Answer 8

fists

Question 9

What does the speaker say after remembering the fists?

Answer 9

Don’t touch me please don’t touch me

Question 10

What does the speaker mean by ‘I can count the things that have touched me’?

Answer 10

Reflecting on the limited and negative experiences of touch

Question 12

What is the central longing expressed in the poem?

Answer 12

The desire to be touched and to feel alive again

This reflects a deep emotional need for connection and intimacy.

Question 13

What imagery is used to describe the experience of ‘paws’?

Answer 13

Patting, searching, prodding, heavy, indifferent

These terms convey a sense of discomfort and a lack of warmth.

Question 14

Fill in the blank: ‘I want to say when I get out ______.’

Answer 14

Here I am

This phrase signifies a readiness to engage with the world and seek connection.

Question 15

What does the speaker want to move away from?

Answer 15

Fists and paws

This suggests a desire to escape from aggression or unwanted contact.

Question 16

Who is the poem dedicated to?

Answer 16

Oom Piet Finuala Dowling

This dedication adds a personal touch to the poem.

Question 17

What does ‘I want to feel alive again’ signify in the context of the poem?

Answer 17

A yearning for emotional and physical connection

This reflects the struggle with feelings of isolation.

Question 18

Describe the tone of the poem.

Answer 18

Longing and vulnerability

The tone indicates a deep emotional struggle and desire for intimacy.

Question 19

What is the significance of the phrase ‘please don’t touch me’?

Answer 19

It expresses a boundary against unwanted contact

This highlights the complexity of the speaker’s feelings about touch.

Question 20

What does the repetition of ‘paws’ suggest in the poem?

Answer 20

A sense of discomfort and the repetitive nature of the experience

This repetition enhances the emotional weight of the poem.