The Game

Themes
Religion, sport, competition, identity, war, memories, corruption

Content
This poem is one that many readers can relate to and have experienced the feelings of in their life- being at a football match cheering their team on to win the game. In Abse's poem , the opposition and their fans are seen as the side of "Evil" and the game appears to become a fight between two warring factions as fuelled by high emotions and the competitive spirit.

Analysis

• The title itself with its use of the definite article makes the football match seem like a significant point in time and the reader is initially confused as to what the game is as the title is easily mistaken to relate to a child's game of imagination and immaturity. This is ironic in that the crowd take the game so seriously and view it as a battle when in fact the game is just that- insignificant child's play.
• The use of the demanding word "follow" at the start of the first stanza intimates that the fans have no choice and are literally forced to go to the football game to support their side- lack of own will. It is as though they are following missionaries or their own faith blindly.
• The alliteration of "blares the brassy band" is somewhat onomatopoeic and mirrors the sound that the crowd would be hearing whilst the invigorating atmosphere and action of the game extends "beyond the goal posts" of the Welsh stadium ("Ninian Park") to encompass the crowd. A football match is not only about the players but the atmosphere that the fans create. The idea that " between black spaces, a hundred matches sparks" presents the image of the fans almost worshipping their team and maintaining a vigil whilst this act could also be seen as the fans igniting and displaying their passion.
•  In the second stanza, Abse's use of the first person plural ("we" signifies the idea that the individual fans have no identity and are united as a whole. They view their own team as "legendary" and the colour of "royal blue" suggests that the fan's adoration borders on the worship of heroes and royalty. Great past players for the team are recalled as the speaker nostalgically remembers the best times of the club and the "sad" fact that these legends are now gone- a mutual passion for the game and club unites people. Abse then likens the "great crowd" to an "injured beast"- this simile displays the crowd as trying to protect their pride in a vicious and uncontrolled manner- they are untamed, indignant and defiant.
• The method of deciding who starts a football match is child-like and trivialises the game as a "coin" is simply "spun" and immediately, "all is simplified". The football match becomes a battle between Good and Evil and the speaker is unreliable in their view of their self as part of the "Good" team. Disgusting and immature tactics are adopted to fight the opposition ("hiss") and the fans constantly question whether the opposition was "offside" or "the Referee is bribed". Fans resort to the chant of corruption to account for why the opposition is beating them and these opposition players become literal "Demons". A battle of religion seems to take place and the injury of a player causes the supposedly pure "cherubs" (fans) to "howl for blood". This imagery of innocence is contrasted with violence, showing that there is no right team-subjective.
• The one object that remains unbiased is the "white ball" which the fans view as their holy grail and cannot find fault with. However, any time the opposition players come near to scoring, the striker is named "Satan" and becomes the player to hate for nearly beating the side of Good. The idea that this ruler of Hell lands in a "ballet dancer's pose" appears almost comedic and in stark contrast to what the reader would expect. Are the fans trying to portray the other players as weak and feminine (a common insult at games)? The "familiar tune" that is heard is likely the tune for the opposition when they score and the sound of the whistle blowing signals the end of the half.
• In the fourth stanza, the speaker yet again become nostalgic, remembering the good days of the club, though the years have been "discarded" and the games are "faded". The memories are drifting away but will always be reminders of the superiority of the football club in the past when they played the best teams and emerged victorious. The "military airs" continue the on-going metaphor of war while the one time that the "Bluebirds" (a nickname for the Cardiff team) won the FA cup and became "champions" remains the point of pride that fans draw upon. There is a sense of community at football games as fans can identify and acknowledge one another-"the same cripples in their chairs"- people are loyal and there is equality for everyone.
• "Mephistopheles" was the demon in the Faust legend who the fans believe "has had his joke" as the supposedly good team are losing, though the fans refuse to place blame upon the players themselves but instead accuse evil agents of bringing about corruption. The use of subsequent football terminology shows that the speaker has a firm grasp of the game and questions whether "if they foul us we need to be ashamed?" Though the opposition are "infernal" (hellish and fiendish) and devious in their scheming, there is a sense of weakness being on display if the fouls go unchallenged. The fans chant "Heads up!" to maintain spirit but this optimism is all but non-existent- the best they can hope for is a "Ted Drake"(esteemed past Arsenal player) or "Dixie Drake" ( a renowned Everton player prominent in the 1920s and known for his ability to score through headers). Perhaps then the fans literally want the players to get their heads on the ball and in the goal.
• Despite shots on target,  a saved shot "discontents" the speaker as it is useless without a goal to show for the work. This disappointment takes them back in time to when "Faust must pay that fee" in selling his soul to Mephistopheles to become powerful. It could be that Abse is likening the sorrow and disappointment the fans feel to that which Faust felt when he realised his mistake while it could alternatively be showing how the fans became too arrogant of victory and suffered for it. "Phantoms" of the past "stir" in the fans as they recall previous glory which is now so shattered- the past is sometimes better than the present. The men are no longer angels or demons but "coloured jerseys" which blur as the game is over and the excitement and anticipation is gone. Fans make the game what it is.
• The phrase "God sign our souls!" is synonymic for 'God save our souls' as the speaker feels that in winning the game, the "obscure staff of Hell rule" and that the game means everything. This hyperbolic statement presents the idea that fan's lives are made or broken by a game of football and that fans went for the "jugular" in stating that the game was lost before it ended- a "depressing" thought for many. "Small boys swarm the field for an autograph" like bees admiring the best and successful and the quick transition from discussing the outcome of the game to this statement suggest that the anger the speaker felt is now fading to embarrassment at losing.
• In the last stanza, the "silent" stadium makes it clear that a stadium without the energy that fans bring is nothing- just an object. After a game, the crowd lose their bestial visages and return to the civilised normality of life as shown in that they "filed out" in an orderly manner. Football games have the ability to change people for the period of time that they last as the competitive spirit is brought out. Towards the end of the stanza, the sense of loss and sadness intensifies through Abse showing the forgotten programmes "trampled underfoot" and how the "dark" seems "natural" and "the rain" "appropriate". Pathetic fallacy shows the glum and dejected mood of the losing fans and the newsboys appear "threatening" in that they are broadcasting the defeat- humiliation and hurt pride. On the other hand, these boys could be threatening in that they are delivering the news of the real world and its horrific events.
• Use of the present tense throughout the poem keeps the sense of anticipation and tension building while the fact that the poem is written in iambic pentameter makes the rhyme almost resemble a brass band. The events of the poem are written in chronological order, much as the events of a battle would be recorded and the rhyme scheme of ABABA (excluding the first stanza) gives the sense that the enthusiasm that fans bring to the game is predictable and that fans have their periods of ups and downs.
• Throughout the poem, there is the continuing sense of the crowd being one single entity, linked through their love of the game and their memories of the way the team used to be.  Constant references to war and religion show the ferocity of the fans as though it is a battle between Good and Evil depending on which side you stand and the references to the legend of Faust show how fans use corruption as a way to account for defeat or to show that a team must pay for arrogance or their shortcomings.

Links to Larkin
Themes- 'Home is So Sad'- Both the stadium and the home in Larkin's poem wither and feel "bereft" and empty without people to occupy them as though these places are brought to life by the energy of the people that pass through them. The stadium, like the house and the objects it contains ("that vase") evokes a sense of nostalgia for fans.
'For Sidney Bechet'- Football inspires in some people what music inspires in others- joy, adoration and even "love". The ability of such things to evoke uncharacteristic emotions and actions in people is astounding and both of these poems focus also on how music can take a person back in time.
'Love Songs in Age'- The football game and its past players are just as sad as the "bleached" old songs which remind the speaker of her lost love and her past relationship. The "frank submissive chord" acts like the names of football players in reminding the crowd of past events and forgotten glory.
'Self's the Man'- This poem appears just like Abse's in that it compares two opposing views/ ways of life and the persona makes the contrast become a battle between who has lived the right life and who has not. Clearly, the persona believes their own life to be better, just as the persona in Abse's poem believes his team to be the force of "Good", however, this view is yet again subjective and uncertain.
'MCMXIV'- Larkin clearly contrasts the idea of a real war with the image of war that Abse presents. War in reality is less like the fantasy world of "roars" and chants that the fans occupy and more depressing through the loss of "innocence".
'As Bad as a Mile'- This poem makes reference also to religion and the skewed view that it is to blame for all failures and disappointments. The side of "Hell" wins the game because it was sneaky and devilish while the Devil tempted Eve to eat the apple and get her and Adam cast out of Eden, thus cursing the rest of humanity to "failure" forevermore.

Tone- Passionate-'For Sidney Bechet', 'Broadcast'
Towards the end: resigned and embarrassed- 'Love Songs in Age', 'MCMXIV', 'Talking in Bed, 'A Study of Reading Habits'

Technique- Abse's use of the first person plural "we" to connect a body of people together links to ' The Whitsun Weddings' in which Larkin implies that people become linked through their joint experiences on a journey. The football game supporters are also on a journey together through good and bad times.
The use of the imperative "follow" at the start of the poem relates to 'Home is so Sad' as the reader is told to "look" at the items left behind- it is human nature to look at disappointment and follow others as you are told.
The alliteration of "blares the brassy band" to mirror the sound that would be heard by the fans is present in 'Broadcast' ("sudden scuttle") whilst a simile also appears in 'Broadcast' to present the idea that people are more like wild animals than they care to admit. Prostitutes in Larkin's poem are likened to "circus tigers" whilst the supporters in   Abse's poem are "like an injured beast"- people can become animals if they let their emotions go untamed and unchecked and wounded pride can cause these emotions to fly out of control.

Two Photographs

Themes
Youth and old age, loss ,memories, love, celebration of women, family relationships


Content
Abse focuses upon two photos of his grandmothers, who, though both distinctly different to each other and with contrasting appearances and characters, he loved all the same and deeply misses.


Analysis

• The discovery of two photographs of his grandmothers prompts Abse to reflect on their individual personalities and lives, though more and more memories are lost as time goes on.
• Abse makes it clear from the start that the two grandmothers were polar opposites- "Annabella" was " slim", "vulnerable" and "pretty" while "Doris" was "portly", "formidable" and "handsome". The reader gains the image of Annabella as feminine, slight and elegant whilst Doris was less of the typical housewife and more strong-willed and manly as shown through the word "handsome" and not "pretty". The fact that Abse separates the two words describing the grandmothers' beauty off from the rest of the lines through caesura shows the positive image he has of his grandmothers and the love he felt towards them- their beauty is emphasised. It is also not known whether the photos are of the women when they were young as Abse may be trying to remember them in their best form.
• The poem then goes on to describe the attire of the two women- both are wearing black in the photos, perhaps foreshadowing their demise-ironic as they are mourning themselves. However, once again Doris's outfit appears more feminine and "lacy" with pearls- the items a woman chooses to wear show their character and lace connotes seduction while Annabella is more reserved. The separation between the first and second stanza appears odd as the opening line of the second stanza carries on directly from the last line of the first stanza, highlighting the division between the two woman. Abse even goes so far as to make reference to them being' chalk and cheese' as the women say different words when having their photo taken- in all likelihood it was Doris who shouted "Chalk!" due to her being less reserved and more wiling to test boundaries. The photos were also taken at two different places and times, yet again highlighting the division both in terms of space and personality.
• Even the accent of the two grandmothers was different in life and Doris appears to be more of an outsider as she spoke "English with a Welsh Valleys' lilt" and not Welsh specifically.
• The third stanza focuses upon the differences in behaviour instead of appearance and that "Annabella fasted" while "Doris feasted". Annabella was much more devout and devoted to religion- "pious", "passive"- while Doris flaunted normal expectations and was "pacy" and "pushy". The alliteration of the 'p' sound across both these lines highlights that the two women were not so different in that they were both highly competitive- 'p' is a strong sound and links all the character traits together. Abse's use of the exclamation mark after "pork" is present due to the controversy it would have caused at the time that Doris ate pork when it is forbidden in the Jewish faith.
• "Indecorous" Doris was a rebellious women who was not willing to conform and "devilishly laughed" when Annabella informed her that she was "damned". The two grandmothers obviously did not get along and Abse states that he did not "think they liked each other". Despite their feelings regarding one another, Abse "liked" them both, suggesting that perhaps at the time he felt torn between the two. The words he uses to describe them here however (Doris as "bossy" and Annabella as "daft") would not be the words we would previously have associated with them, presenting the idea that Abse's memory of them is eroding and distorting or that he didn't see them as others did.
• The memories that the photographs evoke seep deep into the thoughts of the speaker at night and result in ridiculous dreams which are likely loosely based in reality. The two women in  life would constantly have been arguing and standing "back to back" on matters. Their may have been "a duel" of words which Abse is remembering but not having the full picture in mind and they would have been competitive regarding each other maybe to gain the majority of the grandchild's affection. However, from this sense of rivalry the poem shifts to take on a sad and depressing tone-no longer light-hearted. Abse remembers them in their old age with "buns of grey hair" and "withered rose"- he is mourning the decay of their youthful beauty and how he saw them curl in on themselves.
• The memories of the two women become "illusory" and "fugitive"- hard to catch hold of and as though they never really existed in reality. Abse likens the memories to "the dust that secretively flows in a sudden sunbeam...and disappears when and where that sunbeam goes". There are moments when the memories resurface and are suddenly there to relive but often they are forgotten. Even when a memory is caught hold of through the photographs it is "sieved through leaky curtains"- not whole with only bits and pieces, the memories are eroding, the disintegration of recollection is unpredictable.
• Abse "uxoriously loved" (loved with great/excessive fondness) his grandmothers but becomes melancholy and questions "what's survived?". For all of the two women's strong presence in life, all that is left is their jewellery- "An amber brooch, a string of pearls, two photographs". Abse's pessimistic view is suggesting that in time, a person is completely forgotten and all the sentimental items that are left have no real depth- they are useless without the person to wear them or preside over them- flesh is so frail.
• The speaker accepts that in the future, when happening upon the photographs, his own "children's grandchildren" will question "Who?". There will be no knowledge of the two women who were once so vibrant but if they had never existed, as Abse states, "I never lived". The two women are of great importance and it is sad that they will come to not be recognised by family as Abse too will start to be forgotten upon his death.
• The irregularity of the rhyme scheme and structure of the poem hints at the idea of the irregularity of memory and how certain sections fade over time.

Links to Larkin
Themes- 'Reference Back'- Larkin sees age as "unsatisfactory" and mourns the loss of his father just as Abse mourns the loss of his grandmothers. However, this mourning leads Larkin to draw away from his mother and her age and it is only through reminders of times previous that they can reconnect. Objects and music allow a person to drift back to memories but can only do so for a time before the memories fade.
'Love Songs in Age'- Memories of things that were once so vibrant and beautiful become "bleached" over time until it becomes sad to look back upon them and Abse recognises that people will be forgotten- disappointing nature of life.
'Home is so Sad'- People and items claim to offer such happiness and joy but can ultimately not live up to these promises and wither away.
'Nothing To Be Said'- Abse ends his poem much as this poem ends-on the melancholy note  that there is nothing more to be said on the topic of death and it must simply be accepted-resignation.
'Wild Oats'- Both poems focus upon two very different and contrasting people who both are now unattainable.
'Ambulances- Whilst Larkin views life as simply a blend of "families and fashions", Abse adopts a much more intimate and personal tone which reflects the deep emotional impact people have upon our lives and the imprint they leave when they die.
'An Arundel Tomb'- For once, Larkin appears to be more positive in that the memories of Abse's grandmothers erode over time whilst the couple in Larkin's poem stay "linked, through lengths and breadth of time". The grandmothers faces will come to be meaningless and unidentifiable to family whilst what the couple represents ("love") will last eternally. Perhaps then ideas and concepts survive while human flesh and appearance are forgotten?


Tone- Affectionate, admiring: 'An Arundel Tomb', 'Broadcast', 'For Sidney Bechet'
          Resigned, melancholy: 'Nothing To Be Said, ' Here' ("out of reach"), 'Love Songs in Age', 'Ambulances'

Technique- The use of alliteration could be seen to link to 'Ambulances' in that the "wild white face" draws a connection between the two adjectives and shows the personality and appearance of people in a simple fashion.
Caesura in order to separate and emphasise words such as "pretty" and "handsome" is also present in 'Broadcast', where caesura is used to place emphasis upon the persona believing a woman to be "beautiful and devout". Both uses of caesura highlight the appearance of women.
Lastly, the use of a rhetorical question to show anger at the unfairness of life links to 'Send No Money', where Larkin's persona questions "What does it prove?" In the end, there is nothing really to show of a life lived.

Imitations

Themes
Familial relationships- father and son, growing up, change, reflection

Content

Similar to 'Sons', Abse focuses on the relationship between father and adolescent son as the father impresses the idea of a connection between himself and his son upon the reader which takes him back to his own youth.

 Analysis

•  ''Imitations' means an likeness or impression , which is what the father sees his son as, thus hinting at the cyclical nature of life.
• The poem starts with the phrase "in this house, in this afternoon room"-caesura gives the impression that father and son are enclosed together without any distractions while that fact that this is an "afternoon room" implies the passing of time and growing up- the day drawing to a close, transition period between light and dark.  The simple statement "my son and I" connects the two in the mind of the reader and places further emphasis upon their isolation together.
• This isolation is highlighted in that the two are separated from the rest of the world ("the other side of glass") and this could be interpreted as them having overcome the chilly barrier of age. Together inside they can escape the "snowflakes" outside while this may be pathetic fallacy to show how unpredictable the emotions of the son can be- the winter-like weather has "surprised April". This personification of April acts to make it seem as though the father is speaking in third person and using a month to express his own feelings. "Snowflakes" themselves are pure and fresh and the continuing imagery of white ("whitewash") would seem to suggest that the son is a blank canvas for the father to shape- the father has a second chance at life, living through his son.
• The persona states in short and blunt statements that his "son is 16" and an "approximate man"- the word "approximate" implies that in the eyes of the persona, his son is still not yet a man, perhaps because the persona wishes his son to rely on him for a little while longer. There then commences a series of three oxymoron's and metaphors for the son -" my chameleon, my soft diamond, my deciduous evergreen". Abse includes these in order to emphasise how the son is always changing and his emotions can be different at difference times, adolescence is a confusing time. However, the fact that the persona sees this person who is a "chameleon" shows that he understands his son and recognises him throughout the change- he is precious to him. The use of the possessive pronoun "my" reinforces the idea that the persona is proud and protective of his son.
• Modern life is much different to the world of the persona's youth and the music items are all now "forgeries" which they don't appreciate. The speaker understands that he will not know everything that his son is thinking about and wonders whether he also dreams of "some school Juliet" as he likely once did. Despite this, the speaker continues to liken the relationship to nature in its purity- "whiter snow". The son is unpredictable and surprising, "gusting suddenly" when the day seems clear but behind this are a collection of gentle and caring emotions. Moreover, the depiction of nature as "evergreen", "half blue" and "white blossom" connotes the beginning of life and vivid springtime. There will be problems in the future but everyone must go through these as they enter adulthood.
• In the last stanza, the speaker's call to "oh immortal springtime" suggests that he wants his son to stay young for ever, just as nature is continuous or believes the connection/love between him and his son to be eternal but also hints at the idea that life constantly repeats itself. Through this realisation he is taken back to his own youth "elsewhere" with his "father alive again". Human's lives are merely a blink in time and the father-son relationship is always one of importance as it shapes the son's life. Just as the persona sees his son as his imitation, he too was a "duplicate" of his father- we are made in our father's image. It is clear that the persona held his own father in high regard and clearly remembers the small occasions spent with their breath at different heights "sticking to the glass"-he looked up to his father and the use of caesura on this line breaks up the line to give the impression that these are simplistic thoughts of a younger age.
• The poem ends, as many of Larkin's poems end, by opening the poem to a more philosophical and universal meaning- the "two white butterflies stumble, held to each, as if by elastic, and pass". The relationship between father and son is one of purity not without its ups and downs but always strong and flexible and constantly repeated throughout time. The butterflies are metaphors for/embodiments of the relationship and are symbolic of personal transformation and the comfortable companionship between father and son. While things will change in the future in an unpredictable nature, the persona stresses that there will always be that strong connection between father and son.
• The appearance of some rhyme within this poem, though not constantly, shows the repetition and unpredictable nature of life- it always has the ability to surprise us.

Links to Larkin

Themes- 'Dockery and Son'- Both poems focus on the bond between father and son and how time is precious, though Larkin uses an outside view while Abse's poem is more intimate and involved. While Larkin satirises the "innate assumption" that "adding meant increase", Abse makes it clear that the speaker feels as though his son is a point of joy in his life, not a burden, though Larkin does admit a long life without family can be lonely. Larkin's poem also shows how sons often follow in their father's footsteps as the son attends the same school as his dad-strong bond.
'Afternoons'- The adults have had the vibrant period of their lives and now the children take over their "courting-places"- parents must live through their children as their lives draw to a close. In contrast to Abse, Larkin comments on how having children actually takes away your life and is a point of negativity. Pathetic fallacy mirrors the lives of the parents just as it is used by Abse to show changing emotions and the idea of growing up.
'Here'- Nature is immortal and constant, never faltering in its process- this is how Abse depicts the bond between father and son.
'Self's the Man'- Larkin yet again shows a negative view of family and children ("pay for the kiddies' clobber") which contrasts with the opinion outlined by Abse.
'For Sidney Bechet'- How the senses can cause a person to reflect on the past and happy memories.
' An Arundel Tomb'- Larkin ,like Abse, ends on a uncharacteristically endearing note that "what will survive of us is love". Love and the bond between father and son is "immortal" and will endure through time.
Tone- Positive, optimistic: 'First Sight'- spring will come and with it, warmth for the lambs
          Fond and sentimental: 'For Sidney Bechet', 'Broadcast', 'Love Songs in Age'
Techniques- Similar to 'The Whitsun Weddings' and the metaphor of an "arrow-shower", Abse's poem ends with the metaphor of butterflies to symbolise love, though Larkin must turn this into something depressing in that the love is raining down and being washed away.
The use of personal pronouns to show possession and connection is also present in 'The Whitsun Weddings' ("we"-experience will tie them together) and 'For Sidney Bechet' ("My Crescent City").
Caesura appears in 'Taking One Home for the Kiddies' in order to show the simplicity of childhood and the continuing spring imagery as a method to present youth and the beginning of life is present also in 'Love Songs in Age'-"spring-woken tree"- spring is a time of hope, though this vibrancy is in the past in Larkin's poem.
Lastly, the on-going use of oxymoron's is similar to the oxymoron of "sunless glare" in 'First Sight' due to the fact that youth and the start of life are shown to be confusing as young animals and people attempt to adapt to the world. 

Sons

Themes
Youth, maturity, growing up, the passing of time, loss, freedom, memories


Content
This poem explores the relationship between father and adolescent son and the similarities that the father draws between his son and his own self at that age. The persona appears to be looking back on his youth with perspective and understands the reasons behind his son's behaviour. Soon the son will enter into maturity and the open possibilities that came with youth will disappear.


Analysis

• The title has no personal pronoun and is plural, making the poem universally applicable.
• Abse begins with the sibilance of "Sarcastic sons slam", making it seem as though the persona is laughing at his son's rash behaviour and finding his 'mood swings' amusing-making a joke out of them.
• The sound of the door slamming takes the persona back to his own childhood and the memories of "Cardiff outskirts where, once, captured acres played at being small tamed gardens". Nature has been forced to comply with humanity and become tame yet the word "played" implies that nature is not really being controlled- an imitation. This could also be seen to relate to how parents try to force their children into regimented lives and moulds of sensibility and though these children pretend to be complying, inside they are just as wild as ever and waiting to be liberated.
• The idea of change is also stressed in that the "grass" and "wild flowers" are being superseded and replaced ("supplanted") by "roads" as humanity tries to make anything unpredictable disappear and bow down to their power. Moreover, there is a sense of loss in that his son is "altering every day"- every day brings the son closer to being constrained like nature and changing beyond recognition. Though growing up is natural, parents feel sadness when watching their children become more independent.
• The persona states that "I {he} was like that"- the father is finding points of connection to make the relationship more comfortable and the idea of the cyclical nature of life is presented- inevitable. In adolescence, the persona felt like "those new semis that seemed ashamed"- out of place and awkward in his body. This simile highlights how people can feel isolated when growing up, just as the "semis" feel embarrassed by their appearance in contrast to the old historic buildings. People try to "whitewash" young people and change them into adults, however, it is just not that easy. The "frontier of Nowhere" represents teenagers no longer being children but also not yet having entered adulthood-they are on the cusp with no direction, aimless but with limitless possibilities. Adolescence is a series of duelling emotions and feelings- young people must act "prim" as expected of an older person but their emotions are also chaotic and they act "brash". The juxtaposition of "prim" and "brash" portrays a teenager's changing moods and emotions while "Nowhere" is given a capital "N", giving the impression that it is an actual place that everyone has once visited. Moreover, Abse's use of a question mark at the end of this stanza connotes the uncertainty of adolescence.
• Moving into the third stanza, the persona emphasises their feeling of not belonging as they are no longer in "Cardiff" where they grew up. They are miles away in "London" yet the action of his son slamming the door is so familiar that it takes him back to his teenage years in his home town- this statement is neither sarcastic nor negative but also not positive either. A child-like, imaginative game is again presented through the persona remembering how they believed that "ruins where ghosts abide" were present at night. The continuing metaphor of houses for youth could be seen to imply that in youth, the persona was reclusive and scared of what was to come.
• The statement that "spreading lamps assert themselves too early" is symbolic of the growing light of young people who are just finding their identity but are growing up too quickly. This, however, cannot be helped- people encourage this to happen.
• Another use of juxtapositions appears with "half town, half countryside"- adolescents feel like two different people and are "awkward" with this. The "countryside" likely represents the free and spirited side of young people while the "city" represents social expectation and the need to mature to earn a living-constrained. There are two contrasting worlds of youth and adulthood and a person can never have both for long before having to mature.
• In the fifth stanza, the message becomes more directly aimed at the persona's son and acts as a warning. The emphatic and understanding tone of "I love you for it" reinforces the good relationship between father and son while the father admits that his son will feel "hesitant" in "adult rooms"- these are not literal rooms but adult situations where young people are unsure how to act. The word "quite" underlines this awkwardness as the word is placed in an odd position in the sentence.
• It is clear that Abse's reason for writing this poem was regret at his son growing up "Too soon". "Maturity will switch off your night" as the imagination is allowed to wander no more and the bright light inside of young people is forced to go out. The adult world stifles people and forces them to put down "roots" which bind them. Abse suggests that when we are young, we are "nameless" and that by becoming an adult, we gain an identity but that this identity is "wrongly named"- people cannot be defined simply by a name, they are always changing. The ending oxymoron of "darkness bright" implies that the father and son are different people and won't follow the exact same routes or it could mean that there will always be a clash of personality's inside of people. Alternatively, it could mean that maturity changes young people so much that they become no longer recognisable and Abse uses enjambment to show hesitance on the part of the persona at delivering the fear-inspiring message.
• Throughout this poem, Abse likens the idea of growing up to nature giving way to industrialisation and civilisation. Maturity is seen as the end result of cultivation and taming and young people are constantly pressured to fit into society's expectations- adulthood extinguishes the untamed light inside of people.

Links to Larkin
Themes- 'Dockery and Son'- Both poems focus on the significance of having a son for fathers and the idea that this knowledge causes people to look back on their own youth. Larkin, at a young age, did not know what he wanted to do with his life and has subsequently become stifled by maturity while Dockery "had taken stock/Of what he wanted" and achieved this.
'Send No Money'- A look at how the "hail of occurrence clobber[s] life out" and how youth can be wasted on imagination. Maturity changes young people and they become more cynical.
'Here'- Nature is forced to comply with humanity but there are areas where it roams free like young people. Teenagers are those areas of freedom for nature while industrialisation brings maturity.
'Love Songs in Age'- Both this poem and Abse's focus on looking back at better times before reality struck along with knowledge. That "unfailing sense of being young" was mistaken and adulthood had struck too soon.
'Reference Back'- family relationships and how parents and their children can become distanced with time. Abse fears his son growing up and leaving him behind, just as the relationship between mother and son has become strained in Larkin's poem without the father.
'A Study of Reading Habits'-Growing up replaces imagination with sad reality and young people lose the ability to relate to the free and wild heroes but instead become the "chap" who "keeps the store".
'The Importance of Elsewhere'- the idea of feeling awkward and hesitant in something so familiar, the sense of belonging in a place that is unfamiliar- in adulthood, young people finally know how they should act
'First Sight'- Growing up to something unknown and frightening which will surprise and delight.


Tone- Pensive-'Love Songs in Age', 'Home is so Sad', 'Dockery and Son'
          Affectionate- 'Broadcast', 'For Sidney Bechet'
          Humorous- 'A Study of Reading Habits'
          Worrisome- 'Nothing To Be Said', 'MCMXIV', 'Dockery and Son'


Technique- The alliteration of "dirty dogs" in 'A Study of Reading Habits' is a joke at the expense of youth and adolescent behaviour and beliefs, just as "Sarcastic son slams" is.
In 'Broadcast', the oxymoron of "giant whispering" suggest that the noise the persona hears over the radio is confusing and he feels distanced from his love. This is similar to the oxymoron of "darkness bright", showing the fear that the persona has concerning whether they can connect with their son once he has matured. In 'Love Songs in Age', the oxymoron of "frank submissive" also shows the confusing nature of love and how things can change.
The use of the rhetorical question to imply uncertainty is also mirrored in 'Self's the Man'.

Welsh Valley Cinema,1930s

Themes

Escapism, ideals, memories, reality, class

 

Content

Abse's poem is based upon a past memory of a trip to a cinema amongst the slums of Wales. It is here that the division between reality and fantasy is at its most stark as Wales was suffering great economic hardship during the 1930s and the cinema provided the perfect diversion. However, did people leave the cinema feeling better or worse than when they entered?

 

Analysis

• The opening juxtaposition of the "The Palace" and " the slums" clearly contrasts the world of reality with the regal world inside of the cinema, where everything is made brighter and more vibrant. It is ironic how poor people desire to see films based upon a wealth that they can never have.
• The use of the word "pit" is also a reference to the mines that were littered across Wales and it has been suggested that the cinema in question is located in Haverford West. These mining pits were dank and dirty and restricted in terms of movement and fresh air, thus often leading to problems with the lungs as we see later on in the poem. These people that are scorned and looked down upon in class are shoved in a dark hole so that the superior classes do not have to look at the vermin that walk the streets of Wales. The idea of the "unseen shaft of darkness" reinforces the lack of light and hope but how can you 'see' darkness? Perhaps it is that the hole where the projector points through is of a different level of darkness.
• "I remember it" makes it clear to the reader that this a memory and one that the speaker remembers in great clarity. The sound of the movie starting takes "wing gladly", like a majestic bird soaring free and leaving its worries behind. The cinema represents a "thrill" which leaves the audience in excited and agitated states, as though they are children at a "fairground". This may be because the speaker is actually a child themselves and the closest thing they can liken the experience to is the chaos and lights of a "fairground". The world of the cinema is one of "gaudy-bright" lights and glamour- a beacon shining against the dull monochromes of life.
• Abse then includes a reference to "asthma" and "wheezing" which could be interpreted as occurring due to the cinema taking the audience's breath away or that the general health of the audience is poor. These references to harsh-sounding  conditions of the lung are recurrent throughout the poem, connoting the constant smoking of the working class and perhaps linking to how films glamorised cigarettes yet failed to tell the audience of the consequences, thus leaving those in poverty with ill health.
• In the second stanza, the alliteration of "played with panache" gives the poem an almost song-like and melodious quality, apt as the stanza focuses on the beauty of the sound the speaker is hearing. The song mentioned by the speaker provides the poem with context and shows how people latched onto popular musicians and items of the time. However, this "dream" subsequently sinks "underground"-out of reach of the audience and unattainable. Like a "dream", it is only a short diversion from reality before the gross poverty of the working-class is hinted at again- "shoeless feet".
• The events that occur in the film are viewed as a "miracle", with this religious imagery linking to "mecca" ( a holy city in Saudi Arabia visited by millions of Muslims every year). The audience are devoted to the feeling of escapism and worship the cinema as a shrine to what they could have. The stereotypical story of "the girl next door" falling in love with the handsome guy is sarcastically emphasised as being something that would never happen and the irony of an actress who has wealth and glamour playing a "poor ragged Goldilocks" cannot be missed- links to fairy tales and fantasy, blunt statement. The fact that her tears are "glycerine" shows that the audience are not fooled by the fake nature of the emotion as they know the hardships of life and it leaves a bitter sweet taste in their mouth. This is further reinforced when the speaker appears bitter about the differences in appearance between him and "Cary Grant" ( a famous actor renowned for his good looks and "elegance")- "No holes in his socks". The actors in films portrayed a world of perfection which the audience knew they could never achieve.
• The film then comes to "THE END", dramatically announcing in capital letters that the diversion is over and that the audience must return to their depressing lives. Even though the films always end on an "upbeat" note (mocking), this feeling of warmth immediately disappears when the persona leaves the cinema. The hyperbolic "damned Fall" comes as the speaker must leave the fantasy world and the majestic "Palace" behind- almost like the biblical fall of Adam and Eve. They become "glum" and "silent", like a child moping and their lives yet again become regimented- "trooping". The "trauma of paradox" clearly highlights the difference between the vibrant world of the cinema and the dark "dreary" streets of reality and "trauma" suggest that this realisation causes physical pain-the speaker has been lied to for the last few hours of their life. Reality seems to be purposefully cruel ("malice") yet this cruelty is "familiar"-people have become used to it. The neologism of the "gas-lamped street" presents the persona as child-like or not yet fully connected with reality whilst the "striking of the small Town's clocks" brings back the concept of time and with it, the realisation that all we have done is let inevitable death creep ever closer-pessimistic.
• The lack of a consistent rhyme scheme presents the disparity between fantasy and reality while enjambment and caesura show the control that the media has over people- they are sucked in by the ideals of perfection and beauty and subconsciously base their lives around these unrealistic expectations despite knowing that it is all fake. When leaving a film viewing, the realisation that the film was not your life is depressing and hard-hitting.

Links to Larkin

Theme- 'Essential Beauty'-In Larkin's poem, beauty is unattainable and used to cover up the grim reality of "graves" and "slums" which people do not want to see. People are so easily deceived by advertising because they want to believe in an ideal world and thus, buy the advertised products to achieve this, just as people visit the cinema for a diversion from reality. However, both in this poem and Abse's, the fall back to reality and the idea of death is sudden and saddening.

'Love Songs in Age'- music, hope and disappointment are inexplicably linked. Love, as glorified by films and music, fails to live up to its promises and only accentuates our level of misery. It is a  "glare" of  "brilliance", filled with vibrancy and beauty and though it hurts people to look directly, they become imprisoned by the sensory stimulation.

'For Sidney Bechet'- the link between music and sadness, with particular relevance to memories. A person's passion for music will help them recollect an event and the feelings they had- this can be overwhelming though.

'Sunny Prestatyn'- Both Larkin and Abse understand that fantasies cannot last and that there will inevitably be a hard fall back to reality. However, people's reaction to deception is much more violent in Larkin's poem while it is only a hint of bitterness that we get from Abse's poem- can symbols of happiness be barriers to our happiness?

'Afternoons'- A look at how the working-class are easily led along to believe one thing and then meet with disappointment when it is not true- "hollows"-emptiness

'Reference Back'- music can provide a distraction from "unsatisfactory" life for a time and builds bridges between people and worlds

'Home is So Sad'- As Larkin states, home is a "joyous shot at how things ought to be/Long fallen wide". The return from the cinema is a lot like the realisation that home is not what you wanted it to be, though it does have the redeeming quality of familiarity.

 

Tone

The tone of this poem is largely pessimistic towards the end, despite being reverent when describing the lights and sound of the film showing: 'Home is So Sad', 'For Sidney Bechet','Ambulances'.

 

Technique- Abse uses a lot of sensory imagery to give a sense of the area being described as a whole and to take the reader there, such as that in 'Here'  whilst also using religious imagery to provide an atmosphere of worship-'Water'.

Alliteration also appears to give the poem a melodious quality, like "much-mentioned" in 'Love Songs in Age'  and "natural noise" in 'For Sidney Bechet' while Abse uses juxtaposition to contrast reality and fantasy, as mirrored in 'Sunny Prestatyn'.

 



In the Theatre

Themes
Death and mortality, spirituality, responsibility, security and comfort, appearance vs. reality-lies, disregard for life, emotional engagement


Content
Dannie Abse worked as a doctor, as did his brother Wilfred, who's experiences this poem is based upon. In this poem we see Wilfred early in his career acting as a theatre assistant before he became an esteemed psychoanalyst. Wilfred clearly told his brother of this event and thus, Dannie Abse retells it in his own voice as though he personally were there-less reliable. The poem centers around a failed brain surgery which resulted in the death of the patient due to the ignorance of the doctor and which appears eerie and gruesome.


Analysis

• When first reading the title, it appears to be misleading as the reader assumes it talks about a theatre for drama and music and not an operating theatre. The fact that this is "A true incident" is immediately stated to add the element of realism and to show that the lines between truth and untruth are blurred.
• The opening statement as quoted from Dr Wilfred Abse tells the story in its simplest form with little emotion before Dannie Abse then goes on to unravel the event in greater detail with more focus on the people involved themselves- the speaker appears omniscient.
• The contrast between the thoughts of the "sister" and what she says to the patient emphasises how medical staff provide their patients with a false sense of security when actually they care little for the patient personally and think only of the next job at hand. The reply of the patient that they "feel fine" is yet another "small lie" meant to cover up the truth and bury the feelings of fear which the patient feels. This is often the case in hospitals where people need comfort to make reality subside as they are placing their lives in the hand of the medical staff. These people have such power and responsibility but can also abuse this. The lack of compassion on the part of the nurse foreshadows the later incompetence whilst the sibilance of "small voices, small lies" creates the effect of an almost onomatopoeic and eerie whisper.
• The idea that "Lambert Rogers" (the surgeon) will be feeling around inside the patient's brain as "rash as blind man's" does not give the reader hope for the operation. The surgeon appears unqualified and too forceful and hasty in his approach. It is as though he is as unconscious as the patient and the blame is indirectly placed upon his "fingers" and not him, though he is the person culpable. The brain of the patient is described as "soft"- malleable and giving, it is open to the doctor's work but this trust is gravely misplaced.
• In the second stanza, the operation is likened to "items of horror"- "items" presenting the operation as a gruesome object with graphic descriptions used by Abse to startle the reader. However, the reader is encouraged to "laugh" at the incompetence of the surgeon- a sarcastic statement which is later juxtaposed with the "cry" of the patient. The speaker feels little empathy for the patient and the whole debacle is made laughable- the surgeon has still not found the "growth" even after "one hour" of fumbling around in the man's brain. Abse describes the brain as being "mashed", with connotations of destruction and violence and links to the treatment of food. The patient is not treated with respect as a person and meanwhile, the growth keeps "ticking its own wild time". The growth becomes a metaphorical clock counting down the time left of the patient's life and yet still the surgeon appears to be in no great hurry. The only cause for alarm that the medical staff have is that there are "Two more on the list" to get done. These people are not given names but are described using their illnesses e.g. "neural cyst"-detachment. The surgeon also appears to be "desperate" -intrusive- and still blind to what he is doing ("fingering around") though the blame is sill detracted from him and placed on the "probe". This is perhaps because people did not wish to blame those in authority positions.
• Abse uses the metaphor of a "cracked record" to show how the brain has become damaged and is no longer functioning properly like a record does when it becomes cracked-constantly repeating itself, links to music. The patient appears to be out of control of their actions and speech, as though a "ventriloquist" controls them- they are a dummy and the speech could be seen as coming from the soul or simply an outburst of sound so haunting that the medical staff believe they hear a voice in it. It is clear that the patient is in great distress and pain and cries out "leave my soul alone" repeatedly. It is here that there is confusion about whether it is the brain or soul that is speaking and how they are linked. Perhaps the soul resides in the brain or is part of the neurological process of individuals? And does the patient speak as a reaction against the prodding of his brain or because of it?
• Either way, the ghostly and macabre look of the patient with "eyes too wide" and speaking not of his own volition shocks the surgeon so much that he withdraws his instruments and the other medical staff stand "petrified". The eerie quality of the sound has them rooted to the spot as the voice continues its utterance- "artic" and "odd". The voice chills the listeners and has "nowhere else to go", simply echoing in the room or implying that the soul cannot be transported to the afterlife when it has been interfered with. Eventually the "antique gramophone wound down"- the voice appears old beyond its time and the words start to "blur and slow"-the body is shutting down and dying and eventually the voice/spirit ceases to exists. This is a definitive end which presents the patient as dead and gone from the world, though what exactly has gone is not specific ("something other")-something unique.
• "And silence matched the silence under snow"-everything is dulled by a blanket, there is no sound and only a chill in the room, nothing to be said, spring comes after winter though and the man no longer suffers.
• Four stanzas of seven lines present the poem as structured, ironically contrasting with the random prodding of the surgeon.
• Abse uses some rhyming words ("brain", "again") but not throughout the  entirety of the poem, emphasising the inconsistences in the surgeries.
• Enjambment and caesura are used to highlight the unpredictable nature of the operation whilst the anecdote at the beginning of the poem places the poem in context.

Links to Larkin


Themes- 'Ambulances'-  the theme of death is prevalent in both of these poems, however the death in Larkin's poem is less spiritually meaningful and the reader is not told the cause of death. The death is seen as inevitable and out of people's control while the death of the patient in Abse's poem occurred due to ignorance and incompetence. Moreover, the dying people in both poems are described as "wild" with their eyes open "wide" and they are treated as objects- dehumanised, "it". No one offers any real comfort to the people and instead, are purely selfish in their thoughts. When stating "poor soul", they are less worried for that person's "soul" than for their own lives-lack of emotional engagement.
'Nothing To Be Said'- just as the words of the patient shock the medical staff into silence, conversation surrounding death leaves some people with nothing to say-scared by what is inevitably coming for them.
'Naturally the Foundation will Bear Your Expenses'- there is a lack of empathy and attachment towards those who have died or are on the verge of dying- people's lives are seen as things to play with, toys
'Love Songs in Age'- the idea of music being damaged and faltering  in order to show disappointment in life and of something drawing to a close is common in both poems- "bleached" "songs"
'Faith Healing'- trusting someone else so much with your health when really they are false and unable to do the job they advertise. The healer in Larkin's poem, like the surgeon and nurses, is simply trying to get through people as quick as possible-he does not care who they are
'Take One Home for the Kiddies'- in this poem, like in Abse's, there is a complete and utter disregard for life and its preciousness, the pets are pulled and played with until they become tiresome and are killed


Tone- The tone of Abse's poem is morbid and sombre, therefore linking it to 'Ambulances' and 'Love Songs in Age'. Moreover, it is also sarcastic and cynical, similar to that in 'Self's the Man' and 'Naturally the Foundation...'


Technique- the references to time that recur throughout the poem are similar to those in 'Send No Money' and 'An Arundel Tomb' while the use of sibilance to create an eerie atmosphere/to link to the whispers of time is mirrored in 'Nothing To Be Said' and 'Take One Home for the Kiddies'.
Furthermore, reported speech is used in both this poem and 'Reference Back' to reinforce the point that the poems are genuine and real past events.


Link: http://hub.salford.ac.uk/theoriesandmethodsliteraturescienceandmedicine/2011/01/09/in-the-theatre-a-true-incident-by-dannie-abse/

The Mistake

Themes
Disappointment, human selfishness and pride, identity, illusion and reality, nature, disguise, breaking free of lies


Content
This poem concerns a family who discover from a tree-expert that the tree that grows in their garden is rare for Wales and thus, use is as a point to boast about to any visitors who pass by. However, when summer comes and with it, a drought, the tree reveals its true identity to be a simple walnut tree-worthy of little attention generally but now with a story behind it.


Analysis

• The title itself instantly declares that someone within the poem has made an error and it becomes known that the family (humans) and not the tree (nature) are at fault.
• From the start of the first stanza, it is clear that the family want people to come into their garden as a matter of pride and the command words of "Come" and "Smell" force both the visitor and the reader to pay attention to what the family is showing. The use of the personal pronoun "our (garden)" further reinforces the boasting nature of the family whilst the use of caesura makes the sentences sound rehearsed- it is a story they have told many times. The visitors must take in the tree as a whole and the use of anthropomorphism in relation to the "green tree" causes the tree to become a living creature. Though it originally had "no identity", the identity that it has been given is one of worth.
• The family repeatedly ask people whether the tree is suggestive of an "Oriental dispensary", with this highlighting the exotic and foreign nature of the tree and also linking to the idea of it having healing powers.
• Moving into the second stanza, the reader comes to understand how the tree earned its reputation. A "tree-expert" told the family that the tree was named "Evodia danieli" and was "without doubt/From Korea". The fact that this tree was "thriving" in Wales was considered "odd" and immediately, the family latched onto the idea so as to provide them with "something to boast about". They happily "thanked" the "tree-expert" for the gift of knowledge that he had given them and went on to "proudly" offer a "leaf" each time a visitor "came". Human nature dictates that people constantly try to possess the rarest and most beautiful things and consequently boast of their conquests, however, the family took this information too eagerly without any evidence and the tree had already sat in their garden for "thirteen years" unnoticed- people believe what they want to hear.
• The family go so far as to make the tree appear almost holy and capable of curing illnesses such as a "cold". It is the answer to their prayers (a "pagan Benediction" )and they make it seem as though they were specifically singled out to have this "gift" which divinely fills the nose and mouth. Abse uses the words "swank" and "urge" to present how the family are almost forceful in their presentation of the tree and flaunt the tree in the faces of visitors to prove their superiority or in an attempt to impress society and climb up the social ladder.
• However, for all of this boasting and arrogance, the illusion is shattered in the fourth stanza as the rhetorical question is ironically answered. The tree is not a "treasure" and has become "Tired of lies"- this identity has been forced upon it and it cannot bear it any longer. The dreams of uniqueness are so easily and suddenly shattered and proven to be "lies", with this word being placed on its own line to underline its mockery of the story. Even in its "parched" state, the tree has "asserted itself" and "sprouted ordinary walnuts" and though this makes the tree "ordinary" and normal, it is "shamelessly free of disguise". This could be interpreted to mean that the tree is shameless at it personally did not create the lies or that the family themselves are shameless as they could not have known what it really was and now have a new story to tell. The discovery of the false identity makes the tree even more interesting for the backstory behind it and Abse is perhaps stating that no one can successfully pretend to be something they're not forever. However, unlike Larkin, Abse manages to make the unveiling of the disguise into something positive, if not slightly humiliating.

Links to Larkin


Themes- 'As Bad as a Mile'- the sense of disappointment at losing something that could boost your spirits or improve your status, human greed at always wanting the most beautiful object or that which you are not allowed
'Sunny Prestatyn'- illusion and disguise will ultimately give way to reality. Whilst it is the tree in Abse's poem that rebels, it is people that destroy the illusion of the poster in Larkin's poem. However, the destruction of the disguise in Larkin's poem is much more violent and brutal-"stab right through"
'A Study of Reading Habits'- a mocking look at how a person's opinion of their identity or the identity of others is often incorrect/distorted
'Love Songs in Age'- believing in something wholeheartedly only to discover that it cannot match up to your expectations
'Ignorance'- people never really know the truth and often go through life believing in things that are false
'The Importance of Elsewhere'- how being something else or going elsewhere can strengthen your sense of identity
'Send No Money'- our readiness to believe in something if we hope it is true. The boy in Larkin's poem believes "Time" when he says that by sitting on the side lines of life, it will be better for him
'First Sight'- an optimistic look at how things will improve and get better. By discovering the tree's true identity, there is no more shame and the tree has an interesting story behind it while in Larkin's poem, winter will give way to spring and warmth for the lambs
'Here'- nature does not lie but gets tainted by the influence of humans- "luminously- peopled air", the tree in Abse's poem does not create the lie of its identity.


Tone- The tone throughout this poem is conversational like that in 'The Whitsun Weddings' and 'Wild Oats' whilst also being self-mocking at times, thus again linking to 'Wild Oats' and 'Send No Money'. At the beginning the tone appears smug and arrogant like the persona in 'Self's the Man' but the unveiling of the disguise helps lower this self-confidence, though the poem ends on a optimistic note similar to that in 'An Arundel Tomb'- "What will survive of us is love"



Techniques- the use of the rhetorical question in order to display superiority is similar to that in 'Naturally the Foundation will Bear Your Expenses'.
The command words present in this poem also appear in 'Home is So Sad' and 'Toads Revisited' in order to clearly focus the reader's attention and to present the idea that the speaker is in control.
Moreover, the use of short sentences and caesura to emphasise a particular point and to highlight the disconnection between past and present and what is real and what is not mirrors the use in Larkin's 'Home is So Sad' and 'Ignorance'. Like in 'Home is So Sad', Abse also use anthropomorphism to make the tree become a living creature as the house becomes in Larkin's poem.