The Malham Bird

This is a love poem dedicated to Abse's wife in which he remembers a specific memory early in their relationship, and talks about how monumental their love was for his. He also talks about a 'malham bird' which is part of a Jewish legend about a bird that chose not to eat the forbidden fruit but was lonely, showing how he is satisfied with his life choices. The stanzas are irregular apart from the last which is cut short possibly connoting the death of his wife. 

Stanza 1:

-'clarity' suggests he understood what life was about with her/ understood her completely and saw clearly their love. Also suggests their love bought things into perspective. 

-'marvels' suggests they are wonderful memories, their relationship was a great thing. 

-'long summer' suggests there were lots of good times and he remembers it well. 

-'gentile' 'Jew' suggests they has differences but still loved each other. Alternatively he saw her as better than him. 

-'news' suggests she was a great event in his life, so much so he felt the world should know. 

-'the great world had been reinvented' shows his positive attitude and she chaned everything. 

-'we were new' shows the power of love. 

Stanza 2:

-'dear wife' shows he is addressing her directly, and he still loves her dearly he is affectionate and sensitive. 

-'remember' introduces the memories they are looking back at. 

-'illicit' shows their passion and may suggest their families didn't approve of their love. 

-'rented room...hidden beach' shows an adventure they had together, which was secluded.

-'tame seagull that seemed a portent' is a sign strong message showing their love was meant to be and important, a life changing relationship. A symbol that it is right. Also suggests they have freedom together ( unlike malham)

-'as if Dafydds ghost had sent it' reinforces it as meant to be as he is a known love poet. 

Stanza 3:

-'we lay on our shadows' suggests they are at one with each other, 2 become 1. Also suggests they were living in the moment and comfortable with each other as they were well fit for each other. 

- 'naked' physically and metaphorically they are bearing themselves to each other. 

-'more than together' suggests their love is magical. 

-'saw high in the blue' freedom, together their world is opened up, peaceful imagery. 

-'two chalk lines kiss and slowly disappear' May suggest their love will not last forever or that it will be eternal even without physical presence. 

-'Chalk' is a mark you make on purpose, is natural but is not eternal.

-'the friendly gull swooped down, magnified, near' shows how they were happy together at this point felt free but had each other close. 

Stanza 4:

-'three grandchildren later' shows they lived a happy an fulfilled life. 

-'black feathered bird' suggests negativity linking to its loneliness, contrasts with friendly seagull. 

-'malham of Eden' was lonely in paradise suggests you have to take risks to be happy like marriage which the bird couldn't experience. Abse is happy with his choices. 

-'others' show how other people have each other. 

Stanza 5:

-'lonely, immortal' bird shows Abse is happy with his choices, glad he took risk with his wife. 

Links:

-send no money, being tricked out of life

- dockers/selfs the man, life choices 

-goes against 'talking in bed'/wild oats 

- reference back/ love songs in age memories. 

Postcard to his Wife

In this poem Abse reminisces over his dead wife. It has a sad tone as it takes about the themes of love and marriage as Abse describes his sadness that he can no longer reach his wife. The women contrasts casual comments about his wife, suggesting she may only be on holiday as suggested by the title, with the reality of his loneliness. For the majority of the poem talks about all the wonderful things he would do if she was with him, as an attempt to communicate with her. There is no rhyme scheme which suggests a lack of control showing she is out of Abse's reach. 

Stanza 1:

• 'wish you were here' is a phrase commonly used oen postcard, however becomes more profound here as we know she is dead. The use of a short sentance and ceasura emphasizes this, and connotes the bluntness of death, and the way he has to move on as the poem continues. 
• 'it's a calm summer's day' shows he is trying to describe his day to her, so it can be like she is with him. 
• 'dulcamara of memory' translated directly means bitter sweet, showing the happiness and pain in looking back. It is a treatment for a disease suggesting his memories can't cure his pain. 
• 'not enough' shows how much he misses her. 
• 'i confess' shows he his unveiling his emotions to her, which is easier through a postcard, as he has a need to tell her everything, he knows her well that she would be unhappy he is unhappy. 
• 'i know the impoverishness of self' shows he is nothing without her.
• 'venus de milo is only stone' being a greek sculpture of love and beauty, shows this is no longer part of his life, he doesnt beleive in it any more and without her he is pessimistic, sees no good. 'stone' is cold and hard reflecting his emotions. 

Stanza 2:

• 'so come home' is an imperitive, emphasised with full stop showing his anger at her death. He is trying to fool himself that she can come back to make himself feel better, he is desperate for her. 
• 'the bed's to big!' uses sad humour talking about fickle things inan attempt to make himself feel better, make her laugh. Also suggests life alone no longer fits him, he cant adjust. 
• 'make excuses' suggests he feels death is something she can get out of, makes it sound casual. 
• 'hint we are agents in an obscure drama' is a ridiculous fantasy, reinforcing her being alive not being real. 
• 'to climb 2000 feet' suggests if she was alive they would make the most of it, not just stay at home.

Stanza 3:

• 'Anything' shows clearly his desperation.
• 'we'll motor, just you, just me' suggests he needs no one else but her, he wants her to himself and that he is only asking for a small thing, just life.
• '...through the dominion of Silurian cornfields' suggests if she was alive he would make the most of life with her, with wild adventures, perhaps the things they said they'd do but never did, or the things they used to do. 
• 'twisting narrow lanes' suggests he wants the wild and unexpected. 
• 'hedges have wild business with roses and clematis!' is romantic, possibly representing their relationship, her being a beautiful rose, he wants to experience unexpected. 'Wild' contrasts with orderly 'business' suggesting this adventure is out of their control. 

Stanza 4:

• 'or we could...' suggests he will do anything to make her happy. 
• 'blond sand dunes' is a romantic setting. 
• 'mimic the old gods who enacted the happy way to be holy' suggests the key to happiness is through love.
• 'mimic' may suggest they would try and be a better couple, or if they did right by god they could have their lives. 
• 'meanwhile' introduces a change in tone, sadder and more realist from fantasy to fact. 
• 'dear' is an affectionate word addressing her directly. 
• 'your husband' shows he belongs to her, dead or alive.
• 'uxorious' shows his devoting to his wife. 
• 'absense can't male Abse's heart grow fonder' shows he loves her to his limit and absense just brings him pain. Speaking in third person possibly to detach himself from this pain. 

Links:

• reference back
• love songs in age
• an arundel tomb

A Figure of 8

This poem talks about Abse's childhood, how he as a young person tried to break free and express himself and he found it hard within the constraints of a classroom and his daily routine as a young boy. It contains the themes of rebellion and cynicism as well as imagination vs reality, as when the boy leaves the classroom his imagination runs wild. The title could reference the cyclical nature of life, its repetitiveness which imagination breaks or simply say a figure of eight years old, referencing to his younger self.

Stanza 1:

• 'In Mr Theophillise's jail' shows how the classroom was seen as a prison. 
• 'sun striped classroom' suggests it is shut away from nature, that you just get a glimpse while the 'stripes' reinforces the idea of prison bars/uniform. 
• 'half listens to a story' suggests his mind is going elsewhere, the lesson isn't fun or interesting or even real, so he doesnt care. Suggests you shouldnt just be educated by the classroom, elsewhere too. 
• 'royalty-loving Christopher Robin' suggests they are drumming societies ideas into children e.g. monarchy, and even the innocent childrens stories have hidden messages which. Also shows these stories are not representitive of reality.
• 'musical scales' shows a strict structure to school life.
• 'Fatty Jones' childish nicknames shows how school is not necessarily a good place to be.
• 'God bless the Prince of Wales' shows opinions being put into their minds. 

Stanza 2:

• 'free, at last' school is a waste of time. 
• 'he jet-roars out of school' shows he can't wait to leave, his youth and suggests he should be out in the air not stuck inside. 
• 'vigorous sunset' may suggest rules seem good but in reality are too vigorous, sunset is end of freedom and fun which is hard to take or could suggest even simple pleasures of the outside world to the boy seem exciting. 
• 'millenium stadium' superimposes new onto the old, suggests he is living a fantasy.
• 'flies to Africa to see naked women' is inapropriate for his age, showing urge to grow up and see things he doesnt learn about in school, fun things.
• 'farts H2Ss' shows his immaturity and references what he learns at school making it seem useless. 

Stanza 3:

• 'evening's shot down in flames' is war imagery used, ambiguous whether it is imagination or reality. War is something teachers don't tell children about at school, they just teach them fairy stories, their reality becomes fantasy. 'evening' is the end of something, perhaps childhood. 
• 'someone has bombed the park' would be sinister if he is imagining or a harsh reality. 

Stanza 4:

• using park imagery to take things from reality and twist them with imagination, as a child does. 
• 'the swings are on fire' may suggest the death of childhood or growing up, or reality overcoming thoughts. 
• 'the enemy' repeated suggests ideas about war are drummed into the childrens head, enemy isnt given name suggesting it is 'empty' from the childs perspective.
• 'wooden horses are running wild' confuses reality with imagination and suggests a need freedom.

Stanza 5:

• 'furnace in the churchyard' suggests bodies are burning linking to rebellion and cynicism also suggesting they are going to hell because of war. 
• 'sorcerer' shows him imagining something sinister, magic reference shows immaturity. 
• 'mandrake' could be a childlike reference to a fantasy or could suggest you shouldnt take children away from something natural to them, like their childhood or imagination. 
• 'the graves are sinking down to hell' shows clear perssimism. 

Stanza 6:

• 'spaceship' shows his childishness' and may possibly show naivety if it is really a war plane. 
• 'another world' shows a childs limited perspective on life. 
• 'the pond is poisoned by the dew' reinforces idea of ending something innocent/pure like childhood. 
• 'the boy comes home to base' suggests he is trying to make war fun like a game, but its not. Could suggest a search for security at home. 

Stanza 7:

• 'observed by his patient cat' suggests he is insignificant, nobody really cares about his childhood angst. 
• 'he chalks across the garden shed' shows a limp attempt at rebellion, naive as chalk can wash off easily. 
• 'FUCK WINNIE THE POOH' shows the uselessness of stuff taught in the classroom, and an attempt to be adult with his language. 
• 'for...fatty jones' shows kidz stick togevs. 

Links:

• agressive tone at end-'sunny prestatyn'
• Larkin doesnt tell personal stories unlike Abse
• rebellion, fantasy and dislike of childishness -'A study of reading habits'

The Death of Aunt Alice

In this poem Abse reminisces over his Aunt who has recently died. He begins by talking about how normal and uneventful her death and funeral was, and continues to reminisce over the wat this is not true to her, as she was so dramatic and lively telling lots of gory stories. The poem has quite a depressing tone as it reminds us that we all die, and have little choice in it. 

Stanza 1:

-'orderly''correct''decent' suggests the death was normal and boring and the 'correct' thing isn't always the best. 

-'beserk with an axe' is almost wistful as he reminisces over one of her stories. 

-'Poor Alice, where's your opera ending' suggests she deserved better, would be disappointed but 'opera' is not real life. 

-'you relished high catastrophe' shows she was obsessed with death and although she loved the stories on 'page one of a newspaper' it's not the same when it is happening to her, not so enjoyable. 

-'newspaper' being her 'bible' shows how unusual and individual she was with her own values. 

Stanza 2:

-'talked of typhoid when we sat to eat' shows she was not everyone's cup of tea, and the bad memories of her Abse now relishes. Also she was almost a hypochondriac, always focusing on bad. 

-'you fatigued us' suggests she wasn't appreciated when she was alive, linking to 'reference back'. 

-'boeings bubbling under seas' is a type of plane showing the detail in her stories, alliteration emphasises it is almost fantasy, not real as death isn't so interesting in real life. 

-'vague shapes' shows they didn't know the full story, it wasn't entirely real or could suggest as they don't know the people it happened to the full story they can enjoy it. 

-'fatigue' repeated shows the repetition of their stories. 

Stanza 3:

-'disguises and transformations' shows she wasn't a realist, they were good stories but not true, truth isn't so fun. 

-'trees were but factories' comparing nature negatively to industry links to Larkin. 

-'rose' and other natural things being described as dangerous and painful, suggests death is nature and pain is natural. 

-'bore you by dying naturally' suggests normal deaths aren't worth hearing about but this doesn't fit for him as his aunt is worth hearing about. 

Stanza 4:

-'A' 'C' makes the stories sound unrealistic and not giving names detaches them from dead/pain. Could suggest it has happened so much names are no longer worth remembering. 

-'never had a head for height' shows the dramatic irony in her stories. 

Stanza 5:

-'now, never again' shows death is definitive. 

-'you utter gory admonition a as some do oaths' shows what makes her individual her stories are er religion/way of life. 

-'admonitions' means warnings, she was trying to help. 

-'disasters that lit your eyes' suggests she enjoys disaster linking to Selfs the Man. 

-'pale saints' have to be whiter than white to put up with her, or could connote fear because of stories. 

-'bloody martyrdoms' shows her extremes. 

-'tall stories your identity' suggests her stories will be the thug that lasts in memory, she will live through them. 

Links:

-'days' death is coming for us all

-'reference back' 'love songs in age' looking back at people you love

-'a study of reading habits' reality vs imagination 

The Game

This poem is about the football team Abse supports, Cardiff FC. It talks about the fans and the passion with which they support their team and oppose the other teams. 

Abse uses religious comparisons to emphasise the passion with which fans support their team. For example  'cheer the good and hiss at parting evil' demonstrates the rivalry between the two teams reinforced as the opposing team is described as 'lucifer' and 'demons' and 'Mephistopheles'. 'Demons have agents' that 'bribe' the ref suggests they are ungodly because they don't play fair. 

The comradery of the fans is presented as they as described as 'our' suggesting they are one united force. 'Hoompa' reinforces the positive atmosphere and the match day slang. 'Jugular fans' suggests they are roudy and noisy while 'injured beast' reinforces them being one being and suggests they are wild and ferocious with a lack of reason suggesting they are almost primitive in their fandom. It also shows they are loosing. After the match, the loss clearly has a big effect on them as 'clean programmes are trampled under foot' showing their annoyance can be destructive 'trampled' reinforcing them being animalistic. Furthermore 'natural the dark, appropriate the rain' suggests the environment should reflect their mood which is pained and depressed showing how deeply they take the loss. Also it is as if the seasons revolve around this match, connoting how it is a big part of the fans lives and they take it to heart. This is reinforced as 'under lamposts, threatening newsboys shout' comes across almost like a boast, and they feel so down that it seems everyone else in is in light while they are in the gloom. 'Threatening' hints at their violence suggesting they may be looking for a fight, or could suggest they take every loss personal. The heat and passion of these football fans is suggested as 'a hundred matches spark' also showing a lot of games happen here, the meaning behind the football for the players is reinforced as they are 'in a ballet dancers pose' suggesting it is an art form to the fans. Alternatively as this is describing a player on the opposing team, it may suggest he is being made a mockery of as football is meant to be manly. 

Links:

MCMXIV-soldiers compared to football fans, footballers compared to devils=contrast

Water- looks at the idea of religion

An Arundal tomb- worshiping something may not necessarily be a good thing 

'Talking in bed' something you love turning cold 

Two Photographs

In this poem the persona looks at two photos of his different grandmothers and talks about although they are very different her appreciates them both for their individuality and loves them both the same. The poem talks about the passing of time and memories and the identity of these two women. 

Stanza 1:

• 'how slim' first thing mention about grandma, gives first impressions and suggests this reflects her personality. 
• 'pretty' 'slim' 'vulnerable' are mens expectations of women, Doris contrasts this being 'portly formiddable handsome' showing they are the oppisite but he celebrates them both. 
• Outfits are used to show more about their character Annabella has a 'demure black frock...amber brooch' whereas Doris has a 'lacy black gown...string of pearls' showing they are equally valuable in different ways and this impression of them lasts through time. Use of synonyms shows how he loves them the same way and they had simalar things and lives but did them differently. Doris' outfit is in the second stanza reinforcing the contrast. Abse could be questioning the way we judge people's personality on the way they dress. 

Stanza 2:

• locations and dates of photos are given, but no further details, suggesting Abse doesn't actually no that much about them as most of his discriptions are limited to about the photographs. 
• 'both were told to say 'cheese'; one, defiant said 'chalk!'' reinforces the way they live similar lives but are very different. The women are chalk and cheese, so complete opposites. 

Stanza 3:

• repitition of p when describing both women reinforces despite thier diffrenences they were loved the same, one 'pacy, pushy' the other 'pious, passive' not necessarily positive words but show affection.
• one 'dammed' the other with a 'devilish laugh' linking to the way women judge eachother and said with affection showing they both have fault but Abse doesn't care.

Stanza 4:

• 'not for the commencement of a duel' shows how they don't get on, but he doesn't want them to right, just wants to keep his memories alive. 
• 'who was taller' shows he's embracing differences. suggests a rivalry and competition. 
• 'eau de cologne grandmothers, with buns of grey hair' emphasizes their similarities. 
• 'seem illusory, fugitive, like a dream' shows it is hard to remember it seems not real anymore. 
• 'dust that secretively flows in sudden sunbeam' metaphor for memories coming at certain times, but you can't control or summon them, they come on their own accord.  
• 'seived' leaky' suggests memories can be easily lost, losing details. 

Stanza 5:

• 'loved' shows his affection for both of them.'whats survived' shows even though they were loved they will be forgotton.  
• 'an amber brooch, a string of pearls, two photographs' shows only the physical things survive but from these you can remember them as they are symbols of their personality.suggests only material things will keep them alive which is sad. 
• 'who' would be so insignificant to his grandchildren, it was as if they 'never lived', but are so important to him as without them he would not exist. People can only stay alive through memories so he feels they are important to keep himself alive. If you forget about your family and where you came from it no longer exists. 

Links:

• 'for sidney bechet' celebration of a life
• 'love songs in age' remembering through objects
• 'wild oats' looking at two photographs, comparing women

A Wall

This poem is about a wall and what it means. It as about searching for a meaning and purpose for everything instead of just accepting it for what it is, particularly this wall which has no purpose but has become a beautiful part of nature. 
Stanza 1:

• 'in a field' is general and vague.
• 'you won't find it' makes it mean nothing to us makes us question the point.
• 'plock' onomatopoeia qives it comical and light hearted tone. 
• 'lies' personification making it sound made up. 
• 'high as your eyes' suggests the wall changes depending on the person, the perspective, it is as good as you want it to be.
• 'no reason' 'no place' repition makes it sound pointless to us, see no good in it. 
• 'no other walls' makes it alone and shows the way we search for its purpose. 
• 'seemingly unremarkable' suggests you have to look closer to see why its special. Suggests it has no significance, but this may not be a reason not to talk about it. 
• 'stone of different sizes, different greys' suggests it doesnt fit in, it is different therefore people dont understand that.Is not one specific thing therefore can't be categorised. 

Stanza 2:

• 'don't say this wall is useless' demonstrates you should not judge things straight away. 
• 'the grass on the shadow side is much like the other' suggests if you look closely you can see differences, meaning.
• 'it exists for golden lichins to settle' suggests it has become part of nature, a home for things, 'golden' showing a positive view of nature, like Larkin, and suggesting there is meaning in this. Suggests this wall is meant to be derelift, taken over by nature, this is a meaning on its own. 
• 'for butterflies' 'for huddling sheep' shows there is meaning in things that seem fickle, it is for nature, and nature is beautiful and meaningful and should not be overlooked, Larkin 'here'. 
• 'this wall is beautiful' there is beauty in nature doesnt have to have clear purpose to be appreciated making the first stanza irrelevant. 

Links:

• 'nothing to be said' 'days' meaningless is not a bad thing, dont question things. 
• 'first sight' 'here' talking about nature and hope

Imitations

This poem is about a relationship between a father and son, and how this changes over time and the way this relationship forces the father to look back at the similar relationship he had with his father, and the way sons are just imitations of their dads, similar impressions. 

Stanza 1:

• 'this' showing it is about a specific time with his son. 
• 'this afternoon room' in between light and dark, hope and darkness links to the transition of growing up. 
• 'the other side of the glass' suggests an invisible barrier of age seperating him from his son, or possibly him from the past. Also seperates room from the cold 'snowflakes' outside, allowing you to see but protect like a father. 
• 'whitewash' creates a clean blank slate suggesting new beginings when everything looks pure and fresh and clean, like at the beginning of adultood. 
• 'surprised april' shows snow at this time is unusual, possibly linking to his son growing up being a shock to him, he still sees him as young.
• 'an approximate man' shows he is on the cusp of adulthood.
• 'chameleon' suggests he is easily infuenced and can be lead astry as well as suggesting he is adapting to fit into society. 
• 'my soft diamond' is an oxymoron suggesting he as seen as both a hard strong man, and his son, vulnerable and pure. May suggest he is not quite formed/ready. 
• 'deciduous evergreen' suggests his son is growing up, childhood is falling away and he is changing, but he will always be the same person to his dad.
• 'my' shows his attachment, has a need to own and feel like a dad. 

Stanza 2:

• 'eyes half closed' links to the idea of transitions, doesnt have a complete view of life yet, still needs to experience things. Also could suggest he is half thinking about what he dreams to be and reality. 
• 'pop forgeries' shows popular culture at the time, that his dad doesnt understand.
• 'dreams of some juliet i dont know' old enough to have his own life that is purely the fantasy of his father, who speculates, possibly reliving his youth through him. 
• 'sky half blue' reiterates transition.
• 'a blur of white blossom' may suggest innocence rushing past you being lost, or not having the time or being about to get a good look at his sons life. 
• 'bendy window' suggests his sons impressionability, or suggest trying hard to understand/ see him. 
• 'gusting suddenly' change is a shock to him'.

Stanza 3:

• 'immortal springtime' is a paradox which could show times never really change although the seasons do, it is a cycle of fathers and sons. Everyone goes through it. 
• 'the age my cool son is' youth is cool, wishes to be young and cool again. 
• 'my father alive again' shows he is reminiscing. 
• 'i his duplicate' suggests you are the same as your dad, immortal like spring. 
• 'his high breath, my low breath' shows how age is the only change. 
• 'sticking to the glass' suggests it is caught by the barrier of age, cant get completely close, or this barrier seperates you from memories. 
• 'two white butterflies stumble' past is untouched and clear as you look at it, at the innocence and purity, ignorance or youth. Could symbolise those who have died, like his relationship with his father. adolescence is a 'stumble'
• 'held each to each' 'elastic' suggests an immortal bond between father and son, they can stretch apart but will always be attatched. 
• 'pass' may suggest it was a daydream and now it's back to reality or he and his son will move on but their relationship will continue. 

Links:

• 'dockery and son' past and memories, the accessablity of time. 
• 'broadcast' music reigniting memories/relationships.
• 'reference back' looking back at dead. 

Welsh Valley Cinema

The poem reminisces about the personas trips to the cinema in the 1930's, and the way living in a poor area, it was a form of escapism for people. The poem contrasts the ideal lifestyle visualized by the films at the cinema with their owner, sadder lives and shows the way the illusion of this better life is taken away at the end of the film. 

Stanza 1:

• 'the palace of the slums' shows how the area is poor, and the cinema is the best place to go in it. 
• 'saturday night pit' could link to the way people get up to mischief at that time, particularly in bad areas, or suggest the lure of cinema sucks you in, the pit being similar to the dark room you sit in. 
• 'unseen shaft of darkness' suggests the cinema makes them forget about their lives, makes them 'unseen' suggesting their lives are dark and they are not worth being looked at or acknowledged. 'shaft' being used to describe darkness rether than light may suggest the way it conceals them is good. 
• 'a sound took wing grandly' shows their amazed perspective of modern technology and the power that cinema has for them. 
• 'the thrill of a fairground sight' shows the joy they find in simple things because of the poorness of their area, it allows them to feel like they are experiencing amazing things but actually just seeing it second hand. 
• 'it rose, lordly stoutly thing' shows it stands out above everything else, and seems alive living better lives than the people watching it. 
• 'boasting a carnival' suggests it is almost showing off in front of these poor people that have nothing, brightness and fun of a carnival contrasts with the dark room the people are sedate in. 
• 'gaudy bright' 'changing colours' shows technology is magical and outlandish to them. 
• 'musical asthma' shows it takes their breath away. 

Stanza 2:

• 'i hear it still' suggests it made a big impression on his life. linking songs to memory like Larkin. 
• 'renowned gent' shows they get to experience famous people they never would have. Contrasts with the meaninglessness of their lives.
• 'it's early morning' shows a deregistration of the cinema and their lives, reminding us it's not real. 
• 'he and it sank to disapear, a dream underground' shows it is a dream life for the viewers, but one outside of their clutches. ONly lasts a couple of hours. 
• 'dream underground' escaping from your life to somewhere different, links to the way a cinema feels underground.

Stanza 3:

• 'downstairs gobbing silicosis' a disease caused by dust suggests spending all their time in that room is hindering their real life. Links to A study of Reading Habits. 
• 'shoeless feet on a mecca carpet' suggests it is a religious experience for them, they have little to live for but it. Reinforced by 'observed a miracle' which suggests they don't really take part in life, only watch.
• 'poor ragged Goldilocks' suggests they empathize with these characters like they know them. 
• 'glycerine tears' suggests it is not quite real. 
• 'Cary Grant' reminds them they are just actors, they don't really know them as well as showing another person of status that contrasts with their lives, reinforced by 'no flies on cary, holes in his socks'.
• 'cuff linked' shows their money and relationships they had with people because of that. 

Stanza 4:

• 'woodbine smoke swirled on' detracting from experience reminding them it is not real and of the discomfort of their lives, possibly suggesting this kind of life can never be real, is an illusion. Demonstrates how light brings out the imperfections, which is why they spend so much time in the dark. 
• 'opium beam of the operators box' suggests a strong unrelenting light reminding them of their lives or possibly giving them hope for a better life or at least a short escape. 
• 'THE END-' follows by pause in the middle of the line shows how when the film ends they are forced to look back at their own lives.
• 'of corse upbeat' suggests it is irrealistic. 
• 'the dammed fall' shows going back to reality. 
• 'the glum, too silent trooping out' shows they are grouped together as one emotion/ being, they lose their identities because they all live the same depressing lives that there is nothing to be said about. 
• 'the trauma of paradox' shows how although this experience is meant to be enjoyable, is can cause more pain. 
• 'familiar malice' suggests they experience a lot. 
• 'dreary unemployed gas lamped street' shows their lives are dark and mundane and poor lacking technology which is why the cinema is such a treat for them, bringing colour and music. 
• 'striking of small towns clocks' suggests their lives cause them striking pain each second, 'small town' suggests nothing happens and it is meaningless, while a focus on 'clocks' may suggest they dont know what to do with their time or feel it running out. 

Links:

• 'A study of reading habits' escapism
• 'wild oats' wishing you were someone youre not
• 'reference back' 'love songs in age' looking back at memories
• 'afternoons' having nothing to do with your time. 

In the Theatre

This poem is a poem based on the perspective of Abse's brother, who was a dresser to a well known surgeon. It talks about one particular surgery,  in which Dr Wilfred Abse is a dresser for a well known brain surgeon opperating on a patient with a brain tumour under only local anaesthetic, making him awake throughout the surgury, in Wales. The surgeon is described as incompitent and towards the end of the poem the patient starts to talk, before he dies. The main theme is a disregard for human nice, as well as title's wrongly advertising people and the connection between the body mind and soul. There is a stronger rhyme scheme at first which disappears reflecting the patients life. 

Stanza 1:

• 'sister saying' is alliteration emphasizing the fact she is only saying things not doing anything. Also set's scene as it suggests Nun which suggests it is back in time, as well as hinting what is about to happen is ungodly. 
• 'sister thinking' contrasts what she says with patients to what she really thinks.
• 'only two more left' suggests she is selfish.
• 'the patient' is anonymous possibly because the persona is detaching himslef from something that will die, or because he is having brain surgery he is loosing his mind and personality. 
• 'small voices, small lies' suggests it is meaningless and they are tip toeing around the truth, trying not to think about it. AS well as drifting consciousness. 
• 'blink again and again' may suggest he will sleep/die?
• 'nothing untoward' shows them justifying themselfs, these lies are expected and necessary. 
• 'because of the fingers of Lambert Rogers' suggests fickle hope resting on merely fingers. Shows patients lack of control and the control the doctor has as he is named, given status, he gets the credit and judgement. 
• 'rash as a blind man's' shows that despite his status this name is no more use than anyone else's in this situation. Alternatively because blind peoples other senses are hightened this could reflect his expertise. 'rash' suggests making quick un thoughtout decisions and mistakes. 
• 'soft brain' suggest vulnerability, as well as hinting the man is stupid for letting the surgeon do it to him. 

Stanza 2:

• 'horror' shows how this event is seen as a terrible thing, but actually they were trying to help. 
• 'growth still undiscovered' suggests the surgeon is bad, and that this is part of the patient, possibly suggesting the doctor is taking part of his mind/soul away. 
• 'ticking it's own wild time'  connotes a bomb, reflecting how the his death is inevitable and how when he dies it affects the people around him too, linking to the end of the poem. 'wild' also suggests the poem is evil, uncontrollable and out of societies norms however possibly natural, linking to the growth being part of him. 'ticking' suggests running out of time and 'it's own' shows a lack of control. 
• 'brain mashed' shows the surgeon just ruining the patient. Graphic imagery. 
• 'probes braille path' shows how much it is about feeling the tumor and his medical ineptitude.  
• 'desperate fingering' suggests he is not actually helping. 
• 'two more on the list' shows the people not thinking and caring about this specific patient. 

Stanza 3:

• 'cracked record in the brain' may suggest the brain can;t function the same because of what the surgeon has done, or is ruin, will no longer be able to play. Could link to memories going over and over or a broken soul. 
• 'ventriloquist voice' suggests the patient has become just a dummy body controlled by the surgeon, has lost freedom and personality and is being touched unlike a human. 
• 'cried' denotes his pain.
• 'leave my soul alone' is harrowing giving a sombre tone, and this repeated gives idea of broken record. 'leave' command shows trying to regain power and cry suggests the surgeon was ruining not only the body but the soul, he felt like it was altering him. 
• 'patients eyes too wide' links to how he should not be awake going through this, as well as suggesting he is seeing something more that people don't understand. suggests what is happening is unnatural.
• 'shocked' and 'petrified' shows how what is happening to this patient affects others, they havent seen anything like it. 

Stanza 4:

• 'voice so arctic' shows he is in a distance place they don't understand, 'cold' suggesting he is dead. 
• 'cry so odd' shows a lack of understanding. 
• 'had nowhere else to go' shows they took away his life, irrepareably altered him, had to escape, last life is escaping him. 
• 'antique gramaphone wound down' suggests it was the end of his time, he is dying and his words are being quietened. Could suggest becoming a machine, loosing personality.
• 'words began to blur' words making you who you are shows he is loosing himself in dying, loosing freedom of speech and all power.
• 'cease at last' shows it is a good thing. 
• 'silence matched the silence under snow', could show an understanding of death, with is to most completely unknown and cold, but also pure and natural. Snow blankets something ugly which could also be death. People are so silent they are almost lifeless.  

Links:

• understanding of death 'days'
• wrongly advertised 'essential beauty' 'send no money'
• humans being bad 

Sons

This poem is about the relationship between Abse and his adolescent son and the change that is happening in his son's life as he is on the cusp of adulthood, but doesn't quite fit in either as a child or adult. He is at the point in his life where he has a blank canvas and can make a choice about the person he wants to be. This stage of life reminds Abse of when the same thing that happened to him, triggering memories and forcing him to look at the choices he made. 

Stanza 1:

-'sarcastic sons slam' alliteration suggests a jokey tone reflecting his affection for his son. 'Sons' generalises suggesting this is something everyone goes through. 

-'door slams I think' shows a sound triggering a memory linking to Larkins poems 'reference back' and 'love songs in age'. 

-looking back at childhood when 'captured acres played at being small tamed gardens' is a metaphor for growing up, contrasting childish freedom fun and games with mature adult life. However children can only 'play' at being adult. Could also be interpreted as when going out on adventures the world was his garden. Links to 'send no money'. 

-'the concrete way' demonstrates a solid tradition, social expectation is hard and strong and could even be unnatural. 

-'roads supplanted grass, wild flowers' shows how social norms and adulthood can trample out childhood freedom and innocence. Links to 'A study of reading habits'

-'altering every day' shows how life is a continuous change and you can't control it. Shows how he sees his son going through the same things he did. 

Stanza 2:

-'I was like that' relating to his son. 

-'new semis that seemed ashamed' links to semi detached houses looking out of place, a cross of one thing and another like child and adult. Also could be interpreted as puberty hitting him and changes happening to his body as well. 

-'naked windows slashed across by whitewash' suggests a vulnerable time for the boy, as he has a blank canvas to decide the man he wants to become. 

-'at the frontier of Nowhere order and chaos clash' shows the cusp of adulthood with parents and societies rules opposing freedom of childhood, can't have both. Capitol on nowhere suggests it is a place, everyone has been and can relate.

-'prim and brash' demonstrates paradox of adolescence. 

Stanza 3:

-'strange a London door should slam' shows the personas confusion between his own childhood experiences and what is happening to his son as they are so similar, difficult to realise time has past and he is in a different place now. Could suggest he misses his youth linking to 'Dockery and Son'. Alternatively could mean son has grown up and moved, and Abse is still getting used to this. 

-'Cardiff evenings' suggests it is nearly the end of something. 

-'Trying to rain' suggests an attempt at a clean slate washing away childhood to be a new adult. 

-'quick dark where raw brick would hide' reinforces being young and vulnerable. 

-'could dream of being ruins where ghosts hide' suggests choosing the person you want to be. 

-'awkward Anglo-welsh half town, half countryside' reinforces being in the middle of change, being two contrasting things. 

-'spreading lamps assert themselves too early' links to growing up too early and it being unnecessary.  

Stanza 4:

-'like that and I love you for it' demonstrates his understanding for what his son is going through. 

-'in adult rooms...not quite belonging' shows his empathy because everyone goes through the feeling. 

-'maturity will switch off your night' acts as a warning and may suggest the son could be going down the wrong path. 

-'thrust fake electric roots'

-'the nameless becoming wrongly named' shows having a blank canvas, you have to become a good person. 

-'your strange darkness bright' suggests your bad parts can come up stronger, you have to be careful. 

Links:

-'reference back' 'love songs in age' looking back at memories. 

-'send no money' how we age. 

-'dockery and sons' life choices

-'selfs the man' life choices.

-'a study of reading habits' death of childhood. 

The Mistake

This poem is about a tree that is unidentified in the personas garden, until it is declared by an expert very rare and special. Because of this the owners brag about this tree, only to find out that it was not so special but a common walnut tree. It contains the theme of the importance of names, things advertised wrongly, as well as nature and perspective changing over time. 

Stanza 1:

• 'come' 'pluck' 'smell' are all commands, suggesting that because he has a special tree he thinks he can control others. 
• 'confront' suggests there is a lie, as well as suggesting it is alive, linking to Larkin's high regard for nature. 
• 'no identity' shows from the personas perspective, things have to have labels to be something.
• 'green tree' hints at it being a normal tree and also shows the persona is not looking at its individual beauty, just cares about knowing if it's worth something. 
• 'an oriental dispensary?' is a rhetorical question, reinforcing the doubt as to whether this tree is anything special. 
• 'acrid' is an unpleasant word, suggesting they don't care how nice to tree is, just if it's rare, reinforcing the idea people don't look closely for beauty, but think if something has a name it is good. 

Stanza 2:

• 'Evodia Danieli' is the name of the tree, and it is farcical the way people respond to this impressed, when the words really mean nothing to nobody. Just using the name to boast, not appreciating the tree. 
• 'without doubt' introduces irony, and questions the way we trust 'experts' purely because of their title, when names and status don't really mean anything. 
• 'odd to find it here in wales' shows the way they don't think to question the expert and if something is unusual it is automatically impressive. 
• 'we thanked him' shows their need to know the answer, to label things.
• 'now we have something to boast about' shows the need to tell other people what you have, 'now' shows the tree was only worth something to them once it is named and deemed special, they don't appreciate it for what it is, just it's name. 

Stanza 3:

• 'a leaf proudly' shows people want stuff because of its name but in reality why would you want a leaf, pride in a leaf sounds ridic. 
• 'rare as welsh gold' shows rarity is value and their interest in this tree is materialistic. 
• 'olfactory gift' means it smells nice, contrasts with 'acrid' showing people have a better opinion of it knowing it is worth something. 
• 'pagan denediction' is irony as these people arent pagan, not appreciating nature just the idea of rarity and value. 
• 'swank' suggests he thinks the tree makes him better, as he has something of value but it's not about what you have. 
• 'from korea' reinforces obsession about what things are and where they come from. 
• 'it'll charm away your cold' shows how ideas escalate about something just because it is rarer. 

Stanza 4:

• 'who...possessed such treasure?' shows the obsession about who has what. 
• 'in all of great britain' is key, as elsewhere it wouldnt be impressive, the specialness of this tree is not that impressive looking at the big picture. 
• 'tired of lies' personification suggesting the tree has more morals than the people, love for nature like Larkin.
• 'parched tree' suggests it hasnt been treated properly because it is misunderstood.
• 'drought' shows it is only in times of need and suffering things show their true colours. 
• 'asserted itself' suggests it becomes confident, is being itself. 
• 'sprouted ordinary walnuts' shows it is just a normal tree.
• 'shamelessly free of disguise' suggests nature is the truth opposing humans lies. Humans try and make things something they are not, bring shame to simple things which is unnecessary. 

Links:

• 'essential beauty' things wrongly advertised.
• 'a study of reading habits', 'send no money' perspective changing over time.
• 'sunny prestatyn' humans ruining things. 
• Larkins views of humans ruining nature 'here' 'self's the man' 'large cool store' 'the witsun weddings' 

The Boasts of Hywel ab Owain Gwy

This poem is about a man from the 12 century who was a prince poet and soldier and was the first to develop the courtly love lyric in welsh. The poem is written from his point of view, boasting about all the women he has been with in a week. His religion is undermined by his lack of respect for women as the continued metaphor of fruit is used, suggesting they are soft, seasonal, sweet and picked by men. The poem explores the way he loves each woman differently, his passion and unfaithfulness. The structure is unusual with two words on their own line, 'her' and 'quiet' demonstrating what the women is about having all the women you can and ironically keeping quiet despite the poem being a boast of it.  

Stanza 1:

• 'sunday...i praise the lord' introduces the poem with his importance of religion, on sunday the day of god. This is disproved as the rest of the poem shows his ungodly acts. 
• 'zealous' shows his passion for god and women.
• 'my busty nest' shows his possessiveness, as well as the physicality of his acts, nest being an animal bed shows his needs are animalistic. 
• 'whiteness' suggests purity which he will defile as well as demonstrating his focus on looks.
• 'pear blossom' shows a comparison to nature suggesting the persona feels being with lots of women is completely natural.
• 'scholar gwladus' is welsh for lame, showing he sees women as weak, and is against women being educated. 
• 'not to love her is a sin' shows he thinks he is following religion. 
• 'she pigeon coos' reinforces her as a weaker animal to him, and suggests she is trying to woo him. 
• 'thrust to woo her' is sexual language, shows he is preoccupied with physical acts. 
• 'flush like rosy apple skin' simile reinforces act being natural detaching her from personality, she is just a thing. 
• 'generys' welsh for mistress, suggests she is working for him but she is just one woman in his life. 
• 'dry old hymns is steal' shows all the different ways he pleases different women, and suggests he is turning against religion for her. 

Stanza 2:

• 'passion fruit in season' shows how different fruit are different women and he pleases them differently. 'season' suggests they have their prime then are discarded.
• 'one small cherry-englyn' shows she is easy to get into bed and links to his other love, poetry, which he uses to woo women. 
• 'my epic regular' suggests he is with her a lot, but this is only because she is epic, suggesting you have to be great to deserve his time. Possessive of her, and suggesting she is an everyday woman, and he has affection for her, causing his 'poetry of endearment'. 
• 'she wants no baby, she's gooseberry vehement' shows she is intelligent, but he just finds this irritating, calling her a gooseberry because she is harder to get into bed.
• 'sugared' shows his impulses are childish, he just wants sweet things not sour, and may suggest it is coating something nasty.
• 'score and score' suggests it is just about winning and getting more and more with no meaning. Also shows him boast. 
• 'eulogy' is a poem about death, connoting the end of inncence in these women once they have been 'scored'. 
• 'i can't brake-through an orchard i adore' shows it is more about the amount of women he has, he cant not give into temtation showing he is primative. 
• 'let her name be secret' about a married woman he sleeps with shows his smugness 'for her husbands sake' and that he doesnt care who he hurts, its just about the sex.
• 'my peach of a woman' another fruit reference. 
• 'vegetarian diet' shows he is only interested in women and sex. 

Stanza 3:

• 'lick up juices' sexual innuendo used to show his passion and suggest he can have whoever he wants as long as his 'busy tongue keeps quiet'. It also suggests he is making a mess of these women.
• 'o teeth i've all of mine' shows his cockiness and animalisticness and well as suggesting he is a predator to these women/fruit which he devours. 

Links:

• 'wild oats' objectifying women.
• 'talking in bed' contrast as passion is gone. 

Leaving Cardiff

This poem is about Abse's experience of leaving Cardiff for the first time, and the emotions he feels about moving on and starting a different part of his life. He is standing on a boat looking back at Cardiff and the things around him as he is torn between wanting to leave and stay, there is a sense of change, home and belonging. The rhyme scheme changes possibly reflecting the change Abse will go through if he leaves. 

Stanza 1:

• 'i prepare to sail' shows he is leaving, 'prepare' demonstrating that a lot of thought has gone into it. 
• 'from where the dock's dereliction's are', 'dereliction' suggests it is deserted and there is nothing left for Abse there, which is why it is a good thing for him to leave, alternatively it could suggest as the dock is derelict, people don't normally leave, he is going against the grain. Also could demonstrate leaving makes him feel isolated. 
• 'evening air' gives a sense of ending.
•  'sea birds drop down to the sea' gives a sense of belonging somewhere.

Stanza 2:

• 'slack hammocks of waves below' shows natural things being compared to artificial things, contrasting with Larkin. 'hammocks' being relaxing shows how he feels relaxed at home.
• 'black shapes upon the pier' suggests his home is just a blur to him now, he is moving on, 'black' having negative connotations reinforcing leaving being a positive thing. Has scary effect enforcing this experience being scary. 
• 'make the furthest star seem near' suggests dreams are coming true and possibly cardiff held him back. Alternatively it could mean that he is searching for anything he can recognise to make him feel at home. 

Stanza 3:

• 'negations' suggests he feels something is being taken away from him.
• 'my eyes like spaces fill' shows him crying and suggests something empty will be filled by leaving.
• 'knots of water' demonstrates his nerves, as well as suggesting the water is chopping reflecting his conflicted emotions. 
• 'spill' suggests an accident, reinforcing he will have to loose something to make something good. 

Stanza 4:

• repitition of 'who' shows he is trying hard to decide who he wants to be, the person who stays or the person who goes. 
• 'made no choice' shows his indecision between staying and going.
• 'can i be the same man twice' could be him questioning whether he can do both things, or accepting when he comes back he will be a different person, leaving will change him and he is uncomfortable with this. 

Stanza 5:

• 'straw coloured flames flare still' may be his conflicting emotions still going, or the way Cardiff continues without him. It may suggest his fear is inevitably fueled.
• 'spokes over the horizon' shows he is searching for something that is out of sight, somewhere new and different.
• 'penarth unload and move on' shows he is moving on, changing his life as well as suggesting Cardiff is still changing as well and it too will be different when he comes back. 

Links:

• 'importance of elsewhere', knowing where you belong, the meaning of places. 
• 'dockery and son' life choices

Return to Cardiff

This poem is about looking back to your childhood and where you came from, which is a painful thing for the persona as the place from his memories has changed over time which is difficult to come to terms with. The tone of this poem is slightly sadder, more like Larkin, as he reminisces. 

Stanza 1:

• 'grey tangled streets' is a metaphor for life and it's unpredicatabliity, as well as introducing a negative tone. 
• 'first cigerette''first botched love affair' shows the amount of memories this place holds, and the way it was a place of beginnings for him, asserted as he says 'first everything' demonstrating how this place held a lot of meaning for him. 'Botched' connotes youth and the mistakes he made. 
• 'faded torments' may suggest he was bullied, with 'faded' connoting scars he may have from his life there, as well as showing he has aged. 

Stanza 2:

• 'a raid on mislaid identities' suggests it is uncomfortable to him bringing up the past and who he used to be. It may also suggest that when he was younger he had irrealistic views of what life would be like, and his self now shows how wrong he was. 
• 'the whole locus smaller' may link to how a child sees everything as bigger and better than it is, and now he sees it as it is, which is what he suggests maturity brings. 
• 'Taff now a stream' reinforces this and suggests maybe Abse has grown out of this town. Time changing your view on things and becoming much bleaker is presented in 'Home is so Sad'.
• a 'gothic dream' becoming a 'joker's facade' contrasts a childs view to an adults perspective, looking up at something and then looking down. This links to 'Reading Habits'.

Stanza 3:

• 'unfocused voices in the wind' suggests he can't quite recognise the voices of the place anymore, things are more of a blur to him now, linking to the way memories blur over time. 
• 'associations, clues' suggests things are triggering memories but he can't quite grasp them and also suggests it is almost a game to him, possibly because he is being reminded of his childhood. 
• 'white, enormous face' of his dead grandfather reinforces a childs perspective. 
• 'aghast with certain news' links to the idea of the knowledge of death in Days. 

Stanza 4:

• unable to define anything i can hardly speak' suggests that without knowledge you have nothing, linking to nothing to be said. 
• 'still i love the place for what i wanted it to be' shows he still has affection for his memories but they are no longer connected with this city, showing the dissapointment of reality. 
• 'what it unashamably is' shows there is no questioning it is just a 'city of strangers' to him now. 

Stanza 5:

• 'betrayed' shows his hurt at not recognising this city.
• 'sense reflections' gives the idea of an illusion. 
• 'anchored waterscapes that wander' is a paradox showing how things change and you can't control them, and links to cardiff as it is the same city but completely different. 
• 'as light slants down a different shade' shows time changing 'hour by hour'.

Stanza 6:

• 'illusory' suggests memories are misleading.
• 'lost' suggests the place is gone for him now, he feels he has lost a part of him. 
• 'dark' suggests memories have shaded over time.
• 'once called' shows things have changed. 
• 'only real this smell of ripe damp earth' suggests the only thing that stay is nature, real elements contrast with childhood memories 'half exquisite and half plain' which may connote the contrast in his imaginative child hood and boring adult life. 

Stanza 7:

• 'the other cardiff had gone' suggests they can't coexist, and reality takes over memories. 
• 'smoke' hides reality like the memories and could mean fire was the old cardiff, but the new cardiff and the adult him are just smoke. 
• 'tinned ressemblances' suggests they are preserved memories and crammed together. 
• 'the boy i was not and the man i am not' suggests his child hood and adult life are seperate. It suggests his memories were illusions, as were his childhood dreams for himself and he sees himself as a disapointment. End the poem with a depressing tone. 

Links:

• your home changing -'Home is so Sad'
• meaning changing over time- 'An arundal tomb''LOve songs in age'
• child perspective v adult 'a study of reading habits'
• disapointment in your age 'sned no money'
• a place allowing you to see who you are 'the importance of elsewhere' 

Down the M4

In this poem Abse talks about a journey down the M4 as he travels back to wales to see his mother who has some news, hinted at being about the deterioration of her health. The poem contains the theme of journeys, as well as death, relationships and religion and heritage. 

Stanza 1:

• 'me!' use of exclamation mark demonstrating Abse's positivity, creating a cheerful tone, unlike Larkin. 
• 'my mother's news' shows surprising optimism although she may be dying. 
• 'her friends are disrobed' and 'go into the hole' are euphemisms for death reiterating Abse's positive outlook.
• 'too often' suggests he fears his mother will die too. 
• 'beautiful face' shows his love for his mother. 
• 'ninth decade' is a nice way to imply she is old, contrasting with Larkin, and suggesting her iminant death. 

Stanza 2:

• 'monotonous story of clocks' introduces the idea of time, and time running out, as well as looking back and appreciating even the supposedly boring time he had with his mother. Also suggests her stories are outdated.
• 'oh dear' shows he humours and appreciates his mother unlike Larkin in Reference back. 
• 'till i feel my hair turning grey' shows the persona is reminded he is getting old by listening to these memories, as he has heard them so many times, they are 'perishable one two hundred times' showing how outdated and repetitive these stories are. 

Stanza 3:

• 'ran fluent and trout coloured over stones stonier' sets the scene in the past as well as linking to the continuous flow of time and the way it can change and erode people. 'stones stonier' links to his grandmothers accent suggesting it cannot be eroded or destroyed, possibly suggesting his heritage is indestructible. 
• her accent is described as 'genuine' showing the pureness of her background.
• 'such an accent..you're no jewess' shows an oldfashioned way of life showing how things change over time. 

Stanza 4:

• 'bridges that leap over me then shrink in my side mirror' links to the way things change over time, 'bridges' suggesting relationships showing how you meet people then loose touch, form links and break them linking to Larkins Dockery and Son 'joining and parting lines'. could link to death 'shrinking' of his mother. 
• 'again' shows this journey is repetitive. 
• 'ystalyfera is farther than smoke and god further' may suggest that physically he is far from his religion and his heritage, and who he is but it will still be part of him, and he knows who he is. Links to importance of elsewhere. 
• 'smoke' is there then disapears which may be a metaphor for his life. Alternatively as smoke obscures this may be showing as he drives away the distance covers up his heritage.
• 'i wistle no hymn but an old yiddish tune my mother knows' could suggest as hymns are normally christian, he is rejecting this and singing something from his heritage. alternatively it could mean he does not need to sing hymn to know where he is from. 
• 'it wont keep' may be a reference to life and the way he and his mother will die, and the tune will be lost like them.

Links:

• journey, isolation and being alone with thoughts -'Here'
• something triggering memories and looking back at relationships, your view tainted with the idea of death- 'Reference Back
• remembering the past as a happier age-Love Songs in Age
• the prospect of death and the meaning to our life being explored- 'Days'

As Bad as a Mile

This poem is about the idea of setting yourself up for failure, the way people take failure and how it makes you wish to undo things. It is made slightly comical by talking about throwing an apple at a bin and missing in a hyperbolic way. It is a very short 3 line poem with 2 stanzas and a AAA rhyme scheme reiterating its simplicity. The title 'as bad as a mile' shows how the persona feels a failure is a failure whether he missed the bin by and inch or a mile. 

Stanza 1:

• 'shied core' provokes empathy in the reader, and introduces the poems hyperbolic nature. Shyness contrasts with the violent language such as 'striking' and 'skidding' making the poem slightly comical and reflecting the personas emotions. 

Stanza 2:

• 'failure spreading back up the arm' suggests failure becomes a part of him, coming alive and engulfing him. 'the' suggests he wants to disassociate himself with this failure. 
• 'unraised hand calm' shows he wants to turn back time, 'calm' contrasts with violent 'striking'.
• 'apple unbitten in palm' links to the adam and eve story, the way failure is more than having missed the bin, the giving in to temtation and the way the eating the apple made them self aware and ashamed ruining their innocence. 

Reference Back

In this poem the persona is listening to a song, reminding him of a time when he was much younger, and someone who he shared a moment with listening to this song, someone older than him who he did not have an intimate relationship with but felt affection for, possibly his mother. The poem looks back with sadness as the persona thinks of the things he wishes he had don differently and the person he lost over time. 

Stanza 1:

• 'heard you call' shows the relationship was not intimate suggesting they may have grown apart. 'heard' demonstrates a definity and shows it happened in the past. 
• repetition of 'unsatisfactory' reinforces the personas regret and lack of acceptance over the things that occured. 
• 'wasting my time at home that you looked so much forward to' suggests a mother an son relationship that wasnt equal, he wasnt appreciative of her and their relationship wasnt in harmony, but now he is older he understands her point of view. 
• 'idly' connotes youth and shows he felt he was doing nothing meaningful. 
• 'room where i played record after record' shows he is regretful as he should have spent more time with this person, feels it was a 'waste'. 

Stanza 2:

• 'blues' connotes sadness, possibly showing the person he is talking about is dead. 
• 'always remember' suggests all he has left is his memories and holds onto them now, unlike in his youth. 
• 'flock of notes' suggests they are alive or the music brings his memories to life.
• 'blew' shows his positive view of the music, that it is gentle and full of care and love for him. 
• 'antique' suggests it is old but gold. 
• 'three decades later made the sudden bridge from your unsatisfactory age to my unsatisfactory prime' shows he is now as old as they were and understands them now. 'bridge' links to the theme of music and suggests they now have a link of understanding they never did before. 'unsatisfactory age' shows how people dont want to be old, while 'unsatisfactory prime' shows how he felt is youth was wasted. 'sudden' could link to a shock death, or the shock of looking back and feeling this regret.

Stanza 3:

• 'we are not suited to the long perspectives' suggests we shouldnt look back as it is too painful.
• 'they link us to our losses' suggests memories show us what we've lost and he doesnt want to remember because of this. 
• 'blindingly undiminished' suggests it is painful and even disabling to see something as it was seemingly real and indestructable, but knowing that is is over and utterly diminished. 
• 'as though by acting differently we could have kept it so' demonstrates he is regretful and has a desire to repeat the past but recognises that we cant.