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