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.