jackie kay poetry (2)

8/16/2019 Jackie Kay Poetry (2)

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The Living PhotographJackie Kay


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About Jackie Kay

• Born Edinburgh, 1961• Scottish Mother & Nigerian Father • Adopted by Helen and ohn !ay at birth"

brought up in Bishopbriggs, #lasgo$%• Studied English at Stirling ni'ersity• Son, Matthe$ born 19(( )*et her biological

parents a+ter the birth o+ her son• MBE +or ser'ices to literature in -..6• /urrently li'es in Manchester • 0ro+essor o+ /reati'e riting at Ne$castle

ni'ersity%

http://images.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=jackie+kay&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=4P0NwiTZ-WUxgM&tbnid=kUEVs_yNXIgl9M:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://interlitq.wordpress.com/2013/03/17/jackie-kay-reads-poetry-from-love-and-a-life-by-edwin-morgan-who-contributed-poetry-to-issue-10-of-interlitq/&ei=bTSSUbS6JKPO0QXAqIDoDQ&psig=AFQjCNH6A6dTsJQcfq5zsXwfD494T9TOEw&ust=1368622569268262http://images.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=jackie+kay&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=4P0NwiTZ-WUxgM&tbnid=kUEVs_yNXIgl9M:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://interlitq.wordpress.com/2013/03/17/jackie-kay-reads-poetry-from-love-and-a-life-by-edwin-morgan-who-contributed-poetry-to-issue-10-of-interlitq/&ei=bTSSUbS6JKPO0QXAqIDoDQ&psig=AFQjCNH6A6dTsJQcfq5zsXwfD494T9TOEw&ust=1368622569268262


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The Living Photograph

My small grandmother is tall there,

straight-back, white broderie anglaiseshirt,

pleated skirt, fat shoes, grey bun,

a kind, old smile round her eyes.

Her big hand holds mine,white hand in black hand.

r sharp blue eyes look her own death in

the eye.


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It was true after all; that look.y tall gran!"other beca"e s"all.

#er back roun! an! hunche!.

#er soup forgot to boil.

$he went to the awful place

gran!"others go.$o"ewhere unknown% unthinkable.


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But there she is still,in the photo with me at three,

the crinkled smile is stillliving, breathing.

Jackie Kay


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#ow !oes the poet !escribe hergran!"other&


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• Kin!% ol! s"ile

• 'ig% white han!• $harp blue eyes

• $he use! to be tall

• (oun!% hunche! back

• )orgetful

• Loving


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hat2s in a na*e3

4n pairs discuss the +ollo$ing 5uestions

• *hat !o the na"es of the si+ poe"s we will stu!ysuggest to you&

• *hat !o you think the poe"s will be about&

• *hat the*es "ight they e+plore&

Keeping ,rchi!s

-ivorce

'e!

ap /ear

Luco0a!e

y ran!"other1s #ouses


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)a"ily

• ,ne of the "ain the"es that connects the si+poe"s is that of )AIL/.

• The poe"s e+plore inter2generationalrelationships% such as3

2 -aughter 4 "other

2 -aughter 4 birth "other

2 ran!!aughter 4 gran!"other2 other 4 son

2 -aughter 4 parents.


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Poetic 5oice

• The 6voice1 is the point of view that a poe" isseen fro"% like a narrator or persona.

• The poe"s feature the voice of a fe"alepersona 7although 6Luco0a!e1 is a little "orea"biguous8.

• This fe"ale persona e+plores fa"ilyrelationships 9 as a result% all offer a thoroughly!o"estic !iscourse or series of i!eas.


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Keeping ,rchi!s

hat2s it about3

The speaker – apparently Kay herself

reflects on meeting her birth mother forthe first time. Written in couplets andtouches on themes of secrets anddiscoveries, as well as adoption andfamily relationships.


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Keeping ,rchi!s

This poe" !escribes the poet1s first "eeting with herbirth "other. It is a painful e"otional :ourney for bothwo"en. The poet uses the i"ages of the orchi!s herbirth "other gave her on their first "eeting an! of her

own an! her "other1s trouble! han!s< as sy"bols of theco"ple+% painful e"otions they both feel. It is not a :oyful"eeting. Jackie Kay can articulate her own feelings butfin!s it har! to rea! her "other1s feelings as she tellsthe story of her life


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Keeping ,rchi!s

4n pairs, discuss these 5uestions

• *hat are your initial thoughts on the poe"&

• *hat language techni=ues !oes the writer use&

• *hat is she trying to say by using these

techni=ues&


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Keeping ,rchi!s

• Full o+ e*otion but 'ery controlled andrestrained%

• Appears *ore about ob7ects than e*otions,

or, in other $ords, descripti'e rather thanre+lecti'e%• 8itle parallels the adoption central i*age

o+ :!eeping ;rchids2 is i*portant%

• 8he *ost abstract o+ the poe*s" o++ers the $idest opportunities +or interpretation%


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The orchi!s "y "other gave "e when we first "et

are still alive% twelve !ays later. Although

so"e of the bu!s re"ain close! as secrets.Twice since I carrie! the" back% like a baby in a shawl%

fro" her train station to "ine% then ho"e. Twice

since then the whole glass carafe has crashe!

falling over% unprovoke!% soaking "y chest of !rawers.

All the broken waters. I have rearrange!

the upset orchi!s with trouble! han!s. >ven after

that the close! ones !i! not open out. The skin

shut like an eye in the !ark; the close! li!.

Twelve !ays later% "y "other1s han!s are all I have.


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#er voice is fa!ing fast. >ven her voice rushes

through a tunnel the other way fro" ho"e.

I close "y eyes an! try to re"e"ber e+actly3

a paisley pattern scarf% a brooch% a navy coat.

A !igital watch her !aughter was wearing when she !ie!.

?ow they hang their hea!s%

an! su!!enly grow ol! 9 the proof of "eeting. $till%

her han!s% awkwar! an! har! to hol!

fol! an! unfol! a green carrier bag as she tellsthe story of her life. @o"presse!. Airtight.


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A sa! s=uare% then a cru"ple! shape. A bag of tricks.#er secret life 9 a hi!!en albu"% a bo+ of love letters.

A !oor opens an! closes. Ti"e is outsi!e waiting.

I catch the !raught in "y winter roo".

Airlocks keep the col! air out.

'oiling water "akes flowers live longer. $o !oes

cutting the ste"s with a sharp knife.


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-ivorce

hat2s it about3

• Monologue written in the voice of an

adolescent.• Addressed to her parents, threatening

to divorce them.

• !plores themes of generationalconflict.• "ight#hearted in tone.


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-ivorce

This poe" is written in the for" of an a!!ress. The title lea!s us toe+pect a poe" about !ivorcing parents but it is soon clear that it is ayoung person who wishes to !ivorce her parents. The !ra"atic%often co"ical tone lea!s us to =uestion how serious the girl1sgrievances are or won!er if her histrionics "ask a !eeper hurt. #ervision of the parents she wishes for is lyrical an! i!ealistic%

suggesting that in her !isappoint"ent with her real parents she isseeking the i"possible. There is a wistfulness an! longing in thelines who speak in the soft "ur"ur of rivers< an! sing in thecolourful voices of rainbows< which is in strong contrast to theconfrontational persona presente! in the rest of the poe". The girluses blunt% assertive% unco"pro"ising state"ents3 I want a

!ivorce


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-ivorce





techni=ues&


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-ivorce

Provi!e evi!ence fro" the poe" for youranswers.

. *ho is the narrator& 7B "arks8B. *hat tone !oes the poe" have& 7B "arks8

C. $u""arise the ways in which the speaker1sparents are an irritation to her. 7D "arks8

D. #ow is i"agery use! to create an i!ea of theperfect parents in lines E2BD& 7D "arks8

F. #ow !oes the language in lines BD2BG show thespeaker1s anger& 7D "arks8


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-ivorce

• Hsing your 6#ow to Answer the uestions1

sheet as a gui!e% analyse this piece of

i"agery fro" the poe"3

in the so+t *ur*ur o+ ri'ers=?


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• Sonnetes5ue )t$ice in +or* alludes to theprecision and +or*ality o+ the +or*%

• 0arodic i*itation o+ a teenage strop%

• Spea>er is dra*atic and po*pous


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4 did not pro*ise

to stay $ith you till death do us part, or

anything li>e that,so part 4 *ust, and 5uic>ly% 8here are things

4 cannot su++er

any longer Mother, you ne'er, e'er said

a >ind $ord

or a than>@you +or all the tedious chores 4 ha'e done"Father, your breath

s*ells li>e a ca*el2s and gi'es *e the hu*p"

all you e'er say is

:Are you o++ in the crea* pu++, Cady Muc>32

4n this day and age34 $ould be better o++ in an orphanage%


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4 $ant a di'orce%

8here are parents in the $orld $hose +aces turnup to the light

$ho spea> in the so+t *ur*ur o+ ri'ers

and ne'er shout%

8here are parents $ho stro>e their children2s chee>s

in the dead o+ nightand sing in the colour+ul 'oices o+ rainbo$s,

red to blue%

8hese parents are not you% 4 ne'er chose you%

Dou are rough and $ild,

4 don2t $ant to be your child% All you do is shoutand that2s not right%

4 $ill +ile +or di'orce in the *orning at +irst light%


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@ritical >ssay uestion

/hoose a poe* $hich describes a person2seperience%

Eplain ho$ the poetic techni5ues used todescribe the eperience *a>e the poe**ore interesting%

• *hat are the key wor!s in this =uestion&• *hat alternative languagesynony"s can you

think of for these wor!s&


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Intro!uction

• $tart with TA(T

• 7Title% Author% (efer to Task8

• /ou shoul! also give a '(I>) outline ofwhat the poe" is about.

No$, $rite your o$n introduction%

D; HAE 8EN M4N8ES


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>+a"ple

• 6-ivorce1 by Jackie Kay is a poe" which

e+plores the e+perience an! fraught relationship

between a teenager an! their parents. Kay1s use

of i"agery% tone an! narrative voice highlightsthe anger the speaker feels towar!s their

parents% whilst e"phasising their own !ra"atic

nature through tra!itional role reversal.


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Point

• The Point is si"ply what each paragraph is about2

you "ake a "ain point in every paragraph you

write. This is usually the T,PI@ $>?T>?@> you

use.

• -o not signpost your paragraph e.g. !o not say I

a" going to talk about<


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hat is a 8;04/

SEN8EN/E3

This is basically a sentence that intro!uces what the

paragraph is going to be about.

/ou shoul! "ention *#AT you are going to !iscuss in the

paragraph% an! refer back to the =uestion.

(>>'>( /,H( K>/ *,(-$ A?- ALT>(?ATI5>

LA?HA>


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Topic $entences

• All T,PI@ $>?T>?@>$ shoul! "ake so"e reference to

the essay =uestion.

• A goo! way to !o this is through the K>/ *,(-$ we

e+tract fro" the essay =uestion.


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>+a"ple Topic $entences

• In 6-ivorce1 Kay e"phasises the anger the speaker

e+periences towar!s their parents by co"paring their

relationship to a "arriage that has broken !own.

• Kay goes on to use tra!itional role reversal to e+press

the anger the speak e+periences.

• Through the speaker1s use of !ra"atic an! e"phatic

state"ents% Kay highlights their stroppy an! po"pous

i""aturity that colours this e+perience.


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(eferencing the =uestion

• A rea!er shoul! be able to guess what the essay

=uestion is si"ply by looking at your essay.

• It is 5ITAL that you ensure you refer to the

=uestion throughout 9 this is the only way you

will be sure that you have actually answere! the

=uestion


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>vi!ence

• The evi!ence is the =uotation or !escription of thescene% shot or techni=ue you are using to back upyour point.

• It is i"portant that you pick evi!ence that you cane+plain an! evaluate )HLL/.

• ?ever :ust !rop evi!ence in 9 always intro!uce the"

within the @,?T>T of the poe"% i.e. what ishappening at this point in the poe"% what charactersare involve! an! who they are% etc.


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>APL>

• T,PI@ $>?T>?@>3 In 6-ivorce1 Kay e"phasises the

anger the speaker e+periences towar!s their parents by

co"paring their relationship to a "arriage that has broken

!own.• >5I->?@>3 The poe" opens with the speaker telling their

parents that3

I !i! not pro"ise

to stay with you till !eath !o us part% or anything like that.<


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>valuation (Analysis)

• This is the chance for you to e+plain how the =uotation

backs up the point you are "aking

• /ou nee! to "ake sure that you fully e+plain the =uotationor shotscenetechni=ue.

• /ou then nee! to evaluate it 2 give your opinion on how

successful it is.

• /our opinion shoul! be i"plicit 2 !o not write I think


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Steps +or Analysing

Guotations• . 'reak the =uotation !own 9 look at the "eaning

an! connotations of in!ivi!ual wor!s% techni=uesan! phrases% as well as the whole sentence

e.g. I !i! not pro"iseto stay with you till !eath !o us part% or

anything like that.<

I""e!iately the speaker confoun!s our e+pectationthat this poe" is base! on "arriage 9 instea! Kayshows that the speaker has not "a!e a

co""it"ent of that sort% an! the line or anythinglike that< e"phasises how !is"issive they are of

such a concept.


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Steps +or Analysing

Guotations• B. Think about what the whole sentence suggests

e.g. I !i! not pro"ise

to stay with you till !eath !o us part% or anything like that.<

In this opening line% Kay shows the speaker1s lack of

concern for who" she is a!!ressing% re:ecting thei!ea of lifelong or till !eath !o us part<co""it"ent.


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Steps +or Analysing

Guotations

C. @o""ent on the conte+t of the =uotation

e.g. I !i! not pro"ise

to stay with you till !eath !o us part% or

anything like that.<

#ere% Kay successfully shows that the speaker isabsolute in both her !is"issal of her parents% an!in her self2belief 9 that she !oes not nee! to staywith the" as she has "a!e no pro"ise< orassurance that she will.

>APL>


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>APL>• 8;04/ SEN8EN/E 4n :i'orce2 !ay e*phasises the anger the spea>er

eperiences to$ards their parents by co*paring their relationship to a

*arriage that has bro>en do$n%

• E4EN/E 8he poe* opens $ith the spea>er telling their parents that

e that%?

• EACA84;N 4**ediately the spea>er con+ounds our epectation that thispoe* is based on *arriage instead !ay sho$s that the spea>er has not

*ade a co**it*ent o+ that sort, and the line e that?

e*phasises ho$ dis*issi'e they are o+ such a concept% 4n this opening line,

!ay sho$s the spea>er2s lac> o+ concern +or $ho* she is addressing,

re7ecting the idea o+ li+elong or er is absolute in both her dis*issalo+ her parents, and in her sel+@belie+ that she does not need to stay $ith

the* as she has *ade no


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Putting P > > Together

• Point Topic $entence.

• >vi!ence 9 !escription of scene an!techni=ue.

• >valuationAnalysis.

An! that1s ,?> paragraph.


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*hich shoul! look like thisM• 4n :i'orce2 !ay e*phasises the anger the spea>er eperiences

to$ards their parents by co*paring their relationship to a *arriage thathas bro>en do$n% 8he poe* opens $ith the spea>er telling theirparents that

e that%?

4**ediately the spea>er con+ounds our epectation that this poe* isbased on *arriage instead !ay sho$s that the spea>er has not *adea co**it*ent o+ that sort, and the line e that?e*phasises ho$ dis*issi'e they are o+ such a concept% 4n this openingline, !ay sho$s the spea>er2s lac> o+ concern +or $ho* she isaddressing, re7ecting the idea o+ li+elong or er isabsolute in both her dis*issal o+ her parents, and in her sel+@belie+ that she does not need to stay $ith the* as she has *ade no


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TA$K

• In PAI($% write a paragraph base! on this=uotation3

other% you never% ever sai!a kin! wor!

or a thank2you for all the te!ious chores I have!one<

• 'e prepare! to share your paragraph with theclass


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Ho$ do $e $rite a conclusion3

An effective conclusion shoul!3

•(efer back to the =uestions.•$u""arise your "ain points.

•@o""ent on how effective the

writer!irector has been in their use of

techni=ues.

> l


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>+a"ple


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'e!

hat2s it about3

A monologue told through the voice of

the elderly female persona who is bed#

ridden. Written in $cots, the poem

e!plores themes of dependency and

aging.


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'e!

In this poe" Jackie Kay uses the !ra"atic "onologue for" toconvey the stark realities of e+tre"e ol! age. The speaker is anel!erly be!2boun! wo"an% co"pletely !epen!ent on her !aughterfor her care. $he voices her thoughts an! feelings in a collo=uial$cots which is !irect% e+pressive an! so"eti"es bleakly hu"orous.#er wor!s !escribe with a raw honesty the physical ravages of ol!

age an! the guilt an! frustration she feels. $he has beco"e thewean noo


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'e!





techni=ues&


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'e!

• 8itle directs reader to the*es o+ restriction,con+ine*ent and i*prison*ent

• 0ro'ides a 'oice +ro* the *argins an in'alided

and aged *other%• ritten in a Scots dialect, o+ten re+lecting the

patterns and in+lections o+ real speech%

• ;++ers a perspecti'e on the sad reality o+ her li+e,

being cared +or at ho*e by her daughter%• H;EEI, al*ost Sha>espearean in its assess*ento+ ti*e as a great destroyer o+ youth and beauty%

• 8one is a*biguous unclear $hether she is grate+ulto or resent+ul o+ her daughter%


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$he is that gui! tae "e so she is

an A" a bur!en tae her% I know A" ur.

$tuck here in this big blastit be!

year in% year oot% ony saint wui! co"plain.

There1s things she has tae !ae fir "e

A1 wish she !i!nae huv tae !ae.

A" her wean noo% wey "a great tent o1 nappy%

an cha"pe! egg in a cup% an "ashe! tattie.


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Aw the treats A1 use! tae gie her%

she1s gieing "e. A1 !inny ken whit happene!.

*e !inny talk any "air. *hether it1s :ist

the blethers ha been plucke! oot o1 us

an A" here like so"e skinny chicken%

"a skin aw bubbles an! !ots an! spots%

loose flap noo 7an yet as a young wu"an

A1 took pri!e in "a gui! s"ooth skin.8


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Aw A1 !ae is sit an! look oot this win!ae. A1ve seen hale generations graw up

an si""er !oon fray this sa"e win!ae 9

that1s no seen a lick o1 paint fir !onkeys.

The Kerrs have !isappeare!% but the last

@a"pbells ur still here so A" telt 9

tho1 hauf the ti"e A1 !inny believe her3 A1ve no seen any @a"pbell in a lang ti"e.


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y !ochter says 6Awright "other&1

haun!s "e a thin broth or purie! neep

an A say 6Aye fine%1 an canny help

the great heaving sigh that co"es oot

"y aul! loose lips% nor "a crabbit tut%

nor "a froon when A1 pu1 "a car!ie tight

aroon "a shoo!ers fir the night !rawin in.

A" :ist bi!ing ti"e so a" ur.


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Ti"e is whit A1 haul! between

the soft bits o1 "a thu"bs%

the skeleton un!erneath "a night goon;

aw the while the glaring selfish "oon

lights up this !rab wee prison.

A1ll be gone an! how wull she feel&

?o that A" saying A1 want her guilty.

?o that A" saying A" no grateful.

Look at the poe" as a whole an! i!entify four of the "ain


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. Look at the poe" as a whole an! i!entify four of the "aini!eas containe! in the poe".

B. 'y referring to lines NBO% show how wor! choice an!sentence structure give a !escription of the speaker1shelplessnessreliance on others.

C. 'y referring to lines ENDO% e+plain one thing that we learnabout3

7a8 the co""unity the speaker lives in

7b8 the speaker1s attitu!e to her life at this ti"e.

D. Jackie Kay often e+plores relationships in her poe"s. (eferbriefly to the central relationship in this poe" an! go on to!iscuss a central relationship in at least one other poe" byJackie Kay.


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ap /ear

hat2s it about3

Written in the voice of the poet and dedicatedto her son, Matthew. %escribes his travelsabroad and leads to reflections on herfeelings about his childhood and newfoundindependence. !plores themes ofmotherhood, closeness and distance, andthe passage of time.


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ap /ear

This poe" is written in the for" of an a!!ress to her son% ateo. Ite+presses her love for an! pri!e in her son% who is spen!ing a gapyear travelling wi!ely in $outh A"erica. In the first section she!escribes her "e"ories of the weeks before he was born3 here+cite! anticipation% the !ifficult birth. In the secon! section she!escribes the progress of his travels an! her "i+e! feelings about

his !eparture. $he is caught up in the ro"ance an! a!venture of histravels in e+otic places but "isses hi" greatly. In contrast% hisgran!father1s blunt a!vice re"in!s her of the very real !angers he"ight encounter. $he cannot hi!e her strong feelings of!isappoint"ent when she learns he will return ho"e four weekslater than she ha! e+pecte!% but co""ents with wry hu"our thatshe feels like a ho"e2alone "other


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ap /ear





techni=ues&


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ap /ear

• Think about your relationship with your

own parents.

• #ow has it change! fro" when you were a

s"all chil! until now&

• ake a list of how your relationship an!

how you see each other has altere! over

ti"e.


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ap /ear

• *ritten in two !efine! sections.

• ,ffers "any parallels an! connections betweenpast an! present 9 atthew1s chil!hoo! an!

a!ulthoo!.• At one an! the sa"e ti"e celebrates an!

la"ents his in!epen!ence.

• Provi!es a contrast between the speaker at

ho"e% an! the son e+ploring an! investigating.• In!ee!% the secon! section allows the rea!er to

track his a!ventures as the speaker !oes.


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4

4 re*e*ber your Moses bas>et be+ore you $ere born%42d stare at the +leecy $hite sheet +or days, $ee>s,

$illing you to arri'e, hardly able to belie'e

4 $ould e'er ha'e a real baby to put in the bas>et%

42d +eel the *ound o+ *y tight tub o+ a sto*ach,

and you *o'ing there, +oot against *y heart,

elbo$ in *y ribcage, turning, burping, a$a>e, asleep%

;ne ti*e 4 i*agined 4 +elt you laugh%


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42d play you Handel2s ater Music or E**a !ir>by

singing 0ergolesi% 42d tal> to you, *y close stranger,

call you 8u*shie, as> $hen you $ere co*ing to *eet *e%

Dou arri'ed late, the 'ery hot su**er o+ eighty@eight%

Dou had passed the due date string o+ eights,

and $ere pulled out $ith +orceps, blue, +loury,

on the +ourteenth o+ August on Sunday a+ternoon%

4 too> you ho*e on Monday and lay you in your bas>et%


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44

No$, 4 pee> in your roo* and stare at your bed

hardly able to i*agine you bac> in there sleeping,

Dour handso*e +ace so+t, open% No$ you are eighteen,

si +oot t$o, a$ay, a$ay in /osta Iica, 0eru, Boli'ia%

4 +ollo$ your trails on *y 8i*es Atlas

+ro* the /aribbean side o+ /osta Iica to the 0aci+ic,

the baby turtles to the *assi'e leatherbac>s%

8hen on to Ci*a, to /uco% Dour grand+ather


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rings :Ha'e you considered altitude sic>ness,

/hrist, he2s siteen thousand +eet abo'e sea le'el%2

8hen to the lost city o+ the 4ncas, Macchu 0icchu,

here you ta>e a photograph o+ yoursel+ $ith the statue

o+ the original 8upac% Dou are $earing a 0eru'ian hat%

Desterday in 0uno be+ore catching the bus +or /opacabana,

you suddenly appear on a $ebca* and blo$ *e a >iss,

you ha'e a ne$ haircut" your +ace is grainy, blurry%


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Seeing you, shy, s*iling, on the $ebca* re*inds *e

o+ the second scan at t$enty $ee>s, ho$ at that +uy

*o*ent bac> then, you $ere lying cross@legged $ith

an inde +inger resting sophisticatedly on one chee>%

Dou started the 4nca trail in Arctic conditions

and ended up in subtropical% No$ you plan the A*aon

in Boli'ia% Dour grand+ather rings again to say

:8here2s three $arring +actions in Boli'ia, $arn hi*


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against it% He canny see e'erything% 8ell hi* to co*e ho*e%2

But you say all the tra'ellers you *eet ra'e about Boli'ia% Dou$ant

to see the Salar de yuni,

the $orld2s largest salt@+lats, the A*aonian rain+orest%

And no$ you are not co*ing ho*e till +our $ee>s a+ter

your due date% A+ter Boli'ia, you plan to stay

$ith a +riend2s Auntie in Argentina%

8hen to /hile $here you2ll stay $ith +riends o+ iane2s%


70/90

And *aybe $or> +or the ictor ara Foundation%4 +eel li>e a ho*e@alone *other" all the lights

ha'e gone out in the hall, and no$ 4 a*

$earing your large blac> slippers, +lip@+lopping

into your e*pty bedroo*, trying to i*agine youin your bed% 4 stare at the photos you send by *essenger

you on the top o+ the $orld, ar*s outstretched, eager%

Blue s>y, $hite sno$" you by Ca>e 8ararhua, bea*ing%


71/90

My heart soars li>e the birds in your bright blue s>ies%

My lo'e glo$s li>e the sunrise o'er the lost city%

4 sing along to Ella Fitgerald, A tis>et A tas>et%

4 ha'e a son out in the big $ide $orld%

A +lip and a s>ip ago, you $ere drea*ing in your bas>et%


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Luco0a!e

hat2s it about3

Told from the perspective of a &' year

old persona visiting his(her mother in

hospital. )harts a turn in the mother*s,

and ultimately the speaker*s, attitudes

about death.


73/90

Luco0a!e

In this poe" Jackie Kay !escribes visiting her "other in hospital.$he was a young girl of si+teen% afrai! that her "other woul! !ie.The poe" not only !escribes the shock of seeing her "other butconveys the personality of her "other e+pressively an! withhu"our. #er "other1s ironic =uestions% her hu"orous co""an!s%her i!iosyncratic re"arks "ay be partially the result of her treat"ent

or operation but strongly suggest a person who faces her hospitale+perience with spirit an! hu"our. There is so"ething in!o"itableabout her. The last two stan0as !escribe the euphoria of relief thepoet feels when she realises her "other will not !ie but hasrecovere! enough to wave fro" her hospital be!. The clearing ofher "other1s war! cupboar! of the tra!itional gifts an invali!receives% which her "other ha! !ecisively re:ecte!% is a cathartic"o"ent for the poet. )or the si+teen2year2ol! poet% her sensesheightene! after the trau"a of her "other1s hospitalisation% the sightof her "other waving beco"es for her a beautiful% al"ost heavenlyvision.


74/90

Luco0a!e





techni=ues&


75/90

Luco0a!e

• ;++ers the co*ple i*age o+ the Cucoade initiallypresent in the title%

• Ie7ection o+ the typical :*ar>ers2 o+ sic>ness, in+a'our o+ luury and the decadent :*ar>ers2 o+ li+e%

• See*s to be a +or*ati'e eperience +or the spea>er%• Iecognises her youth but suggests she learns

so*ething about li+e and death%

• Spea>er literally and *etaphorically unburdens the

*other in $hat appears to be a +inal ritual clearingthe hospital cabinet%


76/90

My *u* is on a high bed net to sad chrysanthe*u*s%

:on2t bring +lo$ers, they only $ilt and die%2

4 a* scared *y *u* is going to die

on the bed net to the sad chrysanthe*u*s%

She nods o++ and her eyes go bac> in her head%

Net to her bed is a bottle o+ Cucoade%

:;range nostalgia, that2s $hat that is,2 she says%

:on2t bring Cucoade either,2 then +ades%


77/90

:8he $hole day $as a blur, a s$ar* o+ eyes%8hose doctors $ith their $hite lies%

id you thin> you could cheer *e up $ith a o*an2s ;$n3

on2t bring *againes, too *uch about sie%2

My *u* $a>es up, groggy and lo$%:hat 4 $ant to >no$,2 she says,2 is this

$here2s the big brandy, the generous gin, the Bloody Mary,

the biscuit tin, the chocolate gingers, the dirty big *eringue32


78/90

4 a* siteen" 42'e ne'er tasted a Bloody Mary%:8ell your +ather to bring a luury,2 says she%

:#rapes ha'e no i*agination, they2re 7ust green%

8ell hi* stop the neighbours co*ing%2

4 clear her cupboard in ard 1.B, Stobhill Hospital%4 lea'e, bags +ull, Cucoade, grapes, oranges,

sad chrysanthe*u*s under *y ar*s,

$eighted do$n% 4 turn round, $a'e $ith her +lo$ers%


79/90

My *other, on her high hospital bed, $a'es bac>%

Her +ace is light and radiant, dandelion hours%

Her sheets billo$ and $hirl% She is beauti+ul%

Net to her the e*pty table is di'ine%

4 carry the orange nostalgia ho*e singing an old song%

BOD P P


80/90

BOD Past Paper

. Look at stan0as an! B 7lines G8. *hy !oes the poet1s"other not want her to bring flowers or Luco0a!e&

B. (eferring to lines QBO% show how the poet gives therea!er a clear i"pression of the "other1s character or

personality.

C. >+plain how the poet uses language in lines BBQ toin!icate a clear change in the girl1s feelings.

D. I!entify at least one the"e fro" this poe". Hsing closete+tual reference% show how the the"e 7or the"es8 ise+plore! in this poe"% an! in at least one other poe" byJackie Kay.

! th 1 #


81/90


hat2s it about3

Monologue told by a female personadescribing the time she spends with her

grandmother, both at her grandmother*shomes +initially a tenement and then a highrise block of flats and the house hergrandmother cleans for a living. !ploresideas about the passage of time andintergenerational(family relationships.

! th 1 #


82/90


In this poe"% the poet si"ultaneously recreates her chil!hoo!e+periences an! voices her a!ult perceptions of her gran!"other.>ach section of the poe" !escribes a !ifferent house% each flatreflecting !ifferent aspects of her life% work an! personality. Thisstructure enables Jackie Kay to create a vivi!% "e"orable portraitof her gran!"other. The first section !escribes her tene"ent flat

with her be!roo"1s i!iosyncratic clutter. In the secon! section thepoet creates a picture of her life in her new high2rise flat. *e learnthat she is always busy% still cleaning people1s houses at the age ofseventy an! taking her reluctant gran!chil! to church with her on$un!ays. The thir! section !escribes the chil!1s perceptions of hergran!"other1s cleaning house< an! uses snatches of re"e"bere!conversations to portray the so"ewhat patronising posh one


83/90




• *hat language techni=ues !oes the writer use&• *hat is she trying to say by using these

techni=ues&

! th 1 #


84/90


• Sense o+ the :standards2 o+ the older generation $or> ethic, religious sensibilities, asceticis*%

• Sense o+ the child2s a$e at the grand*other2sli+eJpossessions%

• Eplores ideas about displace*ent physical andte*poral%

• Also loo>s at notions o+ traditional 'ersus *odern$ays o+ li+e is e*bracing the ne$ a re7ection o+ thepast3


85/90

1

She is on the second +loor o+ a tene*ent%

Fro* her +ront roo* $indo$ you see the ce*etery%

Her bedroo* is *y +a'ourite ne$spapers

dating bac> to the ar co'ering e'ery present

she2s e'er got since the ar% hat2s the point

in buying her anything *y *other *oans%

oes she use it% oes she e'en loo> at it%

4 spend hours un$rapping and $rapping endless

tablecloths, nap>ins, per+u*e, bath salts,

stories o+ things 4 can2t understand, $ords

li>e conscientious ob7ector% At night 4 cli*b

o'er all the ne$spaper parcels to get to bed,harder than the school2s obstacle course% High up

in her bed all the print *erges together%


86/90

hen she gets the letter she is hopping *ad%

hat does she $ant $ith anything *odern,

a shiny ne$ pin3 Here is ho*e%

8he sideboard solid as a co++in%

8he ne$sagents net door $hich sellshaelnut to++ees and her aily Iecord%

/he$ing +or ages o'er the +ront page,

her to++ees stic>ing to her +alse teeth%


87/90

-

8he ne$ house is called a high rise%

4 play in the li+t all the $ay up to -K%

;nce 4 get stuc> +or a $hole hour%

Fro* her $indo$ you see noisy >ids

playing hopscotch or ho*e%

She *a>es endless pots o+ 'egetable soup,

a bit bit o+ hoch +loating inside li>e a +ish%


88/90

8ill +inally she gets to li>e the hot

running $ater in her o$n bathroo*,

the $all@to@$all +oa*@bac>ed carpet,

the parcels loc>ed in her air@raid shelter%

But she still doesn2t settle do$n"

e'en at L. she cleans people2s houses

+or ten bob and goes to church on Sundays,

dragging *e along to the strange place $here the air

is trapped and ghosts sit at the altar%My parents do not belie'e% 4t is do$n to her%

A couple o+ prayers% A hy*n or t$o%

8hreepenny bit in the collection hat%

A +loc> o+ $o*en in coats and +ussy hats

+lapping o'er *e li>e *issionaires, and that is that,until the net ti*e #od grabs *e in #lasgo$ $ith #ran%


89/90

By the ti*e 4 a* se'en $e are al*ost the sa*e height%

She still $al>s +aster, rushing *e do$n the High Street

till $e get to her cleaning house% 8he hall is huge%

Ioo*s lead o++ li>e an octopus2s ar*s%

4 sit in a roo* $ith a grand piano, top open

a one@$inged creature, $hilst *y gran polishes

+or hours% Finally bored 4 start to pic> so*e notes,oh can you $ash a sailor2s shirt oh can you $ash and clean

till *y gran co*es running, duster in hand%

4 told you don2t touch anything% 8he $o*an co*es too"

the posh one all s*iles that *a>e goosepi*ples

run up *y ar*s% ould you li>e to sing *e a song3


90/90

So*eone2s crying *y Cord !u*baya% Co'ely, she says,beauti+ul child, s>in the colour o+ ca+ au lait%

:/a+ oh $hat3 Hope she2s not being any bother%2

Not at all% Not at all% Dou 7ust get bac> to your $or>%

;n the $ay to her high rise 4 see her

li>e the hunchbac> o+ Notre a*e% E'eryti*e 4 crouch

o'er a co*ic she slaps *e% Sit up straight%

She is on the ground +loor o+ a high rise%

Fro* her li'ing@roo* you see a*bulances,screa*ing their $ay to the Ioyal 4n+ir*ary%

jackie kay poetry (2)

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