letter bout gwen harwoods poem in the glass jar, in the park n at mornington
...surrected sun’ which also contains reference to the biblical allusions of god being resurrected as well. The whole poem is based on ‘The Glass Jar’, which is another biblical icon. The short phrase ‘he slept’ breaks the pattern of the poem and the reader is aware a change is about to take place. The hyperbole 'And hope fell headlong from its eagle height' also emphasises the devastation the child feels when he has lost his faith. The poetic devices that have been used create and express the change in him throughout puberty. The metaphors portray the tension of the child’s experience. The juxtaposition of images create good comparison of what the boy is feeling and how mixed up it is. The strong reference to religion show the child’s confusion in all of what is going on around him, which he is unaware of. Secondly the poem ‘In the Park’, it was easier to understand with the topic being recognisable for adolesce to be interested. It is constructed in a sonnet form divided into two quatrains and a sestet. The subject in this poem is the encounter of two former lovers and about change taking place but over an extended period of time. The themes which Harwood has focused on involve; the demands of motherhood, regret of lost love, plodding through life. Single status and motherhood are strongly contrasted in this poem to combine with the themes. The start of poem portrays the mother wearing clothes that 'are out of date', and this emphasises how the mother has little time for herself and happiness, now that she has 'bickering children' to look after. "How nice," etcetera... "But for the grace of God."The mother meeting a past lover and the religious reference is evidence that the man is thankful that he has not been part of this change, which has made drastic consequences on the woman's life. The poem dramatises the devotion of motherhood considering that is what it is focusing on. There is black comedy with the accidental meeting and their inability to avoid each other. Near the end of the poem ‘In the Park’, the mother is happy with the changed which has taken place. The language used is simple. Thirdly and lastly ‘At Mornington’, this poem examines the nature of love and friendship and is a reflection on life. The subject is the transformation of self from childhood through to mature adult. The poem is constructed through a narrative style, including free verse. Each of the stanzas has the regular 12 line...