English Poetry Coursework

CHILDHOOD
DISCUSS
FROM

Pi 10.1

IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL OF ALL LIFE'S SEASONS.

THIS STATEMENT USING YOUR STUDY OF THREE POEMS

SECTION C

OF THE ANTHOLOGY, AND WITH REFERENCE TO

ANOTHER THREE FROM YOUR WIDER READING.

In all of the six poems that have been studied all explore the theme of childhood but
convey different aspects of childhood; some are more beautiful than others.
The poem Hide and Seek by Vernon Scannell conveys the both the theme of
childhood being beautiful and a metaphor for life. In the poem Scannell has written
in the first person which might be because Scannell wants the reader to imagine
being in the situation. The poem Hide and seek is about a young aged group of
children playing hide and seek, the persona has been told to the reader that the
persona is the hider and his friends are the seekers. During the game, the persona
feels confident with his hiding place but at the end he is left alone in the darkness.
The poem Hide and Seek by Vernon Scannell conveys a joyful and playful life. This
is shown in the first line of the poem, Call out. Call loud: Im ready! Come and find
me!. The use of short sentences and exclamation marks establishes the idea that
the persona is proud and confident. This also puts the reader into the action as well.
The writer has used exclamation marks to create an excited tone which tells the
reader the feeling of the persona at that moment, trying to hide from the seekers,
which are known as they, thinking that they will never find him. The uses of
exclamation marks also suggest that the age of the persona might be around 5-7.
This links to the poem to tell the reader that childhood is the most beautiful of all
life seasons and that you should enjoy this period of your life the most because that
it will only happen once in your life as then you will be an adult after this period.
However, in the poem Hide and Seek it also conveys a dark and lonely life. This is
shown when Scannell writes, The darkening garden watches. This personification
is suggesting that no one is there to celebrate what the persona think is his
happiness because he thinks that he has won the game, but there was no one there
which makes the reader feel abandoned and lonely. This is also used to emphasise
that the surrounding environment is extremely quiet which also links to the idea

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that the persona has been abandoned by his friends. Another example that conveys
a theme of darkness and loneliness is, You mustnt sneeze when they come
prowling in. The words they and prowling suggest to the reader that the
seekers are evil; the word prowling suggests danger. The writer has used this
word to describe the seekers as predators and the persona is the prey, this shows
that Scannell is foreshadowing the isolation at the end of the poem. This links to the
idea that Scannell does not agree that childhood is not the season where children
should enjoy the most but it can sometimes be sad and feel lonely as a child.
The theme of darkness is also shown in the poem Mid Term Break by Seamus
Heaney where the persona has been left alone full with sadness after the persona
has known what happened in the quotation, bells knelling, the word knelling
tells the reader that Heaney has foreshadowed the death of his little brother. This
idea has also been shown by the word knelling because the word is used to
describe the action of bells ringing solemnly at a funeral. Another way that the
writer has shown the theme of darkness is at the beginning of the poem, college
sick bay. The word sick tells the reader that the persona is sick but is sick with
grief. Perhaps Heaney has chosen to start the poem like this is to make the reader
be inside the personas situation.
In conclusion, Hide and Seek agrees childhood is the best time in life; however, it
also disagrees as the persona has been left behind alone in the darkness when he is
supposed to be full of happiness as nobody found him where he was hiding. This
tells the reader that the poem is trying to tell the reader that it is a metaphor for life
where not everything is always perfect and happy but may be full of sadness
sometimes, this also suggest to the reader that perhaps, the writer wants to tell us
that this learning is part of growing up to be an adult.
The poem My Parents Kept Me from Children Who Were Rough by Stephen
Spender, it shows that the poem totally disagrees with the statement childhood is
the most beautiful of all life seasons and that life is hard, this message is told in the
poem by using different poetic techniques. One of the poetic techniques he uses is
similes: threw words like stones. This simile tells the reader that the bullies are
hurting the boy with words. The word stones suggest that the persona is
describing their words that they say as hurtful which shows the reader the

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personality of the bullies as aggressive, tough and abusive. This also suggests to
the reader that the persona is trying to tell us that the words that the bullies are
using hurt him internally as much as stones would hurt externally. One other
example is their muscles like iron. The word iron suggests that the bullies are
strong because iron is a strong metal and cannot be easily bent which shows that
they are undefeatable. In the personas view, he thinks that the bullies are role
models and are superior and that he wanted to join in with the group but they never
accepted him because he doesnt fit in with the group and is very weak compared
to the bullies: salt coarse the writer has chosen to describe the street boys as
salt to emphasize their roughness and strength in the personas opinion. Perhaps
one other way to interpret this is that the persona thinks that these street boys as
his superior and wants to be like them where then the persona can be freer and can
do anything he wants, They were lithe The word lithe suggest that the street
boys are agile and flexible whereas the persona doesnt have these features as the
persona was not given to take part in rough activities which will make him what he
wished to be like, which is having the ability to survive and be flexible.
Stephen Spender has chosen to divide the poem into three stanzas and does not
have a regular rhyme structure, this tells the reader that Spender has chosen to
have no rhyme in the poem to emphasise the harsh things that the bullies have
done to him, and no matter how hard the persona tries to be friends with the
bullies.
In conclusion the poem My Parents kept me from Children who were rough shows
to the reader that this poem shows that childhood is the time when they are being
overprotected by parents and have no freedom to do anything they wanted to do.
The poem Mid-Term Break by Seamus Heaney; explores the idea that childhood is
not always happy but sometimes may unfortunately be depressing. In the poem,
Heaney explains the experience of himself who lost his brother in a car accident.
In the poem Mid-Term break, Heaney conveys the idea of death and grief, this is
explored by the use of onomatopoeia to suggest an imagery of a funeral in the
readers mind, bells knelling, both the word bells and knelling foreshadow
death. The writer has chosen to use onomatopoeia to describe the sound of the
bells that are rung in a funeral to suggest sadness to the reader.

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Heaney has structured the poem as an autobiography that follows a pattern of 3

lines in each stanza, but has only one on the last stanza. A four-foot box, a foot for
every year. The sentence four-foot box, a foot for every year suggests to the
reader that the little brother who died was very young and that the persona feels
sorry for his little brother, by the persona telling this it makes the reader feel
sympathy for him. Heaney has used pathos at the end of the poem to give a sense
of the end and also emphasise the theme of death. Perhaps Heaney has chosen to
structure this poem like this so that the reader can feel the writers feelings, Heaney
has also chosen to structure the last stanza like that so that it will maximize the
importance of his brothers age, as the last two lines are the only lines in whole
poem that rhyme which makes the effect of the rhyme is to bring a sense of finality
of death. This is to show the reader that Heaney has a close relationship to his
brother and also shows how young Heaneys brother was.
In conclusion, the poem Mid-Term break does not convey the idea that childhood is
the most enjoyable season. This might be because that the writer wants to convey
the message that children doesnt always have a great time but that there may also
sometimes be sadness.
The poem Half-past Two, by U.A Fanthorpe shows that childhood is full of freedom
but, unfortunately, during the boys life there are also punishments.
In the poem Half-past Two, the themes of memory and reality are explored. Once
upon a schooltime/He did Something Very Wrong/ (I forget what it was). Fanthorpe
has used brackets to explain to the reader that it was a memory of the persona.
This also suggests a very young age. Perhaps Fanthorpe has chosen to tell the
reader that the persona has a young age by the word forget. This word tells the
reader that life is not as strict in comparison to adults life and that it is fine to
forget things as the persona is still being dictated to by his/her parents and
teachers. Perhaps another way of interpreting this is: the persona is trying to tell the
reader that this memory was from a long time ago and that he could not remember
what happened when he was going through childhood. The theme of reality is
explored in the 9th stanza,My goodness, she said, scuttling in, I forgot all about
you. The word scuttling suggest that the time for the teacher is restricted and
that she is in a hurry. However, In comparison to the childs life they have more free

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time and dont need to worry about anything as their parents will do it for them. The
main tone that Fanthorpe has chosen is nostalgic and also a dreamy tone to
emphasise the childish feeling. Out of reach of all the timefors, and knew hed
escaped forever. The uses of enjambment suggest that the time is infinite because
that he doesnt know what time and started daydreaming, whereas adults have to
concentrate on things they need to be done within a certain time.
Fanthorpe has structured the poem with 3 lines per stanza; this emphasises the
ticking of the clock and the passing of time. Into the smell of old chrysanthemums
on Her desk. This suggests that the little boys mind escapes and his imagination
starts to work, this also suggest that he feels very bored and doesnt know when to
leave the classroom as he knows that the teacher will tell the persona soon. One
other way of interpreting this is that the writer is trying to show the personas
creative imagination, this suggests to the reader that childhood is the life season to
enjoy the most. This might be because the best season where you will have the best
imagination is during childhood. One other thing that the writer has chosen is each
of the stanzas the length of the sentences are different and might be interpreted as
the persona has freedom to do anything as he is still a child.
The poet has chosen to use personification to describe what the persona sees the
clock as having. the little eyes/And two long legs for walking, But he couldnt click
its language. The way the persona has described the clock as is like a mysterious
monster, the phrase But he couldnt click its language tells the reader that
Fanthorpe is describing that the persona cannot understand the sound and the
imagery that he sees, which he describes as language the clock uses. Another
poetic device is enjambment to emphasise that time is valuable for adults. I
forgot all about you. /Run along or youll be late. The word forgot tells the reader
that the teacher has more important things to do and that she had forgotten about
the persona, another word that suggest this is Run along. This phrase suggest
that she doesnt want the persona to be late for his next class and that she hurried
him to his lesson so that she could carry on with her own work. Perhaps another
way of interpretation this is that a very young age that she wanted the persona to
be more organised and arrive to lessons and do things with time limits, this also tell
that perhaps, the teacher is trying to teach a lesson to the persona that time is
valuable and that he should make use of it. The writer has chosen to use language

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that a very young age would use to emphasise that the persona doesnt know time
and refers time in his own way. This is shown when the persona describes the times
he knew to the reader, Gettinguptime, timeyouwereofftime, Timetogohometime,
TVtime all these times are usually used by adults to tell their child to do
something which one way of interpreting this is that the persona is dictated to or
another way of interpreting this is that Fanthorpe has chosen to written the times
the persona knew all in one word to emphasise to the reader that he doesnt know
time and he is at a young age, this conveys to the reader that childhood is the best
of all lifes seasons and should enjoy it the most.
In conclusion, the poem Half-past Two agrees with the idea Childhood is the most
beautiful of all lifes seasons because U.A. explains that childhood is full of
freedom. However, this poem also disagrees with the idea because the poet has
also described the school as restrictive and that there is no freedom for the
persona.
The poem Piano by D.H. Lawrence; shows an opinion that childhood is not always
the time where you feel you are not left alone, but you could sometimes be left
alone. Piano is a poem which is about a persona who misses who the personas
love and is trying to recall his memory. This poem by D.H. Lawrence explores the
themes of warmth, memory and abandonment
The poem Piano by D.H. Lawrence; explores the themes of memory and love in
different ways. One of the ways that Lawrence has explored this is by describing the
personality of the woman who smiles as she sings, which is introduced in the first
stanza. The word smiles suggests to the reader that Lawrence has used this to
show that she is soft and gentle. Perhaps this might be the reason why the poem is
nostalgic because the persona both wants to recall his/her memory but also is
reluctant to recall the time when the persona has someone to make him feel warm
and protected. One other way that Lawrence has shown the theme of memory is by
using metaphor, the vista of years. This metaphor suggests to the reader that it
compares the events of the personas life to a long time indicating how far in time
the persona is recalling. This also tells the reader that the persona misses the
person the persona is talking about and feels unsafe without her.

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However, in contrast to that, the persona doesnt want to recall these wonderful
memories that the persona used to have, Betrays me back, till the heart of me
weeps to belong to the old Sunday evenings This phrase suggests to the reader
that the persona realises that he is being nostalgic no matter how hard he tries to
remain in the present, he still bring himself back to the memories of Sunday
evenings where there is warmth and family love. Also the word Betrays suggest to
the reader that he doesnt want to bring back the old memories he has before and
that he feels frustrated about it. Perhaps this can suggest how unhappy his present
life is compared to his past where there is someone to protect him and take care of
him.
D.H. Lawrence has chosen to structure the poem in an (AABB) rhyme scheme which
could be interpreted as the simplicity of childhood, pressing the small, poised
feet. This shows to the reader that it creates a sense of relationship between the
persona and the woman. However the rest of the poem is structured by using
complex language to represent adulthood, I weep like a child for the past. The use
of simile makes the reader feel that the persona is comparing himself to a child to
suggest that he is unable to control emotions any longer and is stuck in the present,
this can also tell the reader that the persona is trying to express his thoughts that
memory can be beautiful but can also be over-whelming.
In conclusion the poem Piano can be seen as that it both agrees and disagrees
with the idea because childhood can be enjoyable but when you bring back the
memory of childhood it can sometimes be nostalgic and want to go back to being a
child and having the love and warmth from parents.
The poem The Echoing Green by William Blake shows that childhoods life are
better, since those days are happier and you have the freedom to do anything.
However when you get old, you cant play anything apart from waiting for death.
However it also tells the reader the poets feeling about the industrial revolution.
The Poem The Echoing Green by William Blake; explores the theme of the different
seasons in a year, On the darkening Green. The words Darkening Green suggest
that spring has ended and will always return with the joys and vitality of the season,
and that autumn and winter is starting. This also shows a contrast with the phrase
Echoing Green which suggest happiness. One other way that the theme of

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sadness is explored in the last stanza is: The sun does descend. This phrase
suggests that danger is coming and that there will be no enjoyable time for the
children, when they are mature and grown up. However an alternative interpretation
is that this is describing the end of the childhood which also suggests sadness and
danger as then that there will be no freedom for them.
On the other hand, in the first stanza it suggest a happy and enjoyable time where
children are shouting and playing in the fields, The birds of the bush. This
metaphor suggests to the reader that it is a metaphor to describe children because
children have an enjoyable life and freedom, same as birds where they can fly
wherever they want to. Also in the first stanza it reveals the enjoyable and pleasure
life in childhood, bells cheerful sound. The word cheerful suggests that the
children are having fun and at the fields are full of joy and anticipation.
One other way that William Blake uses to show that childhood is an enjoyable time
is by using a flashback about the elders childhood life, Old John, with white
hair/Does laugh away care,/Sitting under the oak.. The use of a nostalgic feeling
of the elders also show to the reader that the poet sees childhood as an enjoyable
time, They laugh at our playWhen we all girls & boys, /In our youth-time were
seen. This suggests a pleasure taken by the more mature in the sheer innocent joy
of youth.
In conclusion, the poem The Echoing Green by William Blake shows that it agrees
to the idea that childhood is the most beautiful of all lifes seasons; this is because it
shows that childhood is the best time to have the chance to enjoy playing and not
having to worry about anything.
In my opinion, before I read all six poems I totally agreed with the statement
because childhood is the time where everything is been done for you and you dont
need to worry about anything. However, after I have finished reading all six poems I
feel that all of these poems are a realistic depiction of childhood and that childhood
is not always the most beautiful of all lifes seasons. In conclusion I half disagree
and agree with the coursework statement Childhood is the most beautiful of all
life's seasons.