Literal meaning

Stanza Literal meaning

Stanza 1 The persona describes her grandmother as tall

and well-dressed with a kind smile. Her smile
comes from her eyes. On the deathbed, she held
the persona’s small black hand in her big white
hand. She was not afraid to leave the world.

Stanza 2 The persona accepts that her grandmother has

passed to other world. Grandmothe, who was a
tall stature became small,hunched and forgetful.

Stanza 3 The persona at age three had taken a

photograph with her grandmother. When she
looks at the photograph, she feels her presence.
To the persona, her grandmother is still very
much alive and is smiling at her.

Figurative meaning

Stanza Literal meaning

Stanza 1 As we start with our life,we stand tall and

confident. We make sure everything is carried
out properly without a flaw. We approach every
situation with a smile and deal it bravely.

Stanza 2 We can feel the difficulties as we look around

and notice the signs of change.We begin to lose
our grip as things change beyond our control and
finally, we have to let go.

Stanza 3 But sometimes there maybe a memento to

remind us of what we used to be. The memento
helps us to keep our memories alive.
Literal meaning

Stanza Literal meaning

Stanza 1 The persona describes her grandmother as tall

and well-dressed with a kind smile. Her smile
comes from her eyes. On the deathbed, she held
the persona’s small black hand in her big white
hand. She was not afraid to leave the world.

Stanza 2 The persona accepts that her grandmother has

passed to other world. Grandmothe, who was a
tall stature became small,hunched and forgetful.

Stanza 3 The persona at age three had taken a

photograph with her grandmother. When she
looks at the photograph, she feels her presence.
To the persona, her grandmother is still very
much alive and is smiling at her.

Figurative meaning

Stanza Literal meaning

Stanza 1 As we start with our life,we stand tall and

confident. We make sure everything is carried
out properly without a flaw. We approach every
situation with a smile and deal it bravely.

Stanza 2 We can feel the difficulties as we look around

and notice the signs of change.We begin to lose
our grip as things change beyond our control and
finally, we have to let go.

Stanza 3 But sometimes there maybe a memento to

remind us of what we used to be. The memento
helps us to keep our memories alive.
My small grandmother is tall there,
straight-back, white broderie anglaise shirt,
pleated skirt,flat shoes,grey bun,
a kind, old smile round her eyes. Stanza 1
Her big hand holds mine,
white hand in black hand.
Her sharp blue eyes look her own death in the eye.

It was true after all, that look.

My tall grandmother beame small.
Her back round and hunched Stanza 2
Her soup forgot to boil.
She went to the awful place grandmothers go,
somewhere unknown, unthinkable.

But there she is still, Stanza 3

In the photo with me at three,
The crinkled smile is still living, breathing.
My small grandmother is tall there,
straight-back, white broderie anglaise shirt,
pleated skirt,flat shoes,grey bun,
a kind, old smile round her eyes. Stanza 1
Her big hand holds mine,
white hand in black hand.
Her sharp blue eyes look her own death in the eye.

It was true after all, that look.

My tall grandmother beame small.
Her back round and hunched Stanza 2
Her soup forgot to boil.
She went to the awful place grandmothers go,
somewhere unknown, unthinkable.

But there she is still, Stanza 3

In the photo with me at three,
The crinkled smile is still living, breathing.
Match the following phrases to their meanings.

No Phrases No Meanings
. .
1 ‘tall there,straight- a a white person e.g. an English man with a
backed’ black person e.g. a Nigerian

2 ‘Grey bun’ b But, contrary to what you think, she is still

alive.
3 ‘White hand in black
hand’ c an old person with a bent back

4 ‘Back round and d The soup was left on the stove and not
hunched’ cooked

5 ‘look death in the eye’ e a person with height and has a good posture

6 ‘her soup forgot to f a smile on a face that is full with wrinkles

boil’
g white greying hair tied back like a bun
7 ‘but there she is still’
h to accept the fact that one is going to die
8 ‘crinkled smile’

No Phrases
. No Meanings
1 ‘tall there,straight- .
backed’ Match the following a a white person e.g. an English man with a
phrases to their black person e.g. a Nigerian
2 ‘Grey bun’ meanings.
b But, contrary to what you think, she is still
3 ‘White hand in black alive.
hand’
c an old person with a bent back
4 ‘Back round and
hunched’ d The soup was left on the stove and not
cooked
5 ‘look death in the eye’
e a person with height and has a good posture
6 ‘her soup forgot to
boil’ f a smile on a face that is full with wrinkles

7 ‘but there she is still’ g white greying hair tied back like a bun

8 ‘crinkled smile’ h to accept the fact that one is going to die