The Mistake - Abse

The Mistake is a poem by Abse that covers the themes of nature and through this life. From within the first stanza we see that this tree is being personified through the quote 'confront the green tree' this gives us the idea that this tree is alive and that it's special features have just been noticed. Abse may use this in order to distinguish how nature and life are closely linked.

From within the second stanza we see that the trees fame is slowly lifted when it is given a name 'Evodia danieli' and we learn that it originates from Korea. However also within this stanza we get the reinforcement of human selfishness towards nature. The quote 'now we had something to boast about' suggests that the people within this poem are willing to use the tree in order to promote themselves within their community in Wales. Abse is conveying through this that as humans we all have a desire to constantly keep bettering ourselves.

We get the comparison with welsh gold and the tree within stanza three through the quote 'It's a rare welsh gold'. Abse is comparing the tree with welsh gold to encompass how holy this tree is. This suggests that at this point in the poem it is at the height of it's fame and the community may stare in wonder considering how rare the tree is. From within the last part of this stanza we see that the tree has healing powers when 'it'll charm away your cold' this suggests that it can cure people through providing them with medicine. This reinforces the holy nature that this tree has.

Within the last stanza we get the reinforcement of the rarity of this tree though the quote 'who, in all of Great Britain possessed such treasure?' However later on the tree is 'Tired of lies' suggesting that it is fed up of the fake fame that it is receiving from humankind. It is also 'shamelessly free of disguise' suggesting that the tree is no longer special. Maybe it's specialities were just an advertisement strategy from its owners and now that the community know the trees true self it has faced its ultimate downfall as the perceived image of the tree is merely a façade.

This poem has close links to the Larkin poem Essential Beauty when mass media for example advertising in Essential Beauty and the tree in The Mistake convey a message that couldn't possibly happen in reality, it shows items that are idealistic which people wish they could have but can't.

Terrible Angels - Abse

From within the poem Terrible Angles by Abse we see that the persona is recalling a previous event. The reference to 'One bedtime' proves that the persona is telling us about something in the past, it is looking back at a past event. The reference to 'pretty coloured ribbons' connotes the idea that the persona is recalling when they were a child, as a child is more likely to notice something like the 'coloured ribbons' on the medal. From the last part of this stanza we understand that one of the main themes of this poem is to do with death and war. There are 'meat-snatching birds' which connotes the idea that they are scavengers who are waiting for something to die so that they can feast on it. It is clear that Abse is suggesting they are waiting for soldiers to die which reinforces that this poem is to do with war. They also 'circle around and around like a carousel' which suggests something eternal and never ending. Through this Abse is conveying the idea that death and war are eternal things that happen in the world and that they are never going to stop, in a way he is suggesting that the past will be the same as the future and this links in well with one of the other Abse poems A Letter from Ogmore.

Within the second stanza we get the semantic field of war further conveyed through quotes such as 'silence of gas' and 'shrapnel striking helmets'. In a way these two quotes act as a contrast to one other. The silence of gas acts as a silent killer, whereas the shrapnel striking helmet suggests something loud, painful and dangerous. It seems as though Abse is trying to encompass every aspect of war and its effects on soldiers. We also get a further contrast within this stanza through 'soldiers prayers and soldiers screams'. Abse is connoting the idea that when soldiers are not on the front they are praying for their lives and when they are on the front they are screaming for their lives, it portrays this idea of the yearning to live and the realisation amongst the soldiers of how precious life itself is. We get the sense that angels themselves are turning into monsters when looking over this war. They are described as 'cold angels' suggesting that war can change anybody.

This idea of change is finally established within the small last stanza. The men are described as 'blood and bloodthirsty, true facsimiles of men'. This suggests that war has changed them for the worst and they have become a copy of something they did not used to be, almost a shadow of their former selves. Within the last line we get the devastating effects war has on people through the quote 'he knew more about angels than was healthy'. This gives the impression that he is no longer a healthy man. War has taken its toll on him and left him weak, like a fallen angel, unable to fly. Overall in this poem the thought that war turns even the most loveliest of people who are Angels into monsters . It breaks us and pulls us down from our prime connoting the idea that war gives no hope to anybody within the world.

This poem links to MCMXIV by Larkin through the comments about war and its effect on people in life.

Take One Home For The Kiddies - Larkin

Take One Home For The Kiddies is a poem by Larkin that includes the themes of advertisement and death. The strap line was used within advertisement during the 1960s. Within stanza one we get the sense that the children in the poem want to get a new pet, however it seems as though they don't value the pet that they are getting and merely view it as an object. They comment 'Mam, get us one of them to keep'. The fact that they use a vague personal pronoun 'them' reinforces the idea that this pet doesn't mean anything to the children and it is just like a toy.

Within the second stanza we get the quote 'living toys are something novel' suggesting at first the children are delighted to have a living toy. Again the reference to 'toy' conveys the pet as if it isn't real, that it is just something that the children are able to play with. However, 'it soon wears off' suggesting that the children then become bored with the pet after a while. It also seems apparent that death doesn't really mean much to the children, we get the sense that this pet can be easily replaced. Larkin is making a comment that children always want the next best thing. The fact that they are 'playing funerals' suggests that the death of the pet is a game to them, it conveys the children's callowness of life and that they truly don't value animals. It almost if they get to play funerals and then it's back to the pet shop to buy another pet.

This poem could link to some of the death poems by Abse such as An Old Commitment, A Winter Visit, On the Coast Road, The Death of Aunt Alice and In Llandough Hospital. All of these poems give different views on death that you can compare and contrast. In terms of Larkin you could link to Home is So Sad and Ambulances.

The Large Cool Store - Larkin

The Large Cool Store is a poem by Larkin that covers ideas to do with advertisement and the working class. From within the first stanza it seems apparent that Larkin is looking down upon working class members within society. The large cool store sells 'cheap clothing'. This is clothing of the working class so it seems as though Larkin is almost sneering at the working class.

Within the second stanza this idea of Larkin sneering at the working class is again reinforced through the quote 'who leave at dawn low terraced houses'. The reference to 'dawn' implies that the working class are always working to enable them to live. The reference to 'low terraced houses' implies a very stereotypical view of where the working class live. However, another reading would be that Larkin may feel sympathetic towards the working class as they live in small houses and are constantly working. The reference to 'heaps of shirts and trousers' may imply a domestic role of working class women and again is a very stereotypical view of them. We understand through this that Larkin is criticising a certain aspect of society.

The listing device within stanza three conveys a general list of crap useless clothing. The 'lemon, sapphire, moss-green, rose bri-nylon, baby dolls and shorties' may convey the idea that there will always be a constant cycle of working class people who will be willing to buy this cheap clothing. The word 'clusters' later on in this stanza reinforces Larkin's idea that the working class in general come in a great number. Larkin also seems to convey the view that the working class don't deserve to be on this world through the quote 'They share that world'. This quote is used by Larkin to exclude members of the working class, they are clearly not part of Larkin's world and are not meant to be.

Within the last stanza we see that the working class also have desires like everyone else in the world and are therefore equal in the ways in which they desire things. Larkin describes how 'unearthly love is'. One reading of this could be that again he is looking down upon them, however it also suggests that they have desires in life too however this is just a facade as it is hard for the working class to achieve what they want to in life because of their background. This is also reinforced later on within the stanza where they have 'young unreal wishes'. Larkin realises that some of them can't have a life like him, which therefore triggers him to feel sympathy towards them. Larkin realises that each and everyone of us feels desire within our lives. There is also evidence that Larkin is misogynistic towards women in this poem where he directly quotes that women are 'unearthly'. There is also a description of the desires of the working class being 'synthetic' which is a horrible description of them conveying the idea that they can't possibly come true.

An Old Commitment - Abse

From within the first stanza of this poem we see that the persona is reminiscing about a time that has gone by. The persona comments 'my kinsmen slain in battle' this suggests that this poem has an element of history to it and may link to the poem by Larkin An Arundel Tomb as it is giving us a representation of change over time and the loss and significance of a previous event. This may also link to a death poem Home is So Sad as the persona is talking about people who have died in the past similar to in Home is so Sad.

Within stanza two the persona feels as though he is worthless now. He questions 'I had a cause then. Surely I had a cause?'. This suggests that as time has gone by the way in which people perceive him has changed. We get this idea that he has become worthless as a human being similar to the ideas portrays in Mr Bleaney by Larkin.

Within stanza three we get the reference to 'blank as stone'. This may suggest that the persona's life has become boring and repetitive as he has grown older and his mundane lifestyle has reminded him of the old days when he had a purpose within the world.

Stanza four conveys the idea that the persona is travelling. The 'back of brightness' symbolises something positive, this may remind him of the positive lifestyle that he used to have, however he views the back of brightness which suggests that brightness is fading and that positivity in his reality is no longer there, useless and no purpose in life has taken it over.

Stanza six describes a rather colloquial manner in which the persona is viewing the sunset. He simply states things. This could reinforce that his lifestyle has become normal and that he used to have a sense of adventure in his life and purpose.

Within the last few stanzas we get the sense of isolation. The persona comments that everyone has 'departed' literally meaning that he is alone in this vast world. He used to have old commitments when he was young but now these cease to exist. All he can do now is look out into the night and simple observe and watch.

A Heritage - Abse

A Heritage by Abse seems to be about Welsh heritage and how this has become destroyed within our modern world. The poem seems to be either told by a narrator who watches change over time, and who is constantly monitoring and to whom is clearly visible how the world is changing, and the role of this 'Black-robed God' in this. Moreover, the tone of this is subtle but with sometimes explosive and violent words, such as 'petrifier' and "grim". 'Comradeship and suffocation' used within the first stanza are contrasting words, which may convey how much welsh heritage has changed over the years and that in today's world it has literally been suffocated. Through this Abse conveys similarities and differences with the past and present.

Within stanza two we get the reference to 'God'. It seems as though Abse maybe contrasting the modern world with God and how God seems to have done nothing to prevent the world becoming so parasitic. God seems to be 'retreating to his throne of sulphur'. This may act as symbolism for the deterioration of heritage within the modern world, as sulphur is a chemical. Abse may challenge religion in this quote, the fact that God has a 'throne' suggests his superior rule over Christianity. However, it is made of sulphur suggesting that faith in God is also deteriorating within today's society.

There is a vile representation of God within stanza three as he is 'black-robed' and there is also the 'underground forest'. This may act as a metaphor for darkness falling over the world, it is a representation of what the world has become, a dark cold place. We also get the 'pony's skeleton and human skulls' suggesting a decay of something. Abse is reinforcing his ideas that the modern world has become a parasitic place and this links to the end of Sunny Prestatyn where Larkin makes the same comment about society as well.

Within stanzas four and five we get a reference to the other side of the mountain. This seems to be abandoned through the fact that the 'pit-wheels do not turn and the pump house is abandoned'. However, the person on this mountain doesn't seem to mind that God has let this place become abandoned. The fact that the mountain has been 'brutalised' suggests a mistreatment of the natural world.

Within stanzas seven and eight This person is drunk with Methane (Used for Fuel) and raises a mans thigh like a staff; and has also spellbound a woman who is his 'Queen', and she admires unnatural Black-Roses: which is in contrast to the beautiful 'Plains of Enna '. Abse could be making a comment about conflicting religions in today's society and how good and evil are always trying to triumph over one another.

Cousin Sidney - Abse

Cousin Sidney is a poem by Abse about Sidney who goes to fight for his country during World War Two. From within the first stanza we already see that Sidney wants to feel the sense of adventure. He tried to 'break his garden swing, jumping on it' suggesting that he is rebellious in character, however also not responsible with some of his actions and may make wrong decisions as a person. He also wore 'size 12 shoes' and 'at fifteen the tallest boy in class'. This may suggest that he looked a lot more mature for his age when he was younger.

Within stanza two we understand that Sidney has used his maturity to go and join up with the army. It says 'hero Sidney lied about his age'. This may suggest that he is making a wrong decision about joining the army, as he is too young and he is putting himself into a life threatening situation. He is also described as a 'silly ass' suggesting that this is a foolish act, however Sidney has took the decision to go and fight in the war even though it may not be the right decision. We understand later in this stanza that the decision Sidney has made has had devastating consequences and resulted in his death. 'Some foreign corner was forever Sidney' suggesting that he has died while fighting in France.

Within stanza three we get the emphasis of the emotion that the family members are feeling. His father comments 'Missing not dead please God, please'. A desperation for Sidney to return is conveyed through the father, the repetition of 'please' connotes the idea that the father is literally begging for Sidney to return. Abse may be making a wider comment that when it comes to death the large majority of us don't face the realistic truth. The father hopes that he is missing, but this is just hope and not reality, the reality is that Sidney has died.

Within stanza four we then get the emphasis of emotion from the Aunt and the Uncle. The word 'onion' is used to suggest that the death of Sidney has naturally triggered her to feel emotional, this further reinforces that Sidney would of been close to his mother and father. We also get the reinforcement that Sidney has gone now through 'the unswinging empty swing'. Before he was jumping on it, now there is just air. This is reinforcement that once we die we are gone forever. The fact that the aunt stands by this swing suggests that she yearns for Sidney's return, it's as if she wants to go back in time to when he used to jump all over the swing. The Uncle also seems angry when he comments 'Bloody Germans' suggesting that he wants to get revenge on the Germans which acted as a catalyst for many men in getting involved within the war effort.

We then get a very sad ending to this poem through the last stanza. We understand that the Aunt and Uncle 'went missing'. This may suggest that the reality of their sons death may have sinked in and that one day they just decided to get up and leave. Another reading could be that they may have decided to kill themselves as they were so overcome by grief, so that they could go and join their son. I think when Abse makes a reference to 'missing' this could be a metaphor for the family leaving this world and going on to a better place. And now 'strangers' reside there suggesting that the memory of this family has faded, that they now belong somewhere else now, that we do not know of, happy.

This poem clearly links to the Larkin poem MCMXIV as they both cover the themes of war and it's effects on people within the 20th century.