'Mirror' by Sylvia Plath I am silver and exact. I have no preconceptions. Whatever I see I swallow immediately Just as it is, unmisted by love or dislike. I am not cruel, only truthful, The eye of a little god, four-cornered. Most of the time I meditate on the opposite wall. It is pink, with speckles. I have looked at it so long I think it is part of my heart. But it flickers. Faces and darkness separate us over and over. Now I am a lake. A woman bends over me, Searching my reaches for what she really is. Then she turns to those liars, the candles or the moon. I see her back, and reflect it faithfully. She rewards me with tears and an agitation of hands. I am important to her. She comes and goes. Each morning it is her face that replaces the darkness. In me she has drowned a young girl, and in me an old woman Rises toward her day after day, like a terrible fish. Analysis of First Stanza This poem is all about appearances and the search for the self. The fact that the mirror is the voice and has the starring role is a little odd, but Sylvia Plath wanted to show just how powerful an object the mirror is in people's lives. In particular, she wanted to highlight the issue that some females have with their image, and the inner turmoil that can be caused as the aging process picks up its pace. The poet's own struggle for a stable identity only adds to the idea that the face in the mirror must stay young, pretty and perfect. Lines 1 - 3 The opening lines introduce us to the passive rectangle of silver, the glass and the shiny surface which only tells the truth and has no other purpose. Mirrors have no prior knowledge of anything; they simply are. Note the use of the verb "swallow" which suggests that the mirror has a mouth and can digest whole images instantly, like a creature. What does the poet mean by "unmisted by love and dislike?" The next line, too, emphasizes the savage nondiscriminatory nature of the mirror. It's as if the mirror is saying, "To me you are food which I need to satisfy my insatiable appetite. There are no blurry lines; love or judgement has nothing to do with it. I will swallow you. End of story." Lines 4 - 6 This objective theme continues as the mirror reinforces the idea of neutrality–it simply tells the story as it is, no fuss, no elaboration, no fabrication. And it is this quality of truthfulness which allows the mirror to declare itself as the eye of a little god; an all-seeing minor deity holding disproportionate power over its subjects. To strengthen its position within the room, the house, and the host's mind, it does little but "meditate on the opposite wall." Like some open-eyed, staring sage, the mirror sits contemplatively. Lines 7 - 9 The wall is pink, speckled, and is now an integral part of the mirror's heart, suggesting that this silvereyed god has gained a feminine side to its persona. Pink is associated with girlie things, but the connection isn't that clear. There are uncertain faces coming between it, and the wall of pink. Is the mirror losing its grip on its own reality? Are the ripples of time starting to affect the smooth surface? Analysis of Second Stanza Whereas the first stanza concentrates on the exact truthfulness of the mirror and its ability to reflect precisely, the second stanza sees a transition: the mirror becomes a liquid, it gains depth and a different dimension. Lines 10 - 12 With god-like, medium-shifting power, the mirror becomes a lake. In it is reflected the image of a woman (the poet? Any woman?) and she is bending over as one would over the surface of a lake to see the reflection in the water. Seeing her reflection, the woman is uncertain of herself and needs to find out who she really is. But can a person truly find out who they are by merely peering into a lake? Don't forget, this type of water can swallow any image it comes across. Didn't Narcissus look into a similar lake, and was so overcome with his own beauty that he fell in and drowned? The woman isn't interested in beauty, it seems. Perhaps she's more intent on learning about her emotional responses to her former self. Candlelight can't help her cause because it's a deceptively romantic way of looking at things, and the moon, likewise, governs only madness and the haunting of the blood. The woman realizes that she can't dwell on the past. Lines 13 - 15 Nevertheless, the mirror "sees her back," which is what the eye of a little god would do, and holds the image, as always. The woman weeps, which pleases the mirror, perhaps because the tears replenish the water in the lake, or maybe because the mirror is happy that it has done its job of faithful reflection and feels rewarded. But the woman is clearly upset because the past holds such powerful memories, not all of them positive. This part of the poem is crucial, for we discover the mirror's aim: to disturb the woman. The deity has control of the human, which is how traditional stories often pan out. Lines 16 - 18 The mirror believes it is important to the woman, and so it appears relentlessly. The woman looks at herself in the mirror each morning, so reliant has she become. The revelation, hardly a shock, is that the woman's younger self is dead, drowned by her own hand. Replacing the girl on a daily basis is the face of an old woman, surfacing "like a terrible fish." Imagine the horror of facing the mirror each morning and confronting an inner demon, which is what the poet conveys through her poem. The innocent, romantic, crazy girl floats lifelessly in the water. And out of her there rises, from the (emotional) depths, a hagfish, a monstrosity. What Are the Literary Elements Used in 'Mirror'? 'Mirror' consists of two stanzas that reflect each other, that are mirror images you could say, and that contain no obvious end rhymes or steady beat. Noting this, we can suggest with confidence that there is no closure, certainty or order in the stylistic choices the author has made, features that are perhaps reflective of her emotional state. Rhyme tends to secure the lines and anchor them in a familiar sound, but here the poet has chosen to end each line with a different word, virtually unrelated in sound or texture. It's free verse, yet with so many periods (end stops, full stops) and limited enjambment, that the text almost resembles dialogue from a play. Personification 'Mirror' is a personification poem. That is, the poet has given the mirror a first-person voice. So the poem begins: I am silver and exact. I have no preconceptions. This is the mirror speaking. It is direct, objective and open. It has personality. This device allows the mirror to address the reader (and any individual) at a personal level. You may know of a similar mirror in the fairytale Sleeping Beauty, where the vain, Wicked Queen looks in to her mirror to ask, "Mirror, Mirror, on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?" In a sense, Plath is asking the same question, but she does not receive a flattering answer. Metaphor In the first stanza the mirror declares: I am not cruel, only truthful, The eye of a little god, four-cornered. So the mirror becomes the eye of a little god, metaphorically speaking. And at the start of the second stanza (Now I am a lake) the poet uses metaphor again, as the mirror becomes deep, reflective water. Simile The final few words (like a terrible fish) constitute a simile. Why Was the Poem Written? While it is impossible to say exactly why Plath wrote 'Mirror', there's no reason to believe her motive for writing this poem was any different from that of her other poems: to express abstract emotions and a state of mind that cannot easily be captured in prose. While 'Mirror', written in 1961, just two years before the poet's suicide, likely contains many autobiographical elements that have to do with her difficult life, the poem has merit beyond a mere confessional. It is a compelling work of art and a remarkable piece of literature. "Mirror" was not published for another 10 years after Plath's death, when it appeared in Plath's book Crossing the Water, published by Ted Hughes posthumously Oom Piet Structure Three long stanzas and one very short one Free verse – no formal rhyme scheme and no formal rhythm Lots of enjambment and a natural rhythm that enhances the conversational style Plain diction Simple sentence construction Seems to echo ‘hero’s journey’ (timeless transformational story about a protagonist who faces challenges and overcomes) – Stanza 1 (daughter drags speaker into the unknown); Stanza 2 (speaker meets her mentor); Stanza 3 (mentor supports speaker); Stanza 4 (speaker acknowledges transformation) Stanza 1 The lack of punctuation enhances the content of this stanza, i.e. the speaker being led by her a toddler on a mission. The use of the first person draws the reader into the poem and makes it very personal. The phrase “least happy” suggests that the speaker was not in a very good emotional space. The phrase “across the road” makes the reader realise that the speaker had to move out of her comfort zone – the road symbolises a boundary in her life. It is significant that the speaker didn’t know her neighbour, yet her daughter seemed to know exactly where to go, probably because the neighbour’s animals were an attraction. It is also significant that the daughter is not deterred by “gates and fences” – children are often very free compared to grown-ups who have created so many walls in their lives – “gates and fences” symbolise the metaphorical walls that the speaker has erected in her life. Stanza 2 In this stanza, the speaker addresses someone and the reader soon realises that this person is Oom Piet. The speaker points out that Oom Piet spoke to her in “low murmuring tones”, which suggests that his voice was very calming and soothing as it was the same tone that he used to speak to sick animals. The mention of animals and “Crops, flowers and poultry” is a man of the soil, i.e. a man who works in agriculture. Everything said about Oom Piet suggests that he is a very kind, thoughtful and wise man who does things like making tea for the speaker and wiping the counter. The interjection “’Foeitog’” expresses sympathy or pity, and “’I don’t hope so’” suggests that Oom Piet is a man with great empathy – quoting the actual words uttered by Oom Piet make him sound so alive, and the reader develops an affinity for him. The prominent placing of the short sentence “You guessed” in a line of its own emphasises that Oom Piet had great insight and was able to read people very well. Lines 14 – 15 reinforce the impression the reader has thus far of Oom Piet – he is a true gentleman who knows when and how to compliment a woman who is struggling. Stanza 3 Oom Piet’s thoughtfulness is further described in this stanza as he sent over “’some ducks for Beatrix’” on a rainy day – “rainy day” can be interpreted both literally and metaphorically – perhaps the speaker was having a bad day and Oom Piet, sensing this, decided to send a distraction and some comfort in the form of ducks for the speaker’s daughter – this thoughtful act reflects incredible sensitivity and care. The extra information “you always called her Beatrix” makes the reader think that the speaker’s daughter may have actually had another name. The endearing scene of ducks “waddling over” is heart-warming and the reader once again realises that Oom Piet must be a very special person who also had great authority as he ordered the ducks to go to his neighbour – this is not something normally done by ducks! Stanza 4 In the short and sweet final stanza, the speaker says that both she and Oom Piet moved, but the fact that they no longer lived across the road from each other did not take away anything from the fact that Oom Piet had been a lifeline to her during a time when she was very vulnerable, when she needed to be rescued. Title Unusual and very personal – makes the reader suspect that the poem is set in South Africa – it is a tribute (something intended to show gratitude, respect or admiration) to Oom Piet Tone • Thoughtful, fond (having an affection or liking for), conversational Mood Peaceful Theme The power of human kindness Human beings need other human beings – healing power of community Small acts of kindness can go a long way towards “rescuing” people who have been knocked around by life. People remember random acts of kindness. Will it be so again Background Poet had communist beliefs as a young man but later became disillusioned with communism Poem was published during WWII Speaker seems disillusioned that another war has happened so soon after WWI (supposed to be ‘the war to end all wars’) The speaker ponders “whether we are doomed to repeat this gruesome cycle of war” and warns “living” “not to be complacent” Structure Five stanzas consisting of five lines each (quintains) “A quintain (Sicilian) poem is one written in five lines or one that uses five-line stanzas throughout the piece. In most cases, there are no rules regarding meter or line length. “ Questions are asked in each stanza Has a refrain (and variations of it) – makes the poem almost like a lament or an elegyFirst, third and last lines in each stanza rhyme (the rhyme sometimes involves actual repetition of words); the pronunciation of “again” has to change in stanza 3 in order to maintain the rhyme scheme; second and fourth lines of all stanzas rhyme (in stanza 4 there is actual repetition); the rhyme scheme is thus ababa cdcdc aeaea fgfgf ahaha; alternate rhyme occurs when every second line rhymes (e.g. in lines 1 – 4) “Usually, quintains are written in a specific rhyme sequence that stays consistent throughout the poem… In the Sicilian style quintain, sometimes an iambic pentameter gets used. Sicilian quintains are identified by being written in a specific five-line rhyming sequence. The Sicilian style rhymes the end of the first line with the last words in the third and fifth lines. The last word of the second line rhymes with the ending of the fourth line giving this style of poem a unique rhythm.” First line of each stanza contains 6 syllables (this creates a rhythm); second and fourth lines contain far more syllables (is the poet drawing attention to these lines?) Lots of enjambment Title Suggests that the poem will attempt to answer the question asked Tone Angry, depressing, sad, critical, cynical (believing that people are motivated purely by selfinterest, being distrustful of human sincerity), bitter, admonishing (reprimanding) Mood Sombre Stanza 1 Line 1 – repetition of the title – “Will” suggests doubt (it might not happen again) – the question is extended to include an explanation; “again” tells us that something has happened before Line 2 – “the brave” and “the gifted” tell us that precious people, i.e. soldiers, are being “lost from view” – the latter is a euphemism for death Lines 3 – 4 – offer an explanation by stating that crafty, conniving and “empty” men are once again allowed to let lunacy reign – the word “renew” tells the reader that the “lunatic age” has prevailed before – the people described here could be politicians – it is a terrible thought that these crazy people are “left in peace” to do their evil deeds – it is ironic that they live on while the “brave” have passed away Line 5 – repetition of the title and line 1 emphasizes the urgency of this question, the desperation to find an answer to it – the refrain has a powerful effect Stanza 2 Line 6 – starts with another extended question; “must” expresses that something is very likely and links to “always” Line 7 – “the best” links to “the brave” (line 2) and “the gifted” (line 2), i.e. the soldiers; “chosen” indicates an intentionality – it is not just coincidence that “the best” “fall and sleep …” – “sleep” is a metaphor and euphemism for death Lines 8 – 9 – “… | Like seeds” – this simile and the alliteration on the “s” sound emphasize the strangeness of “the best” having to “sleep | Like seeds” – the simile could also be a reference to bodies being buried in the ground, but “seeds” does carry a connotation of hope too; the speaker includes the reader through the use of the personal pronoun “we” – we all have a responsibility and we cannot blame others for being “too slow | In claiming the earth they quicken” as we should have prevented “the best” from “being chosen to fall and sleep” – “and we … they quicken” is very important additional information inserted into the question being asked in this stanza – “we too slow | In claiming” stands in contrast to “the best are chosen to fall and sleep”; “reap” links to “seeds” and it is alarming that “the old usurpers” (politicians who have not sacrificed their lives and have done these evil things before) are somebodies who operate “illegally” and have actually reaped (this could also be an allusion to the Grim Reaper, i.e. death)… Lines 9 – 10 – contains the Biblical proverb “you reap what you sow”, but in this case the politicians reap what they could not sow and deprive the soldiers who did the planting of determining their futures Line 10 – … “What they could not sow?” – the speaker is asking whether those who have for a long time sown destruction should get away with it yet again Stanza 3 Line 11 – repetition of title and lines 1and 5 followed by a dash to bring about a pause – the question in Line 11 is elaborated on in lines 12, 14 and 15 Line 12 – the speaker is asking whether the savage “jungle code” and “hypocrite gesture” will prevail again – it is alarming that this is even a possibility – “gesture” could refer to handshakes and other acts and suggests that it is just an act and not sincere Line 13 – the red poppy has come to symbolize fallen soldiers and sacrifice and brings to mind Remembrance Day which commemorates the end of WWI; “slain” has very negative connotations Line 14 – as does “cut-throat” – do we want to live in a “cut-throat world”? “stale” links to “old” and “imposture” implies that lies have once again been told Lines 13 – 14 – the antithesis (comparison and contradiction within a sentence) emphasizes the opposite states of being, i.e. “slain” (being dead) and “living” (being alive) Line 15 – will we be deceived once again – “us” draws the reader into the poem and includes him/her Stanza 4 Line 16 – “as before” links to “again” and “always” in previous stanzas and seems to indicate an inevitability in a repetition of events Line 17 – “heart or mind” is powerful and refers to emotions and to the intellect – will peace descend into war yet again because of a lack of will to prevent it? – this could refer to the period between WWI and WWII and might be an allusion to political leaders at the time, e.g. Adolf Hitler Line 18 – “guttering” is a powerful word and forms part of the simile that is completed in the next line Line 17 - 19 – “Peace … | Guttering down to war | … Like a libertine to his grave?” – this simile asks whether peace will descend into war again if there is no will to maintain it, just like an immoral person will inevitably perish – “guttering” has the slang meaning of “total waste” of “failure” Line 19 – the speaker answers his own question by pointing out that we shouldn’t be surprised as “we knew it | Happen before” – the colon is effectively used to present an explanation Line 20 – the prominent placing of “Happen” at the beginning of a very short line emphasizes that history does repeat itself Stanza 5 Line 21 – progressing to “Shall” indicates that the speaker thinks there is a strong possibility that history will repeat itself – variation of refrain is used to compel and challenge the reader to also consider the future Lines 22 – 23 – the speaker gives a command that the “glorious dead” (which is an oxymoron) must not be asked to “be your witness” as they can’t do anything about the situation anymore – we can’t expect them to supply the motivation to ensure peace – “glorious” is also emotive Lines 24 – 25 – there is an appeal to the “living” (i.e. the survivors and their descendants) to ensure that war doesn’t happen again – the imagery used in “nail to their promise” is very strong and brings to mind the saying “final nail in the coffin” (which refers to the last happening finally bringing about failure) – the living are responsible for holding accountable those who promised that “It shall not be so again”, i.e. the politicians – to “nail” something also means to do it thoroughly, so the living must ensure that politicians keep their promises – the imagery of “nail” also brings to mind Christ’s suffering and sacrifice on the cross as well as the soldiers’ great suffering – the variation of the refrain in the last line ends the poem very strongly – the future is in our hands Themes Futility of war Man’s inhumanity to his fellow man Man’s stubbornness and idiocy – politicians quickly declare war but don’t get their own hands dirty Man has a responsibility towards his fellow man and shouldn’t become complacent Moving through a silent crowd Background Spender joined the Communist Party in 1936 as he believed that “communism offered a civilised and compassionate alternative to … the callousness of capitalism” but by “the end of the 1940s … had grown disillusioned” with it. Poem was published in 1933 “social commentary that explores the struggle of working-class men in London” during the Great Depression Initially, the speaker in the poem seems to judge the unemployed men but then seems to comment on “the callous response of society to the men’s plight and the heartless indifference of the capitalist economic system” Structure Four stanzas consisting of four lines each (quatrains) No fixed rhyme scheme except in stanza 3 (abab) Many lines consist of 8 syllables – this creates a consistent tempo reminiscent of somebody walking the streets Title Gives the reader the impression that the poem will be about “Moving through the silent crowd” Tone Slightly critical? (only initially); solemn Mood Initially ominous and gloomy but changes to sad and poignant (evoking sadness or regret) Stanza 1 Line 1 – the first line echoes the title and confirms that someone is moving through a “silent crowd”, which is an oxymoron as crowds normally generate a lot of noise – the reader wonders why this crowd is silent – this immediately creates tension and feels ominous Line 2 – the description “Who stand behind dull cigarettes” is very powerful – the “cigarettes” have been foregrounded and this line creates the impression that the smokers have lost their identity, they have faded into the background – the adjective “dull” indicates that the smokers have nothing to be excited about and they are furthermore only standing, thus not going anywhere – the mood of the crowd is subdued and there is no energy – transferred epithet? (when an adjective usually used to describe one thing is transferred to another) Line 3 – the speaker now knows that the crowd consists of men who are doing nothing, and they are doing this “in the road”, which is highly unusual – “idle” is also used to refer to a car that is stationary but still has its engine running Line 4 – the speaker very clearly states how he feels and this feeling is not positive – “falling light” has negative connotations when used figuratively – is the speaker picking up on the despondency of the men in the crowd? – literally, he could be referring to the onset of dusk – the mood is very gloomy Stanza 2 Line 5 – the word “lounge” links with “idle” (line 3) and emphasizes that these men are not on their way to work but have nothing to do – is the speaker critical of the men or is he just observing? Line 6 – “a shrug of shoulder” is a nonchalant (casually calm and relaxed) movement which lacks energy and thus links with “lounge” and “idle” – the men are greeting “friends”, which suggests that the same people are on the street every day – the alliteration on the “sh” sound in “shrug of shoulder” links the two words and draws attention to this action that suggests indifference and uncertainty – the men don’t appear to be talking – is this because they have nothing left to say? Line 7 – the gesture of turning “empty pockets out” emphasizes the lack, the poverty and is another “silent” (line 1) gesture unifying all the desperate men on the streets Line 8 – the speaker confirms the reader’s suspicion that these men have nothing with the word “poor” – normally it takes people a while to become cynical and cynicism (pessimism towards people’s motives) often only sets in after great suffering Stanza 3 Line 9 – “Now” implies that there was a time when the men did have work - the speaker seems to be describing the inferiority complex of these men who don’t have a job by contrasting them to “better men” Line 10 – is the speaker being sarcastic by saying that the unemployed men are not like “better men” who have a job and earn a good salary, or is he just expressing the inferiority complex of the unemployed? – the word “much” emphasizes the huge difference between the haves and the havenots and might suggest that the employed are actually overpaid and oblivious to the plight of the unemployed Line 11 – the personal pronoun “They” is ambiguous as it could be referring to either the employed or the unemployed – if it refers to the employed, the speaker could be commenting on the capitalist system which allows certain privileged people to live a live of affluence even if they don’t work hard – if it refers to the unemployed, then the contrast between the haves and the have-nots is developed by indicating that the unemployed “sleep long nights”, which implies that the nights drag on – it also brings to mind “work long hours”, which is what many employed men would be doing, but the unemployed only “rise at ten” instead of getting up early to get to work Line 12 – the idea of time passing slowly for these men is developed in this line as they rise late only “To watch the hours that drain away” – “watch” emphasizes their passivity and with each passing hour, their hope dissipates (“drain away”) – is the speaker sympathizing with these men or is he critical of their apathy? Stanza 4 Line 13 – “hours” is repeated, which emphasizes that time is a precious commodity which can’t be controlled and can be perceived in a positive or negative way, depending on our circumstances – the speaker focuses on his feelings and his attitude – is he “jealous” of all the free time that the unemployed have at their disposal? – the hours are said to be “weeping” though, which indicates much heartache (they are personified) – or are the “weeping hours” used with reference to the wealthy, employed men? Line 14 – “They” seems to refer to the unemployed have-nots as they have “hungry eyes” and “stare” (which suggests a fixation, an “emptiness”, a lack of perspective caused by suffering), but if it refers to the employed, affluent men, it could indicate that all their wealth still doesn’t take away the hunger they have to own more etc. – “hungry eyes” is also synecdoche (a part is used for a whole) Line 15 – “I’m” is repeated and is part of the anaphora (repetition of a phrase or word at the beginning of successive clauses) in this stanza – the focus is on the speaker and his experience/perception of what he is seeing – this experience if distressing, as indicated by “haunted” Line 16 – the repetition of “I’m haunted” emphasizes the speaker’s distress at the “images” and “their emptiness” – he is distressed by the lack of hope – “their” could be referring to either the “images” or the unemployed men – “emptiness” is also ambiguous in that it could be referring either to the wealthy men or to the unemployed have-nots Themes Poverty and the struggles/suffering associated with it Man’s inhumanity towards fellow man The flaws of existing economic systems Unemployment and its effects on the psyche (human soul, mind or spirit) of people Hopelessness Inequalities in society TOUCH-Hugh Lewin 1. When I get out 26. till I remember 2. I’m going to ask someone 27. screaming 3. to touch me 28. don’t touch me 4. very gently please 29. please don’t touch me. 5. and slowly, 30. Two: paws 6. touch me 31. The first four years of paws 7. I want 32. every day 8. to learn again 33. patting paws, searching 9. how life feels. 34. – arms up, shoes off 10. I’ve not been touched 35. legs apart – 11. for seven years 36. prodding paws, systematic 12. for seven years 37. heavy, indifferent 13. I’ve been untouched 38. probing away 14. out of touch 39. all privacy. 15. and I’ve learnt 40. I don’t want fists and paws 16. to know now 41. I want 17. the meaning 42. to want to be touched 18. of untouchable. 43. again 19. Untouched – not quite 44. and to touch. 20. I can count the things 45. I want to feel alive 21. that have touched me. 46. again 22. One: fists 47. I want to say 23. At the beginning 48. when I get out 24. fierce mad fists 49. Here I am 25. beating beating 50. please touch me. Consider the connotations of the word “touch”. What are its positive or negative connotations based on the poem? Positive: Negative: About ‘Touch’ “Touch” attempts to capture the poet’s emotions when he spent seven years as a political prisoner. During that time, he longed for the emotion of physical affection but all he received was the brutality of being assaulted by the prison wardens who…beat him…continuously. The two main issues that are raised are privacy (or a lack thereof) and physical connection/affection with others. Line-by-line analysis Lines 1 – 9: The speaker introduces the idea of physical touch in a positive light. He speaks about how he longs for gentle, slow touch. The words “get out” in line one tell the reader he has been incarcerated. He then says “someone” in line two which is so general and does not necessarily refer to anyone in particular. He is desperate for the touch of anyone. In line nine he compares physical touch to “life” itself. He implies that touch is inextricably linked to the experience of life. So far he has simply existed and survived each day of prison. When he “gets out” (l. 1) he wants to fully experience life. Lines 10 - 18: The speaker says he has “not been touched for seven years” (ll. 10 – 11). He has been touched an innumerable amount of times in prison but he has not been touched in a normal way in seven years. This is a shocking image. He repeats the phrase which emphasises the length of time he has experienced the brutality of prison. Then says he has been “untouched” (l. 13). He means he has not experienced the slow, gentle touch he speaks of in stanza one. But he also means that he has not been emotionally affected by the brutality he experiences. He chooses not to let it get to him. He uses word play with the word “touch” but saying he has been “out of touch” (l. 14), probably referring to how he is completely removed from any sense of normality in life and human interaction, as well as from the outside world. He also now knows what “untouchable” (l. 18) means. He is shunned and untouchable according to society because he has been incarcerated. He is despised by the apartheid government. Lines 13, 14 and 18 have negative connotations. Lines 19 - 21: The speaker begins the third stanza with the idea of being untouched. Here he refers to the literal meaning of touch. He uses a caesura in the form of a dash (a forced pause) to introduce the idea that saying he has been (literally) “untouched” is an incorrect statement. He interrupts himself. He then alludes to the fact that he will recount the ways in which he has been touched. Stanza three holds the poem together. It refers to stanzas one and two and prepares the reader for the rest of the poem. Lines 22 – 29: He begins this stanza by enumerating the things that have touched him. He mentions “fists” (l. 22). He was hit/beaten into submission. He personifies the fists as “fierce mad fists” (l. 24). He then repeats the word “beating” (l. 25) and tells the reader how he had to plea for mercy from the fists. Line 27 is his response to the “fierce mad fists”. This is a vivid image of the physical brutality and abuse he and other political prisoners endured for seven years. It is bitterly ironic that he is desperate for touch when he is experiencing so much touch each day and begging for the prison wardens not to touch him. The crucial element here is that he is desperate for the gentle, slow touch and affection he refers to in stanza one. Lines 30 – 39: Here the speaker mentions the second type of touch he has experienced. He uses the metaphor of “paws” deliberately throughout the stanza, comparing the humans who touched him to nothing more than animals. Paws also suggests ill-treatment. The paws in this stanza are demeaning. This is a deeply bitter image as the reader discovers how the speaker continually had his privacy stripped from him. These paws demoralise him more than the fists do because the invade, overtake and violently steal the speaker’s privacy. Line 32 says, “every day”. Those words on their emphasise the extent to which this type of touch happened. The dashes in this stanza show the speech of the prison wardens “barking” orders at the speaker. He also refers to the paws as “systematic”, “heavy” and “indifferent” (ll. 36 -7). This is a total contrast to the gentle, slow, loving touch he craves in stanza one. “Patting paw” (l. 33) is also a gentle alliteration. It is not harsh and brutal like the fists, yet it is far more invasive. It is a quiet, indignity of the intrusion. The alliteration of “p” progresses and the invasion of privacy increases in this stanza. Lines 40 – 50: Here the speaker says plainly that he does not want the brutal and invasive touch he has experienced for seven years. He emotionally says he “wants to want to be touched again and to touch” (ll. 42-44). He wants to reciprocal gentleness of consensual and loving touch. He then refers to line 9 when he says he wants to “feel alive again” (l. 45 – 46). He wants to be able to equate touch with the experience of life again. His idea of touch has been warped by his seven-year experience, to a certain extent. Yet he has hope. Notably though, he does not have the confidence to simply say he wants to be touched without the fear that will come with that touch. He longs for a time when he will not feel fear when someone touches him and so he says that he wants to say “Here I am please touch me” (ll. 49 – 50). He has been so dehumanised that he does not know how to ask for the touch without fear, yet he has hope – he wants to take control and we see this in the dominance of the personal pronoun “I” in the last few lines of the poem. He is vulnerable, but hopeful. Theme This poem is about the universal and undeniable need for humankind to experience love, freedom, affection, dignity and positive physical touch. Tone The tone of this poem is deeply emotional, sorrowful and then hopeful in the final stanza. Structure This poem has 50 lines of various lengths. Some lines are shorter than others to emphasise certain ideas and words. There is a lot of enjambment which makes the poem conversational, yet the short lines show some of the sorrow the speaker has felt in his time in prison.
