Poetry Review

A World of
Poetry
— STRATEGIC REVIEW —
© MissEducationJa @misseducationja Do not reproduce or distribute.

A World of Poetry for CSEC
POEM
— SUMMARIES —

Dreaming Black Boy This poem is about a young black boy who wishes that people would no longer
treat him differently because of his race and that he could live a life without fear
of oppression. He dreams of a world where he can access better opportunities in
terms of education, job prospects, travel and social status.
My Parents This poem follows the perspective of a young boy in his community whose
parents keep him away from the other children of lower social status which leads
him to be bullied. He longs to befriend them but they do not reciprocate.
The Woman Speaks to the Man The poem follows a woman who has a conversation with a man who has put her
Who Has Employed Her Son son whom she has raised without a father into a life of crime. She prays for him
and prepares for his funeral as she realises that her son may pass away sooner
rather than later.
Little Boy Crying The poem narrates the feelings of a three-year-old boy who is upset with his
father for giving him a quick slap for playing in the rain. The boy imagines doing
cruel things to his father to make him feel the pain he feels and though the father
wants to comfort the boy, he cannot undermine the lesson he is trying to teach
him.
Mirror The first stanza of the poem is told from the perspective of a mirror in a child’s
room and tells the readers about its truthful and unbiased reflections. The second
stanza of the poem, however, is told from a lake’s perspective which tells the
story of a woman’s fading youth and her constant displeasure at the reflection she
sees in the lake.
Once Upon A Time The poem is written from the perspective of a father who is outlining to his son all
the insincere interactions with people that take place daily. He longs for a time of
old where he does not have to fit in with the new norm but instead that he could
go back to being more genuine.
Orchids This poem is about a person who is moving out of a house and has packed
everything except an orchid he or she was gifted. The persona is confused as to
how the flower has survived despite only being watered once; he or she is
intrigued by its resilience and thus saves its petals in hopes of understanding its
strength in the future.
Theme for English B In this poem, the persona, the only coloured student in his class, speaks about the
things he enjoys doing, his history and the route he takes to school. The persona
concludes that he is just as much a part of his instructor as the instructor is of
him, although they may not like it because of their racial differences.

Birdshooting Season The persona describes the events surrounding birdshooting season in their home
where men eat, drink and ignore their wives in favour of the season while the
unhappy women serve them quietly. The little boys long to become men and who
hunt birds too while the girls wish for the birds to be free.
This is the dark time, my love The poem describes a time of fear, oppression and despair in a particular region.
The persona relates these events to his “love” who may either be an actual human
lover, a child or even a nation.
Sonnet Composed Upon The poem outlines the persona’s observations as he admires the views from the
Westminster Bridge Westminster Bridge early in the morning before the normal bustle of activity
begins.
An African Thunderstorm An oncoming storm threatens an African village. The persona, in vivid metaphor,
highlights the sheer power and fury of the storm and details the responses of
various members of the community, including wailing babies, frantic women and
“delighted children”.
God’s Grandeur The persona begins by stating that the earth is charged with God’s grandeur but
highlighting how mankind destroys and abuses it, even separating themselves
from it. However, the final sestet demonstrates that the earth will never cease to
renew and replenish itself no matter what Man does to harm it.
West Indies, USA The persona, from a plane several thousands of feet in the air, admires Puerto
Rico which is viewed as one of the luckiest islands in the Caribbean, likely because
of its status as a United States overseas territory. However, with a hint of sarcasm,
the persona highlights how the US does everything in its power to keep the
“desperate Blacks” from other Caribbean nations out of Puerto Rico and then
further highlights the stark inequality between the rich and the poor in Puerto
Rico, an island that “belonged to someone else.”
Test Match Sabina Park A White Englishman enters the Sabina Park cricket grounds in Jamaica, confident
that England will beat the West Indies team in the ensuing match. Unfortunately
for him, England plays a slow and unexciting game, which leads to him being
jeered by the Caribbean nationals and almost forced to leave the stadium,
embarrassed.
Dulce Et Decorum Est A soldier witnesses the harrowing death of his colleague who succumbs to a gas
attack by enemy forces on the battlefield. He relives the experience in his dreams
each night and has come to realise that the assurance that it is sweet and
honourable to die for your country is an “old lie.”

South The persona expresses a longing for his native home in the south, near to the sea
and expresses sadness at the dull oppressive life he has been reduced to living in
the north. By the end of the poem, he is joyful as he rejoins his life, his community
and his old memories in the south.
Ol’ Higue A Caribbean vampire, known as a ‘soucouyant’ laments about the frustrations of
chasing babies’ blood each night with no skin. Eventually, she settles into the fact
that she loves babies and their blood which keeps her alive and young and resigns
herself to the fact that her job is necessary and she will never lose her job or her
life once babies continue to be born.
It is the Constant Image of Your The persona seems adamant that he puts his country above his lover but soon
Face realises that he is torn between the two and each time his feelings rise for one, he
feels as if he is betraying the other.
A Stone’s Throw A mob of men are determined to stone a woman to death for her sexual sins, while
they also take advantage of her sexually. A religious figure enters the scene and
writes something in the dust that gets the men to reflect on what they are about to
do and to decide against killing the terrified woman though they vow that they
would do it again another day if they felt like it.

ANALYSING
— THEMES —

ANALYSING POEMS BY THEME
Dreaming Black Boy My Parents Little Boy Crying Theme for English B
racism oppression oppression racism

oppression bullying youth / childhood race politics
dreams / aspirations youth / childhood parent/child oppression
youth / childhood family relationships relationships power dynamics
desires forgiveness power dynamics travel
disappointment / disappointment / punishment migration
disillusionment disillusionment misunderstanding dreams / aspirations
self-esteem social barriers regret desires
travel conflict imagination school / education
social barriers self-esteem play social barriers
conflict desires determination self-respect /
power dynamics power dynamics self-awareness
fear fear empathy
school / education anger determination
violence violence resilience
determination
resilience
The Woman Speaks to

the Man Who Has Mirror A Stone’s Throw Ol’ Higue
Employed Her Son
powerlessness youth / ageing violence folklore / superstition

violence self-esteem religion death
death disappointment / gender politics frustration / anger
anger disillusionment abuse conflict
love nature conflict disappointment /
betrayal conflict (internal) desire disillusionment
parent/child relationships female roles / gender hypocrisy motherhood
conflict politics oppression violence
disappointment / desires power dynamics desire
disillusionment frustration / anger disappointment / determination
dreams / aspirations disillusionment mortality / immortality
desires anger
religion morality
morality grace / mercy
power dynamics determination
female roles / gender empathy
politics
hope
resilience

Sonnet Composed Upon

Once Upon A Time Orchids South Westminster Bridge
conflict nature nature nature

admiration admiration patriotism love / admiration
childhood / innocence resilience / survival love / admiration urban life / industrialization
nostalgia travel / migration nostalgia / memory peace
transformation transformation desire
family relationships regret
societal expectations travel / migration
hypocrisy oppression
desires satisfaction / happiness
determination
rural vs urban life
Birdshooting Season This is the dark time, Dulce Et Decorum Est God’s Grandeur
my love
oppression oppression conflict nature

nature conflict war conflict
conflict war patriotism love/admiration
gender politics love love transformation
violence resilience renewal
parent/child relationships disappointment / determination /
family relationships disillusionment resilience
desires / expectations illness
commitment / betrayal death
tradition chaos
heroism
An African It is the Constant Image Test Match Sabina West Indies, USA
Thunderstorm of Your Face Park
nature nature conflict nature

conflict conflict patriotism conflict
gender roles patriotism rejection patriotism
chaos gender roles chaos rejection
love

ANALYSING THEMES BY POEM
Childhood Dreams
Youth Oppression Nature Aspirations
Innocence Injustice Desire
Dreaming Black Boy Dreaming Black Boy Birdshooting Season Dreaming Black Boy
My Parents My Parents An African Thunderstorm My Parents
The Woman Speaks… The Woman Speaks… South The Woman Speaks…
Little Boy Crying Theme for English B Sonnet Composed Once Upon A Time
Birdshooting Season A Stone’s Throw God’s Grandeur Ol’ Higue
Once Upon A Time South West Indies USA South
Theme for English B Birdshooting Season This is the dark time A Stone’s Throw
An African Thunderstorm This is the dark time Orchids This is the dark time
Dulce Et Decorum Est Dulce Et Decorum Est Birdshooting Season
Ol’ Higue
Power Dynamics
External Conflict Internal Conflict Pride Race Politics
War Patriotism
Violence
An African Thunderstorm Dreaming Black Boy Dulce Et Decorum Est Dreaming Black Boy
(man vs nature / Little Boy Crying It is the Constant Image Theme for English B
/environment) Once Upon A Time of Your Face Test Match Sabina Park
Dulce Et Decorum Est Test Match Sabina Park West Indies USA
Dreaming Black Boy Ol’ Higue West Indies USA
(man vs society) Orchids South
It is the Constant Image of Sonnet Composed
My Parents Your Face
(man vs man) Test Match Sabina Park
Little Boy Crying

(man vs man)
Birdshooting Season
(man vs man / man vs
environment)
Once Upon A Time

(man vs man)
Dulce Et Decorum Est

(man vs man)
South
(man vs society)
God’s Grandeur
(man vs environment)

It is the constant image
(man vs society)
Test Match Sabina Park

(man vs man)
West Indies USA

(man vs society)
This is the dark time

(man vs man)
A Stone’s Throw
(man vs man)
Love
Gender Politics Family Loyalty Death
Friendship Betrayal
Parent-child
relationships
Mirror My Parents The Woman Speaks… The Woman Speaks…

Birdshooting Season Little Boy Crying Dulce Et Decorum Est Dulce Et Decorum Est
A Stone’s Throw The Woman Speaks… It is the Constant Image Ol’ Higue
Ol’ Higue Ol’ Higue Birdshooting Season This is the dark time
It is the Constant Image Birdshooting Season Little Boy Crying A Stone’s Throw
It is the Constant Image (perceived betrayal) Orchids
An African Thunderstorm
Once Upon A Time
Nostalgia Renewal Resilience

Memory Hypocrisy Hope Survival
Yearning / Longing Morality Transformation Determination
Isolation / Loneliness Growth
South A Stone’s Throw God’s Grandeur Dulce Et Decorum Est

Once Upon A Time Once Upon A Time Orchids God’s Grandeur
The Woman Speaks… South
Orchids
Isolation Theme for English
West Indies USA Little Boy Crying
My Parents The Woman Speaks…
Dreaming Black Boy Ol’ Higue
Little Boy Crying
My Parents
Theme for English B

Travel Disappointment / Anger Happiness

Migration Disillusionment Frustration Satisfaction
South Dreaming Black Boy Little Boy Crying Orchids

West Indies USA My Parents The Woman Speaks… South
Little Boy Crying Dulce Et Decorum Est Test Match Sabina Park
The Woman Speaks… Test Match Sabina Park Ol’ Higue
South Mirror An African Thunderstorm
A Stone’s Throw Sonnet Composed
Test Match Sabina Park
Once Upon A Time
Mirror
Orchids
God’s Grandeur
It is the Constant Image of
Your Face

LITERARY
— DEVICES —

ANALYSING POEMS BY DEVICE
Dreaming Black Boy My Parents Little Boy Crying Theme for English B
anaphora simile diction rhyme

diction imagery imagery imagery
repetition metaphor allusion diction
metaphor pun symbolism
alliteration constrast rhetorical questions
allusion metaphor rhythm
hyperbole alliteration repetition
alliteration
allusion
The Woman Speaks to

the Man Who Has Mirror A Stone’s Throw Ol’ Higue
Employed Her Son
Biblical allusion personification Biblical allusion rhetorical question

allusion simile irony metaphor
repetition metaphor repetition alliteration
simile imagery metaphor repetition
sarcasm diction simile
metaphor imagery rhyme
imagery
symbolism

Once Upon A Time Orchids South Westminster Bridge
metaphor simile alliteration personification

simile alliteration imagery simile
repetition metaphor metaphor metaphor
alliteration allusion personification rhyme
contrast / juxtaposition symbolism contrast imagery
compound epithet simile
Birdshooting Season This is the dark time, Dulce Et Decorum Est God’s Grandeur
my love
imagery rhetorical question rhyme repetition

alliteration repetition simile contrast
metaphor oxymoron alliteration rhyme
diction metaphor metaphor simile

contrast alliteration imagery assonance
personification imagery diction alliteration
symbolism personification allusion symbolism
symbolism transferred epithet metaphor
hyperbole
irony
personification
An African It is the Constant Test Match Sabina West Indies, USA

Thunderstorm Image of Your Face Park
alliteration diction metaphor sarcasm

metaphor metaphor allusion metaphor
simile personification pun simile
personification personification irony
imagery synecdoche imagery
onomatopoeia rhetorical question symbolism
irony contrast allusion
contrast sarcasm alliteration
contrast / juxtaposition
pun
repetition
ANALYSING DEVICES BY POEM
Simile Metaphor Personification Allusion
An African Thunderstorm Dreaming Black Boy An African Thunderstorm Dreaming Black Boy
West Indies USA My Parents South Theme for English B
God’s Grandeur Little Boy Crying Test Match Sabina Park Little Boy Crying
Dulce Et Decorum Est The Woman Speaks… Sonnet Composed The Woman Speaks…
Once Upon A Time An African Thunderstorm Dulce Et Decorum Est Dulce Et Decorum Est
South Birdshooting Season Birdshooting Season West Indies USA
It is the Constant Image God’s Grandeur It is the Constant Image Test Match Sabina Park
South South This is the dark time A Stone’s Throw
Ol’ Higue Sonnet Composed Mirror Orchids
Mirror Dulce Et Decorum Est
The Woman Speaks… West Indies USA
My Parents Test Match Sabina Park
It is the Constant Image
Mirror
Ol’ Higue
Once Upon A Time
A Stone’s Throw
Orchids

Rhyme Alliteration Assonance Repetition
Theme for English B Dreaming Black Boy God’s Grandeur Dreaming Black Boy
Ol’ Higue Theme for English B Theme for English B
Dulce Et Decorum Est Little Boy Crying The Woman Speaks…
Sonnet Composed An African Thunderstorm God’s Grandeur
God’s Grandeur Birdshooting Season West Indies USA
God’s Grandeur This is the dark time
South Ol’ Higue
Dulce Et Decorum Est Once Upon A Time
West Indies USA A Stone’s Throw
Ol’ Higue
Once Upon A Time
Orchids
Rhetorical Question Symbolism Hyperbole Irony
Theme for English B Theme for English B Dulce Et Decorum Est West Indies USA
Ol’ Higue The Woman Speaks… Dreaming Black Boy Dulce Et Decorum Est
The is the dark time Orchids A Stone’s Throw
Test Match Sabina Park Birdshooting Season An African Thunderstorm
God’s Grandeur
West Indies USA
Sarcasm Oxymoron Pun / Humour Contrast
West Indies USA This is the dark time Little Boy Crying Once Upon A Time
Test Match Sabina Park Test Match Sabina Park South
The Woman Speaks… West Indies USA Birdshooting Season
God’s Grandeur
Humour West Indies USA
Test Match Sabina Park An African Thunderstorm
Ol’ Higue Test Match Sabina Park

DEEPER
— MESSAGES —

Dreaming Black Boy There is a far cry between hope (wishes) and reality.
Racism is a terrible social ill that affects all kinds of people and can affect every aspect of
a person’s life.
My Parents Bullying can have severe negative effects on a child.
Parents often make efforts to protect their children but those efforts sometimes
backfire.
Victims of bullying are sometimes so isolated and low in self-esteem that they may even
seek friendship from their bullies, rather than avoiding them or seeking revenge.
The Woman Speaks to the Man Children raised by one parent will often long for the influence of the other.
Who Has Employed Her Son

No matter how well a child is raised, it is their choice whether they will follow a straight
path or not.
Little Boy Crying Everything is not what it seems, especially to children.
Don’t be quick to judge or to get angry, especially when you lack experience or
perspective.
Parents often have to make hard and uncomfortable decisions in the short term to
benefit their children in the long run.
Mirror Society puts unnecessary pressure on women to continue looking young, which causes
shame and insecurity as they age.
Once Upon A Time Common courtesy and genuine human kindness are becoming less common over the
years.
Humans tend to lose their innocence, sincerity and kindness and become more
hypocritical as they age.
As humans, we are very impressionable. It is hard not to be moulded and influenced by

our environment.
Orchids Sometimes, we don’t see the beauty in something until it’s dead or gone.
We can learn a lot of good qualities from nature.
“Peculiar poetry” often springs from some harsh experiences.
Theme for English B Blacks and Whites are more alike than they think.
As humans we are inextricably linked to one another.

Birdshooting Season Women often exist to serve the needs of men, even men who ignore them, and this cycle
continues generation after generation.
Men often find pleasure in dominating and destroying nature.
This is the dark time, my love War can devastate and destroy the human spirit.
Sonnet Composed Upon Earth is beautiful and majestic, especially without mankind’s influence.
Westminster Bridge
An African Thunderstorm Mankind often has to yield when nature takes its course.
Nature is an overpowering force.
God’s Grandeur Humans relentlessly destroy the earth but the earth will always renew itself.
West Indies, USA Everything that glitters is not gold.
Despite America’s pretense that they are a welcoming country, they are very resistant to
foreigners, especially Blacks, entering the country.
Test Match Sabina Park Pride comes before a crash.
Dulce Et Decorum Est There is nothing sweet or honourable about war.
South There’s no place like home.
Ol’ Higue Humans rely on superstition to explain the unexplainable.
There is no rose without thorns.
It is the Constant Image of Love for one’s country can be as powerful or even more powerful than love for humans.
Your Face
A Stone’s Throw Don't judge if you do not wish to be judged. Nobody is perfect so nobody deserves to be
condemned by another human.
Women are demonized for their sexual expression while men are given a pass or even
celebrated for their sexual prowess.

TONE
—&—
MOOD

POEMS BY TONE
FIRST / ONLY THEN THEN
Dreaming Black Boy yearning / longing

hopeful / wishful - -
sad
fearful
My Parents yearning - -
sad
The Woman Speaks to the Man reflective sarcastic resigned

Who Has Employed Her Son nostalgic angry disappointed
Little Boy Crying contemptuous empathetic -

angry tender
firm / resolute
Mirror prideful
self-assured pitiful -
reflective ominous
Once Upon A Time nostalgic yearning -

disappointed humble
Orchids matter-of-fact frustrated admiring

surprised
Theme for English B matter-of-fact - -

pensive
Birdshooting Season narrative

matter-of-fact - -
pensive

This is the dark time, my love sad

fearful - -
ominous
Sonnet Composed Upon admiring

Westminster Bridge awestruck - -
An African Thunderstorm ominous - -

urgent
God’s Grandeur disdainful reflective

assured
calm -
grateful
West Indies, USA exuberant sarcastic -

reflective reflective
Test Match Sabina Park proud embarrassed -

joyful
Dulce Et Decorum Est reflective frantic sad

pitiful disappointed angry
South nostalgic joyful

sad / hurt hopeful -
satisfied
calm
Ol’ Higue frustrated yearning resigned

weak / vulnerable triumphant
It is the Constant Image of Your assured conflicted

Face adamant loving -
pleading
A Stone’s Throw lustful unimpressed

bloodthirsty angry -
resigned

POEMS BY MOOD
FIRST / ONLY THEN THEN
Dreaming Black Boy sympathetic

empathetic - -
sad
hopeless
pitiful
My Parents empathetic - -
The Woman Speaks to the nostalgic outraged

Man Who Has Employed thoughtful sad -
Her Son sympathetic
Little Boy Crying tense empathetic -

angry tender
Mirror intrigued sad -

curious empathetic
Once Upon A Time reflective - -

sad
Orchids tense admiring -
Theme for English B reflective inspired -
Birdshooting Season reflective - -
This is the dark time, my tense - -

love fearful
Sonnet Composed Upon calm

Westminster Bridge admiring - -

An African Thunderstorm intrigued - -

fearful
God’s Grandeur awestruck relieved

angry hopeful -
sad awestruck
West Indies, USA impressed annoyed empathetic

insulted
Test Match Sabina Park intrigued humoured -
Dulce Et Decorum Est sad shocked sad

empathetic disturbed empathetic
tense reflective
sombre
South nostalgic nostalgic

reflective joyful -
calm
Ol’ Higue empathetic disturbed

humoured empathetic -
confused
disgusted
It is the Constant Image of intrigued

Your Face sorrowful - -
conflicted
A Stone’s Throw disgusted relieved

fearful disturbed -

LIKKLE
— MORE —

POEMS BY PERSPECTIVE
Dreaming Black Boy first person Black boy’s perspective
My Parents first person perspective of child being bullied
The Woman Speaks to the Man

Who Has Employed Her Son third person observer / limited narrator
Little Boy Crying second person / third person observer / omniscient narrator
Mirror first person mirror’s perspective
Once Upon A Time first person parent speaking to son
Orchids first person mover’s perspective
Theme for English B first person Black college student’s perspective
Birdshooting Season first person perspective of the child of a bird shooter

who lives in the house where all the other
bird shooters gather
This is the dark time, my love first person perspective of a person seemingly engaged
in war / conflict speaker to his lover /
country

Westminster Bridge first person perspective of a person travelling across the
Westminster Bridge
An African Thunderstorm third person observer / narrator

God’s Grandeur third person observer / commentator
West Indies, USA first person (plural) observers / passengers on a plane
Test Match Sabina Park first person perspective of a White English man at a
cricket match in Jamaica
Dulce Et Decorum Est first person soldier’s perspective
South first person perspective of a nostalgic migrant
Ol’ Higue first person ol’ higue’s perspective
It is the Constant Image of Your first person perspective of person seemingly engaged in
Face war / conflict speaker to his lover
A Stone’s Throw first person (plural) perspective of the mob seeking to stone the
woman

DEFINITION OF POETIC TERMS
TERM MEANING
situation (also known as content or context) refers to the events, feelings

or memories that unfold in the poem; simply what happens in
the poem or what the poem is about
tone the attitude of the speaker or writer towards the subject
mood the feelings a poem is meant to evoke in the reader
message the lessons or truths about life that can be garnered from a
poem
theme a topic or issue that is discussed or highlighted in a poem
poetic technique (also known as device or poetic device) any element of language
or format in the poem used to help develop the context, mood,
tone, messages or themes
effectiveness (also known as effect, significance or literary significance) how a

poetic device or technique acts to add to the reader’s
understanding and appreciation of the content, characters,
themes, messages, tone or mood of a poem
persona the speaking voice in the poem
poet-persona a term used to describe a situation in which the experiences of

the speaker are similar to the real experiences of the poet; the
speaker in a semi-autobiographical
semi-autobiographical loosely or partially based on the poet’s real life experiences
allusion a reference made in a poem to a person, place, thing or event

of religious, cultural, literary, political or historical
significance
alliteration (also known as consonance) the repetition of a consonant

sound in a line or stanza (not the letter, the sound!)
assonance the repetition of a vowel sound in a line or stanza (not the

letter, the sound!)
euphemism a way of stating or describing something in a manner that is

less harsh or direct

narrative point-of-view (also known as perspective) the “eye” or narrative voice
through which a story is told, especially related to the
pronouns used in relating the poem
first person perspective a perspective in which the character narrates the content of
the poem from their point of view using the pronouns “I” or
“we”
second person perspective a perspective in which the reader becomes the focal character,
immersed in the narrative and addressed as “you” throughout
the poem
third person limited a perspective in which the narrator is an outsider to the story
perspective and relates the content of the poem using “he”, “she”, “it” or
“they”; in this perspective, the narrator does not know the
internal thoughts and motivations of the characters in the
poem or things occurring outside of their immediate notice
third person omniscient (omniscient means ‘all-knowing’) a perspective in which the

perspective narrator is an outsider to the story and relates the content of
the poem using “he”, “she”, “it” or “they”; in this
perspective, the narrator does knows the inner thoughts and
motivations of the characters in the poem as well as things
occurring outside of their immediate notice

SAMPLE
— ESSAYS —

For CSEC, you are required to write a comparative essay for poetry. This means that you will
analyse and compare two poems according to the guidelines of the questions given.
TIPS:
✔ If the poems you receive are named in the question, only write on those poems. Do not
stray off to discuss any other poems. If no poems are named in the question, you are
free to use any appropriate poems.
✔ Quickly create a simple outline for your essay before you start writing. I know many
may think it is a waste of time, but it is not. It guides your thought process, helps you to
test out your ideas and saves time in the end. It does not have to be in perfect complete
sentences but it must be clear to you and it must touch on each aspect of the question.
✔ Use the major verbs as cues for how to break down the question and what should be
discussed in each paragraph. “Outline”, “discuss”, “describe”, “examine” and
“explore” are examples of such major verbs. Generally, each time you see one of these
verbs in the question, it is a cue that a new task and hence, a new paragraph, is required.
✔ Don’t spend more than 40 minutes on your essay and spend no more than 8 minutes on
any one body paragraph. An outline will help with this. If you think your essay through
before you start writing and you have a clear outline of what you want to write then you
will not need to keep stopping to think about what you want to say during your essay.
✔ WRITE QUICKLY. DO NOT STOP WRITING.
✔ Always write the names of the poems in quotation marks.

✔ Use the mark scheme to guide you as to how much detail is needed for each question.
Typically, the first and second paragraphs are worth 8 marks, while the last paragraph
is worth 9 marks. So don’t treat each paragraph lightly as if they were worth only 4 or 5
marks. If it’s worth 8 or 9 marks, it means that your examiner is expecting something
substantial. However, don’t waste time writing on and on for eternity as if each
paragraph were worth 15 or 20 marks. Be balanced.
✔ Do not write about one poem and then write about the other. You must compare them. It
is also very dangerous to write everything you know about one poem and then try and
write about the other, as time may run out on you and you may not reach the next poem
and thus lose half the marks or even more for the question.
✔ You must use cohesive language that indicates comparison. Therefore, if, in analysing
the poems, you find that they are similar in some way, you must use transitional words
and phrases to indicate this, such as “likewise”, “similarly”, “comparably” and “in
like manner.” However, if the poems differ in some way, you indicate this using other
transitional words and phrases, such as “in contrast”, “however”, “on the other hand”
and “contrastingly.”

Sample essay question:
“Conflict is central to any work of poetry.” (named version)
Write an essay in which you describe the major conflict in the poems, “Dreaming Black
Boy” and “My Parents”. In this essay, you must also explain how the persona in EACH poem
overcomes the conflict and comment on TWO poetic devices used to develop the conflict in
EACH poem. (35 marks)
“Conflict is central to any work of poetry.” (unnamed version)
Write an essay in which you describe the major conflict in any TWO poems you have studied.
In this essay, you must also explain how the persona in each poem overcomes the conflict
and comment on TWO poetic devices used to develop the conflict in each poem. (35 marks)
Sample outline #1:
“Dreaming Black Boy”
a. Conflict: man vs. man or man vs. society. The persona is discriminated against and
mistreated because of his skin colour. He also is in conflict with himself (man vs.
himself) because he doubts his own self-worth.
b. In an external way, he does not overcome his conflict, because he never actually brings
an end to racism. However, he overcomes the conflict by keeping hope alive, repeating,
“I wish… I wish.”
c. Two devices: diction (e.g. “wish my teacher’s eyes wouldn’t go past me…” “wish I
myself wouldn’t hold back…”) and imagery (“torch throwers of the night would burn
light for decent times… plotter in pyjamas would pray for themselves” “hotel keepers
would make it a waste”)
“My Parents”
a. Conflict: man vs. man. The persona is bullied by bigger boys; he is teased because of his
comparative size and because of his lisp.
b. In an external way, he does not overcome the conflict, as he never beats up the other
boys or tells them off or gets them to stop bullying him. However, he overcomes by
trying to make peace with them and to forgive them, thus seeking to give himself inner
peace.

c. Two devices: diction (e.g. “children who were rough” “they were lithe”) and imagery
(“I feared more than tigers” “they sprang out behind hedges like dogs to bark at my
world”)
Sample essay #1 (named):
Sample introduction:
In this life, conflict is inevitable. Humans are constantly in conflict with other humans,
with the environment and many experience conflict even within themselves. Since poets and
other writers try to reflect real-life situations, conflict is a theme that is often explored in
literature. In the poems, “Dreaming Black Boy” by James Berry and “My Parents” by Stephen
Spender, the poets use imagery and diction to explore conflict in similar ways, by means of
two personas who experience slightly different conflicts – one with racism and the other
with bullying – but who both overcome them in similar ways, not externally but internally.
Sample body paragraph 1:
The personae in each poem face slightly different conflicts. Both face a conflict of man
versus man. However, in “Dreaming Black Boy,” the persona also faces an internal conflict
(“man versus himself.”) This is shown in the line of the poem where he says, “Wish I myself
wouldn’t hold back when an answer comes,” where he expresses the self-doubt he feels when
he wishes to offer a contribution in his class. Moreover, he shows that even if he did not doubt
himself and was willing to answer the question, “[his] teacher’s eyes [usually] go past [him]”
anyway; his teachers constantly ignoring him along with all the other prejudice he faces for
being Black is probably the reason why he lacks confidence in himself. Thus, the external
conflict of Whites against the speaker and those of his Black race has led to a much deeper
internal conflict. Comparably, the persona in “My Parents” faces a similar conflict, but on a
smaller scale. Rather than being in conflict with the world in general, the speaker is in conflict
with only a few bullies, who tease him verbally and physically abuse him. The persona in “My
Parents” is likewise teased for a physical trait that is out of his control; however, instead of his
skin colour, he is teased for his size and his lisp.
In an external way, neither speaker ever actually ends the conflict that they face. The
persona in “Dreaming Black Boy” never actually dismantles racism nor does the persona in
“My Parents ever actually stand up for himself or beat up the bullies. However, they both seek
to overcome the conflict they face with one word: hope. The persona in “Dreaming Black Boy”
keeps his hope burning bright by bravely continuing to wish and dream for better conditions
for himself and his people. He constantly repeats the word, “wish” to express his hope for

change in various spheres of life, including education, travel, and general interactions with
society and he even ends the poem on a note of hope. Similarly, the persona in “My Parents”
seeks to make peace with his bullies and even forgive them. “I longed to forgive them,” he
says, but sadly, “they never smiled” back at him. Despite the fact that he continues to be
bullied, he tries to be hopeful that the boys will change. Even though that never actually
happens, he still proves himself to be ‘the bigger person’ in the way he responds to the boys
and as such, he overcomes in his own small way.
Both poets use diction and imagery to develop the conflict in each poem. In “Dreaming
Black Boy,” James Berry’s diction is quite repetitive. It is this repetition that shows the
persona’s hopeful determination to endure despite the conflict he faces. He constantly says, “I
wish… I wish” to express his hope for improvement in various situations. As stated before, he
wishes for improvement in various sectors of life, such as education (“wish my teacher’s eyes
wouldn’t go past me today./Wish I myself wouldn’t hold back when an answer comes”), travel
(“wish I could go on every criss-cross way of the globe… and no hotel-keepers would make it a
waste”) and general societal prejudice (“wish torch-throwers of the night…plotters in pyjamas
would pray for themselves.”) This diction emphasises the seriousness of the conflict the boy
faces and his yearning to see a change. In “My Parents,” the persona uses strong clear diction
to describe his bullies. He describes them as “rough” and “lithe” which gives the reader a clear
picture of the types of boys being dealt with. In tandem with diction in “My Parents,” Spender
also uses strong imagery to develop the conflict, describing the bullies as “tigers” and barking
dogs to show the viciousness of these bullies and cause the reader to empathise with the
persona. This is an example of animal imagery, which also incorporates visual and auditory
imagery, which gives the reader a full sense of the experience of the persona and truly helps
the reader to empathise with the persona. Berry also uses imagery in “Dreaming Black Boy” to
convey the full sense of the conflict faced by the persona. He alludes to the Ku Klux Klan in the
following lines: “wish torch throwers of the night would burn light for decent times… wish
plotter in pyjamas would pray for themselves.” This helps the reader to visualize ominous
figures with fire lynching Black bodies to show how dangerous and cruel these individuals
were. However, imagery is not only used to show how terrible the conflict is, but it also shows
the boy’s courage in dealing with them. A key example of this is, “wish I could go on every
criss-cross way of the globe” which helps the reader to visualise endless grid lines running
across the globe, add a whimsical and playful mood to the poem and symbolise the persona’s
endless dreams and hope, which serve as his weapon against the hatred in the world.
Sample conclusion:
It is true that in this life, conflict never ends, but there are ways to keep one’s head
above water. As shown in the imagery and diction of “My Parents” and “Dreaming Black Boy,”
a burning hope and a resilient determination to find inner peace will work wonders in staving

off the depression that often accompanies conflict. Be it physical or verbal, conflict against
bullies, conflict with oneself or conflict with society at large, the key is just to “keep on keeping
on.”
Activity:
Try a question on your own. Use a timer or ask your parent or sibling to invigilate as you write
a poetry essay in 40 minutes or less. Do not spend more than 8 minutes on any one body
paragraph, do not spend more than 5 minutes on your introduction, spend no more than 3
minutes on your conclusion. Remember to spend about 8 minutes to create a simple outline
and don’t stop writing.
**********************************
Sample essay question #2 (unnamed):
Choose TWO poems that you have studied from the prescribed list which focus on an
individual’s dreams OR memories.
Write an essay in which you outline a major dream or memory that affects the persona in
EACH poem. In this essay, you must discuss the speaker’s attitude to the dream or
memory in EACH poem, and examine ONE device that is used to explore dreams OR
memories in EACH poem. (35 marks)
Sample outline:
“Dulce Et Decorum Est”
1. Persona has nightmares of his companion dying in war from a gas attack,
“guttering, choking, drowning” and then being “flung” into a wagon. He also
recalls dreams of a young boy being fed war propaganda and paints the dream of
fighting in war being sweet and honourable as an “old lie.”
2. The speaker evidently suffers from PTSD and does not have a positive attitude
towards his dreams. They are a menace to him (“smothering dreams”). He also says
that the dream that continues to be fed to children is an “old lie” which will only
lead to pain and disillusionment, as has been the case for him.
3. Device – diction; effect – creates a haunting tone and a mood of disillusionment,
helps the reader to visualize the gruesome images and empathize with the persona.
(Examples: “an ecstasy of fumbling”, “yelling out” “floundering”, “guttering,
choking, drowning”, “smothering dream”, “flung him in”, “watch the white eyes
writhing in his face,” “his hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin”, “blood…gargling

from the froth-corrupted lungs,” “obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud of vile,
incurable sores on innocent tongues”, “children ardent for some desperate glory.”)
“It is the Constant Image of Your Face”
1. The face of the persona’s lover is etched in his mind as he contemplates his
double-hearted position, having split affection for both his country and his lover.
2. The persona is “perennially accused” and “convicted” by the image of his lover’s
face. His “land takes precedence” over his lover but he still feels guilty for having
such strong affections for his lover. He is torn and conflicted.
3. Device – diction; effect – creates a slow pace for the poem, highlights the persona’s
passion and internal conflict and helps the reader to empathize with him.
(Examples: “the grave attention of your eyes,” “perennially accuses and convicts
me”, “heart’s-treachery” “pleading guilty”, “still-fresh treason.”)
Sample essay:
Sample introduction:
Both “It is the Constant Image of Your Face” and “Dulce Et Decorum Est” are
semi-autobiographical poetic pieces that deal with a time of war and social upheaval. The
respective poets, Dennis Brutus and Wilfred Owen, both engaged fiercely in major wars of their
time. For Brutus’ part, he fought against injustice in apartheid South Africa while for Owen, it
was military service during the First World War. The poems they have penned convey the deep
disillusionment and internal conflict they may have faced as they recalled painful dreams and
memories before, during and after their respective experiences with warfare. These troubling
emotions and the painful relationships between the personae and their dreams and
memories are conveyed in each poem by means of diction. The poet-persona in “Dulce Et
Decorum Est” grapples with nightmares over the war and the death of his fellow veteran,
while the poet-persona in “It is the Constant Image of Your Face” faces internal conflict as
he is swayed from his whole-souled devotion to his country by the constant memory of his
lover’s face.
Sample paragraph 1:
Both the personae in “Dulce Et Decorum Est” and “It is the Constant Image of Your
Face” are plagued by significant dreams and memories. The persona in Brutus’ poem
continues to relive the memory of his lover’s face, “framed in [his] hands as [she] knelt before
[his] chair/the grave attention of [her] eyes/surveying [him].” This is likely a reference to
Brutus’ own life as he spent much of his young life in vicious battles, protests and federal
lock-up for fighting against the system of apartheid in South Africa. Due to his fierce
involvement in such politics, he likely spent much time away from his wife and eight children.
Brutus felt the need to sever many emotional ties in favour of his whole-hearted devotion to

his country. He even disowned one of his sons because he had opposing political views. Such is
the fierceness expressed by the persona in “It is the Constant Image of Your Face” who
unhesitantly declares that “[his] land takes precedence of all [his] loves.” Yet, he still has some
affection for his lover – more affection than he thinks is warranted – and thus, he is haunted
by this love, which he interprets as “treason” to his country and to his cause. The
poet-persona in Owen’s poem however, is haunted by visions of a different kind. He seems to
suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder which leads him to experience constant dreams in
which he relives the tragic death of his fellow veteran in a gas attack and his helplessness to
save him. “In all [his] dreams, before [his] helpless sight,” he sees this deceased man,
plunging at him, “guttering, choking, drowning” and he is haunted by the horror and the guilt
of it all. The persona also seems to dream quite often of young children “ardent for some
desperate glory” – as he himself might have been – as they are told that “it is sweet and
honourable to die for one’s country,” which is the English rendering of the poem’s Latin title
and one of the major forms of war propaganda that was fed to many – young and old – during
the time of World War I. Owen’s poet-persona posits that this mantra is nothing but a dream,
an illusion which will leave these children disillusioned as he himself is.
Sample paragraph 2:
It is obvious that neither of these personae has a favourable disposition towards the
dreams and memories which haunt them. The persona in “It is the Constant Image of Your
Face”…
Sample paragraph 3:
The diction in both poems creates a slow, haunting tone and helps us to empathise with
the horror that plagues each persona as a result of his persistent dreams and memories. The
diction in “Dulce Et Decorum Est”, for example, is quite gruesome and graphic. It describes the
death of the persona’s companion with such expressions as “an ecstasy of fumbling”, “yelling
out”, “floundering”, “guttering, choking [and] drowning.” These terms convey the sense of
chaos and helplessness that must have been experienced as the persona and his other
companions watched this poor man battling for dear life. It is not clear but it appears that
because of the persona’s Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, these memories were exaggerated
and became even more haunting in his nightmares. Thus, the third stanza, which describes the
persona’s “smothering dreams” is even more graphic than the previous stanza. The persona
holds nothing back as he describes how they “flung him in” the wagon, showing that even
amidst this tragic death, the nature of war is so horrific that such an honourable man cannot
even be afforded a decent burial. He also describes “the white eyes writhing in his face/his
hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin” with “blood…gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs.”
The persona’s disgust and fear are clear in this stanza and we, the readers, pity him and his
companions. We also pity even more the “children ardent for some desperate glory” who may
soon face the same horror and disillusionment. Less graphic, but similarly heart-rending

diction is used in “It is the Constant Image of Your Face.” The persona describes his feelings
towards his lover as “heart’s-treachery.” This shows how seriously he takes his devotion to
his country and his desire for nothing to interfere with it. He comments that his lover’s face,
particularly “the grave attention of [her] eyes”, perennially accuses and convicts him. The use
of words such as ‘perennial’ shows how gruelling the persona’s internal conflict is and how
deeply and continuously he is affected by this haunting memory of his lover’s face. He also
uses the word, “convicts” to show how guilty he feels and we, the readers, feel with him.
Certainly, the diction in both these poems creates vivid images, sets strong tones of
disillusionment in the poems, conveys themes of guilt, hopelessness and horror and leads us
to empathise deeply with the plight of each persona.
ACTIVITY:
Using the tips, the outline and the sample paragraphs provided, complete the essay above by
completing paragraph 2 and writing an appropriate conclusion. Time yourself. Ensure that
no paragraph takes you more than eight minutes to write.
SAMPLE POETRY QUESTIONS:
1. “Little Boy Crying” and “The Woman Speaks to the Man Who Has Employed Her Son”
are both poems in which parents feel a desperate need to raise their sons well.
Write an essay in which you outline what measures each parent takes to protect their
child. In this essay, you are also expected to describe each child’s response to their
parents’ efforts to raise them well and comment on the effect of one device used in each
poem to portray parent-child conflict.
2. “My Parents” and “Dreaming Black Boy” portray bullying and prejudice in two different
forms.
Write an essay in which you describe the bullying and prejudice evidenced in each
poem. In this essay, you must also outline one important message about injustice that
each poet seeks to convey and examine one device each poet uses to convey this
message.
3. “Theme for English B” and “Little Boy Crying” are both poems in which young people
reflect on their circumstances in life.
Write an essay in which you outline what each young person reflects on in each poem.
In this essay, you must also describe the tone of each reflection and comment on the
significance of one device used in each poem.

4. “Injustice and racism are polarising issues in today’s world.”
Write an essay in which you describe the portrayal of racial injustice in two of the
poems from the CSEC prescribed list. In this essay, you must also comment on the
significance of two racially charged images in the poems and comment on the mood
created by each image.
5. Select two poems from the CSEC prescribed list that depict a similar theme.
Write an essay in which you outline the content of each of the poems. In this essay, you
must also compare and contrast the portrayal of the theme in each poem and comment
on the significance of the diction used in each poem.
6. Select two poems from the CSEC prescribed list in which the persona appears to be a
third-party omniscient.
Write an essay in which you briefly outline the situation in each poem. In this essay, you
must also compare and contrast the tone and mood of each poem and comment on the
significance of the use of a third-party omniscient persona.
7. “Test Match Sabina Park” and “The Woman Speaks to the Man Who Has Employed Her
Son” are both poems in which a person is faced with disillusionment.
Write an essay in which you briefly outline the disillusionment the person in each poem
faces. In this essay, you must also explain how each person responds to the
disillusionment faced and comment on one device used in each poem to create a tone of
disillusionment.
8. Select two poems from the CSEC prescribed list in which the personae face similar
struggles but with different attitudes.
Write an essay in which you outline the content of each poem. In this essay, you must
also describe the attitude with which each persona faces their similar struggle and
comment on one poetic device which highlights an important message related to the
struggle highlighted.
9. Both “Dulce et Decorum Est” and “The Woman Speaks to the Man Who Has Employed
Her Son” are poems which tell stories of individuals who invest pride and effort into
something that ends up disappointing them.
Write an essay in which you describe the pride and effort the subject in each poem
invests into something seemingly worthwhile. In this essay, you must also explain how
the seemingly worthwhile thing previously described ends up disappointing them and

examine one device which effectively leads the reader to empathise with the person’s
disappointment.
10. “God’s Grandeur” and “Birdshooting Season” present the destruction of nature in
different ways.
Write an essay in which you compare and contrast how the destruction of nature is
portrayed in each poem. In this essay, you must also describe the tone of each poem and
comment on the effectiveness of one significant image in each poem.
11. “West Indies, USA” and “My Parents” are two poems from the CSEC prescribed list that
deal with prejudice.
Write an essay in which you describe the prejudice presented in each poem. In this
essay, you must also comment on the mood created by each poem and examine how one
poetic technique is used to highlight the effects of prejudice in each poem.
12. “An African Thunderstorm” and “Little Boy Crying” are two poems in which children
demonstrate a lack of understanding in serious situations.
Write an essay in which you compare and contrast how the children respond to the
serious situation in each poem. In this essay, you must also discuss how the thoughts
and actions of the adults in each situation differ from that of the children and comment
on one important message delivered by each poet.
13. “It is the Constant Image of Your Face” and “This is the dark time, my love” clearly show
that love is not always easy or straightforward.
Write an essay in which you discuss the validity of the statement above. In this essay,
you must also examine how diction is used to develop the relationship between love and
conflict in each poem and comment on the effectiveness of one significant metaphor
used in each poem.
14. Select two poems from the CSEC prescribed list in which the persona expresses a deep
desire for something that is seemingly out of reach.
Write an essay in which you outline the context of each poem. In this essay, you must
also explain what deep desire each persona has and examine how diction is used to
convey a deep sense of yearning in each poem.

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A World of

© MissEducationJa @misseducationja Do not reproduce or distribute.

© MissEducationJa @misseducationja Do not reproduce or distribute.

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© MissEducationJa @misseducationja Do not reproduce or distribute.

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ANALYSING POEMS BY THEME

racism oppression oppression racism

The Woman Speaks to

powerlessness youth / ageing violence folklore / superstition

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Sonnet Composed Upon

conflict nature nature nature

oppression oppression conflict nature

nature nature conflict nature

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ANALYSING THEMES BY POEM

Little Boy Crying

Once Upon A Time

Dulce Et Decorum Est

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Test Match Sabina Park

West Indies USA

This is the dark time

Mirror My Parents The Woman Speaks… The Woman Speaks…

Nostalgia Renewal Resilience

South A Stone’s Throw God’s Grandeur Dulce Et Decorum Est

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Travel Disappointment / Anger Happiness

South Dreaming Black Boy Little Boy Crying Orchids

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ANALYSING POEMS BY DEVICE

anaphora simile diction rhyme

The Woman Speaks to

Biblical allusion personification Biblical allusion rhetorical question

Sonnet Composed Upon

metaphor simile alliteration personification

imagery rhetorical question rhyme repetition

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An African It is the Constant Test Match Sabina West Indies, USA

alliteration diction metaphor sarcasm

ANALYSING DEVICES BY POEM

Simile Metaphor Personification Allusion

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Rhyme Alliteration Assonance Repetition

Rhetorical Question Symbolism Hyperbole Irony

Sarcasm Oxymoron Pun / Humour Contrast

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My Parents Bullying can have severe negative effects on a child.

Who Has Employed Her Son

Little Boy Crying Everything is not what it seems, especially to children.

As humans, we are very impressionable. It is hard not to be moulded and influenced by

We can learn a lot of good qualities from nature.

“Peculiar poetry” often springs from some harsh experiences.

As humans we are inextricably linked to one another.

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