English A1 Commentary

[tvd7]

Help! I have a commentary due on the poem "Rosemary in Provence" and i'm really low on ideas and interpretations. Has anybody looked at this poem who is willing to share their ideas with me?

Here it is:

We stopped the Citroen at the turn of the lane,

because you wanted a sprig of blue rosemary

to take home, and your coat opened awkwardly

as you bent over. Any stranger would have

seen your frail shoulders, the illness

in your skin - our holiday on the Luberon

ending with salmonella -

but what hurt me, as you chose slowly,

was the delicacy of your gesture:

the curious child, loving blossom

and mosses, still eager

in your disguise as an old man.

Edited February 26, 2008 by tvd7

[Nutwin]

You may want to mention that the poet uses literary devices such as enjambment; the last line of the first stanza drags on to the second stanza. Mention the diction, the speaker says "We stopped the Citroen at the turn of the lane," they could have parked, but they stopped, indicating spontaneity as if something happened, it builds tension. And so on and so on. Hope this helps

[tvd7]

yeah not bad thanks a lot! got me to 1600 words, i was at 1100 b4