Читать книгу English for Life Reader Grade 8 Home Language - Elaine Ridge - Страница 18

Pre-reading
1.	This poem was written while James Matthews was in jail as a political prisoner. What do you think people in jail might long for?
During reading
2.	There is no punctuation and there are no capital letters in the poem. Why do you think the poet made this decision?

i console myself

James Matthews

i console myself

with the memory

my mulberry tree

arrayed in green

fragrant in bloom

her arms extended

offering succulent fruit

to happy children

mouths streaked crimson

sated with sweetness

enjoying annual harvest

heralding a spring

of bounteous days

arrayed – dressed

console – comfort

sated – filled so they don’t want any more

Post-reading
3.	Identify the central image (figure of speech) in the poem and say how it is effective.
4.	What word tells you that the speaker is comforted by the memory of the mulberry tree?
5.	Which lines describe the mulberry tree in Spring and in Summer respectively?
6.	What difference in meaning would there be if the poet had used “extended arms” instead of “arms extended”?
7.	Explain: “mouths streaked crimson” and “sated with sweetness”.
8.	The ‘s’ sound is emphasised in: “mouths streaked crimson/sated with sweetness”
a)	What is this sound device called?
b)	Why are these lines so effective?