Question 1: Identify one metaphor used in the poem extract and explain its effect.

Answer: Example: 'My heart aches like a broken clock' compares heartache to a broken clock, emphasizing feelings of being stuck or uncertain.

Question 2: What poetic device is demonstrated by the phrase 'shadows stretch long and thin'?

Answer: Personification, as shadows are given the human ability to stretch.

Question 3: Describe the effect of the caesura in the line 'Shadows stretch long and thin, whispering secrets from the past.'

Answer: It creates a pause that emphasizes the whispering secrets, adding a sense of intimacy and rhythm.

Question 4: Which line suggests a shift in tone from despair to hope?

Answer: The line 'As dawn approaches, the poem's tone shifts, revealing hope and renewal beneath the somber veneer.'

Question 5: Identify and explain the use of alliteration in the extract.

Answer: Example: 'restless and wild' uses alliteration with the 'w' sound, emphasizing the chaotic nature of the wind.

Question 6: Explain how Duffy's language reflects the poem's themes.

Answer: Students should analyze how Duffy’s use of metaphors, imagery, and rhythmic pauses evoke themes of emotional struggle, hope, and reflection, showing the tension and harmony between despair and renewal.

Question 7: Identify the poetic technique used in the phrase 'moon’s pale light flickers.'

Answer: Personification, as light is described as flickering, a human action.

Question 8: Analyze how the structure of the poem (e.g., use of pauses and shifts) contributes to its overall mood.

Answer: Students should discuss how pauses like caesuras create a contemplative mood, and how shifts in tone—from despair to hope—are achieved through structural changes, enhancing emotional impact.

Question 9: Choose one of the literary devices discussed and write a sentence of your own that uses it.

Answer: Example: 'The wind's whispers carried secrets through the night.' (personification)

Question 10: In your own words, describe what you think Carol Ann Duffy's poem is about.

Answer: Students should interpret the poem’s themes of emotional struggle, reflection on the past, and hope for renewal, based on the imagery and tone.