Poetry - For Oom Piet
Friday, 17 February 2023 09:31
For Oom Piet
Biographical information: Finuala Dowling
- Born in Kal Bay
- The seventh of eight children
- In 2002 she won the Ingrid Jonker prize for her anthology called "flying" in which this poem is published
- She works as a freelance writer and creative writing teacher
- Before this poem was written she divorced her husband and returned home
- There is speculation that this poem is biographical and references her pain and healing after the divorce
Meaning and Message
- Explores the healing power of community/connection/friendship
- Suggests a bond of kindness, love and care can help someone in the process of healing
- Suggests what people need to heal is right in front of them (neighbour) but often people rather focus on obstacles
and build walls around themselves (fences and gates) therefore encourages the readers to reach out when help is
needed and in turn provides help
Structure
- Free verse poem
- 4 Stanzas of varying lengths
- Supports the contents by describing the sequence of events:
- Stanza 1:
- Pulled across the street to meet mysterious neighbour
- Stanza 2:
- She recalls her first meeting with Oom Piet and how he became a saviour and supportive connection to her
- Stanza 3:
- How Oom Piet supports her throughout the healing process
- Stanza 4:
- She explains how she has been changed and healed by their friendship/connection
- Varying line lengths highlights how there is no uniform healing process
- Direct speech and parenthesis enhances/replicates natural speech and highlights the recording of a memory
- Informal
- Enjambment
- Plain diction
- Regular sentence structures
- Reflects the colloquial/conversational tone
Tone:
- Conversational
- Nostalgic
- Sincere
- Honest
- Heart warming
- Thankful
- Grateful
- Affectionate
- Loving
English Page 1
, Title
- "For": dedication to someone (Oom Piet)
- Subject is clear
- "Oom": Colloquialism (in Afrikaans) for 'uncle' and a sign of respect for an older male (not her actual uncle)
- Suggests the speaker respects and has affection for the subject (Oom Piet)
Stanza 1
- We get the image of our speaker taking her first steps to healing
- If the speaker did not cross the road, the speaker wouldn’t have had the opportunity to heal
- Through connection
- The life lessons in general come from all different places and people
- Toddler vs adult
Lines 1:
- "least happy in life": Touching or moving tone because it is a confession (honest and sincere)
- "least": suggest the speaker it normally a happy person but references a time when they were hurt
- The private vulnerability revealed evokes sympathy from the reader and sparks the readers curiosity
Lines 2:
- "lead": shows that she was reluctant
- Daughters determination
- "across the road": Symbolic or change
- Sense of anticipation
Lines 3:
- "to a neighbour I did not know": builds suspense because of the unknown neighbour
- Raises two questions:
- Has she recently moved in and therefore she doesn’t know the neighbour?
- Why did she move?
- Does it allude to her divorce?
Lines 4:
- "purpose of a toddler": Speaker is bossy/firm/determined to show her mother what she has seen
Lines 5:
- Juxtaposition
- "Gates and fences": normally obstacles and
- Symbolism that they adults cynicism/ the need to protect for potential harm
Lines 6-7:
- Juxtaposition continues
- "dugs and puppy's": represents fun and whimsical moments
- Represents children's innocence and sense of adventure
- Child leads her to see things from a different perspective
English Page 2
Friday, 17 February 2023 09:31
For Oom Piet
Biographical information: Finuala Dowling
- Born in Kal Bay
- The seventh of eight children
- In 2002 she won the Ingrid Jonker prize for her anthology called "flying" in which this poem is published
- She works as a freelance writer and creative writing teacher
- Before this poem was written she divorced her husband and returned home
- There is speculation that this poem is biographical and references her pain and healing after the divorce
Meaning and Message
- Explores the healing power of community/connection/friendship
- Suggests a bond of kindness, love and care can help someone in the process of healing
- Suggests what people need to heal is right in front of them (neighbour) but often people rather focus on obstacles
and build walls around themselves (fences and gates) therefore encourages the readers to reach out when help is
needed and in turn provides help
Structure
- Free verse poem
- 4 Stanzas of varying lengths
- Supports the contents by describing the sequence of events:
- Stanza 1:
- Pulled across the street to meet mysterious neighbour
- Stanza 2:
- She recalls her first meeting with Oom Piet and how he became a saviour and supportive connection to her
- Stanza 3:
- How Oom Piet supports her throughout the healing process
- Stanza 4:
- She explains how she has been changed and healed by their friendship/connection
- Varying line lengths highlights how there is no uniform healing process
- Direct speech and parenthesis enhances/replicates natural speech and highlights the recording of a memory
- Informal
- Enjambment
- Plain diction
- Regular sentence structures
- Reflects the colloquial/conversational tone
Tone:
- Conversational
- Nostalgic
- Sincere
- Honest
- Heart warming
- Thankful
- Grateful
- Affectionate
- Loving
English Page 1
, Title
- "For": dedication to someone (Oom Piet)
- Subject is clear
- "Oom": Colloquialism (in Afrikaans) for 'uncle' and a sign of respect for an older male (not her actual uncle)
- Suggests the speaker respects and has affection for the subject (Oom Piet)
Stanza 1
- We get the image of our speaker taking her first steps to healing
- If the speaker did not cross the road, the speaker wouldn’t have had the opportunity to heal
- Through connection
- The life lessons in general come from all different places and people
- Toddler vs adult
Lines 1:
- "least happy in life": Touching or moving tone because it is a confession (honest and sincere)
- "least": suggest the speaker it normally a happy person but references a time when they were hurt
- The private vulnerability revealed evokes sympathy from the reader and sparks the readers curiosity
Lines 2:
- "lead": shows that she was reluctant
- Daughters determination
- "across the road": Symbolic or change
- Sense of anticipation
Lines 3:
- "to a neighbour I did not know": builds suspense because of the unknown neighbour
- Raises two questions:
- Has she recently moved in and therefore she doesn’t know the neighbour?
- Why did she move?
- Does it allude to her divorce?
Lines 4:
- "purpose of a toddler": Speaker is bossy/firm/determined to show her mother what she has seen
Lines 5:
- Juxtaposition
- "Gates and fences": normally obstacles and
- Symbolism that they adults cynicism/ the need to protect for potential harm
Lines 6-7:
- Juxtaposition continues
- "dugs and puppy's": represents fun and whimsical moments
- Represents children's innocence and sense of adventure
- Child leads her to see things from a different perspective
English Page 2
