ANNOTATION FOR
LAMENT
BY GILLIAN CLARKE
The term ‘lament’ relates to loss. The poem is an elegy, an expression of grief
mourning someone or something.
The lack of verbs throughout the poem reminds us that this is a record of
everything that’s been destroyed.
‘Pulsing burden’ in Line 1, tells us that the turtle is pregnant and about to
become a mother. Followed by Line 2 which tells us she is struggling to find a
safe space. In Line 3, the phrase ‘nest of sickness’ is the opposite of the loving
and nurturing place that a nest should be. The nest has become dangerous.
The description of ‘funeral silk’ covering the cormorant in Line 4, suggests that
he is coated in a black, slick and glossy substance. With contextual knowledge
we understand that the cormorant is covered in oil that has entered the ocean
because of an oil spill.
The metaphor ‘veil of iridescence’ in Line 5 also relates to an oil spill. A ‘veil’ is
a covering that is often a symbol of weddings or mourning. The ‘veil’ should not
be ‘on the sand’ as it is a polluting force and incongruent with nature. The
effect of the oil is also acknowledged with sibilance in the phrase ‘shadow on
the sea’ in Line 6. It suggests a sinister and terrible effect.
The poem is written in tercets, to give equal weight to each creature or person
discussed. There is equality in their plights. Throughout, there is also anaphoric
use of ‘for’ which creates a list to show the extent of the damage.
In the fourth stanza, ‘the boy fusilier’ and ‘the farmer’s sons’ have joined up for
companionship. They are victims of a conflict that doesn’t really involve them.
In Line 15, there is contrast between the phrase ‘struck dumb’ and ‘missile’s
thunder’ which shows extreme silence compared to extreme noise.
The metaphorical phrase ‘stink of anger’ in Line 18 is deeply unpleasant.
At the end of Line 19, the phrase ‘the sun put out’ implies the end of the world.
This is followed up by adjectives such as ‘scalded’ and ‘blazing’ in Line 20, both
within the lexis of heat. It is lamenting the loss of good qualities in people.
The last line, Line 21, presents ‘vengance’ meaning revenge, and the phrase
‘ashes of language’. ‘Ashes’ appear in relation to things that are dead or
destroyed, and in this case Clarke is talking about the destruction of humanity,
and how when we go to war, language is futile.
LAMENT
BY GILLIAN CLARKE
The term ‘lament’ relates to loss. The poem is an elegy, an expression of grief
mourning someone or something.
The lack of verbs throughout the poem reminds us that this is a record of
everything that’s been destroyed.
‘Pulsing burden’ in Line 1, tells us that the turtle is pregnant and about to
become a mother. Followed by Line 2 which tells us she is struggling to find a
safe space. In Line 3, the phrase ‘nest of sickness’ is the opposite of the loving
and nurturing place that a nest should be. The nest has become dangerous.
The description of ‘funeral silk’ covering the cormorant in Line 4, suggests that
he is coated in a black, slick and glossy substance. With contextual knowledge
we understand that the cormorant is covered in oil that has entered the ocean
because of an oil spill.
The metaphor ‘veil of iridescence’ in Line 5 also relates to an oil spill. A ‘veil’ is
a covering that is often a symbol of weddings or mourning. The ‘veil’ should not
be ‘on the sand’ as it is a polluting force and incongruent with nature. The
effect of the oil is also acknowledged with sibilance in the phrase ‘shadow on
the sea’ in Line 6. It suggests a sinister and terrible effect.
The poem is written in tercets, to give equal weight to each creature or person
discussed. There is equality in their plights. Throughout, there is also anaphoric
use of ‘for’ which creates a list to show the extent of the damage.
In the fourth stanza, ‘the boy fusilier’ and ‘the farmer’s sons’ have joined up for
companionship. They are victims of a conflict that doesn’t really involve them.
In Line 15, there is contrast between the phrase ‘struck dumb’ and ‘missile’s
thunder’ which shows extreme silence compared to extreme noise.
The metaphorical phrase ‘stink of anger’ in Line 18 is deeply unpleasant.
At the end of Line 19, the phrase ‘the sun put out’ implies the end of the world.
This is followed up by adjectives such as ‘scalded’ and ‘blazing’ in Line 20, both
within the lexis of heat. It is lamenting the loss of good qualities in people.
The last line, Line 21, presents ‘vengance’ meaning revenge, and the phrase
‘ashes of language’. ‘Ashes’ appear in relation to things that are dead or
destroyed, and in this case Clarke is talking about the destruction of humanity,
and how when we go to war, language is futile.
