RECIPROCITIES
She gave me skeins of wool
To hold out (like a priest at Mass),
With stern rubrics not to fidget, while she
Wound it into a ball, unwinding me,
Unravelling my hands and arms, checking
My lapses with a gentle tug
When I wandered off through images
Her chat had made, for though
She kept the line between us taut
She kept my heart at ease with all her talk.
And when her ball compacted grew,
And my few strands fell limp away,
I knew there was no loss, for she
Would knit it back again to fit me perfectly.
But richer still,
I see today these lines are drawn out from me
To knit through this faltering verse
A thread of memory
Time has pulled away from consciousness.
ABOUT THE POEM
Narrative poem with free verse – does not follow specific set of rules.
, TITLE
Britannica Dictionary definition of RECIPROCITY. formal. noun : a situation or relationship in which two
people or groups agree to do something similar for each other, to allow each other to have the same
rights, etc. : a reciprocal arrangement or relationship
FOR MY MOTHER
Connotation of mother = care.
"Reciprocities" is a tender and loving tribute to the speaker's mother, using the metaphor of knitting to
convey the idea of care, attention, and renewal. My = speaker in the poem is the poet.
THEMES
Motherhood: The relationship between the speaker and his mother is the central theme of the poem.
The mother is portrayed as a caring, patient and nurturing figure who provides the speaker with love,
support and guidance.
Memory: The poem explores the idea of memory and how it shapes our identity. The speaker reflects on
his past experiences with his mother, which have become memories that he cherishes.
Love and gratitude : The poem is a tribute to the speaker's mother and expresses his love and gratitude
towards her. It highlights the importance of family and the role of a mother in shaping her child's life.
Loss and recovery: The poem touches on the themes of loss and recovery. The speaker experiences a
sense of loss when his strands of wool fall limp, but his mother is able to knit them back again to fit him
perfectly, which symbolizes the idea of recovery and resilience.
TONE
Appreciation and gratitude towards the speaker's mother. There is a sense of warmth and affection in
the way the speaker describes the act of holding out the skeins of wool and the way the mother wound
it into a ball. He appreciates the lessons she taught him.
Also, reflective and nostalgic, as the speaker looks back on the past and the memories that were
created.
EXXTENDED METAPHOR
The mother is portrayed as a knitter, giving the speaker skeins of wool to hold out like a priest at Mass.
The mother is shown as carefully creating something from the wool, just as she is creating a bond with
her child.
The mother is shown as carefully creating something from the wool, just as she is creating a bond with
her child.
The mother is able to knit the wool back together again to fit the child perfectly, just as she is able to
help the child overcome their struggles.
The final lines of the poem show that the speaker now sees their memories as lines of wool, drawn out
and knit together to form the fabric of their life.
METAPHOR
She gave me skeins of wool
To hold out (like a priest at Mass),
With stern rubrics not to fidget, while she
Wound it into a ball, unwinding me,
Unravelling my hands and arms, checking
My lapses with a gentle tug
When I wandered off through images
Her chat had made, for though
She kept the line between us taut
She kept my heart at ease with all her talk.
And when her ball compacted grew,
And my few strands fell limp away,
I knew there was no loss, for she
Would knit it back again to fit me perfectly.
But richer still,
I see today these lines are drawn out from me
To knit through this faltering verse
A thread of memory
Time has pulled away from consciousness.
ABOUT THE POEM
Narrative poem with free verse – does not follow specific set of rules.
, TITLE
Britannica Dictionary definition of RECIPROCITY. formal. noun : a situation or relationship in which two
people or groups agree to do something similar for each other, to allow each other to have the same
rights, etc. : a reciprocal arrangement or relationship
FOR MY MOTHER
Connotation of mother = care.
"Reciprocities" is a tender and loving tribute to the speaker's mother, using the metaphor of knitting to
convey the idea of care, attention, and renewal. My = speaker in the poem is the poet.
THEMES
Motherhood: The relationship between the speaker and his mother is the central theme of the poem.
The mother is portrayed as a caring, patient and nurturing figure who provides the speaker with love,
support and guidance.
Memory: The poem explores the idea of memory and how it shapes our identity. The speaker reflects on
his past experiences with his mother, which have become memories that he cherishes.
Love and gratitude : The poem is a tribute to the speaker's mother and expresses his love and gratitude
towards her. It highlights the importance of family and the role of a mother in shaping her child's life.
Loss and recovery: The poem touches on the themes of loss and recovery. The speaker experiences a
sense of loss when his strands of wool fall limp, but his mother is able to knit them back again to fit him
perfectly, which symbolizes the idea of recovery and resilience.
TONE
Appreciation and gratitude towards the speaker's mother. There is a sense of warmth and affection in
the way the speaker describes the act of holding out the skeins of wool and the way the mother wound
it into a ball. He appreciates the lessons she taught him.
Also, reflective and nostalgic, as the speaker looks back on the past and the memories that were
created.
EXXTENDED METAPHOR
The mother is portrayed as a knitter, giving the speaker skeins of wool to hold out like a priest at Mass.
The mother is shown as carefully creating something from the wool, just as she is creating a bond with
her child.
The mother is shown as carefully creating something from the wool, just as she is creating a bond with
her child.
The mother is able to knit the wool back together again to fit the child perfectly, just as she is able to
help the child overcome their struggles.
The final lines of the poem show that the speaker now sees their memories as lines of wool, drawn out
and knit together to form the fabric of their life.
METAPHOR
