Follower
Overall PARENT CHILD RELATIONSHIPS
- A retrospective poem, speaker reminisces on his childhood where he follows his father and is a
nuisance
- By the end of the poem, role of follower is reversed and as Heaney ages, it’s his father who is a
nuisance to him
- Poem describes time before mechanisation so as farming has changed, so has the relationship
Context
- Heaney writes about how traditional rural farming life was in the 60s, when the poem was
written
- Semi-autobiographical as Heaney’s father was a cattle farmer
- Heaney often writes about natural and rural life as he grew up in County Derry which is a town
surrounded by vast rural lands
- He was the eldest of nine children so had pressure to conform to the expectations of his
upbringing to be adept at farming
Key theme : family dynamics
- Dynamic w father reverses as they get older
- “his shoulders globed like a full sail strung” “horse plough”
- Not merely a labourer but a force of nature, almost larger than life, commands the lands,
akin to to a ship, an immense vessel with a sense of direction and purpose emphasising
grace and magnitude of labour
- nautical references continues theme of skill and precise work as sailing requires a lot of
practice like farming, constant farming references places reader in the agrarian setting,
generational connection to land, H has immense respect for his farming heritage but also
distanced hence why he ultimately chooses a career as a poet
- verb “globed” represents how the father is at the centre of son’s universe, mythical God
atlas who was tasked with holding up heavens and earth with her shoulders, allusion
suggests raw power of father, god like ability, elongation of vowel sound, accentuates size
and broadness of father
- sibilance of “sail” and “strung” creates a soft sound which juxtaposes the power of the
father, perhaps highlighting a sense of distance as the son doesn’t think he can live up to
father’s skill, also just emphasises father’s power, despite his physical strength, he still
has this sensitivity to form a deep connection with son
- The grandeur of his father contrasts with Heaney’s self-perception, especially in the
poem’s later lines, which discuss his own struggles to follow in his father's footsteps.
- “I was a nuisance, tripping, falling, yapping always”
- Feeling of inadequacy is explicit through use of asyndeton
- This triplet emphasises how the speaker believes himself to be annoying to his father
- Emphasises how hopeless he felt when trying to mimic his father with “always”
- Active verbs, he’s actively trying not to be clumsy
- Onomatopoeic “yap” makes imagery of him being a clumsy child more vivid
- The listing of these verbs in a continuous, unbroken line evokes a sense of constant
motion and the chaotic energy of youth.
- “Yapping” small excitable animals, diminishes his own sense of importance,
- The internal rhythm of the phrase, created by the repetitive “-ing” endings, gives the line a
staccato, rhythmic quality that mirrors the child’s constant movement, clumsy
, - Heaney’s memories reveal a sense of inadequacy in the face of a skilled, capable father,
highlighting the challenges children face when trying to live up to the legacy of their
parents.
- As eldest of 9 children he may have felt an increased pressure to follow father’s footsteps
- Half rhymes “sock” “pluck”, almost there, but never quite reaches, inadequacy
- Use of 4 stanzas, claustrophobia at having to stay in tight knit farming community
- “But, today it is my father who keeps stumbling behind me and will not go away” >
- Heaney recognises that he was viewing his father through this childhood lens in which he placed his
father on a pedestal (he almost mourns this innocent view of father),
- role reversal creates a vivid image that physically they’ve become so different as has their relationship,
physical relationship of father and son portrays how familial dynamic has changed, - once strong and
skilled father is juxtaposed to the one who is following son around, father has regressed into an infantile
state
- Shift in father son dynamic, heaney reminds us of the tragic nature of ageing and almost parental
role that children have to take on to look after parents who can no longer be independent
- May be critiquing that children don’t reciprocate parens love and patience, self deprecating and
confessional, laments to do better, parents look after children during weak stage but children
don’t reciprocate this tolerance
- This ending comes so abruptly and quickly that it mirrors how quickly we age, its inevitable, by
extension it’s inevitable that this role reversal will happen
- The use of stumbling mirrors the earlier descriptions of young Heaney’s own clumsiness, but
now his father has become the one who lacks control and coordination, loss of dignity and
control
- Through the figure of his father “stumbling behind,” Heaney captures the poignancy of ageing
and the unbreakable, sometimes burdensome, love that ties generations together,he feels obliged
to look after his father
- Critiques treatment of elderly in society
- Iambic tetrameter breaks here, shows how parent child relationships are always evolving
Key theme : value of rural work
- Heaney immensely values rural work and labour
- “I stumbled in his hob-nailed wake, fell sometimes on the polished sod” >
- Hob-nailed wake evokes an image of sharp, indented impressions in the ground,
embodying the strength and control of the father’s footsteps, which, as a child, Heaney
struggles to follow
- Stumbled conveys more than physical clumsiness; it implies a lack of confidence and
control, as though Heaney is unsteady not only on the ground but also in his attempts to
follow his father’s example.
- While his father’s work has rendered the sod almost beautiful, polished and pristine, it’s
clear that Heaney finds no ease here, as if the very perfection of the land only serves to
emphasise his lack of belonging.
- replicates jittering and untrained movements of Heaney compared to the smooth
sibilance of father
- Came from a rural farming background where physical labour was immensely valued,
pressure to conform
- Disgruntled rhyme scheme mirrors his clumsy movements
- Heaney immensely values work of rural labourers in Ireland and his poem seems like an ode to
them, portrays father in an idolised light to highlight the amount of skill and work that’s required
by them
Form
, - Uneven metre > Uses iambic tetrameter with occasional lines that deviate from this established
metre, Uneven metre creates eerie sense of foreboding and what seemed like a fond retrospective
poem has an unexpected melancholic ending that father has regressed > break in metre reflects
that break in reality, the established metre portrays admiration towards father
- Rhyme > Stanzas have occasional rhyming couplets, a few are half rhymes, making rhyme
scheme disgruntled and unorganised , Mirrors speaker’s clumsy movements and how he wants to
be like his father but half rhymes portrays how he never quite reached it and also perhaps
disappointment in the way that his father has changed
- Stanzas > Each stanza is a quatrain, gives poem an organised feel, its retrospective foreshadows
that this isn’t from a childhood lens, its realistic > Could reflect speaker’s poised and organised
nature as an adult contrasted w his father’s feeble and disorganised state, disparity between older
and younger gens, as people get older they regress into an infantile state > May also portray
claustrophobia in the tight knit farming community
Structure
- Continuation of sentences over stanzas contributes to poems enjambment showing how the
speaker was physically and metaphorically following father
Mother any distance Armitage
Overall MATERNAL LOVE, PARENT CHILD,
- Retrospectively looks back on relationship w mother through the adult lens
- Speakers mother helps him to move into his house and represents the pressure to assert
independence but is still somewhat reliant on mother
- He considers whether he will succeed in his new step or fail
Context
- Published in collection of poems > “book of matches”, collection of sonnets for 30th bday, he may
be evaluating his life as some feel scared to branch out into thirties leaving young life behind
- Abt relationship that armitage had w his own mother, reflects desire for independence that he
had at that age, yet strong relationship he was able to maintain despite distance between them
- He’s the Poet Laureate and his poems are often abt his yorkshire heritage and focuses on
relatable situations to engage w reader
Key theme : unconditional maternal love
- Mothers always give support no matter the age of the child, always want them to grow and
succeed
- “Line still feeding out, unreeling years between us. Anchor. Kite”
- Compares mother to an “anchor” and “kite” > evoke ideas of connection and being
grounded, two juxtapose each other, portraying inner conflict abt wanting security of
mother but also forging his new path in life, perhaps mother is anchor keeping him down
and he is the kite ready to explore
- Anchors are heavy and hold things down and in this way she may be pulling him down
(lack of freedom) but anchors also provide support
- An anchor keeps a vessel secure, tethered to a known point; similarly, she provides a
steadfast foundation for her child, even as he explores new spaces. Yet the anchor also
implies a weight—an obligation to stay connected, perhaps he feel restricted by his
mother in his desire for autonomy
, - Tape measure may be symbolic of the umbilical cord, natural and permanent connection
between mother and child, mirrors physical connection a mother has with child before
they are even born
- The tape comes to represent their shared history, the time that they have spent together,
forged relationship together
- Armitage captures the paradox of love—how, for a parent, love entails holding close while
letting go
- true freedom isn’t about severing bonds but about testing their elasticity, discovering
whether they can stretch without breaking.
- Armitage uses this imagery to emphasise that the connection, though stretched, remains
intact, portraying a mother’s love as a tether that adapts without constraining.
- He suggests that maturity in relationships comes from fostering love that allows for
security and freedom
- “Fingertips still pinch” >
- verb “pinch” grasp is flimsy but she (adverb) “still” won’t let go, unconditional love, she
still clings to their bond
- “pinch” could evoke pain reflecting worry and guilt in the ever expanding gap between
him and mum
- Speaker still reassures himself that his mother is “still” waiting for him and that
encourages him to continue towards exploring new things
- The word “pinch” introduces a tactile, almost painful image, suggesting both the mother’s
deep desire to keep her child close and the slight discomfort or resistance that
accompanies the act of holding on.
- The touch is loving but almost possessive, she is unable to release completely
- At this point, one might feel pathos for the mother since she is clearly not emotionally
ready to let her son go
- Tactile imagery evokes feelings of closeness and intimacy
- Armitage shows maternal love as everlasting and permanent
Key theme : Conflict
- Conflict between wanting security of mother but desiring independence of an adult, transition
between childhood to adulthood and problems they may face
- “I space walk through the empty bedrooms”
- Metaphor in ‘space walk’, compares movement in house to astronaut in space, out of
control, out of his depth, just as astronaut floats uncontrollably, feels ungrounded without
his mother and her support
- “Empty” connotes absence or loneliness, symbolises how son feels hollow without
mother’s love and guidance
- Enjambment on this line mimics drifting movement of a space walk, sense of uncertainty
and disorientation as he grows up
- Growing up involved moving into new unknown territories, just as an astronaut moves
into the vastness of outer space
- Family relationships, while stretched by independence, are maintained by valuing the
small but significant moments that keep the connection alive.
- It illustrates the bittersweet experience of parents as they let their children grow and
explore the world.
- “Breaking point, where something has to give”
- "breaking point" is a metaphor for emotional strain reaching its peak. It suggests
that the parent has been holding on—perhaps trying to protect, nurture, or keep their
child close—but they can no longer resist the inevitable separation.
Overall PARENT CHILD RELATIONSHIPS
- A retrospective poem, speaker reminisces on his childhood where he follows his father and is a
nuisance
- By the end of the poem, role of follower is reversed and as Heaney ages, it’s his father who is a
nuisance to him
- Poem describes time before mechanisation so as farming has changed, so has the relationship
Context
- Heaney writes about how traditional rural farming life was in the 60s, when the poem was
written
- Semi-autobiographical as Heaney’s father was a cattle farmer
- Heaney often writes about natural and rural life as he grew up in County Derry which is a town
surrounded by vast rural lands
- He was the eldest of nine children so had pressure to conform to the expectations of his
upbringing to be adept at farming
Key theme : family dynamics
- Dynamic w father reverses as they get older
- “his shoulders globed like a full sail strung” “horse plough”
- Not merely a labourer but a force of nature, almost larger than life, commands the lands,
akin to to a ship, an immense vessel with a sense of direction and purpose emphasising
grace and magnitude of labour
- nautical references continues theme of skill and precise work as sailing requires a lot of
practice like farming, constant farming references places reader in the agrarian setting,
generational connection to land, H has immense respect for his farming heritage but also
distanced hence why he ultimately chooses a career as a poet
- verb “globed” represents how the father is at the centre of son’s universe, mythical God
atlas who was tasked with holding up heavens and earth with her shoulders, allusion
suggests raw power of father, god like ability, elongation of vowel sound, accentuates size
and broadness of father
- sibilance of “sail” and “strung” creates a soft sound which juxtaposes the power of the
father, perhaps highlighting a sense of distance as the son doesn’t think he can live up to
father’s skill, also just emphasises father’s power, despite his physical strength, he still
has this sensitivity to form a deep connection with son
- The grandeur of his father contrasts with Heaney’s self-perception, especially in the
poem’s later lines, which discuss his own struggles to follow in his father's footsteps.
- “I was a nuisance, tripping, falling, yapping always”
- Feeling of inadequacy is explicit through use of asyndeton
- This triplet emphasises how the speaker believes himself to be annoying to his father
- Emphasises how hopeless he felt when trying to mimic his father with “always”
- Active verbs, he’s actively trying not to be clumsy
- Onomatopoeic “yap” makes imagery of him being a clumsy child more vivid
- The listing of these verbs in a continuous, unbroken line evokes a sense of constant
motion and the chaotic energy of youth.
- “Yapping” small excitable animals, diminishes his own sense of importance,
- The internal rhythm of the phrase, created by the repetitive “-ing” endings, gives the line a
staccato, rhythmic quality that mirrors the child’s constant movement, clumsy
, - Heaney’s memories reveal a sense of inadequacy in the face of a skilled, capable father,
highlighting the challenges children face when trying to live up to the legacy of their
parents.
- As eldest of 9 children he may have felt an increased pressure to follow father’s footsteps
- Half rhymes “sock” “pluck”, almost there, but never quite reaches, inadequacy
- Use of 4 stanzas, claustrophobia at having to stay in tight knit farming community
- “But, today it is my father who keeps stumbling behind me and will not go away” >
- Heaney recognises that he was viewing his father through this childhood lens in which he placed his
father on a pedestal (he almost mourns this innocent view of father),
- role reversal creates a vivid image that physically they’ve become so different as has their relationship,
physical relationship of father and son portrays how familial dynamic has changed, - once strong and
skilled father is juxtaposed to the one who is following son around, father has regressed into an infantile
state
- Shift in father son dynamic, heaney reminds us of the tragic nature of ageing and almost parental
role that children have to take on to look after parents who can no longer be independent
- May be critiquing that children don’t reciprocate parens love and patience, self deprecating and
confessional, laments to do better, parents look after children during weak stage but children
don’t reciprocate this tolerance
- This ending comes so abruptly and quickly that it mirrors how quickly we age, its inevitable, by
extension it’s inevitable that this role reversal will happen
- The use of stumbling mirrors the earlier descriptions of young Heaney’s own clumsiness, but
now his father has become the one who lacks control and coordination, loss of dignity and
control
- Through the figure of his father “stumbling behind,” Heaney captures the poignancy of ageing
and the unbreakable, sometimes burdensome, love that ties generations together,he feels obliged
to look after his father
- Critiques treatment of elderly in society
- Iambic tetrameter breaks here, shows how parent child relationships are always evolving
Key theme : value of rural work
- Heaney immensely values rural work and labour
- “I stumbled in his hob-nailed wake, fell sometimes on the polished sod” >
- Hob-nailed wake evokes an image of sharp, indented impressions in the ground,
embodying the strength and control of the father’s footsteps, which, as a child, Heaney
struggles to follow
- Stumbled conveys more than physical clumsiness; it implies a lack of confidence and
control, as though Heaney is unsteady not only on the ground but also in his attempts to
follow his father’s example.
- While his father’s work has rendered the sod almost beautiful, polished and pristine, it’s
clear that Heaney finds no ease here, as if the very perfection of the land only serves to
emphasise his lack of belonging.
- replicates jittering and untrained movements of Heaney compared to the smooth
sibilance of father
- Came from a rural farming background where physical labour was immensely valued,
pressure to conform
- Disgruntled rhyme scheme mirrors his clumsy movements
- Heaney immensely values work of rural labourers in Ireland and his poem seems like an ode to
them, portrays father in an idolised light to highlight the amount of skill and work that’s required
by them
Form
, - Uneven metre > Uses iambic tetrameter with occasional lines that deviate from this established
metre, Uneven metre creates eerie sense of foreboding and what seemed like a fond retrospective
poem has an unexpected melancholic ending that father has regressed > break in metre reflects
that break in reality, the established metre portrays admiration towards father
- Rhyme > Stanzas have occasional rhyming couplets, a few are half rhymes, making rhyme
scheme disgruntled and unorganised , Mirrors speaker’s clumsy movements and how he wants to
be like his father but half rhymes portrays how he never quite reached it and also perhaps
disappointment in the way that his father has changed
- Stanzas > Each stanza is a quatrain, gives poem an organised feel, its retrospective foreshadows
that this isn’t from a childhood lens, its realistic > Could reflect speaker’s poised and organised
nature as an adult contrasted w his father’s feeble and disorganised state, disparity between older
and younger gens, as people get older they regress into an infantile state > May also portray
claustrophobia in the tight knit farming community
Structure
- Continuation of sentences over stanzas contributes to poems enjambment showing how the
speaker was physically and metaphorically following father
Mother any distance Armitage
Overall MATERNAL LOVE, PARENT CHILD,
- Retrospectively looks back on relationship w mother through the adult lens
- Speakers mother helps him to move into his house and represents the pressure to assert
independence but is still somewhat reliant on mother
- He considers whether he will succeed in his new step or fail
Context
- Published in collection of poems > “book of matches”, collection of sonnets for 30th bday, he may
be evaluating his life as some feel scared to branch out into thirties leaving young life behind
- Abt relationship that armitage had w his own mother, reflects desire for independence that he
had at that age, yet strong relationship he was able to maintain despite distance between them
- He’s the Poet Laureate and his poems are often abt his yorkshire heritage and focuses on
relatable situations to engage w reader
Key theme : unconditional maternal love
- Mothers always give support no matter the age of the child, always want them to grow and
succeed
- “Line still feeding out, unreeling years between us. Anchor. Kite”
- Compares mother to an “anchor” and “kite” > evoke ideas of connection and being
grounded, two juxtapose each other, portraying inner conflict abt wanting security of
mother but also forging his new path in life, perhaps mother is anchor keeping him down
and he is the kite ready to explore
- Anchors are heavy and hold things down and in this way she may be pulling him down
(lack of freedom) but anchors also provide support
- An anchor keeps a vessel secure, tethered to a known point; similarly, she provides a
steadfast foundation for her child, even as he explores new spaces. Yet the anchor also
implies a weight—an obligation to stay connected, perhaps he feel restricted by his
mother in his desire for autonomy
, - Tape measure may be symbolic of the umbilical cord, natural and permanent connection
between mother and child, mirrors physical connection a mother has with child before
they are even born
- The tape comes to represent their shared history, the time that they have spent together,
forged relationship together
- Armitage captures the paradox of love—how, for a parent, love entails holding close while
letting go
- true freedom isn’t about severing bonds but about testing their elasticity, discovering
whether they can stretch without breaking.
- Armitage uses this imagery to emphasise that the connection, though stretched, remains
intact, portraying a mother’s love as a tether that adapts without constraining.
- He suggests that maturity in relationships comes from fostering love that allows for
security and freedom
- “Fingertips still pinch” >
- verb “pinch” grasp is flimsy but she (adverb) “still” won’t let go, unconditional love, she
still clings to their bond
- “pinch” could evoke pain reflecting worry and guilt in the ever expanding gap between
him and mum
- Speaker still reassures himself that his mother is “still” waiting for him and that
encourages him to continue towards exploring new things
- The word “pinch” introduces a tactile, almost painful image, suggesting both the mother’s
deep desire to keep her child close and the slight discomfort or resistance that
accompanies the act of holding on.
- The touch is loving but almost possessive, she is unable to release completely
- At this point, one might feel pathos for the mother since she is clearly not emotionally
ready to let her son go
- Tactile imagery evokes feelings of closeness and intimacy
- Armitage shows maternal love as everlasting and permanent
Key theme : Conflict
- Conflict between wanting security of mother but desiring independence of an adult, transition
between childhood to adulthood and problems they may face
- “I space walk through the empty bedrooms”
- Metaphor in ‘space walk’, compares movement in house to astronaut in space, out of
control, out of his depth, just as astronaut floats uncontrollably, feels ungrounded without
his mother and her support
- “Empty” connotes absence or loneliness, symbolises how son feels hollow without
mother’s love and guidance
- Enjambment on this line mimics drifting movement of a space walk, sense of uncertainty
and disorientation as he grows up
- Growing up involved moving into new unknown territories, just as an astronaut moves
into the vastness of outer space
- Family relationships, while stretched by independence, are maintained by valuing the
small but significant moments that keep the connection alive.
- It illustrates the bittersweet experience of parents as they let their children grow and
explore the world.
- “Breaking point, where something has to give”
- "breaking point" is a metaphor for emotional strain reaching its peak. It suggests
that the parent has been holding on—perhaps trying to protect, nurture, or keep their
child close—but they can no longer resist the inevitable separation.
