Poem summary sheet: White roses
CONTENT: This poem is written from the perspective of the carer of a little boy who is ill and
the way in which this little boy dies so quickly from his illness that white roses outlive him.
She looks at death and the sad reality that life continues with or without someone there.
THEME: Death, Human Mortality/Weakness, Nature
Key points for essay:
Human life is fragile and delicate –
o ‘Boy who sleeps in my care’ – image of boy as helpless and dependent
o ‘Stick man in the ashes’ – empty and a silhouette, lack of flesh and protection
he is exposed.
o ‘Gather his cat to his bones’ & ‘kneading with diamond paws’
o ‘He is spars and springs’ – very delicate and can be easily broken.
o ‘rose outlives the child’ – the child is more delicate and fragile than rose
which was compare to fine china
Human life can be painful and full of suffering –
o ‘Within the boy…Cold bloom opens at terrible speed’ connotation of cold
and use of terrible
o ‘Splinter of ice moves/ In his blood’ enjambment of line, ice splinter showing
pain and the story of the boy in the fairy story with the Ice Queen’s splinter
moving towards his heart, medical effects of cold blood
o ‘Gritting his teeth in silence on pains red blaze’ – pain, discomfort, pain as a
fire burning connotations of fire – destruction.
Human life has little effect on nature –
o ‘sun carelessly shines through’ ‘after rain’ - repetition of this phrase
emphasises that rain continues whether or not the boy is alive and
consistency of the natural world.
o ‘cat tracks thrushes in sweet dark soil’ comparison of soil to the boy.
o ‘without concern the rose outlives the child’
o Personification/pathetic fallacy of nature shows harsh reality of the tendency
of life to continue after death remaining relatively unchanged
STANZA BY STANZA ANALYSIS:
1ST Stanza:
From the scenic description of lines 1&2 we can imply that it is Spring, possibly the rain
could be from the April showers. The White roses are presented as delicate and fragile ‘link
fine china’. Holding ‘water and sunlight’ emphasises the beauty and warmth that they
radiate and how they are endued with all the necessities they need for survival – in good
health.
2nd Stanza:
CONTENT: This poem is written from the perspective of the carer of a little boy who is ill and
the way in which this little boy dies so quickly from his illness that white roses outlive him.
She looks at death and the sad reality that life continues with or without someone there.
THEME: Death, Human Mortality/Weakness, Nature
Key points for essay:
Human life is fragile and delicate –
o ‘Boy who sleeps in my care’ – image of boy as helpless and dependent
o ‘Stick man in the ashes’ – empty and a silhouette, lack of flesh and protection
he is exposed.
o ‘Gather his cat to his bones’ & ‘kneading with diamond paws’
o ‘He is spars and springs’ – very delicate and can be easily broken.
o ‘rose outlives the child’ – the child is more delicate and fragile than rose
which was compare to fine china
Human life can be painful and full of suffering –
o ‘Within the boy…Cold bloom opens at terrible speed’ connotation of cold
and use of terrible
o ‘Splinter of ice moves/ In his blood’ enjambment of line, ice splinter showing
pain and the story of the boy in the fairy story with the Ice Queen’s splinter
moving towards his heart, medical effects of cold blood
o ‘Gritting his teeth in silence on pains red blaze’ – pain, discomfort, pain as a
fire burning connotations of fire – destruction.
Human life has little effect on nature –
o ‘sun carelessly shines through’ ‘after rain’ - repetition of this phrase
emphasises that rain continues whether or not the boy is alive and
consistency of the natural world.
o ‘cat tracks thrushes in sweet dark soil’ comparison of soil to the boy.
o ‘without concern the rose outlives the child’
o Personification/pathetic fallacy of nature shows harsh reality of the tendency
of life to continue after death remaining relatively unchanged
STANZA BY STANZA ANALYSIS:
1ST Stanza:
From the scenic description of lines 1&2 we can imply that it is Spring, possibly the rain
could be from the April showers. The White roses are presented as delicate and fragile ‘link
fine china’. Holding ‘water and sunlight’ emphasises the beauty and warmth that they
radiate and how they are endued with all the necessities they need for survival – in good
health.
2nd Stanza:
