Analysing the poem 'Poppies'

The title could be suggestive of remembrance, the many grieving mothers of war or the outward display of deeper grief. Bird imagery may reflect the mother letting go of her son or the way in which she represses her grief. Two sestets either side of two longer stanzas may suggest the mother trying hard to contain her emotions for her son. The domestic and textile imagery may also show the mother’s containment of grief. Textile imagery also suggests the limitations of the mother’s ability to protect her son outside of the home.