Understanding the poem ‘Mother, any distance’ by Simon Armitage

Armitage describes a mother helping her son move into his own home as he reaches adulthood. The speaker’s new home seems huge and expansive, emphasising the growing distance between mother and child. The speaker builds on the emotional distance between the mother and son as their physical distance increases. Both speaker and subject seem apprehensive about the son's upcoming independence. The poem comes from ‘Books of Matches’, reflecting on ephemeral moments that make a deep impression.