I believe that the speaker in the poem, ‘Poppies’, is a veteran from a big war in the past. This is because of the last stanza. It says, ‘I listened, hoping to hear your playground voice catching on the wind’. In my perspective, it shows that a old man fought in the war with his mate and he survived but his mate didnt. As it was Armistice day, he is respecting him and trying to hear his voice one last time.
However, there is a possibility that the speaker could be a mother of a soldier that has died fighting. This is because in stanza two, she is pulling of all the cat hairs off ger sons shirt which shows a motherly figure. Also, the playground in the last stanza could be a link towards her son being a chold and playing in the playground.
November 17, 2015 at 8:03 pm
Harry,
I’m pleased you have explored two different interpretations of the poem. Which do you think is the more likely? Why?
One way of forming an answer to this question would be to look at the use of symbol and metaphor – look at the third stanza and explore how these devices have been used to help enhance meaning.