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Amends Nights like this: on the cold apple-bougha white star, then anotherexploding out of the bark:on the ground, moonlight picking at small stonesas it picks at greater stones as it rises with the surflaying its cheek for moments on the sandas it licks the broken ledge, as it flows up the cliffs,as it flicks across the tracksas it unavailing pours into gashof the sand-and-gravel quarryas it leans across the hangared fuselageof the crop dusting planeas it soaks through cracks into trailerstremulous with sleepas it dwells upon the eyelids of sleepersas if to make amends
Adrienne Rich Adrienne Rich (b. 1929, Baltimore) is one of the USA's foremost poets. Her poetry's intelligent and outspoken political commitment makes her one of the most provocative poets. Adrienne In 1953 she married Alfred Conrad, an economics professor at Harvard. She had three children with him, but their relationship began to fray in the 1960s as Rich became politically aware—she later stated that “the experience of motherhood was eventually to radicalize me.” Rich’s work of the 1960s and ‘70s begins to show the signs of that radicalization. Adrienne Rich, a feminist, crystallized in her writing and life the complexities of awakening consciousness in modern women. Amends shows how she believed that women went unnoticed (night, sleeping people) and that women are left to make amends for other people’s actions .
What does Amends mean? To compensate for someone’s wrong doing In this poem, the moon is making up for the faults in the world.
The poem is about the soothing affect of moonlight – it has healing qualities as well as power and momentum Sets the scene. Links to the moon. Amends by Adrienne Rich “The moon shines bright. In such a night like this, when the sweet wind did gently kiss the trees.” Shakespeare – The Merchant of Venice The moon lights up various features as it progresses through the night sky Nights like this: on the cold apple-bough a white star, then another exploding out of the bark on the ground, moonlight picking at small stones Lichen
Stanza One - Diction and Imagery “cold” = cold atmosphere / suggests that it is at night-time. Gives a certain harshness. “white star” = further suggests night-time either apple blossoms of tree falling/moonlight reflections “exploding” = Violent / Incongruous to the rest of the poem . Harsh word. Interrupts stanza’s silence “moonlight picking” = 1st proper mention of moonlight. Personifies moon = has human qualities Reflecting off some stones more than others “small stones” = Poem starts off at a small level, small range of view
as it picks at greater stones, as it rises with the surflaying its cheek for moments on the sandas it licks the broken ledge, as it flows up the cliffsas it flicks across the tracks Repetition – emphasises the point Enjambment helps to quicken the pace In this stanza the pace of the poem picks up – there is a sense of energy, movement, power. Verbs, monosyllabic, rhyming and alliterative – all helps to quicken the pace of the poem
Stanza 2 – Diction and Imagery “greater stones” = Broader range of view “rises with surf” = Reflection in water / Transparent effect Seems to be bobbing up and down with the waves “laying its cheek” = Relaxing . Appeals to sense of touch. Personification Strongly links moonlight with femininity = nurturing, loving, caring “moments” = Longer amount of time than picking. Light reflecting on sand more than on stones “sand” = Links with relaxation (beaches = relaxing places) “licks” = Semi-appeal to taste Personifies moonlight as being a caring, feminine, motherly figure (animals lick other animals if they are hurt/young)
Stanza 2 – Diction and Imagery “broken” = Confirms moonlight’s caring nature = licking it better Shows that moonlight = trying to repair the damages (make amends) “flows up the cliffs” = Flows like water = links back to the surf Lots of reflection on the cliffs “flicks” = Not much reflection on tracks “tracks” = Common near beaches as well . Commonly found in relaxing environments “picks”, “licks”, “flicks” = Rhyme. Give the sense that the moonlight is only lightly touching the environment Further link to femininity
Stanza 2 “it” = Refers to moonlight Makes the reader forget that it is moonlight = adds to personification Mood & rhythm = Relaxed and calm
A more violent piece of imagery as it unavailing pours into the gashof the sand-and-gravel quarryas it leans against the hangared fuselageof the crop –dusting planeof the crop-dusting plane The moonlight heals the wounds in the landscape – particularly those that are man-made
Stanza 3 – Diction and Imagery ‘as it unavailing pours into the gash’ Unavailing means pointless, possibly suggesting it is too weak, although there is a lot of light. Referencing to early feminism movements, with a lot of female support, but at first no power was available. Gash = wound created by humans. ‘of the sand-and-gravel quarry’ Quarry links back to gash = humans are destroying the environment ‘as it leans across the hangared fuselage’ It can lean across the fuselage as the light reflects off the metallic surface. Personification, further reference to women. Lack of balance (leaning as opposed to standing up freely). Light shines off man-made objects in a stunted way compared with how it shines off natural objects. Fuselage = the main body of the plane. Hangared = almost portrays the plane as sleeping/ in bed (links to the later mentioned “sleepers”).
Stanza 3 - Diction and Imagery ‘of the crop dusting plane’ Good reflection, ability to identify specifically that it is a crop-dusting plane reveals that light is more useful or powerful as it seems, a contradiction to the pouring into the gash. Allusion to gaining force of feminism movement.
as it soaks through cracks into the trailerstremulous with sleepas it dwells upon the eyelids of the sleepersas if to make amends This is less definite than the previous ‘as it’ Homes of poor people in the USA – ‘Trailer Trash’
Stanza 4 – Diction and Imagery ‘as it soaks through cracks into the trailers’ Soaks suggest that the trailer is saturated in light. For it to saturate the trailer in light, it must be very bright and powerful – it is slowly gathering more energy. It is a liquid-like (water = links back to the water in stanza 2) motion, smooth, agile quiet, gentle. Very feminine. May symbolise that feminism is gaining more ground. Cracks = light enters anywhere possible; light cannot be destroyed = breaks through defences (e.g. walls) with ease. Trailers = poor people, suggests the human damage done to nature has also made humans worse off.
Stanza 4 – Diction and Imagery ‘tremulous with sleep’ Tremulous describes their bodies and minds shaking and afraid. Direct contrast to the moon, whose light and movement is smooth and gentle. The whole place is asleep. ‘as it dwells upon the eyelids of the sleepers’ Dwelling is a gentle verb, the light can be easily imagined as slowly landing on the eyelids. The moonlight is protecting the sleepers. Femininity portrayed through the light = women always looking out for others; caring, gentle. Poet also suggests that women do not get credit for this (“sleepers” don’t notice the light on their eyes) ‘as if to make amends’ The light sympathises with the sleepers, attempts to comfort them. No reference to feminism at all, suggesting that the well-being of mankind is more important than arguments over which sex is superior. “as if” = uncertain about the true motives behind the moons doings. First time the moon is described as being inanimate/not in control of itself.
Tone Sad – What ever the moon does to make amends is obsolete because everyone is asleep and unappreciative Mournful – In stanza 3, she mourns the destruction of nature by man
Themes Relationship between man and nature (the moon) Feminism
