HOMECOMING

1. HOMECOMING BY SIMON ARMITAGE

2. Think, two things on their own and both at once. The first, that exercises in trust, wherethose in frontstand with their arms spread wide and free-fallbackwards, blind, and those behind take allthe weight. The writer invites us to think of this trust game that we have all played. The point is to trust someone blindly and expect they will be there for us.

3. The poem starts with instructions on what to do to understand the poem. “Think, two things on their own and both at once.” The poem sounds serious as it wants to teach us about “trust”. Think, two things on their own and both at once. The first, that exercises in trust, wherethose in frontstand with their arms spread wide and free-fallbackwards, blind, and those behind take allthe weight.

4. Think, two things on their own and both at once. The first, that exercises in trust, wherethose in frontstand with their arms spread wide and free-fallbackwards, blind, and those behind take allthe weight. The mood of the poem is serious and sensitive. As well as using the word arms in the poem the words fingertips and hands which are quite sensitive parts of the body.

5. Think, two things on their own and both at once. The first, that exercises in trust, wherethose in frontstand with their arms spread wide and free-fallbackwards, blind, and those behind take allthe weight. A very important word in the poem is “backwards” because this word appears in the first and last verse and is a word for how trust is made.

6. The main visual image in the poem is”…canary-yellow cotton jacket”. This image is very important in this poem as it is the symbol of the trust and love in the family. The second, one canary-yellow cotton jacket on a cloakroom floor, uncoupled from its hook, becoming scuffed and blackened underfoot. Back homethe very model of a model of a mother, yours, puts two and two together, makes a proper fist of it and points the finger. Temper, temper. Questionsin the house. You seeing red. Blue murder. Bed.

7. An example of alliteration is “…model of a model of a mother” The second, one canary-yellow cotton jacket on a cloakroom floor, uncoupled from its hook, becoming scuffed and blackened underfoot. Back homethe very model of a model of a mother, yours, puts two and two together, makes a proper fist of it and points the finger. Temper, temper. Questionsin the house. You seeing red. Blue murder. Bed.

8. The second, one canary-yellow cotton jacket on a cloakroom floor, uncoupled from its hook, becoming scuffed and blackened underfoot. Back homethe very model of a model of a mother, yours, puts two and two together, makes a proper fist of it and points the finger. Temper, temper. Questionsin the house. You seeing red. Blue murder. Bed. The poem uses colours like yellow, blue and red, which gives us visual pictures in the poem and uses the word “Blackened” to keep the colour metaphor going.

9. The second, one canary-yellow cotton jacket on a cloakroom floor, uncoupled from its hook, becoming scuffed and blackened underfoot. Back homethe very model of a model of a mother, yours, puts two and two together, makes a proper fist of it and points the finger. Temper, temper. Questionsin the house. You seeing red. Blue murder. Bed. There is some repetition of words which adds to the impact like “Temper, temper…”

10. The second, one canary-yellow cotton jacket on a cloakroom floor, uncoupled from its hook, becoming scuffed and blackened underfoot. Back homethe very model of a model of a mother, yours, puts two and two together, makes a proper fist of it and points the finger. Temper, temper. Questionsin the house. You seeing red. Blue murder. Bed. There are some rhymes like the words “…red” and “Bed”. Also “…street” and “…meet”.

11. Primary colours used to suggest basic emotions and the severity of these. The second, one canary-yellow cotton jacket on a cloakroom floor, uncoupled from its hook, becoming scuffed and blackened underfoot. Back homethe very model of a model of a mother, yours, puts two and two together, makes a proper fist of it and points the finger. Temper, temper. Questionsin the house. You seeing red. Blue murder. Bed.

12. The second, one canary-yellow cotton jacket on a cloakroom floor, uncoupled from its hook, becoming scuffed and blackened underfoot. Back homethe very model of a model of a mother, yours, puts two and two together, makes a proper fist of it and points the finger. Temper, temper. Questionsin the house. You seeing red. Blue murder. Bed. Coat has been trampled on.

13. Suggests that it could be anybody’s mother. The second, one canary-yellow cotton jacket on a cloakroom floor, uncoupled from its hook, becoming scuffed and blackened underfoot. Back homethe very model of a model of a mother, yours, puts two and two together, makes a proper fist of it and points the finger. Temper, temper. Questionsin the house. You seeing red. Blue murder. Bed.

14. The second, one canary-yellow cotton jacket on a cloakroom floor, uncoupled from its hook, becoming scuffed and blackened underfoot. Back homethe very model of a model of a mother, yours, puts two and two together, makes a proper fist of it and points the finger. Temper, temper. Questionsin the house. You seeing red. Blue murder. Bed. Child is blamed and an argument begins

15. Then midnight when you slip the latch and sneaknofurther than the call-box at the corner of the street;I’m waiting by the phone, although it doesn’t ringbecause it’s sixteen years or so before we’ll meet.Retrace that walk towards the garden gate: in silhouette a father figure waits there, wants to set things straight.

16. Then midnight when you slip the latch and sneaknofurther than the call-box at the corner of the street;I’m waiting by the phone, although it doesn’t ringbecause it’s sixteen years or so before we’ll meet.Retrace that walk towards the garden gate: in silhouette a father figure waits there, wants to set things straight.

17. Then midnight when you slip the latch and sneaknofurther than the call-box at the corner of the street;I’m waiting by the phone, although it doesn’t ringbecause it’s sixteen years or so before we’ll meet.Retrace that walk towards the garden gate: in silhouette a father figure waits there, wants to set things straight.

18. Then midnight when you slip the latch and sneaknofurther than the call-box at the corner of the street;I’m waiting by the phone, although it doesn’t ringbecause it’s sixteen years or so before we’ll meet.Retrace that walk towards the garden gate: in silhouette a father figure waits there, wants to set things straight.

19. Then midnight when you slip the latch and sneaknofurther than the call-box at the corner of the street;I’m waiting by the phone, although it doesn’t ringbecause it’s sixteen years or so before we’ll meet.Retrace that walk towards the garden gate: in silhouette a father figure waits there, wants to set things straight.

20. Then midnight when you slip the latch and sneaknofurther than the call-box at the corner of the street;I’m waiting by the phone, although it doesn’t ringbecause it’s sixteen years or so before we’ll meet.Retrace that walk towards the garden gate: in silhouette a father figure waits there, wants to set things straight.

21. Then midnight when you slip the latch and sneaknofurther than the call-box at the corner of the street;I’m waiting by the phone, although it doesn’t ringbecause it’s sixteen years or so before we’ll meet.Retrace that walk towards the garden gate: in silhouette a father figure waits there, wants to set things straight.

22. Then midnight when you slip the latch and sneaknofurther than the call-box at the corner of the street;I’m waiting by the phone, although it doesn’t ringbecause it’s sixteen years or so before we’ll meet.Retrace that walk towards the garden gate: in silhouette a father figure waits there, wants to set things straight.

23. Then midnight when you slip the latch and sneaknofurther than the call-box at the corner of the street;I’m waiting by the phone, although it doesn’t ringbecause it’s sixteen years or so before we’ll meet.Retrace that walk towards the garden gate: in silhouette a father figure waits there, wants to set things straight.

24. These ribs are pleats or seams. These arms are sleeves.These fingertips are buttons, or these hands can foldinto a clasp, or else these fingers make a zipor buckle, you say which. Step backwards into it and try the same canary-yellow cotton jacket, there,like this, for size again. It still fits.

25. These ribs are pleats or seams. These arms are sleeves.These fingertips are buttons, or these hands can foldinto a clasp, or else these fingers make a zipor buckle, you say which. Step backwards into it and try the same canary-yellow cotton jacket, there,like this, for size again. It still fits.

26. These ribs are pleats or seams. These arms are sleeves.These fingertips are buttons, or these hands can foldinto a clasp, or else these fingers make a zipor buckle, you say which. Step backwards into it and try the same canary-yellow cotton jacket, there,like this, for size again. It still fits.

27. These ribs are pleats or seams. These arms are sleeves.These fingertips are buttons, or these hands can foldinto a clasp, or else these fingers make a zipor buckle, you say which. Step backwards into it and try the same canary-yellow cotton jacket, there,like this, for size again. It still fits.

28. These ribs are pleats or seams. These arms are sleeves.These fingertips are buttons, or these hands can foldinto a clasp, or else these fingers make a zipor buckle, you say which. Step backwards into it and try the same canary-yellow cotton jacket, there,like this, for size again. It still fits.

29. These ribs are pleats or seams. These arms are sleeves.These fingertips are buttons, or these hands can foldinto a clasp, or else these fingers make a zipor buckle, you say which. Step backwards into it and try the same canary-yellow cotton jacket, there,like this, for size again. It still fits.

30. These ribs are pleats or seams. These arms are sleeves.These fingertips are buttons, or these hands can foldinto a clasp, or else these fingers make a zipor buckle, you say which. Step backwards into it and try the same canary-yellow cotton jacket, there,like this, for size again. It still fits.