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Dive into Pascale Petit's evocative poem "My Mother's Perfume" to explore how the senses and emotions intertwine to recall a poignant memory of the poet's mother. While deciphering the intricate use of scents and sensations in the verses, unravel the daughter's complex feelings towards her mother and how time has altered her perception. Immerse yourself in the imagery of perfume and nostalgia as you dissect the poet's vivid descriptions to uncover hidden layers of meaning. Let the essence of Shalimar guide you through a journey of remembrance and introspection, delving deep into the poet's psyche and the bond between mother and child.
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My Mother’s Perfume– by Pascale Petit – Welsh writing in English Choose a task Choose a task based on the poem. Activity A Activity B Activity C Activity D Activity E
Activity A My Mother’s Perfume– by Pascale Petit – Welsh writing in English Menu How does the poet use the senses to recall a powerful memory in this first section of the poem? Strange how her perfume used to arrive long before she did, a jade cloud that sent me hurrying first to the loo, then to an upstairs window to watch for her taxi. I’d prepare myself by trying to remember her face, without feeling afraid. As she drew nearer I’d get braver until her scent got so strong I could taste the coins in the bottom of her handbag. And here I am forty years on, still half-expecting her. Though now I just have to open the stopper of an expensive French bottle, daring only a whiff of Shalimar which Jacques Guerlain created from the vanilla orchid vine. Her ghostly face might shiver like Christ’s on Veronica’s veil – a green-gold blossom that sends me back to the first day of the school holidays, the way I used to practise kissing her cheek by kissing the glass. My eyes scanned the long road for a speck while the air turned amber. Even now, the scent of vanilla stings like a cane. But I can also smell roses and jasmine in the bottle’s top notes, my legs wading through the fragrant path, to the gloved hand emerging from a black taxi at the gate of Grandmother’s garden. And for a moment I think I am safe. Then Maman turns to me with a smile like a dropped perfume bottle, her essence spilt. Which senses are used here to evoke the poet’s mother?Click to show shading. What is ‘strange’ about the way the smell of the perfume is used here? Look at the description of the perfume’s smell. What impressions do you get of the mother here? Click to show shading. As the mother gets closer, another sense is used. What impressions do you get here?
Activity B My Mother’s Perfume– by Pascale Petit – Welsh writing in English Menu How does the poet show how the daughter feels about her mother in this stanza? Strange how her perfume used to arrive long before she did, a jade cloud that sent me hurrying first to the loo, then to an upstairs window to watch for her taxi. I’d prepare myself by trying to remember her face, without feeling afraid. As she drew nearer I’d get braver until her scent got so strong I could taste the coins in the bottom of her handbag. And here I am forty years on, still half-expecting her. Though now I just have to open the stopper of an expensive French bottle, daring only a whiff of Shalimar which Jacques Guerlain created from the vanilla orchid vine. Her ghostly face might shiver like Christ’s on Veronica’s veil – a green-gold blossom that sends me back to the first day of the school holidays, the way I used to practise kissing her cheek by kissing the glass. My eyes scanned the long road for a speck while the air turned amber. Even now, the scent of vanilla stings like a cane. But I can also smell roses and jasmine in the bottle’s top notes, my legs wading through the fragrant path, to the gloved hand emerging from a black taxi at the gate of Grandmother’s garden. And for a moment I think I am safe. Then Maman turns to me with a smile like a dropped perfume bottle, her essence spilt. Look at the daughter’s actions as she awaits the arrival of her mother. What do they reveal? Click to show shading. What do you notice about her feelings as her mother is on her way? Click to show shading.
Activity C My Mother’s Perfume– by Pascale Petit – Welsh writing in English Menu How does the poet remember her mother now? Strange how her perfume used to arrive long before she did, a jade cloud that sent me hurrying first to the loo, then to an upstairs window to watch for her taxi. I’d prepare myself by trying to remember her face, without feeling afraid. As she drew nearer I’d get braver until her scent got so strong I could taste the coins in the bottom of her handbag. And here I am forty years on, still half-expecting her. Though now I just have to open the stopper of an expensive French bottle, daring only a whiff of Shalimar which Jacques Guerlain created from the vanilla orchid vine. Her ghostly face might shiver like Christ’s on Veronica’s veil – a green-gold blossom that sends me back to the first day of the school holidays, the way I used to practise kissing her cheek by kissing the glass. My eyes scanned the long road for a speck while the air turned amber. Even now, the scent of vanilla stings like a cane. But I can also smell roses and jasmine in the bottle’s top notes, my legs wading through the fragrant path, to the gloved hand emerging from a black taxi at the gate of Grandmother’s garden. And for a moment I think I am safe. Then Maman turns to me with a smile like a dropped perfume bottle, her essence spilt. As a middle-aged adult, the memory of the poet’s mother is evoked by a real perfume. What impressions of her mother have remained from her childhood? Identify the words and phrases in this part which tell you.Click to show shading. Why is the poet ‘still half-expecting her’? What are your overall impressions of the mother at this stage?
Activity D My Mother’s Perfume– by Pascale Petit – Welsh writing in English Menu How does the poet shape our impressions of her mother in these lines? Strange how her perfume used to arrive long before she did, a jade cloud that sent me hurrying first to the loo, then to an upstairs window to watch for her taxi. I’d prepare myself by trying to remember her face, without feeling afraid. As she drew nearer I’d get braver until her scent got so strong I could taste the coins in the bottom of her handbag. And here I am forty years on, still half-expecting her. Though now I just have to open the stopper of an expensive French bottle, daring only a whiff of Shalimar which Jacques Guerlain created from the vanilla orchid vine. Her ghostly face might shiver like Christ’s on Veronica’s veil – a green-gold blossom that sends me back to the first day of the school holidays, the way I used to practise kissing her cheek by kissing the glass. My eyes scanned the long road for a speck while the air turned amber. Even now, the scent of vanilla stings like a cane. But I can also smell roses and jasmine in the bottle’s top notes, my legs wading through the fragrant path, to the gloved hand emerging from a black taxi at the gate of Grandmother’s garden. And for a moment I think I am safe. Then Maman turns to me with a smile like a dropped perfume bottle, her essence spilt. What earlier reference does ‘the air turned amber’ recall and what effect does it have? Click to show shading. Veronica’s veil refers to a religious miracle or legend about the image of Christ being imprinted on a veil used to wipe the brow of Jesus on the way to his crucifixion. What ideas does this image suggest? Consider the words used to describe the face of the mother in the poet’s memory. Click to show shading. Are the child's actions similar or different from those described earlier? What do they tell you about her attitude towards her mother?
Activity E My Mother’s Perfume– by Pascale Petit – Welsh writing in English Menu What do you think the poet thinks and feels about her mother as she looks back on her childhood? Strange how her perfume used to arrive long before she did, a jade cloud that sent me hurrying first to the loo, then to an upstairs window to watch for her taxi. I’d prepare myself by trying to remember her face, without feeling afraid. As she drew nearer I’d get braver until her scent got so strong I could taste the coins in the bottom of her handbag. And here I am forty years on, still half-expecting her. Though now I just have to open the stopper of an expensive French bottle, daring only a whiff of Shalimar which Jacques Guerlain created from the vanilla orchid vine. Her ghostly face might shiver like Christ’s on Veronica’s veil – a green-gold blossom that sends me back to the first day of the school holidays, the way I used to practise kissing her cheek by kissing the glass. My eyes scanned the long road for a speck while the air turned amber. Even now, the scent of vanilla stings like a cane. But I can also smell roses and jasmine in the bottle’s top notes, my legs wading through the fragrant path, to the gloved hand emerging from a black taxi at the gate of Grandmother’s garden. And for a moment I think I am safe. Then Maman turns to me with a smile like a dropped perfume bottle, her essence spilt. Consider the references to the mother’s perfume in the first three lines here. Click to show shading. The mother herself is only shown at the end of the poem. What do you notice about the way the mother and daughter meet? What makes the ending of the poem so chilling? How is the image of the mother’s perfume used in the poem?
