FORM 4 POEM

                                                            THE LIVING PHOTOGRAPH 

                                                                           by Jackie Kay)

My small grandmother is tall there,

straight-back, white broderie anglaise shirt,

pleated skirt, flat shoes, grey bun,

a kind, old smile round her eyes.

Her big hand holds mine,

white hand in black hand.

Her sharp blue eyes look her own death in the eye.

It was true  after all; that look.

My tall grandmother became small.

Her back round and hunched.

Her soup forgot to boil.

She went to the awful place grandmothers go.

Somewhere unknown, unthinkable.

But there she is still,

in the photo with me at three,

the crinkled smile is still living, breathing.

Poem The Living Photograph: 

HOTs Questions + Answers

HOTs QUESTIONS:

1.    Why do you think the grandmother wore flat shoes?

Most probably because she is aging and cannot wear heeled-shoes.

2.    Why do you think the grandmother became small?

She became small because she had aged and her back had hunched.

3.    Why did the grandmother’s back become round and hunched?

This is because she is aging and her bones are weaker.

4.    According to the persona, where has the grandmother gone and why ‘there she is still’?

Her grandmother had passed away and gone to the awful place.

5.    Why is the smile described as still living and breathing?

Most probably the photograph is very well taken.

6.    Why did the grandmother go to that awful place?

She became old and passed away.

7.    Why was the place described as awful?

No one has been there and persona can no longer see or talk to her grandmother.

8.    How do we know that the grandmother looked prim and proper?

She was properly dressed in white broderie anglaise shirt with pleated skirt and flat shoes.

9.    ‘white hand in black hand’

     What other feature mentioned in the stanza tell us the grandmother’s race? Provide reason to support your answer.

Feature: Blue eyes

Reason:  The persona is black and the grandmother is white

10.   ‘Her soup forgot to boil’

       What other thing do you think the grandmother was likely to forget to do? Give a reason to support your   

       answer.

Thing: Where she placed her spectacles or forgot to turn on the kettle

Reason: As one gets older, its normal to be forgetful.

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1.    Why do you think her soup forgot to boil?

She was old and forgetful/absent-minded

2.    Quality                                              Evidence

       Kind                                    " a kind old smile"

       Protective/caring               " her big hands holds mine"

       fearless/ courageous         " look her own death in the eye"

       friendly                                 " the crinkled smile is still living"

3. 'she went to the awful place grandmothers go...'

      Do you think the persona understands about death? Provide a reason for answer,

     

          Understanding: No, I don't think she understands death.

Reason: She mentions the place as awful, unknown and unthinkable when normally heaven is  described as beautiful.

4.  'But there she is still'

     How do you think the persona feels when she looks at the photograph? Provide a reason for your answer.

Feeling : She feels happy and loved.

Reason : She mentions that the grandmother's crinkled smile is still living and breathing as though her grandmother is still standing beside her

5.    Give one moral value one can learn from the poem.

     The poem teaches us that we must spend time with our loved ones because when they pass away,