Catrin

I can remember you, child,I can remember you, child,As I stood in a hot, whiteAs I stood in a hot, whiteRoom at the window watchingRoom at the window watchingThe people and cars takingThe people and cars takingTurn at the traffic lights.Turn at the traffic lights.I can remember you, our firstI can remember you, our firstFierce confrontation, the tightFierce confrontation, the tightRed rope of love which we bothRed rope of love which we bothFought over. It was squareFought over. It was squareEnvironmental blank, disinfectedEnvironmental blank, disinfectedOf paintings or toys. I wroteOf paintings or toys. I wroteAll over the walls with myAll over the walls with myWords, coloured the clean squaresWords, coloured the clean squares

With the wild, tender circlesOf our struggle to becomeSeparate. We want, we shouted,To be two, to be ourselves

Neither won nor lost the struggleNeither won nor lost the struggleIn the glass tank clouded with feelingsIn the glass tank clouded with feelingsWhich changed us both. Still I am fightingWhich changed us both. Still I am fightingYou off, as you stand thereYou off, as you stand thereWith your straight, strong, longWith your straight, strong, longDefiant glare, bringing upDefiant glare, bringing upFrom the heart's pool that old rope,From the heart's pool that old rope,Tightening about my life,Tightening about my life,Trailing love and conflict,Trailing love and conflict,As you ask may you skateAs you ask may you skateIn the dark, for one more hour. In the dark, for one more hour.

What is it about? Theme?What is it about? Theme?

loving but sometimes tense relationship loving but sometimes tense relationship between a mother and daughterbetween a mother and daughterdeals with two separate confrontations deals with two separate confrontations between them between them

- the actual birth, the actual birth, - then one night about twelve or fourteen then one night about twelve or fourteen

years later, when Catrin wants to go out years later, when Catrin wants to go out roller skating after dark and her mother roller skating after dark and her mother refuses. refuses.

Biographical noteBiographical notePoet’s own relationship with her daughter, Poet’s own relationship with her daughter, CatrinCatrin

wrote the poem to answer the question, wrote the poem to answer the question, "Why did my beautiful baby have to "Why did my beautiful baby have to become a teenager?" become a teenager?"

seems torn between celebrating her child seems torn between celebrating her child is growing up, is growing up,

and resisting her desire for independenceand resisting her desire for independence

very personal poem but could be about very personal poem but could be about any relationship between a mother and any relationship between a mother and childchild

StructureStructure

The poem consists of short lines divided The poem consists of short lines divided into two stanzas. into two stanzas.

One stanza deals with Catrin's birth, one One stanza deals with Catrin's birth, one the skating incident. the skating incident.

pause between thempause between them perhaps to make perhaps to make readers wonder what took place in the readers wonder what took place in the intervening yearsintervening years

titletitle

name of the child we meet in line 1 name of the child we meet in line 1

name is not mentioned again?name is not mentioned again?

perhaps to reflect the universality of the poem: perhaps to reflect the universality of the poem: it could be about any mother / child relationship. it could be about any mother / child relationship.

Yet also, since the poem is addressed to the Yet also, since the poem is addressed to the child, you, it may be that the relationship is so child, you, it may be that the relationship is so close that names are unnecessary. close that names are unnecessary.

Other language featuresOther language featuresfirst stanza - past tense - as persona first stanza - past tense - as persona remembers birth of her daughterremembers birth of her daughter

second stanza, however, is in the present tense second stanza, however, is in the present tense - suggests that a struggle is still going on - suggests that a struggle is still going on between them - and that their love is still as between them - and that their love is still as intense as everintense as ever

very simple language – could be used to very simple language – could be used to indicate the simple, intense feelings that the indicate the simple, intense feelings that the poem conveyspoem conveys

focus of the dispute?focus of the dispute?skating in the dark skating in the dark

something that children are likely to want to do something that children are likely to want to do and parents likely to refuseand parents likely to refuse

"it is beautiful and dangerous to be young" "it is beautiful and dangerous to be young" Perhaps the mother recognises that and would Perhaps the mother recognises that and would like to let her daughter out to enjoy the like to let her daughter out to enjoy the experience, but worries about what might experience, but worries about what might happen if she does... happen if she does...

settingsetting

begins in the labour ward of the hospital: it begins in the labour ward of the hospital: it is is 'hot, white''hot, white' (line 2) and sterile (line 2) and sterile seems at odds with the intimate event that seems at odds with the intimate event that is about to occuris about to occuralso seen as also seen as 'a square / Environmental 'a square / Environmental blank'blank' (line 9) and a (line 9) and a 'glass tank''glass tank' (line 19) (line 19) Why do you think Clarke places so much emphasis on the hospital building?

settingsetting

Before the actual birth, persona looks out Before the actual birth, persona looks out of the window at of the window at 'The people and cars''The people and cars' (line 4) going about their everyday (line 4) going about their everyday business; business;

in in contrastcontrast, what is she about to , what is she about to experience? experience?

Why do you think she mentions Why do you think she mentions 'the traffic 'the traffic lights'lights' (line 5)? (line 5)?

Metaphorical languageMetaphorical language

What doesWhat does ‘The tight / Red rope of love' ‘The tight / Red rope of love' (line 8) represent?(line 8) represent?Literal: the umbilical cordLiteral: the umbilical cordFigurative meaning?Figurative meaning?red - blood that flowed between the red - blood that flowed between the mother and the child in the womb; mother and the child in the womb; red - colour of passion and love. red - colour of passion and love. red – life – contrasts with the stark, sterile, red – life – contrasts with the stark, sterile, white hospital surroundings.white hospital surroundings.

Metaphorical languageMetaphorical language

Mother and child Mother and child 'fought over''fought over' (line 9) (line 9) the cord?the cord?fought fought suggests brutality and pain of suggests brutality and pain of childbirth childbirth perhaps poet is marvelling at how perhaps poet is marvelling at how love and life are created through love and life are created through violence.violence.

Metaphorical langMetaphorical lang

'I wrote / All over the walls with my / Words''I wrote / All over the walls with my / Words' (line 11)? Why?(line 11)? Why?

Poet’s shouts and screams of pain?Poet’s shouts and screams of pain?

words of a poem she thinks of through her words of a poem she thinks of through her labour? labour?

imagines the words colouring imagines the words colouring 'the clean 'the clean squares'squares' (line 13) of the hospital. Effect? (line 13) of the hospital. Effect?

the coloured words would deface the hospital's the coloured words would deface the hospital's clean walls?clean walls?

or give them new life and vibrancy?or give them new life and vibrancy?

Metaphorical languageMetaphorical language ''wild tender circles'wild tender circles' ? ?perhaps - waves of contractions in the lead-up perhaps - waves of contractions in the lead-up to the birth. Contractions get closer and closer to the birth. Contractions get closer and closer together as moment of birth nears, as the together as moment of birth nears, as the circles of ripples on a pond are closest to the circles of ripples on a pond are closest to the point where a stone is dropped in. point where a stone is dropped in. mother and child mother and child shoutedshouted (line 16) Why? (line 16) Why?in pain in pain or joy?or joy?perhaps both?perhaps both?

Imagery - conflictImagery - conflict

Both poet and Catrin were changed (line 20) by Both poet and Catrin were changed (line 20) by the birth: the birth: poet became a mother, someone upon whom a poet became a mother, someone upon whom a tiny baby depended; tiny baby depended; Catrin became a child, still dependent upon her Catrin became a child, still dependent upon her mother - but less so than she had been in the mother - but less so than she had been in the womb. womb. However, in some ways nothing changed, However, in some ways nothing changed, because the fight continues: Still I am fighting / because the fight continues: Still I am fighting / You off (line 20). Clash of wills v You off (line 20). Clash of wills v independence?independence?

Metaphorical language Metaphorical language

Catrin has asked to Catrin has asked to 'skate / In the dark''skate / In the dark' (line 29). (line 29).

This illustrates Catrin's growing This illustrates Catrin's growing independence,independence,

Perhaps - still things that the mother and Perhaps - still things that the mother and child have yet to find out about each other; child have yet to find out about each other;

darkness of the womb?darkness of the womb?

Your suggestions ... ?Your suggestions ... ?

soundssoundsalliteration and assonance used to link and alliteration and assonance used to link and emphasise ideasemphasise ideas

‘‘..our first / Fierce confrontation'..our first / Fierce confrontation' (line 6), where (line 6), where the repeated the repeated ff sounds suggest the heavy- sounds suggest the heavy-breathing effort of the birthbreathing effort of the birth

'..your straight, strong, long, brown hair and '..your straight, strong, long, brown hair and your rosy, / Defiant glare'your rosy, / Defiant glare' where the where the stst sound sound and rhyming and rhyming -ong-ong and and -air-air sounds emphasise sounds emphasise Catrin's strident strengthCatrin's strident strength

Other literary devicesOther literary devices

enjambementenjambement (where the spoken sense runs (where the spoken sense runs on over a line-endon over a line-end) used to great effect: ) used to great effect:

'.. '.. cars taking / Turn at the traffic lights.'cars taking / Turn at the traffic lights.' (lines (lines 5/6), run-on 'enacts' the cars turning5/6), run-on 'enacts' the cars turning

'..'..our struggle to become / Separate.'our struggle to become / Separate.' (lines (lines 15/16) line-end used to physically 15/16) line-end used to physically separateseparate the the words. Standing alone at the beginning of a words. Standing alone at the beginning of a line, and followed by a full stop, the word line, and followed by a full stop, the word prepares us for the birth, when mother and prepares us for the birth, when mother and child become at last separate and child become at last separate and ourselvesourselves (line 17). (line 17).

rhythmrhythm

gentle rhythm - expresses the love the gentle rhythm - expresses the love the mother feels for the childmother feels for the child

not regular – gives sense of natural, not regular – gives sense of natural, spontaneous train of thoughtspontaneous train of thought

How would you read this poem?How would you read this poem?

with tenderness and warmth, to express with tenderness and warmth, to express the mother's intense love for her the mother's intense love for her daughter? daughter?

with frustration and even some bitterness with frustration and even some bitterness because of the unending conflict entailed because of the unending conflict entailed in being Catrin's mother?in being Catrin's mother?

themetheme

poem is certainly about conflict! poem is certainly about conflict!

begins and ends in conflict. begins and ends in conflict.

A conflict inseparable from love; it's an old A conflict inseparable from love; it's an old rope rope 'Tightening about my life, / Trailing 'Tightening about my life, / Trailing love and conflict'love and conflict'. There is perhaps some . There is perhaps some frustration in the poem's tone - but not frustration in the poem's tone - but not bitterness. The tenderness is seen as all bitterness. The tenderness is seen as all the more intense the more intense because ofbecause of the conflict. the conflict.

IdeasIdeas

The most important idea - the bonds or The most important idea - the bonds or ties between parent and child ties between parent and child

seen in constant two-way tension, binding seen in constant two-way tension, binding together and at the same time pulling together and at the same time pulling apart. The bond is imagined now as a apart. The bond is imagined now as a rope, now as a struggle.rope, now as a struggle.

. the tight / Red rope of love which we both / . the tight / Red rope of love which we both / Fought over.Fought over.

The main image here is of a tug-of-war between The main image here is of a tug-of-war between mother and baby, which is at the same time a mother and baby, which is at the same time a tug-of-love (in a tug-of-war you fight to tug-of-love (in a tug-of-war you fight to pull your pull your antagonist toward youantagonist toward you). ).

Red rope of loveRed rope of love is also the umbilical cord, is also the umbilical cord, which binds mother and baby together but must which binds mother and baby together but must be cut at birth – an image both of dependancy, be cut at birth – an image both of dependancy, and of separation.and of separation.

Neither won nor lost the struggle / In the glass Neither won nor lost the struggle / In the glass tank clouded with feelings ..tank clouded with feelings ..

This recalls the tug-of-war image: now one side This recalls the tug-of-war image: now one side pulling and the other giving way, now the other pulling and the other giving way, now the other way about. way about.

real fights, and feelings may run very high on real fights, and feelings may run very high on either side either side

at the end of the day the struggle between at the end of the day the struggle between parent and child - not about winning or losingparent and child - not about winning or losing

but about change and growth on both sidesbut about change and growth on both sides

imageryimagerybringing up / From the heart's pool that old rope, / Tightening bringing up / From the heart's pool that old rope, / Tightening about my lifeabout my life

image is of a boat in a harbourimage is of a boat in a harbour

tied to the quay by an old rope which is partly submerged - tied to the quay by an old rope which is partly submerged - but pulled up out of the water as the boat is tugged at by the but pulled up out of the water as the boat is tugged at by the tide. tide.

comes up drippingcomes up dripping from the water - suggesting the way that from the water - suggesting the way that every struggle between mother and daughter comes every struggle between mother and daughter comes trailing trailing deep-felt feelingsdeep-felt feelings 'From the heart's pool'.'From the heart's pool'. The rope tightens The rope tightens about the mother's life, constricting it - but also holding it about the mother's life, constricting it - but also holding it safe, like the boat securely tied to the quay side bollard.safe, like the boat securely tied to the quay side bollard.

The poet answers questions posed The poet answers questions posed by teenagers.by teenagers.

Q Q What's the poem about? What's the poem about? A Why did my beautiful baby have to become a A Why did my beautiful baby have to become a teenager. At least, I think that's what it's about. teenager. At least, I think that's what it's about. Q Q What is 'the tight red rope of love'? What is 'the tight red rope of love'? A The umbilical cord. A The umbilical cord. Q Q So what's 'that old rope'? So what's 'that old rope'? A The invisible umbilical cord that ties parents and A The invisible umbilical cord that ties parents and children even when children grow up. I was also children even when children grow up. I was also thinking of the image of a boat tied to a harbour thinking of the image of a boat tied to a harbour wall. The rope is hidden. The boat looks as if it's wall. The rope is hidden. The boat looks as if it's free, but it isn't. free, but it isn't. Q Q Couldn't it be the tug of war between teenager Couldn't it be the tug of war between teenager and parent? and parent? A Brilliant! I hadn't thought of that. It proves that if A Brilliant! I hadn't thought of that. It proves that if you bring your personal experience to a poem you you bring your personal experience to a poem you find ever deeper layers of meaning in the words. find ever deeper layers of meaning in the words.

Q Q Or about letting your child go?Or about letting your child go? A Even more brilliant. A Even more brilliant.

Q Q In the last lines is an image of the daughter In the last lines is an image of the daughter asking to 'skate in the dark for one more hour'. asking to 'skate in the dark for one more hour'. Isn't that the baby in the womb wanting to 'skate in Isn't that the baby in the womb wanting to 'skate in the dark' one more hour before being born?the dark' one more hour before being born? A A beautiful, amazing question! You've seen A A beautiful, amazing question! You've seen something I didn't see when I wrote the poem. It something I didn't see when I wrote the poem. It proves that poems are not carved in stone. proves that poems are not carved in stone. Interpretations change as the world changes. Interpretations change as the world changes. When Catrin was born they didn't scan babies in When Catrin was born they didn't scan babies in the womb. Now we all know what a baby in the the womb. Now we all know what a baby in the womb looks like, so your question gives the words womb looks like, so your question gives the words new meaning. Nobody can stop you reading a new meaning. Nobody can stop you reading a poem in your own way, thank goodness.poem in your own way, thank goodness.

Q Q So what did you mean by skating in the dark?So what did you mean by skating in the dark? A Just that! Children asking if they could stay A Just that! Children asking if they could stay out in the street skating as darkness fell. I chose out in the street skating as darkness fell. I chose the request as an example of the sort of thing the request as an example of the sort of thing children want to do that mothers refuse. I chose children want to do that mothers refuse. I chose it because it was a romantic, poetic request, and it because it was a romantic, poetic request, and I wanted something that showed it is beautiful I wanted something that showed it is beautiful and dangerous to be young. and dangerous to be young.

Q Q Doesn't 'in the dark' mean the mother and Doesn't 'in the dark' mean the mother and daughter have yet to explore their relationship?daughter have yet to explore their relationship? A Wow! Another one I hadn't thought of. Of A Wow! Another one I hadn't thought of. Of course you're right. The language proves it - 'in course you're right. The language proves it - 'in the dark' means not knowing something. the dark' means not knowing something.

Q Q What is 'the glass tank'? What is 'the glass tank'? A The hospital. A The hospital.

Q Q Do the changing traffic lights symbolise Do the changing traffic lights symbolise the progress of labour and changing the progress of labour and changing relationships? relationships? A Another clever idea I hadn't thought of. I A Another clever idea I hadn't thought of. I thought I was describing ordinary life going thought I was describing ordinary life going on in the city while inside the hospital on in the city while inside the hospital momentous events were happening in momentous events were happening in people's lives. people's lives.

Q Q What do you think about students analysing What do you think about students analysing your poems and finding meanings you didn't your poems and finding meanings you didn't intend? intend? A I'm grateful to you for reading them and for A I'm grateful to you for reading them and for revealing to me what you find. Poets write revealing to me what you find. Poets write instinctively, and don't always see every possible instinctively, and don't always see every possible meaning in the words they choose. If you find meaning in the words they choose. If you find something, and prove it with quotations, then it's something, and prove it with quotations, then it's there, and you're right, and don't believe anyone there, and you're right, and don't believe anyone who tells you otherwise.who tells you otherwise. Q Q Could 'that old rope' suggest the chains of DNA Could 'that old rope' suggest the chains of DNA handed down from mother to daughter?handed down from mother to daughter?A It certainly could. When the poem was written A It certainly could. When the poem was written the genetic map had not yet been written, nor had the genetic map had not yet been written, nor had the method of identifying people from their D&A the method of identifying people from their D&A been used. This proves that poetry and language been used. This proves that poetry and language move on, and new meanings can be found.move on, and new meanings can be found.