James Keir Baxter was born in 1926, in Dunedin, New Zealand Baxter become one of New Zealands finest

poets and most controversial figures In his short life he produced a huge number of poems, plays, literary criticism and social/religious commentary His father was Archibald Baxter, who was one of New Zealands better-known pacifist from the First World War Baxter took an interest in poetry from an early age His first collection of poems where published in 1944, when he was only 18 He was deeply influenced by the Romantic poets and classical mythology

After visiting India in 1959, he returned to New Zealand, deeply concerned with the poor and social inequality an idea he showed through his poems His strong judgements of society were often harsh and were not always well received Baxter died of a heart attack on 22 October 1972.

Different kind of title very direct Written in past tense reflection Written is second person author describing the death of someone else Idea of Death universal idea Poem is one stanza long (written on two pages but actually one stanza) Tone is dull and slow References to nature and water Free Verse

Elegy A sad and thoughtful poem lamenting the death of a person. Lamenting passionate expression of grief. Elegy For my Fathers Father

Poem about sorrow and praise Sorrow for the death but praise for his life.

Title very direct. Targeted at one specific person. Dedicated to fathers father male dominance

Fathers Father Grandfather not used. Creates more of a distance. Distant relationship or generation cycle. Adds more to the age.

Death natural process Remembrance of the past Grief/Praise Time Aging Skill Seasons change Phases of life

cairn - A mound of rough stones built as

a memorial or landmark, typically on a hilltop. Burial mound made of stones. aaronsrod flowering shrub sods surface of the ground held together by matted roots burning-glass magnifying-glass boughs the main large branch of a tree

He knew in the hour he died That his heart had never spoken
He personal pronoun Used to refer specifically to the authors Fathers Father in the hour he died didnt know before of after Point of realisation stuck in a period of realisation Long death peaceful or painful? died strong with more impact instead of passed away his heart had never spoken personification the fathers father never truly expressed his real feelings or emotions He was more reserved and detached that was his personality heart centre of emotions and essential organ for life The human heart feels things the eyes cannot see, and knows what the mind cannot understand had never spoken silenced/unemotional The heart has not functioned it part he underestimated his feelings but realised too late Masculine character strong figure linked to the tall tower

In eighty years of days O for the tall tower broken

eighty years of days used instead of eight years of life Each day was unique and a challenge for Baxters grandfather Draws out the time adds to the distance shown in the title O for the tall tower broken tall tower metaphor for life. Life is a process of different events that help us to grow, physically in height and emotionally to build our knowledge. The floors of a building are the ages of life the taller the tower, the more experience a person is in life and the older they are broken when things are falling apart linked to the point of realisation eighty years of days links to the use of the tall tower tall tower alliteration. Added to exaggerate the length of life tower usually seen as something strong and sturdy, and characteristics linked to males With the addition of broken it implies how life is unexpected and can fall apart

They stood by the graveside From his bitter veins born And mourned him in their fashion
they stood by the graveside//And mourned him in their fashion The theme of death is present as the author is talking about the burial of his grandfather The family members were finding it difficult to mourn for his death as they all mourned him in their fashion The family members did not actually know how the grandfather wanted to be farewelled as his heart had never spoken, he hadnt expressed what he wanted of felt. From his bitter veins born bitter resulting from grief, anguish and disappointment. Links back to the heart had never spoken The grandfather felt bitter after he knew in the hour he died//that his heart had never spoken

He could slice and build On his walking shoulder held Under the lion sun
He could slice and build A more active time in life active verbs slice/build Prime stage for him Author is praising the grandfather for his skill and commitment Adds a slight more positive tone for this section of the poem Linked to summer A stage in life where we are most active Contrasts what's on the next slide On his walking shoulder held Metaphor Carrying the load on his shoulders carrying the pressures of life along with him Being the man of the family having to stay strong as the masculine figure and carry more of the load. lion a strong authoritative/dominant figure Linked to the tall tower summer season linked to the life cycle

When he was old and blind He sat in a curved chair

old and blind aging Live is catching up to Baxter Capability to be the strong figure fading When past tense reflection of what used to happen before the grandfather passed away sat in a curved chair Contrasts the active words mentioned in the previous slide As the time is coming nearer to the cold Winter of end, things are becoming progressively slower the tone is transferred back to being dull sat enhances the grandfathers incapability Reflects the old age of inability in contrast to the prime age of activeness

The tongues of water spoke And his heart was unafraid

tongues of water spoke personification Another person of his conscience talking to him in his dreams Reminding him that all this time the grandfather had been able to keep the emotions bolted in and now death shouldnt be something to bring them out Baxters fathers father was aware of the cycle of life shown through the various seasons This aided his heart to be unafraid water also has its own cycle, like the life cycle It is an essential element for life, like the heart The heart and water are both natural aspects of life Baxter uses these aspects to explain how natural death comes as a process of life Despite the grandfathers failure to express feelings, he was sensitive to his experiences of the natural world around him.

The Cycle of Life Shown through the seasons which are metaphorically mentioned in the poem.
flowering cherry tree flowering coming into life/blossoming New beginning, being re-born, new hope Reminder that beautiful things must be enjoyed and appreciated in life before it is too late Shows the stage in life when we are born and coming into life Under the lion sun lion a strong authoritative/dominant figure A leader someone others follow Again linked to the tall tower sun summer a time for growth and development Represents a time of growth and development as humans youthful days

The Cycle of Life Shown through the seasons which are metaphorically mentioned in the poem.
The winter world in their hand. winter time of reflection Usually refer to wet, cold, suffering, destruction, freezing The end of time and life Period of coldness, misery and death Remembering the past but also shows wisdom Boughs oh heaven folding/leaves the wind had shaken boughs largest branch of a tree grandfather was the support system of the family Autumn is the season which things slow down, to enjoy the time remaining A time to appreciate the things in life that remain before winter arrives Again, the symbols of nature also shows how the fathers father had a keen awareness of the cycle of life this enabled him to be unafraid of death

The poem is just one stanza long (even though it is on two pages it is actually one stanza) The stanza consists of 38 lines The use of one long stanza represents life as one long process it is continuous It starts from the beginning and finishes at the very end there are no pauses between life just like there are no gaps between the lines of the poem The length of the lines have no pattern and there is no rhyming scheme showing how life is not structured. It is random with no automatic pattern it can follow Through the in-depth interpretation, the author has tired to draw on audiences attention towards the deeper meanings of life, if they even is one

Follower Seamus Heaney Praise Song for My Mother Grace Nichols A Dream William Allingham My Parents Stephen Spender