Mean Time - Carol Anne Duffy

I am currently studying Carol Anne Duffy and thought I would share with you my thoughts about her poems. Sorry if they arnt in this book, didnt know where to put them! Carol Anne Duffy Poems Before you were mine This poem is written as if a daughter is speaking to her mother. She is asking what she was like before she was born. Duffy recognises sacrifice her mother made bringing her up. The powerful use of Synaethesia, the mixing of senses is very effective. I particularly like the use of words comparing her mother to Marilyn Monroe, an iconic figure of the 70's. Anne Hathaway This poem tells the story of ...

The surname Duffy always reminds me of my schooldays, as there was someone called that in my year – in fact there was a whole family of Duffys (or would that be a family of Duffies?). The Duffy I knew was notorious - the bad boy of the school according to the teachers, but loved by the kids as he had a certain charm and cheekiness. I’m fairly sure Carol Ann Duffy is no relation, and I can’t imagine she was the ‘bad girl’ in the school, but whenever I read her poetry, or go to one of her readings, I’m always reminded of this nonetheless. …and yet… there IS a kind of cheekiness to her poetry. The first ...

Having to study poetry as part of my A level course was not something I was particularly looking forward to, as I have never been a big poetry fan. However, Carol Ann Duffy's poems have something about them that is different to most modern poetry. Her memories of childhood and all of the emotions and fellings that goes with it bring back memories for everybody-the way kids get bored on Saturday afternoons (Stafford Afternoons), a lounge room full of your mother's friends talking about everybody else or the way you remember the number 1 songs of the day and what was on TV, rather than what was happening in the world(Captain of the 1964 Top of the Form team) ...