REMEMBER

REMEMBERTuesday, 17 March 2015BASIC STUFFWhat form of poem is this?How do you know?

List 4 key elements of this form

14 LinesOctave/sestet divisionChange of POV at the VOLTAAbout LoveThe poemRememberRemember me when I am gone away,Gone far away into the silent land;When you can no more hold me by the hand,Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay. Remember me when no more day by dayYou tell me of our future that you planned:Only remember me; you understandIt will be late to counsel then or pray.Yet if you should forget me for a while And afterwards remember, do not grieve:For if the darkness and corruption leaveA vestige of the thoughts that once I had,Better by far you should forget and smileThan that you should remember and be sad.Structure:

14 lines

2 quatrains to the Octave

Then the sestetfollow the punctuation

Quatrain 1Remember me when I am gone away,Gone far away into the silent land;When you can no more hold me by the hand,Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.

The focus of the poem is the opening word. We will explore the idea of memory.Repeated but strengthened suggesting the finality of deatheuphemism1st person focus2nd character introducedQuatrain 2Remember me when no more day by dayYou tell me of our future that you planned:Only remember me; you understandIt will be late to counsel then or pray.

Reinforces the subject under discussion2nd character seems to be controlling not nec bad thingNot asking much no need to memorialiseConsider : why are these words set in opposition? What is suggested?After the VOLTAYet if you should forget me for a while And afterwards remember, do not grieve:For if the darkness and corruption leaveA vestige of the thoughts that once I had,Better by far you should forget and smileThan that you should remember and be sad.

Highlights a new direction of thought1st part of conditional sentenceImperative: strengthConditional is completed. The poem has totally changed direction.IDEAS?LOVE AND LOSSAttitudes to loveCompare with sonnet 116. Here love should include allowing a partner to forget a kindness. Shakespeare will suggest that love lasts until the edge of doom.Nature of the relationship the 2nd character is controlling. Does the first voice complain or simply comment?Find links with other poems in the anthology