Structure
How many stanzas are there in Poem at thirty-nine?
There are six stanzas.
What is the aim of the poem?
Walker's aim is to express her feelings for her dead father.
Find examples of imagery of cooking and explain what it represents.
“Tossing, seasoning” ; imagery of cooking, love and emotions through shared meals/good food
Give an example of a metaphor.
“Seasoning none of my life the same way twice”
The short lines force the speaker onward at a quick pace.
What is the rhyme scheme in Poem at thirty-nine?
There is no rhyme scheme.
Walker wants the poem to sound like a .... of thought.
Train
Find money imagery in the poem.
2nd stanza: "deposit slips" "checks" "bits of paper"
Find an oxymoron in the poem.
“Dancing in a yoga meditation“
How does the 1st line introduce us immediately to the theme of the poem?
The 1st line of the poem is a blunt declaration of feelings, with a strong sense of missing her father, that later echoes throughout the poem.
What verse did Walker write her poem in?
The poem is written in free verse.
What are the main themes of the poem?
The themes are childhood, nostalgia, memory and loss.
Find a visual imagery reprensenting the poet’s father and explain what is therefore emphasised about him.
“He cooked like a person dancing in a yoga meditation and craved the voluptuous sharing of good food” ; emphasising her fathers’ good characteristic, how joyful, cheerful and merry he was ; strong, positive imagery
Find a rule of three in the poem.
“Cooking, writing, chopping wood”
How does the poet involve the readers ?
The poet tries to convey the complicated feelings that everyone feels towards their parents. She expressed how her father would be proud of her now and recalls things he would do in order to show her sense of regret, even guilt for the readers to be grateful of their parents.
What role do the short stanzas throughout the poem have?
Short lines convey the message of each stanza.
As Walker reflects on her relationship with her dead father, what feelings does she express?
Walker expresses feelings of loss and nostalgia.
“seasoning none of my life the same way twice; happy to feed whoever strays my way” ; what does this quote show about the poet’s life and attitude?
This quote shows she grew up to look just like her father; here, she explains she is free and impulsive, living her life exactly the way she desires.
Find a repetition in the poem.
“How I miss my father”
What tone does Walker use to express her feelings?
Walker uses a sorrowful, regretful, personal, relaxed tone.
How does the poet accentuate a sense of remembrance?
The use of enjambment accentuates a sense of remembrance.
What is the meaning behind the title of the poem?
The title refers to the significant age at which Walker felt the loss of her father.
Find a metaphor in the beginning of the 5th stanza of the poem. Who does it represent?
The metaphor "brain light" represents Walker's father.
What do the multiple enjambements illustrate ?
The enjambements highlight the poet’s chain of thoughts as she writes the poem.
The author invites the reader into her most private life. What effect does that have on the reader?
The reader becomes reverent and develops a feeling of empathy.