The Unseen Poetry Question

The BVC Way

No need to panic…

Many people think that the unseen poetry question is difficult, a trial and a total nightmare.

They are wrong.

It is really rather straightforward.

1) Know what the question is asking

“What are the poet’s feelings towards war and how does he express them?”

What – general words to describe

How - the poetic techniques used

2) Put WHAT and HOW on either side

A Dead BocheTo you who’d read my songs of War And only hear of blood and fame, I’ll say (you’ve heard it said before) ”War’s Hell!” and if you doubt the same, Today I found in Mametz WoodA certain cure for lust of blood:

Where, propped against a shattered trunk, In a great mess of things unclean, Sat a dead Boche; he scowled and stunk With clothes and face a sodden green,Big-bellied, spectacled, crop-haired, Dribbling black blood from nose and beard.

What How

3) Start annotating

A Dead BocheTo you who’d read my songs of War And only hear of blood and fame, I’ll say (you’ve heard it said before) ”War’s Hell!” and if you doubt the same, Today I found in Mametz WoodA certain cure for lust of blood:

Where, propped against a shattered trunk, In a great mess of things unclean, Sat a dead Boche; he scowled and stunk With clothes and face a sodden green,Big-bellied, spectacled, crop-haired, Dribbling black blood from nose and beard.

What How

Angry at those people who think war is glorious.

The use of the second person “you” seems confrontational and aggressive.

He thinks that war is torturous, painful and evil.

The metaphor of “hell” suggest that he thinks war has evil connotations and is a place of death, perhaps for the soul as well as the body.

4) Come up with at least 5 WHATSAngry

Sees war as painful

Sees war as destructive

Sees war as shocking and grotesque

Sees war as undignified

5) Put them into PEE E paragraphsThe poet seems to think that war is a painful, torturous thing. He uses the metaphor of “War’s Hell!” to suggest that, perhaps, as well as losing life in war, you can also lose your soul. The fact that the metaphor is in direct speech marks emphasises the fact that he is saying it: it is a strong comment from the heart. Essentially, it could be argued that he sees war as the epitome of evil: there is nothing worse.

6) Go home in the knowledge that you have done well!

• POETIC TECHNIQUES

• POINT EVIDENCE EXPLANATION EXTEND

• SUGGESTS

• HIGHLIGHTS