My Father Thought it Queer: Exploring Parent-Child Relationships

poem has a clear formal structure with three line stanzas, which have a loose rhyme scheme, 'moors/doors' and 'fear/ tears.' The poem also has internal rhyme such as 'occur/ blur.' The irregular metre is interrupted by caesura and flows using enjambment making seem very jerky which relates to the disturbing atmosphere.

The poem explores the gap between reality and appearance. At no point do the Parents say that what the Women says did not happen but tells her that she had misunderstood things or not quite remembered as they were.The Parents reassurance is often unconvincing as the use of commas and caesura show hesitation in the Parent's voice.The poem, 'The Affliction of Margaret,' explores the relationship between a Mother and her son or child and the emotions that evolve around this.

This is a sort of letter to her son asking him what he has been doing and where he is. She talks of how we was a model child, 'ingenuous, innocent and bold.' She used to worry that she was neglecting him and the reason for not returning is due to him being ashamed or unsuccessful. The poem begins and ends with a request to her son to return.The poem has 11 stanzas, with seven lines in each, the number of years he has been gone.

It is written in a regular pattern with an (ABABCCC) rhyme scheme.On My First Sonne is about a Father grieving for the death of his first Son. He believes he has sinned and that his sin is that he loved his Son too much. This menacing in a way as it is a confusing or immoral as it is

strange too think a man could believe his Son died because he loved him too much.The poem is written in iambic pentameter using rhyming couplets at the end of each line. By using enjambment, the poem flows smoothly as he the Father laments towards his Son, who he believes has been taken from him.

'On My First Sonne' and 'The Affliction of Margaret', are similar in that they both the Parents lament for the loss of their child. The word affliction, means annoyance or curse, which would seem to show that the Mother thought it was her own fault that he left. In 'On My First Sonne,' the Father believed that his Son was lent to him by God, but because he over loved him he was taken away.The poems 'We Remember Your Childhood Well' and 'My Father Thought it bloody Queer,' are also similar in their themes, which evolve around the confrontations between Parent and Child. However, 'My Father thought it bloody Queer', is light hearted as the Child takes the points from his Father and realises that his rebellious streak was immature and not such a great idea. 'We Remember Your Childhood Well', on the other hand is very disturbing as the confrontation is very much more personal and has a hidden story behind it of sickening acts.

'The Affliction of Margaret', 'We Remember Your Childhood Well' and 'On My First Sonne' have hidden stories behind the initial one. They seem to be disturbing or some other vile act has taken place that the reader does not read or understand.The poets use enjambment and caesura to create a more menacing or blissful poem altogether. Other

methods are also used to hide a story or build suspense as to what could have happened.