Abundant Poet Isobel Dixon Essay Example

stanza six, as they disregard their mother's instructions regarding water usage. In stanza seven, the poet reflects on her present adult life, where she now has the means to enjoy water up to her chin. Finally, in stanza eight, the poet yearns for her childhood and empathizes with her mother's feelings, having achieved what she desires but missing simpler times.

The poet employs the metaphor of things being held together to convey her perspective on the family's poverty. This metaphor is evident in words like 'clasp', 'snapping', 'anchored', 'locks' and 'straps'. The mention of 'clasp' portrays the image of something being firmly closed and secured. In the poem, the clasp symbolizes the strong bond that holds the family together and prevents complete chaos. On the other hand, 'snapping' suggests that there is an element of uncontrollability. Through the description of 'Her lips stretched back and anchored down', it is revealed that the children only witness their mother sad and displeased.

When something is securely fixed in place, it is extremely challenging to move. An anchor serves the purpose of immobilizing a heavy object. All of the mother's concerns represent that weighty object, which requires significant effort to keep in check and prevent from escaping.

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Locks and straps are objects that possess a threshold for withstanding tension until they give way. All of these terms imply that things have reached a breaking point.

The children's mother is struggling to maintain the stability of her family. Through the use of lists and indirect language, the poet depicts the family's destitution. For instance, she employs indirect language when she states, "upon its griffin claws, was

never full." This line implies that they lacked sufficient water in their bath, indicating their impoverished circumstances. To manage their finances, the mother keeps track of what they can and cannot afford through a list: "Sums and worries, shopping lists." Additionally, she uses enjambment between the two stanzas to separate the list into items related to her actions and those necessitated for her family's sustenance.

The children in the poem are portrayed as if they are orchestrating a plot against their mother, as they were only allowed to have necessities for survival. This encompassed items like aspirin, porridge, petrol, bread, and even toilet paper.

The poet depicts the mother in a way that suggests she purposefully denies the children what they desire, as reflected in the phrase 'We thought her mean'. Meanwhile, the children contribute minimal effort to assist the mother, evidenced by their avoidance of chores, pilfering of biscuits, and taking more than allotted. These actions paint a picture of carefree and content children who either do not notice their surroundings or deliberately turn a blind eye. The word 'stole' conveys the notion of children being instructed not to acquire something, yet choosing to do so regardless, seemingly to test their ability to evade consequences.

The children were aware that they were not supposed to have any more water, but they still decided to take some regardless. Forbidden fruits always taste the sweetest. They view their mother as an adversary and intentionally disobey her authority, specifically when she is not within earshot. The poet employs a personal perspective to indicate that the mother was not only faced with defiance from one of her

children, but from all of them. The poet uses metaphors to illustrate the mother's emotional state, such as "such plenty was too dear in our expanse of drought where dams leaked dry and windmills stalled. Like mommy's smile." This implies that the children are not oblivious to their mother's unhappiness; they notice that she is smiling less frequently and assume that there is a shortage of smiles, similar to the scarcity of water. They are perplexed about the reason behind this lack of happiness.

The mother conceals all the troubles from her children, but they are aware of the situation. The mother's emotional state is described as 'quiet despair'; she attempts to hide the financial struggles from her children. However, her children do not comprehend why she is constantly worried and occasionally angered. The poet employs enjambment at the end of a line to further emphasize this anger. In the following stanza, the poet begins with 'of mine, I thought', which initially serves as a general statement, but becomes more specific. Through the use of enjambment, the poet expresses uncertainty about what exactly upsets her mother. Initially, the poet believes it is related to her and her sibling's behavior. Additionally, the poet portrays the child's adult life and reflects upon the challenges her mother encountered.

The poet portrays the woman as living a life of opulence and prosperity, as indicated by her luxurious surroundings. She takes great pleasure in her newfound affluence and the freedom it brings, allowing her to indulge in every desire without restraint. The poet strategically employs terms such as 'lap', 'cascade', 'plentiful', and 'excess' to convey a sense of abundance and lavishness. 'Lap'

creates an image of a generous body of water, while 'cascade' evokes a powerful flow akin to a waterfall. Meanwhile, 'plentiful' and 'excess' emphasize the idea that she possesses more than what is necessary for her satisfaction.

She is no longer deprived of material possessions and does not have to endure suffering. Now, she possesses heating that prevents her from experiencing coldness. Additionally, she has access to an abundant supply of water from her opulent 'fat brass taps'. These taps release a copious amount of water, allowing her to indulge in a luxurious lifestyle. In the final two stanzas, the poet conveys through sound and word selection the abundance she now enjoys. However, she also expresses remorse for not being able to provide her mother with the same level of comfort. The poet's memory portrays her mother as a cold and unyielding figure, symbolizing the absence of luxury in her past life.

All that remains in the children's memories is her stern expression. Many of her cherished moments occurred in the bathroom, where she likely had the most enjoyable experiences with her sisters. The poet incorporates sibilance to depict them as "scattered sisters," indicating a disconnection from them. Regret permeates this sentiment, as she confesses to leaving the heating on. Moreover, through enjambment, she expresses her longing for her dispersed sisters, establishing a connection between these sentiments.

The speaker in the poem 'Plenty' expresses a desire to share her luxuries with others, feeling regretful that she was once thought of as mean. Reflecting on the past, she now understands the significance of her mother's presence and wishes she could have enjoyed the luxuries together. Throughout the poem, memories

from childhood emerge in various forms, including feelings of egret and guilt.

The poet effectively communicates emotions and messages through her language, successfully depicting the realities of life in poverty. Within the poem, the children displayed a complete lack of awareness regarding their mother's struggles. This emphasizes how children are not always consciously seeking to confront difficult situations. Despite witnessing their mother's sadness manifest in her behavior at times, they chose to maintain a facade of happiness and a harmonious home environment, as depicted by the line 'Where dams leaked dry and windmills stalled. Like mommy's smile'.