We have studied two poems Follower and STRONGMAN. These two poems are from two different cultures Follower was written by Seamus Heaney from Ireland whilst STRONGMAN was written by Tony Curtis from Wales. Both poems share the same

Authors Avatar

Gawahir Osman

Poetry Coursework

Poetry of Different Cultures

We have studied two poems “Follower” and “STRONGMAN”. These two poems are from two different cultures “Follower” was written by Seamus Heaney from Ireland whilst “STRONGMAN” was written by Tony Curtis from Wales. Both poems share the same theme of a son’s relationship with his father. They both demonstrate two different ways of life.

The first poem “Follower” looks back at the work of a father from his son’s point of view. The title “Follower” makes you think of someone admiring another person or following someone. Also when I read the title “Follower” makes you think if there’s a follower then there must be a leader.

The first stanza is written in past tense “worked”. It tells us the fathers occupation and know we realise the poem is written by the son. The second line “His shoulders globed like a full sail strung”. This quote is a simile and a metaphor and, is describing how the father was a strong broad man, and also how his shoulders “globed” were rounded like a boat’s “full sail” when he worked with the horse-plough. Also it creates imagery, you can imagine the father with big muscular shoulders “Between the shafts and the furrow” this means part of the machine and dug out bits from the ground (soil). “The horses strained at his clicking tongue.” This implies that he is a skilled worker, as all he has to do is click his tongue and the horses strained for him.

In the second stanza the son describes the father as “An expert.” That his skilled at what he does, his a professional because he knows what he is doing exactly, he is also proud of his father as he is very good at his job. “The sod rolled over without breaking.” This shows that his so skilled that he turns the soil perfectly in straight lines without making one mistake, this also shows how hard he has worked to become such an expert at his job.

Join now!

In the Third Stanza, “the sweating team” This quote describes the horses hard at work, in the fields. “His eye narrowed and angled at the ground, mapping the furrow exactly.” This quote describes his father trying to get the plough fields exact and spending time to make it neat and accurate, it also shows how concentrated he was while doing his job and, how he was exactly mapping where he wanted the furrow to be.

In these first three stanzas the son is talking about his father, describing what he does and how he does it. In the first stanza he talks ...

This is a preview of the whole essay