1. River
Carol Anne Duffy

2. Summary
The poem is about someone who has been waiting to find the life of her life. She is waiting by the river – which creates a romantic setting.
Her past relationships have been boring and sometimes upsetting, and she talks about a ‘dry’ place where she searched for a love for a long time.
The river is used to represent refreshing and rejuvenating a relationship. It washes away any bad memories or regrets.
At the end of the poem, she eventually meets the life of her life and is finally happy.

3. Poetic Techniques – Stanza 1
Down by the river, under the trees, love waits for me –
Use of the caesura indicates that love is waiting for her, but you don’t know where he is.
‘Down by the rivers, under the trees,’ –
Very romantic imagery, creates a romantic and peaceful setting. This is important as it creates a hopeful atmosphere, waiting at such a beautiful setting.
‘I part the leaves,’
She lets the rain in, so it is refreshing and rejuvenating the relationship. It is bringing new life to the relationship.

4. Poetic Techniques – Stanza 2
‘The river stirs and turns, consoling and fondling itself,’
The personification of the river can also be seen as refreshing the relationship, making it new again. Consoling suggests that someone had been hurt or upset in some way.
‘Grey as a secret,’
Simile - Grey is dull and boring, which suggests that her relationship is also boring. Secret also has negative connotations. This can be linked to the ‘consoling,’ her previous partners could have lied to her or hurt her.
‘The heron bows it head,’
This could be seen as a sign of shame – so linked to the need for consoling.

5. Poetic Techniques – Stanza 3
‘I drop my past onto the grass,’
Figurative language - Shows how tired she is, and how relieved she is to be rid of all the emotional problems she’s had. It also emphasises that she’s had bad relationships in the past, as she’s happy to let it go.
‘My arms ache as though they held up the heavy sky,’
Reference to Atlas in Greek mythology, who was tricked into holding up the sky. This could suggest the relationship was based on lies, or she feels guilty about being in the relationship.
‘My eyes sieve the sky,’
Metaphor – Suggests she is lonely and constantly looking for comfort. Also creates a quite lonely atmosphere.

6. Poetic Techniques – Stanza 4
against window glass all night as my eyes sieved the stars;
open my mouth, wordless at last meeting love at last
Use of enjambment to emphasize how surprised she’s found love at last.
‘Dry from travelling from so long,’
Dry is a contrast from the river setting, which is very peaceful and obviously full of water. This represents the fact she’s being waiting for a long time, and her life has been barren and boring while she’s been waiting for love.
‘I feel love come to my arms and cover my mouth,’
Could be a metaphor for a kiss.

7. Poetic Techniques – Stanza 5
‘I feel my soul swoop and ease itself into my skin, like a bird threading a river,’
Simile – Used to emphasise she knows feels comfortable in her skin, that now she’s found love everything is complete.
‘See who you are I have come this far to find, the love of my life,’
The caesura emphasises the fact she has finally found the love of her life, and she has finally found what she’s looking for.