1. By D.H Lawrence (from Unseen Poetry and Prose – Suzanne Choo)
Piano
By D.H Lawrence
(from Unseen Poetry and Prose – Suzanne Choo)

2. Speaker’s childhood Speakers listens to piano and recalls his past
Belongs to warm and stable family
“old Sunday evenings … with winter outside”
Contrast used to amplify security felt in warm home setting
Family sang hymns together indicates union of its members
Strong Christian background shows stability

3. Speaker’s childhood Close relationship with mother
Poem begins with recollection of his mother
Misses her and recalls how he used to sit and loved to be in her presence – posture of security
“pressing the small, poised feet” shows sense of touch and closeness
Aura around her of grace and beauty
Adoration and admiration –watches her as she plays

4. Mood of the poem 1st stanza – nostalgic
Recalling past and cozy atmosphere
Metaphor “the vista of years” compares the events of his life to a long road indicating how far in time he is recalling

5. Sound devises and imagery to convey mood
Repetition of the ‘s’ consonant in phrase “who smiles as she sings” complements the soft, gentle music of the piano
Sense of sadness created as he misses her
Onomatopoeia used in the lines “the boom of the tingling strings”
Contrast clear tingling of piano to loud booming background
Shows gentle, peaceful atmosphere of the security of home

6. Imagery to convey mood Nostalgia intensifies
“the insidious mastery of song” indicates the overwhelming power of the music
“till the heart of me weeps”shows the extent of his being moved by his memories
Mood is depressing and sad as tone intensifies to a passionate cry for his lost past

7. Imagery to convey mood
Climax “I weep like a child for the past” (simile)
Unable to control emotions any longer and breaks down
Speaker compares himself to a child, shows openness and childlike sincerity
Stuck in the present but like the child, he longs to return to security and warmth of his past

8. Childhood termed as glamour
“Glamour” suggests beauty and grace
Childhood is glamorous because it is one of security and beauty
‘Grace’ refers to the graceful quality of the speaker’s mother
Delicate and fragile frame complements singing and tingling sounds

9. Childhood termed as glamour
Last two lines are ironic
Recalls glamorous past yet breaks down crying loudly
“So now it is vain for the singer to burst into clamour” indicates crying that is so loud and boisterous that it overpowers singing and background music.
Overwhelming longing – tears compared to ‘flood’ and ‘cast’ indicates strength of his emotion destroying his façade of pride

10. Title of Piano Instrument which links speaker’s present to his past
Symbolic of 2 main things he longs for in his past:
His mother. Recalls security and warmth of her presence. Admires her for her grace and beauty. Strong respect for her.
Cozy, warm atmosphere of home. ‘Child’ repeated, desires simplicity and innocence.

11. ‘Betrays’ reflecting speaker’s attitude
Strong word indicating sense of frustration
Unable to stop himself from recalling his past
Shows how overwhelming, how deep, his longing to return to his past is
Suggests how different and perhaps how unhappy his present life is compared to his past
“In spite of myself” – lack of self control
“Insidious mastery” – subtle effect of music