1. Select three examples of personification from the poem ‘Nettles’ and in each case explain why they are examples of personification rather than metaphors.
2. The poet ends the poem by saying, ‘My son would often feel sharp wounds again’. Which of the following options best explains what the poet meant? Explain your choice. A. His son would probably fall into the nettle bed again. B. He cannot protect his son from the suffering which life brings. C. Nettles are almost impossible to eliminate from a garden.
3. Vernon Scannell fought in World War Two. What images from the poem are connected to his experience as a soldier fighting an enemy? Comment on each image you select, paying careful attention to word choice.
4. The word ‘enjambment’ (also spelled ‘enjambement’) refers to the continuation of one line of verse into the next line without a pause. This creates flow and sometimes gives a sense of urgency or overflowing emotion to the poem. These lines are often referred to as ‘run-on lines’ because they seem to run over the end of the line into the next. Identify an example of enjambment in this poem and comment on why you think the poet uses it. Making Connections 5. Compare the theme of ‘Nettles’ by Vernon Scannell to the theme of ‘Praise Song for My Mother’, by Grace Nichols on page 79.
6. What are the differences in punctuation, rhyme, rhythm and structure in ‘Nettles’ and ‘Praise Song for My Mother’?