1. Did you ever injure yourself when you were younger? 2. Who did you go to for comfort? 3. What did this person do to comfort you? 4. Have you ever been stung by a nettle? Describe how it felt.
Understand
1. What happened to the poet’s son when he was three? 2. Why does the poet think ‘bed’ is a curious name for the nettles? 3. What did the poet do after his son offered him a watery grin? 4. What happened two weeks later?
5. Work with a partner to list all of the military imagery that you can fi nd in this poem.
Explore
1. Do you think ‘Nettles’ is an appropriate title for this poem? Give a reason for your answer.
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2. What do you think the poet means by the line ‘My son would often feel sharp wounds again’?
3. Choose a poem that you have studied that deals with a brave or heroic moment. Name the poet and give the title of the poem. How did the poet convey this moment of heroic bravery to the readers?
Create
1. (a) Write a speech about the importance of friends and family in the space provided on pages 70–71 of your Portfolio. (For information on speeches see pages 42–43.)
(b) Redraft your speech in the space provided on pages 94–95 of your Portfolio. (c) Read your speech to the class.
