Mother, Any Distance

"Mother, Any Distance" by Simon Armitage

Context

Simon Armitage is a contemporary British poet who became the UK's Poet Laureate in 2019. "Mother, Any Distance" is from his 1993 collection "Book of Matches." The poem reflects on the changing dynamics of the relationship between a mother and her child as the child grows up and seeks independence.

The Poem

Mother, any distance greater than a single span

requires a second pair of hands.

You come to help me measure windows, pelmets, doors,

the acres of the walls, the prairies of the floors.

← Imagery

You at the zero-end, me with the spool of tape, recording

←Metaphor.

length, reporting metres, centimetres back to base, then leaving

up the stairs, the line still feeding out, unreeling

years between us. Anchor. Kite.

← Symbolism

I space-walk through the empty bedrooms, climb

← Extended Metaphor

the ladder to the loft, to breaking point, where something

has to give;

two floors below your fingertips still pinch

the last one-hundredth of an inch... I reach

towards a hatch that opens on an endless sky

to fall or fly.

My father thought it bloody queer,

the day I rolled home with a ring of silver in my ear

half hidden by a mop of hair. 'You've lost your head.

If that's how easily you're led

you should've had it through your nose instead.'

And even then I hadn't had the nerve to numb

the lobe with ice, then drive a needle through the skin,

then wear a safety-pin. It took a jeweller's gun

to pierce the flesh, and then a friend

to thread a sleeper in, and where it slept

the hole became a sore, became a wound, and wept.

← Juxtaposition

5 quotes + analysis to achieve a grade 9

1. Language Device = Metaphor. "You at the zero-end, me with the spool of tape"

• Analysis: The metaphor of the mother at the "zero-end" and the child with the "spool of tape" symbolises the bond and connection between them. The measuring tape represents the lifeline and support the mother provides, even as the child moves away.

2. Language Device = Imagery. "the acres of the walls, the prairies of the floors"

• Analysis: The expansive imagery of "acres" and "prairies" emphasises the vastness of the task and the emotional journey of growing up. This suggests that moving towards independence can feel overwhelming and immense.

3. Language Device = Symbolism. "Anchor. Kite."

• Analysis: The mother is symbolised as the "anchor," providing stability and grounding, while the child is the "kite," seeking freedom and flight. This contrast highlights the tension between dependency and independence.

4. Language Device = Extended Metaphor. "I space-walk through the empty bedrooms, climb / the ladder to the loft"

• Analysis: The extended metaphor of "space-walk" and "climbing the ladder" suggests exploration and the unknown. It reflects the child's journey towards independence and the uncertainties involved in this transition.

5. Language Device = Juxtaposition. "to fall or fly"

• Analysis: The juxtaposition of "fall" and "fly" captures the potential outcomes of the child's journey towards independence. It reflects the risks and possibilities inherent in seeking autonomy, emphasising the pivotal moment of leaving the safety of home.

Form & Structure Points to Mention for Top Grades

• Sonnet Form: The poem is a modern sonnet, reflecting a traditional structure with contemporary themes.
  • Effect: This form highlights the timeless nature of the parent-child relationship while addressing modern aspects of growing up and independence.
• Enjambment: The use of enjambment creates a flowing, continuous rhythm throughout the poem.
  • Effect: This technique mirrors the ongoing nature of the relationship and the gradual process of gaining independence.
• Single Stanza: The poem is composed of a single stanza, symbolising the continuous and unbroken bond between mother and child.
  • Effect: This structure emphasises the enduring connection and the seamless nature of their relationship, even as it evolves.

Example Paragraph for a Grade 9 Answer:

In "Mother, Any Distance," Simon Armitage presents the theme of independence through the metaphor of measuring a new house, which symbolises the child's journey towards self-reliance. The poem opens with the direct address, "Mother, any distance greater than a single span / requires a second pair of hands," highlighting the initial dependence on the mother. The imagery of measuring "windows, pelmets, doors," and the "acres of the walls, the prairies of the floors" emphasises the vastness of the task and the mother's crucial role in it. As the poem progresses, the tape measure becomes a metaphor for the passage of time and the growing distance between them, with the mother as the "anchor" and the child as the "kite." The climactic moment occurs when the speaker reaches the "breaking point" at the loft, signifying the critical juncture of seeking independence. The final image of the mother's fingertips pinching "the last one-hundredth of an inch" and the speaker reaching "towards a hatch that opens on an endless sky" encapsulates the tension between holding on and letting go, with the outcome of "fall or fly" symbolising the uncertainty and potential of newfound independence. Through these literary devices, Armitage effectively captures the complexities of the mother-child relationship and the bittersweet nature of gaining independence.