Degna Stone (Leaving Cert English): Revision Notes
Swimming
About the poet and poem
Degna Stone is a contemporary poet and editor based in North East England, originally from the Midlands. She has established herself as a significant voice in modern poetry, having co-founded the literary magazine Butcher's Dog and serving as a contributing editor at The Rialto. Her literary achievements include receiving the Northern Writers' Award in 2015 and securing fellowships such as those at Hawthornden.
The poem "Swimming" appears in Stone's debut full collection titled "Proof of Life on Earth," published by Nine Arches Press in 2022. This poem is specifically listed in the table of contents and has been selected for study at Leaving Certificate Ordinary Level.
Collection context and themes
Understanding the broader context of Stone's collection helps illuminate the poem's deeper meanings. "Proof of Life on Earth" explores several interconnected themes that centre around lived, physical experience. The collection examines the heart both as a metaphor for emotion and as a medical reality, addresses issues of race and discrimination, and investigates the relationship between body, mind, and self.
When you read "Swimming" within this context, you can better understand how the poem explores concepts of resilience, identity, and the physical experience of existing in the world. The act of swimming becomes more than just movement through water - it represents how we navigate life's challenges and find our place in sometimes resistant environments.
How to approach the poem
When analysing "Swimming," follow a systematic approach that examines different layers of meaning:
Systematic Analysis Framework:
Voice and perspective: Start by identifying who is speaking and to whom. Consider whether the voice feels personal (using "I") or more collective in nature. Pay attention to what emotions the speaker is working through - this might be calmness, fear, effort, or a sense of freedom.
Setting and movement: Determine where the swimming takes place - whether in a pool, sea, or river, as this setting affects the poem's meaning. Observe how the movement is described: is it steady and rhythmic, hesitant and halting, or powerful and surging? These physical descriptions often mirror the speaker's emotional state.
Sensory details and imagery: Stone frequently uses concrete physical details rather than abstract concepts. Look for descriptions of breath, the feeling of water against skin, sensations of weight or weightlessness, and sounds. Choose two or three images that most clearly support the poem's overall mood and emotional journey.
Language changes: Track how the speaker's mood or understanding shifts throughout the poem. This might involve a progression from anxiety to steadiness, or from struggle to ease. Identify specific lines that demonstrate this transformation.
Key themes to explore
Embodiment: This theme focuses on how being immersed in water makes the speaker acutely aware of their physical body. The poem may explore sensations of breath, pulse, and muscle movement, emphasising the connection between physical and emotional experience.
Control versus surrender: The poem likely examines the tension between trying to control movement through water and learning to trust both the water and oneself. This theme reflects broader life experiences about when to exert effort and when to let go.
Understanding Resilience in Poetry
Resilience in "Swimming" isn't about dramatic triumph - it's about the quiet persistence required for each stroke, each breath, each moment of staying afloat. This reflects Stone's preference for concrete detail over grand statements.
Resilience and perseverance: Swimming requires sustained effort, stroke after stroke, which can represent persistence through life's challenges. The poem may celebrate small victories and the determination to keep moving forwards despite difficulties.
Identity and belonging: The theme explores how a body moves through space and encounters the world around it. This can reflect experiences of fitting in or facing resistance, particularly relevant given Stone's exploration of discrimination and identity in her broader work.
Language features and techniques
Stone's poetic style is characterised by plain, precise language that creates powerful effects through understated craft rather than showy techniques. Her diction tends to be clear and direct, allowing the imagery and emotion to speak for themselves.
The poem likely employs free verse without a fixed rhyme scheme, using enjambment (lines that run over into the next line) to create a natural, flowing voice that mirrors the continuous motion of swimming. This technique helps maintain the poem's sense of ongoing movement and prevents the language from feeling forced or artificial.
You may notice subtle patterns of repeated words or sounds that build rhythm without being obvious. These patterns often echo the repetitive nature of swimming strokes while creating musical qualities that support the poem's mood.
Form and structure
Treat "Swimming" as free verse unless your class text indicates a specific formal structure. When analysing the form, look for several key elements:
Short lines and enjambment often work together to mimic the ongoing motion of swimming, creating a sense of continuous flow. Stanza breaks typically mark pauses in thought or shifts in the speaker's perspective, similar to moments when a swimmer might pause or change direction.
Pay particular attention to the poem's conclusion, which may feature a final image or phrase that feels like an arrival point or moment of decision. This ending often provides resolution to the emotional or physical journey described throughout the poem.
Tone and mood
Stone's characteristic tone is measured and clear-eyed rather than dramatic or overwrought. Any sense of uplift or unease in the poem typically emerges through concrete details - descriptions of breath patterns, water currents, or physical balance - rather than through grand emotional statements.
This approach creates a sense of authenticity and allows readers to feel the experience rather than simply being told about it. The mood may shift throughout the poem, but these changes are conveyed through subtle alterations in imagery and rhythm rather than obvious declarations.
Study strategies for exams
Essential Paragraph Structure for Exams:
Point: Begin with one clear idea about the poem, such as "The speaker discovers steadiness through repetitive swimming strokes."
Evidence: Select a brief quote of four to eight words that demonstrates the action or feeling you're discussing.
Explain: Connect the chosen image to your main idea, showing how physical movement relates to emotional states.
Zoom out: Conclude with one sentence explaining how this analysis fits into the poem's overall emotional journey or meaning.
This approach ensures your analysis is specific, well-supported, and clearly connected to broader themes.
Worked Example: Paragraph Structure
Point: The speaker finds stability through the rhythm of swimming.
Evidence: "breath, stroke, breath, stroke"
Explain: This repetitive pattern shows how the mechanical act of swimming creates emotional steadiness, with each stroke building confidence and control.
Zoom out: This demonstrates how physical perseverance leads to inner resilience, a key theme throughout Stone's work.
Remember!
Key Points to Remember:
-
Degna Stone is a contemporary, award-winning poet from North East England whose work focuses on embodied experience and lived reality
-
"Swimming" appears in "Proof of Life on Earth" (2022), a collection exploring themes of resilience, identity, and physical experience
-
The poem uses concrete, physical details rather than abstract language to convey emotional states and experiences
-
Key themes include embodiment, control versus surrender, resilience, and belonging - all explored through the metaphor of moving through water
-
Stone's style is characterised by plain, precise language and free verse that creates natural, flowing rhythm through enjambment and subtle sound patterns