Slow Reader

Vicki Feaver

Slow Reader Read by Vicki

Feaver

He can make sculptures

The title introduces us to the speakers son,

Slow Reader, he is a capable child making

‘sculptures’ and ‘fabulous machines.’ The

speaker is proud of her son _

‘but’ all this is spoilt by his slowness to

read.

‘he gazes into the air’

‘sighing and shaking his head like an old

man’

‘who knows the mountains’

‘are impassable’.

‘He toys with words’

‘letting them go cold

as gristly meat’

‘until I relent’

The speaker gives in allowing her son to

‘wriggle free:’

‘a fish returning to its element’

‘a white eyed colt’

‘-

shying

from the bit’

‘if he takes it

in his mouth’

‘he’ll never run quite free again.’

The Shape

Look at the shape of the poem on the

page.

Does it have stanzas?

Is it an odd shape?

What about the line lengths?

What does the shape tell us about the

poem?

A Personal Response

Is there a message?

Is it emotional?

Are there alternative interpretations?

Voice

Persona or speaker.

Tone of the poem.

Which parts of the poem are powerful

aloud?

Sound effects, assonance or alliteration?

Structure

Describe the structure of the poem.

How is punctuation used and what is the

effect?

Vocabulary

Are there interesting words or phrases?

Can you find chains of references?

Is there any repetition?

What type of words are used mostly, verbs,

nouns, adjectives, pronouns?

Imagery

Are there any similes or metaphors or

symbols?

What are the effects of these on the

reader?

MRO Reads Slow Reader