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For this activity, you will need to turn to the poem 'Remains' by Simon Armitage, which can be found in the Power and Conflict section of your anthology.
Simon Armitage’s poetry is known for its colloquial style, strong rhythms, and voice. He deals with personal relationships, often drawing on his own life experience. This particular poem lacks the humour of some of his other work and, instead, presents a dark and disturbing image of a soldier suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. The reference to ‘desert sand’ in this poem suggests that it reflects the experiences of soldiers in the Gulf War.
In the following questions, you will be asked about the key contextual features of the poem.
You should always refer to your own text when working through these examples. These quotations are for reference only.
