The Almond Tree

Natalie Houston 1995 Poetry No.11 Poetry is often written as a result of reflecting on an intense emotional experience or a significant event. Examine the techniques used by one poet to convey the significance of an experience or an event, which gave rise to a poem, or sequence of poems. The Almond Tree by Jon Stallworthy describes through the eyes of an expectant father’s supreme emotional joy at the prospect of the birth of this …

…the poet’s rebirth and understanding growing. He sees it as beautiful labour like a mother giving birth and the trees full blossom like a ship in full sail. From this technique I think that the poet can now see himself blossom in the sense of understanding. Fathered by m son Only when he recognises this can he turn to acknowledge the son he was about to reject. Bibliography The Almond Tree By Jon Stallworthy