Touch - Poem Analysis

A need loving and that disrupted contact. harsh (ironically) connection is contact forwith TITLE: A need for loving contact and connection that is disrupted by harsh contact. Title can also be referred to as “T-ouch” (‘ouch’ showing pain.) Poem is about his experience while being imprisoned. contact (ironically) connection A disrupted contact. need that loving harsh withisand for A need loving that connection and disrupted contact. harsh (ironically) is contact forwith ENJAMBMENT emphasises the outpouring of emotions. Verb or noun Touch Freedom to express his/her emotions freely. A sensory feeling. Intermit + revealing that he’s vulnerable When I get out → of jail. Sense of longing (to get out) & shows he’s incarcerated. Refrain Emphasises the length of time. Shows his desperation for a kind spirit. Desperation I’m going to ask someone Treat him like a human. to touch me very gently please Adverbs- indicate the tender sensitive → Wants to feel the warmth. engagement which is required from the speaker. Indicates he has trauma. and slowly, touch me I want He’s forgotten- lack of touch has taken away(stolen) life. He wants to be exposed to learn again to reality again. ‘AGAIN’ conveys this sense. He has a great need to fulfil. how life feels. I’ve not been touched for seven years for seven years Unaffected the emotions. I’ve been untouched out of touch Being isolated from others, he is unaware what’s happening in other situations.(figuratively) and I’ve learnt to know now the meaning of → He has been dehumanised/ rejected. Figuratively society dictates that you are avoided/shunned/alienated. A person who is despised. untouchable. Dash indicates shift in reasoning by showing the interruption of the statement is false. Untouched – not quite I can count the tings that have touched me →indicates very little ‘tings’ touched him. Listing it- highlights the negativity surrounding the things that touched him. Imprinted in his mind. Begging One: fists →That beat him into submission. At the beginning Tone = Aggressive/ Forceful/ Savage Alliteration of strong ‘f’ sound fierce mad fists → violent, harsh physical beatings. emphasises sound of beating. beating beating till I remember screaming → His response to the beatings. Don’t touch me please don’t touch me. → Doesn’t want to be touched. He can’t defend himself. Synecdoche: Paws probing Two: paws The first four years of paws every day Repetitive indignity Alliteration- soft sounds, not as hard as the beating. Represents Commanding patting paws, searching removal of dignity and the quiet intrusion of searching. tone created – arms up, shoes off Shows lack of privacy in prison. from TRIPLE legs apart – EMPHASIS prodding paws, systematic Tough heavy, indifferent No feeling probing away all privacy. →Contrasts with loving touch Alliteration becomes progressive in their intrusion. It crushes your spirit. I don’t want fists and paws I want Untouchable, so dehumanised that he can’t say he wants to be touched. to want to be touched again ANAPHORA= Prayer like- element of begging to feel human again. and to touch, I want to feel alive → Feels figuratively dead Volta. Desires to be touched again- implying touch is an essential human thing again I want to say when I get out Here I am please touch me. TONE of relieve. Touch will restore his humanity as he was once vulnerable. Prison is dehumanising. STRUCTURE: • • Free verse -ironic- as the writer is not free. Rhyme is irregular- similar way to how prison is unpredictable. TONE: Desperate/vulnerable/serious – there is NO anger or bitterness. THEME: Freedom Two human needs clearly speak for themselves, privacy concerns and humanity.