Glasgow Sonnets i Edwin Morgan Context The Gorbals

‘Glasgow Sonnets (i)’ Edwin Morgan

Context The Gorbals is a district in the south side of Glasgow. One of the oldest settlements in the city, it grew on the south bank of the Clyde across from the city centre. This led to a mish-mash of unplanned housing which soon descended into slums. In the 19 th century, the Victorians tried to resolve this problem by building a tenement community that contained pubs, shops and schools. However, the population of the Gorbals grew to around 60, 000 which caused unprecedented overcrowding and the area once again descended into a slum. The problem was first addressed by Glasgow City Council as early as 1919 in a Royal Commission. The area was referred to as Hell's Hundred Acres in several newspapers and contributed greatly to the city's grimy No Mean City image with its extraordinary socio-economic problems.

Context In the aftermath of World War 2, the Gorbals was the first district in Glasgow to be granted Comprehensive Development Area status. This would mean that the tenements would be completely demolished and new housing experiments built on the cleared land. It was the largest project of its kind in the UK and construction began in 1958 and ended in 1975. Morgan wrote the poem ‘Glasgow Sonnet (i)’, which describes a decrepit tenement block, in 1972. So, what was life like in these tenements before they were demolished? Photos from urbanglasgow. co. uk

The back-court behind the tenements on the west side of Crown Street, Glasgow 1973

46 -50 Abbotsford Place, December 1975. It was probably not formally occupied at this late date - were they squatters at the top floor window? or urban explorers?

Mc. Kinlay St and Turriff St. Elgin St U F Church. September 1973

Gorbals Street, November 1973

Albion Place. The Gorbals December 1973

Oxford St, north side between Bridge St and S. Portland St. Tenement dated from around 1815. November 1973

Herbertson St, or what remained of it. April 1973

1975 – new high-rise being built in the background and semi-demolished tenements in the foreground.

The building of Queen Elizabeth high rise plus the old buildings in Lawmoor St, Mathieson St and Cumberland St.

Abbotsford Place, east side. July 1973

Abbotsford Place, more than anywhere else in the Gorbals, anywhere else in the city, had an air of faded grandeur. It was a ruined, down-and-out aristocrat of a street. Built, without uniformity but harmoniously enough, between 1820 and 1830, it was to be a douce New Town for professional people, just a step across the river from the city. The width of the street was generous, each flat had an interior wc and a bath, which was an exceptional luxury in these days, and generally five spacious apartments, the dining room around 22 ft by 16 ft. For 30 or 40 years it was a ’good’ address, but the coming of the railway gave the middle classes the freedom to move further afield, to leafy suburbs far from the city slums, and the decline of Abbotsford Place (and Cumberland St and Nicholson St and others) was rapid. The size of the flats meant they were highly suitable for multiple occupancy, and successive waves of immigrants, Irish, eastern European Jews, Italians, and more recently Asians found in them a foothold on the property ladder. These tenements were soundly built, and could have been refurbished. The lack of imagination which led to their removal was shameful. urbanglasgow. co. uk

Interior of miner's tenement Photograph: E. Smith (1954) Source: RIBA British Architectural Library Photographs Collection This interior of a Glasgow tenement (1954). The architectural elements of this room are hardly distinguished. The walls, unadorned by pictures, are decorated only by distress: spreading cracks and patches of damp can easily be spotted. Ramshackle shutters keep some of the light and cold out from this miserable room. The only distinguished feature is the fireplace, the lit fire enjoyed by the cat. The rest is mean, the flooring and furniture tired. http: //www. architecture. com/howwebuiltbritain/historicalperio ds/scottish/housing 1600 -2000/interiorofminerstenement. aspx

If you want to find out more about life in the Gorbals at the time that the poem was written, click on the following links: Short film about The Gorbals 1930 -2011 BBC - Glasgow - Nana's memories of tenement life Glasgow in the 1970 s - Last days of the Old Gorbals

The tenement slums were demolished and replaced by new high rise homes that were intended to provide satisfactory, cheap housing on the south bank of the Clyde. The daring initiative was the largest project of its kind in the United Kingdom. At the heart of these plans were to be spectacular towers designed by acclaimed architect Basil Spence. However, the areas surrounding these tower blocks lacked basic amenities, and they were poorly designed and cheaply built. As demonstrated elsewhere in the UK, such buildings gradually deteriorated, attracting crime and fostering a reputation for being undesirable low cost housing.

Built in the 1960 s Built in the 1900 s the last remaining tenement in the Gorbals

‘High-rise’ buildings like these replaced tenement blocks in the 1960 s / 70 s.

Although a daring and unprecedented 'adventure' into social housing, the regeneration of the Gorbals in the form of new high-rise buildings proved to be unsuccessful in the long term. Queen Elizabeth Square is one of the most famous high rise experiments in the history of British housing projects. Located in Hutchesontown in Glasgow's notorious Gorbals, it was meant to be the flagship for an exciting new dawn.

QES under construction

In 1984, the flats were found to be asbestos ridden and had to be stripped of the dangerous panels of asbestos over the next year. The problems for QES were to get worse. In 1987, all the flats were evacuated after being flooded. Glasgow District Council spent £ 2 m over the following 2 years on new lifts, new pitched roofs and a concierge station in an effort to cut crime which was rising to uncontrollable levels as problems in the Gorbals increased. Brutal rapes, assaults and muggings were becoming all to common in the damp dark corridors. These measures were to prove futile as QES was once again flooded in 1989. Many residents had enough and opted to be rehoused rather than face returning to their homes. This ‘flagship’ housing turned out, once again, to be an icon for poverty and deprivation. http: //ukhousing. wikia. com/wiki/Queen_Elizabeth_Square

Many of these high-rises have been demolished in recent years to be replaced by better planned, lower density housing with better amenities. It is generally accepted that the original tenements, like the one described in the poem, should have been renovated rather than destroyed.

‘Glasgow Sonnet (i)’ Edwin Morgan

From Glasgow Sonnets (i) A mean wind wanders through the backcourt trash. Hackles on puddles rise, old mattresses puff briefly and subside. Play-fortresses of brick and bric-a-brac spill out some ash. Four storeys have no windows left to smash, but in the fifth a chipped sill buttresses mother and daughter the last mistresses of that black block condemned to stand, not crash. Around them the cracks deepen, the rats crawl. The kettle whimpers on a crazy hob. Roses of mould grow from ceiling to wall. The man lies late since he has lost his job, smokes on one elbow, letting his coughs fall thinly into an air too poor to rob.

First of all, we are going to look at the form and structure of the poem.

This poem is written in the form of a SONNET. The sonnet is a poetic form with a particular STRUCTURE. Although there are different forms of sonnets, they all have 14 LINES. This is a PETRARCHAN Sonnet, originally created by the Italian, Francesco Petrarch in the 14 th Century. In Petrarchan sonnets: The first 8 lines are known as the OCTET. The octet has the rhyme scheme ABBA The last 6 lines are known as the SESTET. The sestet has the rhyme scheme CDCDCD

From Glasgow Sonnets (i) 5 10 A mean wind wanders through the backcourt trash. Hackles on puddles rise, old mattresses puff briefly and subside. Play-fortresses of brick and bric-a-brac spill out some ash. Four storeys have no windows left to smash, but in the fifth a chipped sill buttresses mother and daughter the last mistresses of that black block condemned to stand, not crash. Around them the cracks deepen, the rats crawl. The kettle whimpers on a crazy hob. Roses of mould grow from ceiling to wall. The man lies late since he has lost his job, smokes on one elbow, letting his coughs fall thinly into an air too poor to rob. A B B A C D C D The rhyming scheme does not create a rhythm due to the mixture of run on lines (enjambment) and end stopped lines in the poem.

From Glasgow Sonnets (i) 5 10 A mean wind wanders through the backcourt trash. Hackles on puddles rise, old mattresses puff briefly and subside. Play-fortresses of brick and bric-a-brac spill out some ash. Four storeys have no windows left to smash, but in the fifth a chipped sill buttresses mother and daughter the last mistresses of that black block condemned to stand, not crash. Around them the cracks deepen, the rats crawl. The kettle whimpers on a crazy hob. Roses of mould grow from ceiling to wall. The man lies late since he has lost his job, smokes on one elbow, letting his coughs fall thinly into an air too poor to rob. A B B What is the effect of the use of regular rhyme in the poem? A A B B A C D C D The poet uses rhyme to make a point about poverty. It will never change. Those who experience it are stuck.

In Petrarchan sonnets: The OCTET presents a PROBLEM – this is a series of statements that make us think about a CERTAIN TRUTH. The VOLTA – the beginning of the sestet – marks a CHANGE IN TONE. The SESTET– makes a COMMENT ON THE PROBLEM. There are 10 syllables in each line (but in this poem it is not regularly iambic pentameter, which means 1 stressed + 1 unstressed syllable x 5)

From Glasgow Sonnets (i) A mean wind wanders through the backcourt trash. Hackles on puddles rise, old mattresses puff briefly and subside. Play-fortresses of brick and bric-a-brac spill out some ash. Four storeys have no windows left to smash, but in the fifth a chipped sill buttresses mother and daughter the last mistresses of that black block condemned to stand, not crash. Around them the cracks deepen, the rats crawl. The kettle whimpers on a crazy hob. Roses of mould grow from ceiling to wall. The man lies late since he has lost his job, smokes on one elbow, letting his coughs fall thinly into an air too poor to rob. The OCTET presents a PROBLEM – this is a series of statements that make us think about a CERTAIN TRUTH. What is this problem? The VOLTA – the beginning of the sestet – marks a CHANGE IN TONE. The SESTET– makes a COMMENT ON THE PROBLEM. What comment is Morgan making?

What other division is there between the Octet and the Sestet? Think about the subject matter of each one.

From Glasgow Sonnets (i) A mean wind wanders through the backcourt trash. Hackles on puddles rise, old mattresses puff briefly and subside. Play-fortresses of brick and bric-a-brac spill out some ash. Four storeys have no windows left to smash, but in the fifth a chipped sill buttresses mother and daughter the last mistresses of that black block condemned to stand, not crash. Around them the cracks deepen, the rats crawl. The kettle whimpers on a crazy hob. Roses of mould grow from ceiling to wall. The man lies late since he has lost his job, smokes on one elbow, letting his coughs fall thinly into an air too poor to rob. The first quatrain (lines 1 -4) describe the backcourt. The second quatrain (lines 5 -8) describe the building. 1 st 3 lines of the sestet (end stopped) describe the flat. 2 nd three lines of the sestet (run on) describe the man. The OCTET describes the OUTSIDE VIEW. The SESTET describes the INSIDE VIEW.

Why does Morgan use the sonnet form for this poem? • We usually think of sonnets as having a beautiful form, and they are normally associated with the subject of love. • However, Morgan has chosen to use this form in order to create a stark contrast between what we expect in a sonnet, and what can be seen as the extremely shocking content of this sonnet about poverty. • This has the effect of forcefully emphasising the poem’s content.

Now we are going to look at the use of literary techniques in the poem.

From Glasgow Sonnets (i) Word Choice A mean wind wanders through the backcourt trash. Description of the tenement itself Hackles on puddles rise, old mattresses puff briefly and subside. Play-fortresses Words associated with decay of brick and bric-a-brac spill out some ash. Four storeys have no windows left to smash, Words associated with rubbish but in the fifth a chipped sill buttresses mother and daughter the last mistresses Description of the tenants of that black block condemned to stand, not crash. Around them the cracks deepen, the rats crawl. Words associated with disease The kettle whimpers on a crazy hob. Roses of mould grow from ceiling to wall. You need to think about the CONNOTATIONS of The man lies late since he has lost his job, each word/phrase , but overall the word choice is smokes on one elbow, letting his coughs fall very negative , suggesting THEMES such as thinly into an air too poor to rob. neglect, poverty, ill health and decay.

From Glasgow Sonnets (i) A mean wind wanders through the backcourt trash. Hackles on puddles rise, old mattresses puff briefly and subside. Play-fortresses of brick and bric-a-brac spill out some ash. Four storeys have no windows left to smash, but in the fifth a chipped sill buttresses mother and daughter the last mistresses of that black block condemned to stand, not crash. Around them the cracks deepen, the rats crawl. The kettle whimpers on a crazy hob. Roses of mould grow from ceiling to wall. The man lies late since he has lost his job, smokes on one elbow, letting his coughs fall thinly into an air too poor to rob. Personification What is the effect of the personification in the poem? It is used to dramatise the setting , creating a mood of THREAT (‘mean wind’, ‘hackles rise’ etc) or DESPAIR (‘puff briefly’, ‘whimpers’ etc)

From Glasgow Sonnets (i) A mean wind wanders through the backcourt trash. Hackles on puddles rise, old mattresses puff briefly and subside. Play-fortresses of brick and bric-a-brac spill out some ash. Four storeys have no windows left to smash, but in the fifth a chipped sill buttresses mother and daughter the last mistresses of that black block condemned to stand, not crash. Around them the cracks deepen, the rats crawl. The kettle whimpers on a crazy hob. Roses of mould grow from ceiling to wall. The man lies late since he has lost his job, smokes on one elbow, letting his coughs fall thinly into an air too poor to rob. Metaphor What is the effect of the metaphor used in the poem? The images suggest decay spreading , adding to the sense of threat.

From Glasgow Sonnets (i) A mean wind wanders through the backcourt trash. Hackles on puddles rise, old mattresses puff briefly and subside. Play-fortresses of brick and bric-a-brac spill out some ash. Four storeys have no windows left to smash, but in the fifth a chipped sill buttresses mother and daughter the last mistresses of that black block condemned to stand, not crash. Around them the cracks deepen, the rats crawl. The kettle whimpers on a crazy hob. Roses of mould grow from ceiling to wall. The man lies late since he has lost his job, smokes on one elbow, letting his coughs fall thinly into an air too poor to rob. Sound Techniques Sound techniques emphasise the words / ideas they are attached to.

From Glasgow Sonnets (i) A mean wind wanders through the backcourt trash. Hackles on puddles rise, old mattresses puff briefly and subside. Play-fortresses of brick and bric-a-brac spill out some ash. Four storeys have no windows left to smash, but in the fifth a chipped sill buttresses mother and daughter the last mistresses of that black block condemned to stand, not crash. Around them the cracks deepen, the rats crawl. The kettle whimpers on a crazy hob. Roses of mould grow from ceiling to wall. The man lies late since he has lost his job, smokes on one elbow, letting his coughs fall thinly into an air too poor to rob. Sound Techniques Alliteration What is the effect of alliteration in the poem? The soft ‘w’ highlights the aimlessness of the wind. The plosive ‘b’ highlights the harsh, sinister description of the block of flats and its surroundings.

From Glasgow Sonnets (i) A mean wind wanders through the backcourt trash. Hackles on puddles rise, old mattresses puff briefly and subside. Play-fortresses of brick and bric-a-brac spill out some ash. Four storeys have no windows left to smash, but in the fifth a chipped sill buttresses mother and daughter the last mistresses of that black block condemned to stand, not crash. Around them the cracks deepen, the rats crawl. The kettle whimpers on a crazy hob. Roses of mould grow from ceiling to wall. The man lies late since he has lost his job, smokes on one elbow, letting his coughs fall thinly into an air too poor to rob. Sound Techniques Onomatopoeia What is the effect of onomatopoeia in the poem? It dramatises the sounds.

From Glasgow Sonnets (i) A mean wind wanders through the backcourt trash. Hackles on puddles rise, old mattresses puff briefly and subside. Play-fortresses of brick and bric-a-brac spill out some ash. Four storeys have no windows left to smash, but in the fifth a chipped sill buttresses mother and daughter the last mistresses of that black block condemned to stand, not crash. Around them the cracks deepen, the rats crawl. The kettle whimpers on a crazy hob. Roses of mould grow from ceiling to wall. The man lies late since he has lost his job, smokes on one elbow, letting his coughs fall thinly into an air too poor to rob. Sound Techniques Assonance What is the effect of assonance in the poem? ‘Roses of mould grow’ suggests mould spreading ‘too poor to rob’ highlights poverty

From Glasgow Sonnets (i) A mean wind wanders through the backcourt trash. Hackles on puddles rise, old mattresses puff briefly and subside. Play-fortresses of brick and bric-a-brac spill out some ash. Four storeys have no windows left to smash, but in the fifth a chipped sill buttresses mother and daughter the last mistresses of that black block condemned to stand, not crash. Around them the cracks deepen, the rats crawl. The kettle whimpers on a crazy hob. Roses of mould grow from ceiling to wall. The man lies late since he has lost his job, smokes on one elbow, letting his coughs fall thinly into an air too poor to rob. Sound Techniques End rhyme What is the effect of the use of end rhyme in the poem? It emphasises decay and destruction.

From Glasgow Sonnets (i) A mean wind wanders through the backcourt trash. Hackles on puddles rise, old mattresses puff briefly and subside. Play-fortresses of brick and bric-a-brac spill out some ash. Four storeys have no windows left to smash, but in the fifth a chipped sill buttresses mother and daughter the last mistresses of that black block condemned to stand, not crash. Around them the cracks deepen, the rats crawl. The kettle whimpers on a crazy hob. Roses of mould grow from ceiling to wall. The man lies late since he has lost his job, smokes on one elbow, letting his coughs fall thinly into an air too poor to rob. Enjambment One line runs on to the next with no end punctuation. What is the effect of enjambment in the poem? It creates the sense of more and more signs of decay building up.

Analysis

From Glasgow Sonnets (i) A mean wind wanders through the backcourt trash. Hackles on puddles rise, old mattresses puff briefly and subside. Play-fortresses of brick and bric-a-brac spill out some ash. Four storeys have no windows left to smash, but in the fifth a chipped sill buttresses mother and daughter the last mistresses of that black block condemned to stand, not crash. Around them the cracks deepen, the rats crawl. The kettle whimpers on a crazy hob. Roses of mould grow from ceiling to wall. The man lies late since he has lost his job, smokes on one elbow, letting his coughs fall thinly into an air too poor to rob. Analysis The opening line establishes the THEMES of poverty, decay and hopelessness. The wind is described as ‘mean’ rather than simply ‘cold’. Personification is used to refer to the wind as if it were a cruel / unkind / unwelcome person seeking out people to torment. This emphasises how hostile the environment is and contributes to the unpleasant atmosphere of the poem.

From Glasgow Sonnets (i) A mean wind wanders through the backcourt trash. Hackles on puddles rise, old mattresses puff briefly and subside. Play-fortresses of brick and bric-a-brac spill out some ash. Four storeys have no windows left to smash, but in the fifth a chipped sill buttresses mother and daughter the last mistresses of that black block condemned to stand, not crash. Around them the cracks deepen, the rats crawl. The kettle whimpers on a crazy hob. Roses of mould grow from ceiling to wall. The man lies late since he has lost his job, smokes on one elbow, letting his coughs fall thinly into an air too poor to rob. Analysis Personification: as with the air, the puddles are given a personality. In this case they are angry / aggressive. The description ‘hackles on puddles rise’ suggests that the ripples in the puddles caused by the wind look like the hairs standing up on an animal’s neck when it is angry. This suggests violence and danger. The setting is wholly unwelcoming and even intimidating.

From Glasgow Sonnets (i) A mean wind wanders through the backcourt trash. Hackles on puddles rise, old mattresses puff briefly and subside. Play-fortresses of brick and bric-a-brac spill out some ash. Four storeys have no windows left to smash, but in the fifth a chipped sill buttresses mother and daughter the last mistresses of that black block condemned to stand, not crash. Around them the cracks deepen, the rats crawl. The kettle whimpers on a crazy hob. Roses of mould grow from ceiling to wall. The man lies late since he has lost his job, smokes on one elbow, letting his coughs fall thinly into an air too poor to rob. Analysis Personification is used again. The mattresses are worn out / finished. They appear to take their last breath before giving in. They are trash: discarded.

From Glasgow Sonnets (i) A mean wind wanders through the backcourt trash. Hackles on puddles rise, old mattresses puff briefly and subside. Play-fortresses of brick and bric-a-brac spill out some ash. Four storeys have no windows left to smash, but in the fifth a chipped sill buttresses mother and daughter the last mistresses of that black block condemned to stand, not crash. Around them the cracks deepen, the rats crawl. The kettle whimpers on a crazy hob. Roses of mould grow from ceiling to wall. The man lies late since he has lost his job, smokes on one elbow, letting his coughs fall thinly into an air too poor to rob. Analysis The ‘trash’ of the opening line is explored. The landscape is punctuated with a jumble of rubbish. Imagery: The piles of bricks and old rubbish (‘bric-a-brac’) are described as ‘play-fortresses’. This suggests that the children’s games are connected to violence and aggression, possibly suggesting the beginnings of gang warfare. This implies that the people on the estate are under siege. Alliteration: The harsh sounds of ‘brick’ and ‘bric-a-brac’ reflect the violence they are used for.

From Glasgow Sonnets (i) A mean wind wanders through the backcourt trash. Hackles on puddles rise, old mattresses puff briefly and subside. Play-fortresses of brick and bric-a-brac spill out some ash. Four storeys have no windows left to smash, but in the fifth a chipped sill buttresses mother and daughter the last mistresses of that black block condemned to stand, not crash. Around them the cracks deepen, the rats crawl. The kettle whimpers on a crazy hob. Roses of mould grow from ceiling to wall. The man lies late since he has lost his job, smokes on one elbow, letting his coughs fall thinly into an air too poor to rob. Analysis Word choice: ‘smash’, ‘trash’ and ‘crash’ all rhyme and relate to one another. They all have connotations of destruction and decay. Together they represent something that is broken.

From Glasgow Sonnets (i) A mean wind wanders through the backcourt trash. Hackles on puddles rise, old mattresses puff briefly and subside. Play-fortresses of brick and bric-a-brac spill out some ash. Four storeys have no windows left to smash, but in the fifth a chipped sill buttresses mother and daughter the last mistresses of that black block condemned to stand, not crash. Around them the cracks deepen, the rats crawl. The kettle whimpers on a crazy hob. Roses of mould grow from ceiling to wall. The man lies late since he has lost his job, smokes on one elbow, letting his coughs fall thinly into an air too poor to rob. Analysis Word choice: “buttresses” is the first instance of something supportive / strong in the poem. (A buttress is a structure of stone or brick built against a wall to strengthen or support it. ) The women of the next line appear as something standing despite the decay.

From Glasgow Sonnets (i) A mean wind wanders through the backcourt trash. Hackles on puddles rise, old mattresses puff briefly and subside. Play-fortresses of brick and bric-a-brac spill out some ash. Four storeys have no windows left to smash, but in the fifth a chipped sill buttresses mother and daughter the last mistresses of that black block condemned to stand, not crash. Around them the cracks deepen, the rats crawl. The kettle whimpers on a crazy hob. Roses of mould grow from ceiling to wall. The man lies late since he has lost his job, smokes on one elbow, letting his coughs fall thinly into an air too poor to rob. Analysis The poet describes the mother and daughter who live on the fifth floor as ‘the last mistresses’ of the tenement. This has connotations of castles, chivalry, security. This suggests the poet’s admiration, respect, sympathy and concern for the women. Structure: the mother and daughter appear in the middle of the poem and are surrounded by decay in the poem, as they are in life.

From Glasgow Sonnets (i) A mean wind wanders through the backcourt trash. Hackles on puddles rise, old mattresses puff briefly and subside. Play-fortresses of brick and bric-a-brac spill out some ash. Four storeys have no windows left to smash, but in the fifth a chipped sill buttresses mother and daughter the last mistresses of that black block condemned to stand, not crash. Around them the cracks deepen, the rats crawl. The kettle whimpers on a crazy hob. Roses of mould grow from ceiling to wall. The man lies late since he has lost his job, smokes on one elbow, letting his coughs fall thinly into an air too poor to rob. Analysis The poet uses sound effects and word choice to help to create a particularly bleak impression in this line. Sound: • alliteration of ‘bl’ and ‘ck / c’ harsh sounds are bleak and contribute to the tough / unforgiving picture. • assonance – repeated ‘a’ sound is gloomy.

From Glasgow Sonnets (i) A mean wind wanders through the backcourt trash. Hackles on puddles rise, old mattresses puff briefly and subside. Play-fortresses of brick and bric-a-brac spill out some ash. Four storeys have no windows left to smash, but in the fifth a chipped sill buttresses mother and daughter the last mistresses of that black block condemned to stand, not crash. Around them the cracks deepen, the rats crawl. The kettle whimpers on a crazy hob. Roses of mould grow from ceiling to wall. The man lies late since he has lost his job, smokes on one elbow, letting his coughs fall thinly into an air too poor to rob. Analysis Word choice: ‘Condemned’ and ‘block’ have connotations of execution. ‘Condemned to stand’ – oxymoron suggesting that the block is sentenced to the protracted agony of a living death, rather than a merciful end by execution / demolition. For the ‘block’ the fact that it remains is seen as a negative situation: it would be better just to fall, to give in.

From Glasgow Sonnets (i) A mean wind wanders through the backcourt trash. Hackles on puddles rise, old mattresses puff briefly and subside. Play-fortresses of brick and bric-a-brac spill out some ash. Four storeys have no windows left to smash, but in the fifth a chipped sill buttresses mother and daughter the last mistresses of that black block condemned to stand, not crash. Around them the cracks deepen, the rats crawl. The kettle whimpers on a crazy hob. Roses of mould grow from ceiling to wall. The man lies late since he has lost his job, smokes on one elbow, letting his coughs fall thinly into an air too poor to rob. Analysis Structure & Imagery: after the brief, hopeful idea of something holding out against the decay, the volta (turn) of the sonnet, returns to pessimistic hopelessness. Those who remain are surrounded by creeping decay and vermin. The observer sees that their eventual destruction in inevitable.

From Glasgow Sonnets (i) A mean wind wanders through the backcourt trash. Hackles on puddles rise, old mattresses puff briefly and subside. Play-fortresses of brick and bric-a-brac spill out some ash. Four storeys have no windows left to smash, but in the fifth a chipped sill buttresses mother and daughter the last mistresses of that black block condemned to stand, not crash. Around them the cracks deepen, the rats crawl. The kettle whimpers on a crazy hob. Roses of mould grow from ceiling to wall. The man lies late since he has lost his job, smokes on one elbow, letting his coughs fall thinly into an air too poor to rob. Analysis Ambiguity: The ‘cracks’ are ambiguous. They are both literal – cracks in the building – and metaphorical – cracks in society. The ‘rats’ could also be both real and metaphorical (representing social problems / disease / poverty).

From Glasgow Sonnets (i) A mean wind wanders through the backcourt trash. Hackles on puddles rise, old mattresses puff briefly and subside. Play-fortresses of brick and bric-a-brac spill out some ash. Four storeys have no windows left to smash, but in the fifth a chipped sill buttresses mother and daughter the last mistresses of that black block condemned to stand, not crash. Around them the cracks deepen, the rats crawl. The kettle whimpers on a crazy hob. Roses of mould grow from ceiling to wall. The man lies late since he has lost his job, smokes on one elbow, letting his coughs fall thinly into an air too poor to rob. Analysis Personification & Onomatopoeia: ‘Whimpers’ suggests a person or animal crying out in pain, contrasting with the angry and aggressive personalities given to the air and the puddle. The use of the word ‘whimpers’ helps to contribute to the description of the room and its occupants; it suggests that the kettle is expressing the misery of the room’s occupants. This adds to the dreary, pathetic impression of the room and emphasises the vulnerable / sad condition of the occupants, suggesting hopelessness / helplessness.

From Glasgow Sonnets (i) A mean wind wanders through the backcourt trash. Hackles on puddles rise, old mattresses puff briefly and subside. Play-fortresses of brick and bric-a-brac spill out some ash. Four storeys have no windows left to smash, but in the fifth a chipped sill buttresses mother and daughter the last mistresses of that black block condemned to stand, not crash. Around them the cracks deepen, the rats crawl. The kettle whimpers on a crazy hob. Roses of mould grow from ceiling to wall. The man lies late since he has lost his job, smokes on one elbow, letting his coughs fall thinly into an air too poor to rob. Analysis Imagery & Juxtaposition: Roses represent life and are considered beautiful. This image creates a juxtaposition / contrast between beauty and decay. The fact that they are ‘roses of mould’ highlights the absence of anything positive / pleasant. ‘Mould’ obviously shows the decay that is present.

From Glasgow Sonnets (i) A mean wind wanders through the backcourt trash. Hackles on puddles rise, old mattresses puff briefly and subside. Play-fortresses of brick and bric-a-brac spill out some ash. Four storeys have no windows left to smash, but in the fifth a chipped sill buttresses mother and daughter the last mistresses of that black block condemned to stand, not crash. Around them the cracks deepen, the rats crawl. The kettle whimpers on a crazy hob. Roses of mould grow from ceiling to wall. The man lies late since he has lost his job, smokes on one elbow, letting his coughs fall thinly into an air too poor to rob. Analysis Imagery: The poem ends by focusing on one man in bed who seems to resemble his surroundings: • ‘coughs - the man is fall thinly’ weak and decrepit, like the crumbling building he lives in. • He is out of work / is not , therefore is poor like the being used building. • He seems depressed / is of no value , like the building.

From Glasgow Sonnets (i) A mean wind wanders through the backcourt trash. Hackles on puddles rise, old mattresses puff briefly and subside. Play-fortresses of brick and bric-a-brac spill out some ash. Four storeys have no windows left to smash, but in the fifth a chipped sill buttresses mother and daughter the last mistresses of that black block condemned to stand, not crash. Around them the cracks deepen, the rats crawl. The kettle whimpers on a crazy hob. Roses of mould grow from ceiling to wall. The man lies late since he has lost his job, smokes on one elbow, letting his coughs fall thinly into an air too poor to rob. Analysis Alliteration: ‘lies late…lost’ - draws attention to his sadness and lack of purpose. The picture we are given of the man is one of hopelessness / lifelessness. The man has ‘fallen’ as he no longer stands against the decay.

From Glasgow Sonnets (i) A mean wind wanders through the backcourt trash. Hackles on puddles rise, old mattresses puff briefly and subside. Play-fortresses of brick and bric-a-brac spill out some ash. Four storeys have no windows left to smash, but in the fifth a chipped sill buttresses mother and daughter the last mistresses of that black block condemned to stand, not crash. Around them the cracks deepen, the rats crawl. The kettle whimpers on a crazy hob. Roses of mould grow from ceiling to wall. The man lies late since he has lost his job, smokes on one elbow, letting his coughs fall thinly into an air too poor to rob. Analysis Personification: the air itself becomes something pathetic / destitute. The speaker’s observation concludes that the scene is indeed one of utter poverty, hopelessness and decay. Enjambment of this last line (‘coughs fall / thinly into an air too poor to rob. ’) suggests continuity of situation.

Tone – the voice of the poet Bleak Sombre Despairing Themes - Poverty and the effect it has on the psyche of those who experience it: • Deprivation • Hopelessness • Isolation • Alienation • Urban decay • Slum life Imagery and figures of speech in the poem support these themes: harsh alliteration, personification, onomatopoeia, symbolism, connotations, paradox.

Mood / Theme • Pessimistic - sense of hopelessness created through effective imagery / language. • The tone is sympathetic – the harsh details reflect the harsh realities of life for the poor. • Social comment – he is showing us the REAL Glasgow. It is not the sentimental, romantic, ‘poetic’ city of culture. He is showing us the irony of the unseen reality. • The poem was written to highlight social problems. It is a political critique of an uncaring system / policies. • The man has no name: he is anonymous, sub-human, invisible and does not count. He is symbolic, he could be anyone, he represents ‘everyman’.