Kid Simon Armitage Kid Consider whether Robin has

Kid Simon Armitage

Kid Consider whether Robin has grown up or whether he is still a kid. American sounding and derogatory, shows Robin’s anger Batman, big shot, when you gave the order to grow up, then let me loose to wander leeward, freely through the wild blue yonder Alliteration highlights Robin’s feeling of being abandoned. Romantic imagery.

Verb implies abruptness of their parting. Entire poem written in rhyming couplets all ending with same phoneme. as you liked to say, or ditched me, rather, in the gutter. . . well, I turned the corner. Compare the reality with Batman’s version – ‘wild blue yonder’. Ellipsis implies passage of time as Robin has sorted his life out.

Speech marks show direct speech. These were things Robin and other people used to say about their relationship. Now I've scotched that 'he was like a father to me' rumour, sacked it, blown the cover on that 'he was like an elder brother' story, Slang, sounds like something from a ‘Batman and Robin’ episode.

Caper = to jump about playfully / an escapade. let the cat out on that caper with the married woman, how you took her downtown on expenses in the motor. Doesn’t fit with Batman’s squeaky clean image. Tax evasion.

Excessive play on language of Robin’s from original 1960 s. Holy robin-redbreast-nest-egg-shocker! Holy roll-me-over-in the-clover, I'm not playing ball boy any longer Implications of tennis imagery - always running around after the star, never in the spotlight himself.

Doffed = Taken off. Connection with Robin Hood. Green and scarlet are colours of his old suit. Batman, now I've doffed that off-the-shoulder Sherwood-Forest-green and scarlet number for a pair of jeans and crew-neck jumper; now I'm taller, harder, stronger, older. Older, sensible clothing.

Taking pleasure in imagining his current suffering. Perhaps also play on words: Marvel comics. Like ‘ball boy’, this shows he has felt undermined by Batman. Stewing = to cook; to brood over something in anger. Batman, it makes a marvellous picture: you without a shadow, stewing over chicken giblets in the pressure cooker, next to nothing in the walk-in larder, Imagery of poor or non-existent food. The adult cannot cope now the helper has left.

Violence of verb and the alliteration of the plosive ‘p’ highlight the pleasure Robin takes in imagining his former friend’s current loneliness and frustration. Is Robin still a boy? Has he grown up at all? Does his petty desire for revenge imply he is still immature? punching the palm of your hand all winter, you baby, now I'm the real boy wonder.