The poem focuses on Shakespeares wife Anne Hathaway

The poem focuses on Shakespeare’s wife, Anne Hathaway, reflecting on their relationship after Shakespeare has died. The poem begins with line taken directly from Shakespeare’s will in which, despite being rich, he leaves Anne his “second best bed”. The second best bed was the couple’s bed, the best was for guests. So Duffy sees it as a romantic gesture.

1. What do you think the poem is about? 2. What do you think “spinning world” shows about her feelings towards her husband. 3. Explain why you think Duffy used the metaphor “My lover’s words were shooting stars”. What do you think she is trying to say? 4. Which words are used to make what other people do in bed sound boring and explain how they give that impression.

Structure: * Shakespeare is famous for writing sonnets. * This poem is written in a sonnet, with 14 lines and a rhyming couplet at the end. * The entire poem is a metaphor comparing the couple’s love to writing.

* *This poem deals has three main themes: *passion *death *memory

Stanza 1 Romantic, passionate tone My lover's words were shooting stars which fell to earth as kisses Calling him Their love/her happiness made her dizzy her lover shows importance of physical side of their relationship. Metaphor. She was seduced by his language/words.

Stanza 2 my body now a softer rhyme to his, Shows how in tune they are with each other; they echo. Some nights, I dreamed he'd written me, Extends the language metaphor. Compares their having sex to something poetic. It is only through his eyes that she feels fully alive.

Sensory imagery – shows how vivid her memories are a page beneath his writer's hands. Romance and drama played by touch, by scent, by taste. In the other bed, the best, our guests dozed on, dribbling their prose. My living laughing love - Longer pieces of writing boring in comparison to poetry. Upbeat alliteration compared to the dull ‘D’ and ‘P’ sound of dozed, dribbling and prose. Their relationship dull in comparison. The dash separates t description from the reality that he is dead.

Their love is now only in her head; a memory. He lives on in her memories Somewhere to keep valuables and protect them. In the same way that she felt with her husband in their bed. I hold him in the casket of my widow's head as he held me upon that next best bed. Rhyming couplet.