stanza of three lines in a poem, often forming a complete thought or unit

repetition of initial sounds in close succession for poetic or rhetorical effect

portraying something in an idealised or overly sentimental manner, often distorting reality

insufficient or lacking in quality, quantity or capability to meet requirements or expectations

brief or transient, passing quickly, often used to describe moments or experiences

Analysing the poem ‘Letters from Yorkshire’ by Maura Dooley

English

In 'AQA Love and Relationships Poetry', pupils compared the language, form and structure of a variety of poems connected by the themes of love and relationships. In 'AQA Love and Relationships Poetry continued', pupils work on making more nuanced comparisons between poems.

In 'Single Poet Study: Maya Angelou', pupils explore how Angelou uses her poetry to present strong relationships to people and place. In 'AQA Love and Relationships Poetry', pupils analyse how a variety of different relationships have been presented across time.

In this unit, pupis explore 12 of the 15 poems from the 'Love and Relationships' anthology. Pupils complete two lessons about each poem: one on understanding and one on analysis. Pupils study the poems in four groups, and they pause after each group to compare how those poems present common themes.

Poetry anthology: first study

woo somebody; date them with the intention of starting a romantic relationship

rewrite modern literature so it uses conventions from the Romantic movement

portray something in an idealised or overly sentimental manner

show commitment to a lover by marrying them

persuade someone to enter into an illicit affair with you

a way that birds fly, moving up and down to make use of heat thermals

a way of digging the soil to promote seed growth

the feeling of emptiness that follows time spent with a loved one

a long, drawn out relationship that is slow-burning

brief or transient, passing quickly, often used to describe moments

In 'Letters from Yorkshire', which adjective does Dooley use to show how the speaker views the man's life in the natural world?

The adjective "icy" emphasises the bleakness in the distance between them.

The noun "souls" implies there is a spiritual connection between them.

The noun "messages" implies they are always talking to each other.

The first person plural pronoun "we" groups them together as similar figures.

The verb "tap" suggests they devote their energy to writing these letters.

How does Dooley emphasise the connection between the speaker and her friend in the last line of 'Letters from Yorkshire'? 

In 'Letters from Yorkshire', Dooley alternates between first and second person {{}} to shift the focus between the speaker and her friend.

In line 9 of 'Letter from Yorkshire', Dooley uses a rhetorical question. The speaker questions whether her life has less {{ }} than the man from Yorkshire. Which word is missing from the statement?

a word that shows how or when an action took place

a word which signifies that time has moved forward

a word used to replace or stand in for a specific person or thing

a word which shows the location or position of something

Match each of the personal pronouns to the correct example.

Complete the sentence about the context of 'Letters from Yorkshire': Dooley spent time living in the {{}} so this could be a reflection of her longing to return to a natural setting.

In 'Letters from Yorkshire', the relationship between the speaker and her friend is ambiguous; it could be {{ }}, meaning there's no romance, or there could be underlying romantic feelings.

Which of these verbs are used to describe the speaker of 'Letters from Yorkshire'?

Introduction

What will you need for this lesson?

Are you ready to learn?

Equipment

Worksheet