2. WHAT IS IT ABOUT
• Falling Leaves is basically an extended metaphor poem.
When he refers to the ‘leaves’ she would be talking
about innocent young soldiers, and when he says
“dropping from their tree” she pretty much means they
are dropping dead all over the place. #sad :(
• She is saying to the audience that there is death from
soldiers all around her and that it happens all to often,
but by using the extended metaphor of leaves, she is
suggesting that it is an endless cycle, because
whenever there are leaves on a tree (unless it’s an
evergreen…) they will always fall off in the winter.
3. THE WRITER’S AIMS/FEELINGS
• Pretty much already said it but she feels that too
many soldiers are dying, and it is very unfair
because they haven’t done anything wrong.
4. THE POETIC TECHNIQUES
• By using the extended metaphor of the ‘falling leaves’, the reader can relate
more to the poem: The reader understands that leaves fall “from their tree”
every year round in an endless cycle of sadness. This in turn makes it much
more easy for the reader to understand Margaret’s views. (grumpy old git)
• She uses alliteration when she says “wind whirled them whistling”. This
sound of the ‘w’s sounds eary and dreary and it makes you want to drift off
to sleep, this could create a calm feel for the reader and emphasises death
of the soldiers. Because of this an alternative reader may see the irony of
the ‘w’s having a calm sound, because it can be juxtaposed with the violent
death of soldiers.
• She also refers to the soldiers using the metaphor of “snowflakes”.
Snowflakes are white, which represents the soldiers innocence and they
area also all unique, which emphasises the huge loss of any soldiers, and
highlights the disastrous effects of conflict on people.
