The poem is written from the perspective of a man trapped in one of the World Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001. He is waving a white shirt to try to get the attention of people watching from below. However, he is growing tired as the heat rises and realizes that death is imminent. In the final stanza, his arm has gone numb and his nerves are "sagging" as he fails, with the last word "flagging" carrying a dual meaning of both physically weakening and signaling distress.

1. Poetry Across Time
Conflict
Introduce

2. Out of the Blue
By Simon Armitage
Establish

3. What do these images show?
Should they have been taken?
Discuss/Identify

4. Exploit?
Commemorate?
Discuss/Identify

5. Exploit?
Commemorate?
Discuss/Identify

6. 11th September, 2001
The first reports were that a plane had hit one of the towers
causing a huge fire in the upper stories, but a short time later a
second plane hit the second tower dispelling any belief that the
first hit had been an accident. Another plane was crashed into the
Pentagon and a fourth crashed after the passengers fought with
the hijackers and forced the plane the crash, killing all on board.
The world watched in horror as the fires in the towers began to
consume the World Trade Centre, home to the New York Stock
Exchange and potent symbol of America's wealth and economic
power.
Establish

7. Out of the Blue
By Simon Armitage
Simon Armitage was born in 1963 in West Yorkshire. He
combines accessible humour and realist style with critical
seriousness. Out of the Blue was written to mark the fifth
anniversary of the World Trade Centre attacks.
The poem features a fictional British trader trapped in one of
the twin towers as the planes strike.
"I wanted to do something which was both commemorative
and elegiac, but not political...I was interested much more in
bereavement," said Armitage. "I also wanted it to reflect
what was happening that day inside the towers. To give those
inside a voice."
Poet's Background and Ideas

8. Endings:
But ______, ______.
______ below are ______, ______
My ______. is ______ and my ______ are
______.
Do you see me, ______ ______ I am ______,
______.
my tiring sirens love numb tiring wailing
failing firing nerves arm flagging sagging
Reflection...
* Who is the 'voice' in this poem?
* How does the poet establish
this persona?
Explain your ideas.
* Is there anything significant
about the poet's use of verbs in
this stanza?
Skill: Pre- Reading

9. As the world watched, reports came in of of people trapped above
the burning floors who, driven back by the flames and with no
possible hope of rescue, were seen leaping to their deaths from
two of the tallest buildings in the world. The footage showed
people waving frantically from the high windows, the horror of
their situation almost too much to comprehend...

10. Extract from Out Of the Blue
You have picked me out.
Through a distant shot of a building burning
you have noticed now
that a white cotton shirt is twirling, turning.
In fact I am waving, waving.
Small in the clouds, but waving, waving.
Does anyone see a
soul worth saving?
So when will you come?
Do you think you are watching, watching
a man shaking crumbs
or pegging out washing?
I am trying and trying.
The heat behind me is bullying, driving,
but the white of surrender is not yet flying.
I am not at the point of leaving, diving.
A bird goes by.
The depth is appalling. Appalling
that others like me
should be wind-milling, wheeling, spiralling, falling.
Are your eyes believing,
believing
Here in the gills
I am still breathing.
But tiring, tiring.
Sirens below me are wailing, firing.
My arm is numb and my nerves are sagging.
Do you see me, my love. I am failing. Flagging.
Poem

11. Complete Poem Out of the Blue - In 4 parts (links attached)

12. Extract from Out Of the Blue
= Verbs What does this imply about
The verbs are You have picked me out. where the reader is?
Through a distant shot of a building burning
in present
you have noticed now
tense. that a white cotton shirt is twirling, turning. Gentle, calm
Why? movements
In fact I am waving, waving.
Repetition Small in the clouds, but waving, waving.
emphasises? Does anyone see a Why does the
soul worth saving? narrator use
questions
So when will you come?
What does Do you think you are watching, watching throughout?
a man shaking crumbs
this suggest?
or pegging out washing?
Repetition used
What is this? I am trying and trying. to...?
The heat behind me is bullying, driving,
but the white of surrender is not yet flying.
Why is this I am not at the point of leaving, diving.
mentioned?
A bird goes by. Peaceful image. Emphasises what?
The depth is appalling. Appalling
Why has the that others like me
should be wind-milling, wheeling, spiralling, falling.
narrator used
What do these
this word? Are your eyes believing,
adjectives suggest?
believing
Here in the gills What image is created here?
I am still breathing. Why?
Mournful onomatopoeia
But tiring, tiring.
Sirens below me are wailing, firing.
My arm is numb and my nerves are sagging.
Do you see me, my love. I am failing. Flagging.
Reminds us that he is a real person. Why is this the
Realising that death is near and last word?
becomes emotional
Focus Qs

13. Exploring the text:
How does the poet use words to ensure that
the reader understands that death is a
certainty?
What do you notice about the poet's use of
rhyme? What happens in the last stanza?
Why?
What about the punctuation used throughout
the poem? How does it add to the effect/
impact of the words?
Task: Individual Investigation

14. Look at the images below:
Can you find the quotation/idea
that they refer to?
Explore - F & H

15. Question Time!
1. What is significant about the narrator
waving a white shirt?
2. What does the narrator describe he
can see and how does he react?
3. Why effect does the poet have addressing you as a
reader directly?
4. The narrator feels insignificant. Why?
5. There are 2 meanings of 'flagging'.
Why does Simon Armitage use this as the last word of the poem?
Quick Questions

16. Not Waving But Drowning
Nobody heard him, the dead man,
But still he lay moaning:
I was much further out than you
thought
And not waving but drowning.
Poor chap, he always loved larking
And now he's dead
It must have been too cold for him
his heart gave way,
They said.
Oh, no no no, it was too cold always
(Still the dead one lay moaning)
I was much too far out all my life
And not waving but drowning.
STEVIE SMITH
Additional

18. Links:
Poet talks about poetry:
http://www.poetryarchive.org/poetryarchive/
singleInterview.do;jsessionid=7144A22D07D99800B97
55BC5ACA2064F?interviewId=1419
Article about poet:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bradford/culture/words/2005/
simon_armitage_pictures_britain.shtml
Poet in the news:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/simonarmitage
Poet in debate about poetry:
http://video.sky.com/skyarts/related/remap/video-
simon-armitage-on-the-book-show/
Poet talks about poem:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/
article626664.ece
Information on 9/11 (BBC):
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/
americas/2001/day_of_terror/
A Teacher analysis of poem:
http://www.helpmewithenglish.co.uk/page_2111251.html
Links and References