Introduction to Songs of Ourselves, Volume 2

Welcome to your study of Songs of Ourselves, Volume 2! This anthology is a core part of Paper 1 Poetry for your 2027 and 2028 examinations. It is a diverse collection that brings together voices from different centuries and cultures, ranging from the 16th-century sonnets of Sir Philip Sidney to contemporary works by poets like Amanda Chong.

Don't worry if some of the older language seems difficult or if the modern poems feel a bit strange at first. Poetry is simply a way of capturing a feeling, an image, or an idea in a very concentrated form. Your job is to act like a detective: look for the clues the poet has left behind in their language, form, and structure to figure out the deeper meaning.

Note: This guide focuses specifically on the Songs of Ourselves anthology. If you are studying Zaffar Kunial, Sylvia Plath, or Christina Rossetti, you should refer to the specific notes for those authors.

The Set Poems (2027 & 2028)

The syllabus requires you to study these 30 specific poems. In the exam, you will need to be familiar with all of them, as you won't know which one will appear until you open the paper!

1. Last Sonnet — John Keats
2. The Bargain — Sir Philip Sidney
3. To My Dear and Loving Husband — Anne Bradstreet
4. Tiger in the Menagerie — Emma Jones
5. lion heart — Amanda Chong
6. Heart and Mind — Edith Sitwell
7. In Praise of Creation — Elizabeth Jennings
8. Upon a Wasp Chilled with Cold — Edward Taylor
9. 'Blessed by the Indifference...' — Christopher Reid
10. The Poplar-Field — William Cowper
11. Afternoon with Irish Cows — Billy Collins
12. London Snow — Robert Bridges
13. Excelsior — Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
14. The Border Builder — Carol Rumens
15. The Migrant — A L Hendriks
16. The White House — Claude McKay
17. The Song of the Shirt — Thomas Hood
18. To a Millionaire — A R D Fairburn
19. Amoretti, Sonnet 86 — Edmund Spenser
20. Homecoming — Lenrie Peters
21. I Years had been from Home — Emily Dickinson
22. The Exequy — Henry King
23. Old Man & Very Old Man — James Henry
24. Late Wisdom — George Crabbe
25. 'I Have a Rendezvous with Death' — Alan Seeger
26. Song — Alun Lewis
27. The Dead Knight — John Masefield
28. From the Coptic — Stevie Smith
29. I Dream of You... — Christina Rossetti
30. Sleep — Kenneth Slessor

Mastering the Assessment Objectives (AOs)

To succeed in Paper 1, you need to demonstrate four key skills. Think of these as the "ingredients" of a perfect essay:

  • AO1: Knowledge and Understanding. Do you know what happens in the poem? Can you explain the main themes? Do you understand the context (the background or situation) of the poem?
  • AO2: Analysis. This is the "how" and "why." How does the poet use a specific word (language)? Why did they choose a specific rhyme scheme or rhythm? How does the structure (the way the poem is built) affect the mood?
  • AO3: Personal Response. What is your opinion? There is no single "right" answer in Literature. As long as you can support your view with evidence from the poem, your interpretation is valid.
  • AO4: Communication. This is about how you write. Is your essay organized? Are your arguments clear? Do you use quotes to back up your points?
Quick Tip: The "What, How, Why" Method

For every point you make, ask yourself:
1. What is the poet saying? (AO1)
2. How are they saying it? (Identify a technique like a metaphor or alliteration) (AO2)
3. Why does it matter? (What effect does it have on the reader?) (AO3)

Major Themes in the Anthology

Because there are 30 poems, it is helpful to group them into "clusters" or themes. This makes it easier to compare them in the (a) type questions.

1. Love and Relationships

Poets have written about love for centuries, but they all see it differently. Some see it as a perfect bargain or exchange (Sidney), while others see it as a deep, eternal bond that outlasts life (Bradstreet, Keats, Rossetti). Look for poems like "Heart and Mind" which explores the struggle between logic and emotion.

2. Nature and the Environment

Nature is often used to reflect human feelings. In "The Poplar-Field," the cutting down of trees represents the loss of childhood and the passage of time. In "London Snow," the weather transforms a dirty city into something magical and quiet. Contrast the wildness in "Tiger in the Menagerie" with the peaceful observation in "Afternoon with Irish Cows."

3. Mortality and Time

Many poems in this selection deal with death (mortality) and the feeling that time is running out. "I Have a Rendezvous with Death" is a famous war poem about a soldier's fate. "The Exequy" is a deeply personal poem about mourning a lost loved one, while "Late Wisdom" looks at how we view our lives as we get older.

4. Social Commentary and Identity

Some poets use their work to criticize society. "The Song of the Shirt" highlights the poverty of workers, while "The White House" explores the pain of exclusion and racism. "The Migrant" and "Homecoming" deal with the complex feelings of moving between different cultures and places.

Understanding Poetic Techniques (AO2)

When you analyze a poem, look for these specific "tools" the poet uses:

  • Form: Is it a Sonnet (14 lines, usually about love or time)? Is it Free Verse (no regular rhyme or rhythm), which might feel more modern and conversational?
  • Stanza Structure: Are the stanzas even and neat, or are they broken and jagged? A poem about chaos might have a very disorganized structure.
  • Enjambment: This is when a line runs into the next without a pause. It often creates a sense of speed, excitement, or flowing movement.
  • Caesura: A strong pause within a line (usually marked by a comma or full stop). This can create a feeling of hesitation or tension.
  • Diction: This just means "word choice." Is the language simple or "flowery"? Is it aggressive or gentle?

Did you know? The word sonnet comes from the Italian word sonetto, which means "little song." This is why poems in a collection called Songs of Ourselves often use the sonnet form!

Exam Strategy: Choice (a) vs Choice (b)

In the exam, you will have two choices for the Songs of Ourselves text. You only answer ONE.

Question (a): The "Whole-Text" Essay

This question will ask you to discuss a specific theme or technique across the poems you have studied. It usually asks you to refer to two poems in detail or a range of poems from the selection.
Example: "In what ways do poets explore the theme of loss in this selection?"

Question (b): The "Passage-Based" Essay

The exam paper will print one specific poem from the list. You must write an essay focusing closely on that specific poem, analyzing how the poet uses language and structure to create effects.
Example: "Analyze the ways in which the poet creates a sense of atmosphere in 'London Snow'."

Which one should I choose?

If you have a great memory for quotes and like comparing different ideas, (a) might be for you. If you prefer to have the text in front of you so you can look at every tiny detail, (b) is usually the safer choice.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Just Summarizing: Don't just tell the examiner what happens. They know the poem! They want to know how the poet uses words to make you feel a certain way.
  • Ignoring Form: Many students forget to talk about the shape of the poem. If it's a sonnet, mention it! If the lines are very short, explain why.
  • "Feature Spotting": Don't just list techniques (e.g., "There is an alliteration in line 4"). You must explain the effect of that technique. Why did the poet want that specific sound there?
  • No Personal Response: Don't be afraid to use phrases like "The reader might feel..." or "This suggests a sense of..." to show your AO3 skills.

Quick Review Checklist

Key Takeaways:

1. Know the list: You must be familiar with all 30 poems.
2. Think in themes: Group poems by Love, Nature, Time, or Society to help you remember them.
3. Focus on AO2: Practice looking at how language, form, and structure work together.
4. Stay relevant: Always answer the specific question asked; don't just write everything you know about the poem.
5. No books allowed: Remember, you will not have the anthology in the exam room, though for question (b), the specific poem will be printed for you.

Don't worry if these poems feel complex at first. The more you read them aloud, the more their rhythms and meanings will start to click!