Missing ones
Compare the ways in which poets explore the experiences of motherhood in The Deliverer by Tishani Doshi and one other poem of your choice from Poems of the Decade: An Anthology of the Forward Books of Poetry 2002–2011. In your answer, you should consider the following: the poets’ development of themes the poets’ use of language and imagery the use of other poetic techniques ✅ Pairing suggestion: Material (Ros Barber) – contrasts Doshi’s global, tragic lens on discarded children with Barber’s nostalgic, personal reflection on motherhood and generational shifts. Candidates may include the following in their answers: Doshi presents motherhood as overshadowed by cultural traditions, where daughters are unwanted, e.g. “crippled” or “tied to bamboo poles.” Motherhood is shown as devalued when babies are abandoned, e.g. “This is the one my mother will bring,” highlighting selective worth. The cyclical suffering of women is emphasised, e.g. “Trudge home to lie down for their men again,” su...