‘Amends’ by Adrienne Rich - Student Worksheet
Background
Adrienne Rich was born in Baltimore in 1929 and is one of the USA’s most intelligent and outspoken poets. She explores political themes in free verse and voices her opinions about social issues very clearly and resolutely. Themes in her poetry include war, feminism, racism, the destruction and pollution of the planet.
1. Which of the following statements are examples of ‘making amends’?
a) After making such a mess, he promised to do all the housework for a month.
b) There was nothing left to do but apologise.
c) Charity begins at home.
d) The student bought the English teacher a bouquet of flowers for being so
disruptive during lessons.
Write your own example of ‘making amends’.
2. Read the poem ‘Amends’ and match the following words with their
corresponding definitions :
i) surf / a) small stonesii) ledge / b) spraying food plants with pesticide
iii) cliff / c) natural path or road
iv) tracks / d) being caused to shake slightly
v) unavailing / e) where stone is dug out of the ground
vi) gash / f) mobile home
vii) gravel / g) high, steep area of rock
viii) quarry / h) without success
ix) crop-dusting / i) foam on large waves at sea
x) trailer / j) flat, protuding area
xi) tremulous / k) deep, surface cut
3. Re-read the first three lines of the poem.
a) Where is the reader taken in these lines?
b) What do you think is happening?
c) What is the ‘ tone ‘ being created in this introduction?
Give evidence for your responses.
4. The moon takes the reader on a journey. The synonyms below represent the locations visited
by the moon in stanzas one and two.
Identify these locations and note the corresponding quotations :
e.g. a. land - “on the ground, moonlight picking at small stones”
b. rockface -
c. paths -
d. sea foam -
e. platform -
f. seashore -
5. a) Explain briefly how Adrianne Rich brings the moon to life.
b) How is the reader drawn into the moon’s journey?
Extended task : Choose three images evoked in stanza two. Describe each in your own words and explain their effect on the reader. (Answer on separate sheet of paper or overleaf).
6. Note three locations where the moon continues its journey in stanzas three
and four :
a)
b)
c)
7. What do you think is their function?
8. Consider Rich’s use of the terms below and explain their impact on us :
gash
crop-dusting
9. a) Choose the adjectives in the list below which best describe Arianne’s Rich’s
tone in ‘Amends’ :
obvious mysterious romantic subtle
understated enigmatic sensual ironic
explicit peaceful disturbing amusing
Give a brief explanation for your choice of words :
b) How does the tone of the poem in the last two stanza compare with the first
two?
10. a) What do you think is the theme of the poem? Explain your reasons.
b) What do you think the moon could be making amends for?
11. Choose two adjectives to describe the way the poem makes you feel. Give
reasons and examples to explain your choices.
Language points
1. Note Adrianne Rich’s choice of verbs in stanza two. Make a list and comment
on their overall effect on the reader :
a) d)
b) e)
c) f)
2. a) Reorganise the prepositions in the chart below, to correspond with the verbs they figure
with in ‘Amends’.
Verb / Alternative preposition / Prepositon in Amendspick / out
explode / across
pour / upon
lean / through
soak / into
dwell / at
b) Note the difference in meaning or nuance of the verb when the preposition
following it changes. What is the effect of these verbs chosen by poet?
3. What is the effect of ‘as it’ and its repetition in the poem?
What is your opinion of the change to ‘ as if ‘ in the final line. Does it make a
satisfying end to the poem? Explain your reasons.
Structure and punctuation
1. The four unrhymed quatrains have an irregular rhythm. The poem consists of
one unfinished sentence. What is the impact of this on the reader and why?
2. The role of the colon is to explain or provide elements of what is
referred to before it.
Comment on how Rich uses the colon in the first stanza. Why do you think
she leaves a space after the colon in line 1?