In order to answer an essay question on any poem, it is vital that you understand what it is about. This section includes:
- The poem in a nutshell
- A “translation” of the poem, section-by-section
- A commentary of each of these sections, outlining Liz Berry’s intention and message
“Homing" in a nutshell
“Homing" is written by the poet Liz Berry, who was born in the Midlands, a region of central England, in 1980. The poem, like much of her poetry, considers individuals’ relationships with cultural heritage and the way language shapes identity.
“Homing" breakdown
Lines 1–3
“For years you kept your accent
in a box beneath the bed,
the lock rusted shut by hours of elocution”
Translation
- The lines introduce a speaker’s direct address to a listener:
- The speaker suggests, symbolically, that their accent has been hidden by hours of speech training (“elocution”)
Berry’s intention
- Berry introduces a conversation about language related to personal identity
- The metaphor alludes to the way the individual’s identity is restricted:
- The imagery of “rusted shut” implies an extended period of repressed expression
Lines 4–5
“how now brown cow
the teacher’s ruler across your legs.”
Translation
- The poem uses a phrase connected with elocution: “how now brown cow”
- The speaker is punished if they get it wrong and pronounce the vowels in an accent different to the “Queen’s English” or received pronunciation
Berry’s intention
- Berry presents learning to conform as punitive and painful
- Berry alludes to prevalent ideas about the disciplinary nature of elitist traditions
Lines 6–10
“We heard it escape sometimes,
a guttural uh on the phone to your sister,
saft or blart to a taxi driver
unpacking your bags from his boot.
I loved its thick drawl, g’s that rang.”
Translation
- The narrator refers to the listener’s native accent, which “escapes” at times
- The narrator lists occasions when they have heard the hint of the listener’s native pronunciation of words
- They add that they “loved” the sound of it (stressed by the past-tense verb)
Berry’s intention
- Berry illustrates the way an individual remains tied to their cultural heritage
- At times (perhaps in emotional or challenging moments) they show their real identity via their natural accent
- The narrator sounds nostalgic about the rich sound of the listener’s old accent
Lines 11–13
“Clearing your house, the only thing
I wanted was that box, jemmied open
to let years of lost words spill out –”
Translation
- The speaker hints at the listener’s absence while describing clearing the house
- They refer to a “box”, which held the listener’s hidden accent:
- This is confirmed when the narrator mentions “lost words”
- It is clear the speaker wishes the listener had been more open about their heritage:
- They want to break open the box (“jemmied”) and let the “words spill out”
Berry’s intention
- Berry presents a regretful speaker who is frustrated at the listener’s repressed identity
Lines 14–16
“bibble, fittle, tay, wum,
vowels ferrous as nails, consonants
you could lick the coal from.”
Translation
- The speaker mentions words and sounds that make up the Black Country accent
- The lines mention iron (“ferrous”) and “coal”, referring to industry commonly associated with the region
Berry’s intention
- Berry draws attention to the vibrancy of cultural heritage with Sensory imagery
Lines 17–20
“I wanted to swallow them all: the pits,
railways, factories thunking and clanging
the night shift, the red brick
back-to-back you were born in.”
Translation
- The speaker uses metaphor to describe the native accent:
- The symbolic nature of “swallow” refers to the richness of the sounds
- The poet lists aspects of colour and sound that refer to the urban nature of the region
Berry’s intention
- Berry describes the Black Country in England and its particular accent with vivid imagery to promote the expression of cultural identity
Lines 21–23
“I wanted to forge your voice
in my mouth, a blacksmith’s furnace;
shout it from the roofs,”
Translation
- The speaker repeats a desire for a closer connection with the listener’s heritage
- Here, they suggest they wanted to sound the same and use their accent proudly
Berry’s intention
- Berry offers an alternative perspective on cultural heritage
- Berry implies language is integral to an individual’s identity
Lines 24–25
“send your words, like pigeons,
fluttering for home.”
Translation
- The poem ends with a natural image: a homing pigeon
- The title of the poem connects with the final lines:
- “Homing” refers to the idea that the listener’s words are sent back home, as if they were pigeons containing messages
Berry’s intention
- Berry’s poem ends by liberating the listener from their repressed identity:
- The allusion to birds connotes freedom
- Berry connects freedom with a return to an individual’s heritage