A Child to his Sick Grandfather (Edexcel GCSE English Literature)

The Edexcel GCSE English Literature Relationships Anthology contains 15 poems, and in your exam question you will be given one poem and asked to compare this printed poem to a second poem. The exam is closed-book, which means you will not have access to the second poem.

Revising and memorising the key elements of a poem will help you to produce a top-grade response in the exam: 

• The meaning of the poem
• The ideas and messages of the poet 
• How the poet conveys these ideas through their methods
• How these ideas compare and contrast with the ideas of other poets in the anthology

Below is a guide to Joanna Baillie’s poem 'A Child to his Sick Grandfather', from the Edexcel GCSE English Literature Relationships Anthology. It includes:

• Overview: a breakdown of the poem, including its possible meanings and interpretations
• Writer’s methods: an exploration of the poet’s techniques and methods
• Context: an exploration of the context of the poem, relevant to its themes
• What to compare it to: ideas about which poems to compare it to in the exam

To confidently 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 Joanna Baillie’s intention and message

'A Child to his Sick Grandfather' in a nutshell

'A Child to his Sick Grandfather', written by the poet Joanna Baillie, explores family relationships by presenting a child’s emotions towards their grandfather. The poem also examines changes and loss within loving relationships. 

'A Child to his Sick Grandfather' breakdown 

Lines 1–6

“Grand-dad, they say you’re old and frail,

Your stocked legs begin to fail:

Your knobbed stick (that was my horse)

Can scarce support your bended corse,

While back to wall, you lean so sad,

I’m vexed to see you, dad.”

Translation

• The first stanza begins with a form of direct address to the speaker’s grandfather 
• The speaker relates to the grandfather that people say he is old and weak (“frail”)
• The grandfather’s legs are “stocked” (implying swollen) and he needs a walking stick:
• The child’s voice is noticeable here as they refer to pretending the stick is a horse
• The speaker says the old man leans against the wall sadly and has a bent body (“corse” may allude to the word “corpse”)
• This upset (“vexed”) the speaker 

Baillie’s intention

• Baillie’s poem is a personal and intimate address from a child to their grandfather
• The poet emphasises the grandfather’s age and fragility to present ideas about changes in life that affect relationships

Lines 7–12

“You used to smile and stroke my head,

And tell me how good children did;

But now, I wot not how it be,

You take me seldom on your knee,

Yet ne’ertheless I am right glad,

To sit beside you, dad.”

Translation

• The child recalls when the grandfather was able to comfort them
• They imply the grandfather used to teach them things on his “knee” and that they miss those moments now he is old
• The speaker adds, though, that they are happy enough to just sit with them
• The colloquial term of address, “dad”, still refers to the grandfather

Baillie’s intention

• Baillie adds a nostalgic tone to the poem as the child remembers the guidance their grandfather was able to provide
• This reverses the roles and presents ideas about changes in family relationships 
• The speaker’s colloquial language creates an informal, more intimate mood, and emphasises the speaker’s innocence 

Lines 13–18

“How lank and thin your beard hangs down!

Scant are the white hairs on your crown;

How wan and hollow are your cheeks!

Your brow is rough with crossing breaks;

But yet, for all his strength be fled,

I love my own old dad.”

Translation

• These lines describe the grandfather’s thin (“lank”) beard and hair
• The speaker continues, describing how pale (“wan”) his cheeks are and how wrinkled (“rough” and “crossing”) his forehead is
• Yet, the speaker says, even though their grandfather’s strength has left him (“fled”), they still love him

Baillie’s intention

• These exclamatory lines show the speaker’s dismay at their grandfather’s changed condition
• This conveys ideas about the inevitability of change and the impact of time:
• Baillie contrasts the grandfather’s former “strength” to highlight his changed state
• The last line, a refrain, confirms the speaker’s never-ending devotion

Lines 19–24

“The housewives round their potions brew,

And gossips come to ask for you;

And for your weal each neighbour cares,

And good men kneel, and say their prayers;

And everybody looks so sad,

When you are ailing, dad.”

Translation

• The speaker tells the grandfather how much the people in the community care for him
• They say that the women speak of him as they “brew” their “potions”
• The “gossips” ask for news, and his neighbours really care about his well-being
• The speaker relates the general concern in the town as men pray for him and everyone is sad that he is sick (“ailing”)

Baillie’s intention

• Baillie alludes to the town’s respect for the old man as he seems to be loved by all:
• This may be seen as a tribute to age and wisdom 
• The child’s kind, comforting words convey the affection between child and grandfather 

Lines 25–30

“You will not die and leave us then?

Rouse up and be our dad again.

When you are quiet and laid in bed,

We’ll doff our shoes and softly tread;

And when you wake we’ll aye be near

To fill old dad his cheer.”

Translation

• These lines address the grandfather directly as the child asks him not to die
• The speaker instructs the old man to stand (“Rouse up”) and take back his position in the family
• This changes to a softer tone as the speaker says everyone will take off their shoes and be sure to “tread” quietly when he rests 
• Once the grandfather wakes up they will all be there to cheer him up

Baillie’s intention

• The child’s desperation is portrayed here as their voice takes on urgency
• However, this is immediately juxtaposed with the gentle reassurance that they will allow the grandfather to rest and be sure to be there when he awakes
• The speaker’s commitment to the grandfather’s care presents devoted family love

Lines 31–36

“When through the house you shift your stand,

I’ll lead you kindly by the hand;

When dinner’s set I’ll with you bide,

And aye be serving at your side;

And when the weary fire turns blue,

I’ll sit and talk with you.”

Translation

• The speaker’s reassuring care extends to guiding the grandfather carefully around the house when they tire or stumble (“shift your stand”)
• They will also sit with them while they eat dinner and serve them at their side 
• They will talk with the grandfather until the fire goes out

Baillie’s intention

• The child is determined to reassure their grandfather of their constant attention
• Baillie portrays a tender and loving family relationship where the elderly are loved and cared for 

Lines 37–42

“I have a tale both long and good,

About a partlet and her brood,

And cunning greedy fox that stole

By dead of midnight through a hole,

Which slyly to the hen-roost led –

You love a story, dad?”

Translation

• The speaker says they can tell the grandfather a story that is long and interesting
• They have a story about a hen and her chicks (“partlet and her brood”) and a sly fox who creeps through a hole in the middle of the night to get to the hens
• The last line asks the grandfather if this will entertain him

Baillie’s intention

• Baillie’s innocent child speaker portrays an intimate relationship, which powerfully conveys the profound love the child has for their grandfather: 
• The child seems determined to please him (and perhaps keep him awake) with an exciting story 

Line 43–48

“And then I have a wondrous tale

Of men all clad in coats of mail,

With glittering swords – you nod, I think?

Your fixed eyes begin to wink;

Down on your bosom sinks your head –

You do not hear me, dad.”

Translation

• The speaker adds that they have a wonderful story about knights in armour (“coats of mail”) with bright swords
• At this, the speaker thinks the grandfather responds with a nod but they are not sure
• The grandfather’s “fixed” stare appears to change to a “wink” 
• But then the old man’s head drops to his chest (“bosom”) and the speaker checks if he is still awake 

Baillie’s intention

• Baillie’s poem ends rather abruptly to portray the child’s experience as the grandfather suddenly falls asleep in the middle of the conversation
• The poem’s ambiguous ending is chilling:
• It is unclear if the old man has fallen asleep or if this is the moment of his death
• The sad moment is juxtaposed with the child’s innocent exuberance to highlight the differences between the young child and the old man

Although this section is organised into three separate sections – form, structure and language – it is important to take an Integrated approach, focusing on the main themes and ideas of the poem and then evaluating how Baillie’s choices of language, structure and form contribute to these ideas. In essence, you need to consider how and why the poet has made the choices they have, in relation to their intentions and message. 

Focusing on the poet’s main ideas, rather than individual poetic techniques, will gain you far more marks. In the below sections, all analysis is arranged by theme, and includes Baillie’s intentions behind her choices in terms of:

• Form
• Structure
• Language

Form

The form of 'A Child to his Sick Grandfather' conveys ideas about strong family love in a sentimental depiction of a child’s loving address to an elderly grandfather.

Theme	Evidence	Poet's intention
Intimate relationships	The first-person persona or speaker, a child, expresses their devotion to their grandfather in a dramatic monologue: The poem’s eight stanzas convey the child’s tireless determination to engage the old man	Baillie’s sentimental poem repeats a refrain as the child tries to engage their sick grandfather:  The speaker is emotional, “I’m vexed to see you, dad”
	The poem is mostly in present tense to create immediacy At times this shifts to past tense when the child remembers the past	Baillie’s poem also has a nostalgic quality
	Baillie explores a child’s deep love for their grandfather and the strong family bond

Structure

The poem’s regular structure reflects the child’s attention to their grandfather and presents a loving and dependable relationship. However, at times the child’s interrogative tone conveys a sense of urgency and concern.  

Theme	Evidence	Poet's intention
Complex love	The stanzas each have 6 lines and the poem maintains a regular aabbcc rhyme scheme	Baillie’s steady rhythm reflects the speaker’s long-lasting love: The repetitive nature of the poem reflects the speaker’s committed reassurances
	Refrains at the ends of stanzas create an interrogative tone: “You love a story, dad?”	As the child repeatedly addresses “dad”, their voice sounds casual and intimate, yet persistent
	The poem breaks the rhythm at the end, marked by two dashes: This conveys nervousness: “With glittering swords – you nod, I think?”  The child’s sadness is shown in “Down on your bosom sinks your head –”	Baillie presents the child’s unspoken fears as the grandfather falls asleep: The poet creates tension with the ambiguous ending
	Baillie structures the poem as if the child is desperately prompting their grandfather to engage, and anxiously trying to keep him awake (or alive)

 

Language

Baillie’s poem uses contrasting imagery to convey the child’s mixed emotions as they care for their grandfather. Baillie uses casual language to present the child’s innocent optimism and downplay their emotional appeal. 

Theme	Evidence	Poet's intention
Family relationships	Baillie uses alliteration to highlight the old man’s age:  Rhyming words “frail” and “fail” highlight weakness sibilance draws attention to his “stocked legs”, “stick” and how he can “scarce support” his “corse” (body or “corpse”)	Imagery throughout the poem shows the man as physically vulnerable: This presents the idea of ageing as purely physical Perhaps this is because it is through the eyes of a young child
	Exclamations are used to describe the grandfather: “How lank and thin your beard hangs down!” and “How wan and hollow are your cheeks!”	Baillie shows the child’s dismay at their grandfather’s appearance to raise questions about change and loss in family relationships
	Eclectic imagery reflects the child’s rambling address:  In one stanza they describe the busy people in the town, like  “housewives” who “brew” “potions”  In the next stanza sensory language and personification creates a sense of calm, such as “softly tread” and “weary fire turns blue”  Later, the child refers to adventures in the “dead of midnight” with a “cunning greedy fox”	Baillie’s poem is playful and excited, yet behind this is the child’s urgent desire for the grandfather to “Rouse”: This gives the poem a poignancy and innocence
	Baillie portrays the child’s tender interaction to show their devoted commitment and the strength of family love

Examiners repeatedly state that context should not be considered as additional factual information. In the case of this poem, you should not include biographical information about the poet, Joanna Baillie, or facts unrelated to the ideas in 'A Child to his Sick Grandfather’.

The best way to explore context in this poem is to consider the ideas and perspectives the poet explores: 

• Complex love
• Family relationships

Complex love 

• Baillie can be considered a romantic poet: typically, she highlights the innocence of youth and praises it for its hopeful optimism
• Baillie’s poem ‘A Child to his Sick Grandfather’ presents a troubled child speaking to his sick grandfather, expressing an anxious need for him to stay alive:
• The child innocently instructs the old man to “Rouse up” (stand up)
• Baillie highlights the child’s dismay that their grandfather can no longer lift them onto his knee and “stroke” their head
• She foregrounds the boy’s memories to convey his feelings about their bond
• Baillie was raised with strict religious values that encouraged modest displays of emotion 
• The poet’s father was a presbyterian minister and a Professor of Divinity at the University of Glasgow 
• At a Glasgow boarding school that aimed to turn badly-behaved girls into polite ladies, Baillie began to write about her emotional experiences 
• In 1791, while living in England, Baillie wrote Plays on the Passions, which expressed ideas related to deep unexplored emotion
• The poem ‘A Child to his Sick Grandfather’ explores a child’s pain at his grandfather’s imminent death  
• Her 1821 work Metrical Legends of Exalted Characters focused on legendary tales of heroism, perhaps alluding to traditional presentations of intense love:
• In ‘A Child to his Sick Grandfather’, Baillie refers to knights in “coats of mail” and “glittering swords”, alluding to classical Romantic traditions
• In this way, Baillie elevates the poem’s portrayal of deep emotion

Family relationships 

• Joanna Baillie, born in 1762 in Scotland, is a well-known dramatist and poet who is praised for raising the profile of Scottish literature:
• The poem ‘A Child to his Sick Grandfather’ uses colloquial language such as “for your weal each neighbour cares” (they care for his well-being) 
• Typical of Romantic poetry, Baillie uses simple language to express intense love
• The child says “But now, I wot not how it be,” and addresses him with the eighteenth century word “dad’ (meaning Granddad)
• Joanna Baillie was confronted with death at an early age as her sister died when she was a baby and her mother died when she was 16:
• In 1790 she published ‘A Child to his Sick Grandfather’, a poem that can be considered an elegy, a poem about grief and death:
• The poem ends with the child asking the grandfather, whose head has dropped to his chest, if he can still hear him, implying he may have died
• In Britain in the eighteenth century, a child was expected to show a great deal of respect to their elders and be dutiful to their family:
• The child in ‘A Child to his Sick Grandfather’ shows commitment and respect:
• They offer to help the grandfather walk and eat, be quiet while they rest and talk to them when they awake
• They ask the grandfather to regain his position in the family, “be our dad again”

The essay you are required to write in your exam is a comparison of the ideas and themes explored in two of your anthology poems. It is therefore essential that you revise the poems together, in pairs, to understand how each poet presents ideas about love or relationships in comparison to other poets in the anthology. Given that 'A Child to his Sick Grandfather' explores ideas related to family relationships and complex love, the following comparisons are the most appropriate:

• 'A Child to his Sick Grandfather' and 'One Flesh’
• ‘A Child to his Sick Grandfather’ and 'Nettles'
• 'A Child to his Sick Grandfather' and 'My Father Would Not Show Us’

For each pair of poems, you will find:

• The comparison in a nutshell
• Similarities between the ideas presented in each poem
• Differences between the ideas presented in each poem
• Evidence and analysis of these similarities and differences

‘A Child to his Sick Grandfather' and ‘One Flesh’ 

Comparison in a nutshell:

Both poems explore family relationships through troubled speakers who reflect on the complexities of love. However, while Baillie describes the strong connection between a child and a dying grandfather, Jennings portrays a child's frustration at their parent’s distant relationship.   

Similarities:

Topic sentence	Both poems describe intimate yet tense moments in a close relationship
Evidence and analysis	‘A Child to his Sick Grandfather'	'One Flesh'
	Baillie’s direct address depicts a child comforting their dying grandfather: Emotive language creates a touching scene: “I’m vexed to see you, dad.”	Jennings depicts a married couple at bedtime: Sensory imagery evokes intimacy: the light is “on late” Jennings creates a sentimental mood: “She like a girl dreaming of childhood”
	Baillie alters the steady rhythm of the poem to allude to the child’s underlying nervousness: The poet uses caesura to break lines, such as “With glittering swords – you nod, I think?”	Jennings similarly breaks the constant rhythm of the poem to imply unease in the relationship: “How cool they lie. They hardly ever touch,”
	Baillie portrays a child who attempts to hide their concern and remain optimistic and hopeful: He says “Yet ne’ertheless I am right glad,/To sit beside you, dad.”	In Jennings’s poem the couple are silent and withhold their feelings:  The man’s book is held “unread” and the wife’s eyes are “fixed on the shadows” This is juxtaposed with a simile that implies strong emotions: “like a confession/Of having little feeling – or too much”
	The poets both examine hidden feelings in troubled yet loving relationships

Topic sentence	Both poets explore changing family relationships as a result of loss
Evidence and analysis	‘My Father Would Not Show Us’	'One Flesh'
	Baillie presents the relationship between the child and grandfather as traditional: The speaker asks the grandfather to take his position as his “dad” again The child is dutiful, offering to assist with the grandfather’s every need	Jennings refers to traditional attitudes to marriage, and says the couple’s “whole lives were a preparation”: The poem refers to religious ideas that a married couple are “One Flesh” The poem suggests that it leads to “Chastity” rather than intimacy
	Baillie reflects the constant and dependable relationship with a steady rhythm and a regular rhyme scheme: The shorter refrain prompts the grandfather to engage	Jennings’s speaker describes the couple’s bedtime routine with a regular rhythm to allude to the relationship’s traditional nature: Yet Jennings suggests it is awkward: “it is as if they wait/Some new event”
	Baillie’s poem ends sadly and implies the grandfather has died: A rhetorical question creates a poignant tone:  “You do not hear me, dad?”	Jennings ends with a rhetorical questions to convey similar distress: The parents are unaware their love has died and this upsets the child speaker Jennings explores the inevitability of time and ageing
	Both poets explore changes in family relationships

Differences:

Topic sentence	Baillie shows the hopeful determination of a child engaging with a sick grandfather, while Jennings’s speaker laments the decline of their parent’s relationship
Evidence and analysis	‘A Child to his Sick Grandfather’	'One Flesh'
	Baillie’s poem consists of eight regular stanzas to convey the speaker’s persistence: The child’s urgent yet child-like appeal is conveyed with half-rhymes, such as “fled” and “head” rhymed with “dad” and the short refrain	Jennings, in contrast, shows the reliable routine of marriage as stagnant with regular line lengths and rhythm: She breaks the poem into three separated quatrains to show distance
	Baillie’s poem is a direct address that shows intimacy in the relationship: The child repeatedly speaks to the old man, informally calling him “dad”	Jennings’s married couple do not speak to each other: Their silence is described with a simile, “like a thread to hold”, to imply the fragility of their bond
	Baillie describes a child’s determined actions to keep their grandfather awake and alive: He reminds the old man how much people care about him He says he will tell an exciting story He offers help with daily activities and company	In contrast, Jennings’s speaker seems to comment from afar: oxymoron describe the passion and former “fire” that is now “cool” and “cold”
	Baillie portrays a small child taking desperate measures to prevent their loved one’s death, whereas Jennings’s poem conveys distance and cold passivity in the relationship

'A Child to his Sick Grandfather' and ‘Nettles’ 

Comparison in a nutshell:

Both Joanna Baillie’s ‘A Child to his Sick Grandfather’ and Vernon Scannell’s ‘Nettles’ explore close family relationships through poignant dramatic monologues. However, while Baillie presents the voice of an optimistic child, lovingly addressing their grandfather, Scannell’s poem portrays the melancholy feelings of a frustrated parent. 

Similarities:

Topic sentence	Both poems depict intimate moments in family relationships
Evidence and analysis	‘A Child to his Sick Grandfather’	‘Nettles’
	Baillie presents a child speaker’s touching address to their grandfather: “You used to smile and stroke my head”	Scannell describes a tender moment as parents care for their son’s injury: “We soothed him”
	Baillie emphasises the loved one’s vulnerability and weakness:  Adjectives are paired like “old and frail” and “wan and hollow” The speaker draws attention to his thin (“Scant”) “white hairs”	Scannell, too, uses imagery to describe the moment the “boy came seeking comfort”: The speaker says “I saw/White blisters beaded on his tender skin” Here, Scannell emphasises the boy’s innocent fragility
	Baillie’s poem is a long address to a grandfather, implying patient, devoted love: The speaker insists they will comfort the grandfather “when the weary fire turns blue” and “when you wake”	Scannell shows the parents’ patience and commitment:  The speaker says “At last he offered us a watery grin”
	The poems both portray poignant moments as speakers express their deep love for a family member

Topic sentence	Both poems explore the pain that comes from deep bonds
Evidence and analysis	'A Child to his Sick Grandfather'	‘Nettles’
	Baillie describes the impact of the grandfather’s poor health on the community:  The speaker describes “good men” who “kneel, and say their prayers” They say “gossips” ask after him and that “everybody looks so sad”	Scannell uses Metaphorical imagery related to the military to show the impact of external forces on a relationship:  The speaker describes a “regiment of spite” and “tall recruits”, referring to the plant
	Baillie conveys the speaker’s frustration with a rhetorical question: “You will not die and leave us then?” They instruct the grandfather “Rouse up and be our dad again.”	Similarly, Scannell describes the parents’ frustration: They “slashed with fury” until “not a nettle” was left alive They “lit/A funeral pyre”
	Baillie ends her poem with a sense of sadness at the inevitability of life: “Down on your bosom sinks your head –/You do not hear me, dad.”	'Nettles', too, concludes with an emotional and melancholy speaker: “My son would often feel sharp wounds again”
	The poets present speakers who are determined to protect their loved one

Differences:

Topic sentence	While Baillie portrays hopeful innocence, Scannell’s poem expresses feelings of hopelessness and futility
Evidence and analysis	'A Child to his Sick Grandfather’	‘Nettles ’
	Baillie’s child speaker brings a light-hearted quality to the poem:  The rhyme scheme is rhythmic and “bouncy” or exuberant  Half-rhyme reflects a childlike lack of sophistication, such as “cheeks” and “breaks”	In contrast, Scannell portrays a tense, frustrated speaker:  The poem is one compressed stanza, suggesting control The speaker is matter-of-fact Caesura creates tension: “It was no place for rest./With sobs and tears”
	Baillie’s speaker gently reassures the grandfather, offers their company and assistance and tells adventure stories to keep him alert	In contrast, Scannell describes the furious actions of the speaker using dark imagery:  The speaker builds a “funeral pyre to burn the fallen dead”
	Baillie’s speaker is optimistic and resolute:  A refrain repeatedly engages the grandfather, for example, “You love a story, dad?”	Scannell examines a parent’s futile attempts to protect and care for their child: personification suggests a feeling of powerlessness against the “busy sun and rain”
	Baillie’s conversational poem is cheerful and unwavering while Scannell’s extended metaphor is a sophisticated yet detached reflection on family love

 

'A Child to his Sick Grandfather' and 'My Father Would Not Show Us'

Comparison in a nutshell:

Both poems are dramatic monologues that explore the pain that comes with loss in a family. However, Baillie’s direct address is personal and intimate whereas Ingrid de Kok’s poem has a more wistful, melancholic quality.   

Similarities:

Topic sentence	Both poems describe changes in a family relationship
Evidence and analysis	'A Child to his Sick Grandfather’	'My Father Would Not Show Us'
	Baillie’s poem explores the ageing process: Imagery draws attention to the grandfather’s weakened condition His “strength” has “fled” and now he is “frail” and “bended” with thin “white hairs”	Ingird de Kok also draws attention to a father’s vulnerable age with imagery such as “everything he hears is white” and “unfrozen collar of his striped pyjamas”
	Baillie’s speaker describes their grandfather as they sit and comfort them: This portrays an intimate moment when the younger generation must care for the older members of the family	Ingrid de Kok’s poem similarly presents a speaker who is a child (although it is implied they are an adult) who stands near their father’s body and reflects on his life: The speaker says “This is the last time I am allowed/to remember my childhood”
	The poem is nostalgic: The child remembers the past: “You used to smile and stroke my head”  Baillie emphasises the change: “But now” the grandfather “seldom” takes him on his knee	Similarly, Ingrid de Kok creates a sentimental tone as the speaker imagines a “childhood” where the past was a “louder, braver place”: Adverbs of time show changes, such as in “Now the tunnelling sound”
	The poets both present speakers who reflect sadly on changes in their family relationships

Topic sentence	Both poets present painful emotions that come from loss
Evidence and analysis	'A Child to his Sick Grandfather’	'My Father Would Not Show Us'
	Baillie’s refrain conveys the child’s nervous anticipation for the Grandfather's replies, such as “When you are ailing, dad.” However, the grandfather never replies	Ingrid de Kok creates a similarly uneasy mood as the speaker implies an uncomfortable silence in the relationship: “without one call/ or word or name”
	Baillie’s poem depicts the moment a grandfather falls asleep or dies: Ambiguities convey Baillie’s themes of loss with a subtle tenderness: “Down on your bosom sinks your head –”	Ingrid de Kok’s poem similarly conveys loss: For example, “He hid, he hid away” behind “the curtains where his life had been”
	While the child speaker in Baillie’s poem is optimistic and hopeful, questions convey their uncertainty:  “You love a story, dad?” and “you nod, I think?”	Sensory language conveys feelings of uncertainty in de Kok’s poem: Imbalanced line lengths describe “It’s cold in here/and the borrowed coffin gleams unnaturally;”
	Both poets portray the uncertainty and sadness felt by their speakers as they come to terms with loss

 

 Differences:

Topic sentence	While Joanna Baillie’s direct address is personal and presents an innocent child’s perspective, Ingrid de Kok’s poem is a more detached dramatic monologue
Evidence and analysis	'A Child to his Sick Grandfather’	'My Father Would Not Show Us'
	Baillie’s poem is written in the form of direct address: “I’ll sit and talk with you”	However, Ingrid de Kok’s poem describes the father in third-person: “his half-turned face”
	Baillie’s poem is informal, using colloquial language to create an intimate tone: “We’ll doff our shoes” and “we’ll aye be near” The speaker calls the grandfather “dad”	In contrast, Ingrid de Kok creates a sense of detachment as the speaker uses more formal language such as “My father”: The tone is distant: “five days dead”
	Baillie’s poem maintains consistent rhyme to create a steady rhythm as the child prompts their grandfather: Half-rhyme contributes to the child-like voice, for example “head” and “dad”	In contrast, Ingrid de Kok’s poem is written in free verse  with an irregular structure, making it sound introspective and distant
	Baillie ends the poem with a touching image of an old man’s head dropping as if he is napping	Ingrid de Kok, however, repeats that the father “lay inside” (a coffin): Barriers in the relationship are implied as the father has his “face to the wall”
	Baillie depicts a child’s desperate appeal to their sick grandfather, while Ingrid de Kok presents melancholy reflections on a father’s death