Brothers

Page 1

Saddled with you for the afternoon, me and Paul

ambled across the threadbare field to the bus-stop,

talking over Sheffield Wednesday's chances in the cup

while you skipped beside us in your ridiculous tank-top,

spouting six-year-old views on Rotherham United.

Suddenly you froze, said you hadn't any bus fare.

I sighed, said you should go and ask Mum

and while you windmilled home I looked at Paul.

His smile, like mine, said I was nine and he was ten

and we must stroll the town, doing what grown-ups do.

As a bus crested the hill we chased Olympic Gold.

Looking back I saw you spring towards the gate,

your hand holding out what must have been a coin.

I ran on, unable to close the distance I'd set in motion.

Stucture:

There are 3 stanzas; each represents a different part of the day.The first sets the scene and provides us with an insight to the relationship between the narrotor and his friend, as well as the narrastor and his brother.The second is how the plans are disrupted (The little brother forgets his bus fare)The third stanza concludes the story, showing the seperation of the brothers.14 lines. Narrative .Free Verse. It sounds like an ordinary spoken story.We learn from the first stanza that the older brother (The Narrator) is not interested in the younger brother. There is no rhyme scheme or have a strict pattern to its rhythm.

First Stanza:

"Saddled ": Suggests that the elder brother feels like he has to carry the younger brother around with him. He wants to be with Paul, who is just older than him

"threadbare field" and "bus stop" : Creates a dull atmosphere as this is everyday language.Very ordinary setting.

"Sheffield Wednesday" and "Rotherham United" : It is clearly set in Yorkshire.

"ambled" and " talked" : Makes the older brother seem more mature.

"skipped " and "spouted six year old remarks" :Makes the borther seem childish and immature. Second quote is alliterative.

"ridiculous tank top": Suggests that the older brother is embarassed by his younger brother.

Second Stanza:

"froze" : The younger brother realises he has forgotten his bus fare and this metaphor represents how upset he is to have done so.

"sighed" : This reveals that the older brother is annoyed at his younger brother and he probably thinks that this proves how babyish his brther is.

"ask Mum" : This cheers the younger brother up as he probably thinks that the older brother will wait for him.

"windmilled": This is using a noun as a verb again to show how excitable the younger brother is and how lively he is.

"smile": The two older boys see this as a chance to get away from the annoying younger brother.

"stroll" and "doing what grown ups do" : The older brother uses these to make the boys seem older and more mature.

"nine" and "ten" : This is irony as previously "strolled" is used to make the older brother and Paul seem more mature.

Third Stanza:

" we chased Olympic Gold" :Using a metaphor to show how quickly they ran away and how much they wanted to get away from the younger brother.

"spring towards the gate" : This tells us how excited the younger brother is and how much he wants o be with the older brother.

" what must have been a coin" : The older brother can only assume that the younger brother had a coin in his hand as there is already too much distance between them.

"unable to close the distance I'd set in motion" : This is when the two brothers begin to grow apart and the true meaning of the poem is revelaed. The poet (the older brother) blames himself for the emotional and physical distance between the two brothers. There is asense that, even as adults, the two brothers are still growing apart.

"I'd set in motion" : This line shows the older brother blames himself for what has happened.

Form:

The poem Brothers is about a boy spending an afternoon with his younger brother and his friend, and explores the relationship between siblings. It is written from an adult perspective but considers the feelings of the older brother who thinks of his younger brother as an inconvenience. The language used reflects the innocence and youth of childhood. The poem is autobiographical. In some ways, the end of the poem represents the movement away from childhood and the inevitable seperation from his younger brother.