TRIO by Edwin Morgan -Analysis-

Annotations:

• "The young man carries a new guitar"

1. Gives poem immediacy
2. Makes it seem real
3. as if its happening in front of us

Annotations:

• "Laughter ringing around them like a guard"

1. could be the sound of their laughter and the cloud of their breath around them
2. OR their invisible cloud of happiness around them protecting them

Annotations:

• "Coming up Buchanan street"

1. a familiar setting
2. Makes the reader connect
3. Feels even more real since we know its a real place

Annotations:

• "Under the Christmas lights-...-and the three have past"

1. inside the dashes tells us about the trio (mood, what their carrying, their speach)
2. Shows the detail of what the author saw in the space of a few seconds like freezing time.
3. it is around the trio as if its protecting them

Annotations:

• "Under the christmas lights"

1. Suggests they are watched over and protected
2. allusion to the 3 wise men bringing gifts
3. Author of them being gifts under the tree

Annotations:

• "(And yet not vanished,for in their arms they bind the life of men and beasts and music, laughter ringing round them like a guard)"

1. Shows us that they are not vanished as the author remembers them and treasures what he saw
2. The parenthesis is still protecting them and their memory
   1. Their joy and laughter is protecting them all from unhappiness

1. 'Girls' and 'Young'

   Annotations:

   • "A young man and two girls"
   1. Suggests youth, happiness, hope and vitality
2. 'Carries'

   Annotations:

   • "The young man carries"
   1. Suggests protection and safety

Annotations:

• "It abdicates            Under the christmas lights"

1. Line literally abdicates and steps down
2. as if fate is stepping away from this happy sight so not to spoil it

Annotations:

• "Coming up Buchanan street quickly on a sharp winter evening"

1. The author is not feeling in a festive mood -cold/trying to get somewhere fast
2. Shows how precious this sight was to the author - it warmed him up and filled him with christmas cheer
3. Suggests that happiness can be found in unlikely places

1. "Under"
   1. Protected
      1. safe
         1. Shelered
2. "White"
   1. angellic
      1. pure
   2. innocent
3. "Cloud"
   1. Heavenly
      1. light
         1. peaceful
            1. floats easily -no worries
4. "Favours"
   1. small
      1. special
         1. gifts
            1. suprise
5. "Trio"
   1. musical trio
      1. Harmony
6. "Bright"
   1. happy
      1. alert
         1. interested
            1. positive
7. "Fresh"
   1. new
      1. unspoilt
         1. warm
8. "Sweet"
   1. pleasant
      1. cute
         1. pudding
9. "Swells"
   1. with pride
      1. struggling to contain happiness
10. "Milky"
    1. white
       1. young babies
          1. pure
11. "Silver"
    1. precious
       1. valuable
12. "Mistletoe"
    1. christmas
       1. love
          1. kiss
13. "Abdicates"
    1. leaves
       1. step down (from high place of importance)

Annotations:

• Allusion= refers to something without mentioning it directly

1. ...to hymm words

   Annotations:

   • "The vale of tears is powerless before you" vale of tears= christian phrase meaning life is a series of sorrows
   1. Lifes darkest moments cannot effect the trio because of their love and happiness
   2. They are protected by thier love and happiness
2. ...to he nativity story

   Annotations:

   • "Trio" "Under the chridtmas lights"
   1. three wise men with their gifts for baby jesus
   2. under the star
3. ...to the myth of Orpheus

   Annotations:

   • "Orphean sprig!"
   1. something so delightful it can charm anyone out of any dark situation
   2. Orpheus= ancient greek musician who could charm all living things with his music, even stones

Annotations:

• "This march of three"

1. could be them physically marching
2. OR could be metophorically marching into battle with their happiness protecting them

Annotations:

• "wait till he sees this, but!"

1. Gives location - seems more realistic

1. ...fragility

   Annotations:

   • "the chuahuahua has a tiny royal stewart tarton coat, like a teapot holder"
   1. teapot made of china is easily broken & fragile
      1. Shows the dog is well cared for & protected
2. ...protection and saftey

   Annotations:

   • "laugher ringing round them like a guard"
   1. the laughter surrounds them warding off troubles
      1. their happiness is enough to protect them from lifes troubles

Annotations:

• "Melting baby!"

1. Bizzare phrase makes us smile
2. adds to joy of poem

1. Morgan doesnt want to interrupt the love and happiness of the trio
   1. so he doesnt break the line

Annotations:

• "Orphean Sprig! Melting baby! warm chuahuahua!"

1. The author is shouting with joy at the glorious sight