a) Arrange these sentences in order so that they summarise each verse of the poem.
A The poet thinks about how kind and willing his aunt was.
B The boy wakes up to see his aunt’s shadow and hear her voice.
C The aunt wakes up and cooks porridge on a fire for the children.

b) How does the poet show that his aunt is a strong woman?

c) Explain the image in ‘leaping flames licking its sooty buttocks’.

d) What was the boy’s nightmare about?

e) How does the image of the witch contrast with the boy’s experience of his aunt?

f) Explain how the image of the torn, sagging umbrella helps us to imagine the scene.

g) The poet couldn’t see his aunt’s heart beating at the time. Explain what the poet
means, both Literally and Figuratively. Begin your answer like this:
• Literally, he means that he could not see …
• Figuratively, he means that he did not understand …

h) The poet chooses a few ideas in order to ‘paint a picture’ of his aunt, using
concise words. Explain how he does this in showing:
• that his aunt looked after the children
• that she looked after them willingly
• that they were not wealthy people.

i) Does this poem have a lot of Rhyme?

j) Find two examples of Alliteration in the poem, apart from line 3.

k) Find another example of Assonance in the poem, apart from line 4.