Literature in English (0475) | Gillian Clarke, ‘Lament’

Gillian Clarke, ‘Lament’ – Comprehensive Study Notes

Welcome, IGCSE Literature students! This set of notes will help you explore Gillian Clarke’s powerful poem, ‘Lament’. This poem deals with heavy subjects—war, nature, and deep grief—but understanding how Clarke uses language makes it incredibly rewarding to study. Don't worry if the poem feels sad; our goal is to understand *why* the writer made us feel this way, and how she achieved it.

1. Understanding the Context and the Title (AO2)

The Poet: Gillian Clarke (Born 1937)

• Gillian Clarke is a well-known Welsh poet. Much of her work focuses on the environment, rural life, and domestic concerns, often connecting personal feelings to wider political or global issues.
• She often uses clear, accessible language, but her themes are profound.

What is a ‘Lament’?

The title, 'Lament', is extremely important. A lament is:

• A passionate expression of grief or sorrow.
• It is traditionally a song or poem mourning the dead.

In this poem, the grief is twofold: mourning the deaths caused by conflict, and mourning the destruction of the natural world.

The Historical Inspiration

While the poem is universal, it is strongly believed to be a response to the 1991 Gulf War, specifically the environmental catastrophe that occurred when oil was spilled into the Persian Gulf, killing thousands of seabirds and marine animals.

Quick Takeaway: The poem is a sorrowful song about the casualties of war—not just soldiers, but also innocent animals and the environment.

2. Structure and Form (AO3)

‘Lament’ is made up of six stanzas. The stanzas are long and the line lengths are irregular. This use of free verse (lacking a strict rhythm or rhyme) can reflect the chaos and uncontrolled nature of the events being described.

The List of Victims – A Litany of Sorrow

The first three stanzas are structured like a tragic list or a prayer (a litany), repeating the phrase "For the..." at the beginning of many lines. This repetition is a key method.

• Stanza 1: Focuses on the animals and immediate environmental damage (e.g., "For the ocean’s injured back").

• Stanza 2: Shifts to human elements and the instruments of war (e.g., "For the wasted journey of the whale").

• Stanza 3: Connects the distant war to everyday, domestic reality, focusing on the human toll ("For the fly-pasts, the flashes," "For the woman in the veil").

Why this structure works: It builds a cumulative sense of overwhelming loss. It feels like the poet is checking off every single casualty of the conflict, emphasizing that nothing is spared.

3. Detailed Analysis of Key Themes (AO2)

The poem explores several profound themes that relate to universal human concern (as per AO2 and the syllabus aims):

A. The Innocence of Nature as a Casualty of War

Clarke begins with nature to show that the consequences of war spread far beyond the battlefield. The oil spill becomes a central metaphor for destruction.

• Key Examples:

  The birds are described vividly as victims: "The cormorant in his funeral silk" and "The shadow of the sea-pinks on the sand."

• Contrast: Natural things, meant to be vibrant, are covered in death (funeral silk) or damaged (ocean’s injured back).

B. Motherhood, Fertility, and Loss

The poem frequently uses imagery related to motherhood and life-giving elements, only to show them ruined.

• The poet speaks of "mother’s milk" that is now poisoned. Milk, a symbol of life and nourishment, is contaminated by "a slick of crude that has clung to the bellies of gulls."

• The line "For the unborn" reminds us that the damage extends to future generations.

• The final image of the mother looking up at the sky suggests a desperate, maternal grief over the destruction caused by her own species.

C. The Paradox of Modern Warfare and Waste

Clarke contrasts the ancient, elemental victims (sea, sand, birds) with modern, man-made instruments of destruction.

• The weapons are described with a strange, almost reverent language: "the dead hands, the dead men, the dead weapons" and "the wastes of history." This links the current war to a history of pointless conflict.

• The repeated use of the word "waste" applies both to the spilled oil and the wasted potential of human life and natural resources.

Analogy Check: Think of the oil spill like throwing out a priceless, hand-made vase. It’s not just broken; it’s proof that someone valued destruction more than beauty.

4. Exploring the Writer’s Use of Language (AO3)

To analyze this poem effectively in the exam, you need to focus on Clarke’s vivid imagery and her use of figurative language.

A. Visceral and Sensory Imagery

Clarke uses descriptions that appeal powerfully to our senses, making the destruction feel immediate and sickening.

• Touch/Sight: "a slick of crude" (crude oil is thick, sticky, and deadly).
• Sound: The "wasted journey of the whale" suggests a silent tragedy underwater.
• Color: The "funeral silk" of the cormorant is powerful—it links the black oil covering the bird directly to the solemnity of death.

B. Powerful Metaphors and Symbolism

The poem uses objects to stand for bigger ideas:

1. Oil/Slick: This symbolizes death, pollution, and the dark consequence of human greed or conflict. It is the physical manifestation of the ‘lament’.
2. Star/Compass: In the final stanza, the mother is described as watching "the oil-blackened sea-haze, scanning the horizon for the mother-of-pearl of the moon." The moon and stars traditionally symbolize guidance and hope. Here, they are obscured by the pollution.
3. Silk: The use of "funeral silk" is an oxymoron (a contradiction). Silk is luxurious and smooth; funerals are sad. By combining them, Clarke emphasizes the unnatural and untimely death of the bird.

C. Juxtaposition (Contrasting Ideas)

Clarke places opposing ideas side-by-side to heighten the emotional impact:

• Life vs. Death (milk vs. oil).
• Ancient vs. Modern (sea/star vs. dead weapons/aeroplanes).
• Feminine/Nurturing vs. Masculine/Destructive (the lamenting mother vs. the male pilot).

Memory Aid: Remember the *M.O.T.* of the poem: Motherhood, Oil, Tragedy.

5. Expressing an Informed Personal Response (AO4) and Exam Tips

When you analyze ‘Lament’ in an exam, you must show an informed personal response. This means explaining *how* the writer’s methods (AO3) make you feel (AO4) and deepen your understanding of the theme (AO2).

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Just retelling the story: Don't just say "The oil killed the birds." Say, "Clarke personifies the ocean’s suffering by describing its 'injured back,' which forces the reader to feel immediate pity for the vastness of the environmental damage (AO4)."
• Ignoring the structure: Remember to comment on *why* the first three stanzas are repetitive. It’s not accidental; it’s a method to convey the scale of the tragedy.

How to Link the Final Stanza to the Whole Poem

The poem ends with the image of a mother searching the sky.

• "The mother of pearl of the moon" – This final, soft image contrasts sharply with the harsh descriptions of oil and weaponry. It might suggest a tiny glimmer of hope or, more likely, a desperate search for something pure in a ruined world.

• The mother holds the final "terrible lament"—showing that the grief is deeply personal, even if the tragedy is global.