In order to 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 Owen Sheers’s intention and message
'Winter Swans' in a nutshell
Winter Swans, written by the Welsh poet Owen Sheers, explores complex emotions within romantic relationships by depicting the distance between two lovers as they go for a walk to the lake. The poem’s resolution depicts the speaker and his lover finding renewed hope and intimacy after their close observation of a pair of swans.
'Winter Swans' overview
Lines 1-3
“The clouds had given their all -
two days of rain and then a break
in which we walked,”
Translation
- The poem begins by describing how the bad weather had finally ended so they went for a walk
Sheers’s intention
- Sheers implies, through the use of pathetic fallacy, the recent conflict between the speaker and his lover brought angry emotions
- The break in the weather symbolises a break in their arguments
Lines 4-6
“the waterlogged earth
gulping for breath at our feet
as we skirted the lake, silent and apart,”
Translation
- The poem describes how heavy the rain has been by describing the muddy path around the lake as “water-logged”
- The narrator describes the awkward mood of him and his lover
Sheers’s intention
- Sheers implies a sense of claustrophobia felt by the couple having been kept inside
- However, there is little relief as the walk is challenging:
- The path is muddy and the pair are in the midst of an argument
Lines 7-12
“until the swans came and stopped us
with a show of tipping in unison.
As if rolling weights down their bodies to their heads
they halved themselves in the dark water,
icebergs of white feather, paused before returning again
like boats righting in rough weather.”
Translation
- The poem changes direction as the speaker describes how some swans interrupt their walk and they pause to watch:
- The swans’ movements are smooth and harmonious
Sheers’s intention
- Sheers describes a dramatic moment which causes the couple to pause:
- The imagery describes the swans as beautiful and natural
Lines 13-14
“'They mate for life' you said as they left,
porcelain over the stilling water.”
Translation
- The speaker’s partner breaks the silence as the swans leave
Sheers’s intention
- Sheers presents the perspective of the speaker’s partner, which brings a balance to the poem, and suggests an equal relationship
- The sudden change of voice alludes to the way the speaker is startled as his reflections are interrupted
Lines 14-20
“I didn't reply
but as we moved on through the afternoon light,
slow-stepping in the lake's shingle and sand,
I noticed our hands, that had, somehow,
swum the distance between us
and folded, one over the other,
like a pair of wings settling after flight.”
Translation
- The speaker confirms the tension of the moment as the speaker does not reply
- However, as they walk they become physically closer, until they are holding hands
Sheers’s intention
- Sheers shows how the moment has impacted both the speaker and his partner:
- As they walk their physical closeness does not require dialogue
- They seem to mirror the the swans’ harmonious and silent actions