Wintering: Key Quotes

“Wintering” Key Quotes

“the clock’s hands are colder…”

Utilising personification, Duffy paints a frost-laden setting which feels physically cold, creating an atmosphere of emotional chilliness as well. The clock hands represent the passage of time which binds all life cycles.

“…dog’s piss will burn these / flowers’“

Here, flowers and dog’s urine metaphorically represent beauty and ugliness, respectively. The contrast between the two echoes the poem’s central exploration of natural cycles – birth, life, decay, death – and the inherent beauty in each stage.

“there is tenderness in the yew…”

Although yew is traditionally associated with funerals and mourning, Duffy reappropriates it as a source of ‘tenderness’. This highlights her unconventional use of imagery and symbolism, turning something sorrowful into a form of comfort.

“Remember, the fire will go under.”

This sentence presents a certain finality, albeit functionality of life’s end—using fire as a symbol for life. The inevitable extinguishing of fire relates to the poem’s exploration of mortality, while also reassuring the reader that death is a natural consequence of living.

“Flowers of ice in the bird bath…”

With the use of metaphor, Duffy compares the frozen water in the bird bath to ‘flowers of ice.’ The juxtaposition of cold, harsh winter with the delicate, springtime connotations of flowers showcases the poem’s underlying theme of finding beauty in unexpected, even harsh, circumstances.

Study these excerpts meticulously while revisiting “Wintering”. Consider how Duffy utilises language, themes and poetic techniques to detail the cyclical nature of life, mortality, and the beauty hidden amidst harsh realities within this poem.