Wintering: Themes & Linking Poems

“Wintering” is a deeply introspective collection of poems by Carol Ann Duffy which explores themes of loss, longing, transformation, and cyclical change.
The poems provide an allegorical account of a time in Duffy’s life when she was caring for her mother, suffering from cancer during the last winter of her life.

The poems grapple with the inevitable loss of a loved one and the ways in which individuals process grief and the reality of mortality.
The collection’s central symbol, winter, acts as a metaphor for mortality—referencing the inevitable cycle of life and death.
The poem “Something” subtly captures the poet’s emotional distress, preparing for her mother’s inevitable demise.

Transformation is another recurring theme in “Wintering”. As seasons change, so do circumstances, relationships, and personal identity.
This theme finds manifestation in the poem “The Bee Carol” where transformation occurs in the bee’s life cycle, symbolising the transformative power of hope and love.

Several pieces within “Wintering” express a deep longing and desire for the past, or moments of happiness and security.
The poem “Days” represents a nostalgic longing for better times, acting as a poignant tribute to the happy moments of the past.

The consistent theme of a harsh winter binds the collection together, acting as a symbol for mourning, desolation and even rebirth.
The repeated motif of bees in poems such as “The Bee Carol” and “Swarms” establishes a thematic connection among the poems, creating a symbol for productivity, regeneration and resurrection.
Each poem, while an individual composition, contributes to the narrative of a singular, overwhelming winter of mortality, change and longing.