“Last Supper: Stanza 3” Overview

Structure and Style

This stanza consists of eight lines contributing toward an ongoing narrative.
As in Lochhead’s other works, this poem is written in free verse with erratic line lengths, injecting a sense of spontaneity into the piece.
Enjambment is used across the lines, enhancing the flow and maintaining the reader’s attention.
Visual language is prominent in this stanza, as is the use of dialect, established previously in “crusty bloomers” and “tableready.”

Religion and Spirituality: The stanza continues exploring the original Biblical theme of The Last Supper.
Memory and Nostalgia: By reporting in direct first person, the narrator’s own vivid recollections of her colourful past is shared with the reader.
Women’s Identity: The poem highlights different stages of womanhood through the perspective of the protagonist.

Narrative Voice: The first-person perspective generates intimacy with the narrator, bringing personal emotion directly to the reader.
Visual Imagery: Imagery such as “silver skate-blades” and “shrill music” create vivid visual and auditory imageries.
Local Lingo: The use of Scottish vernacular “Blethers” establishes the cultural specificity and character voice.

“Rushing air kisses my face and again I’m twelve.”
“Cheeks burn in the ice-cold as I run, silver skate-blades singing, whirring, cutting clean and true.”
“Across the crowded rink towards the sound, the shrill music of teenage.”

These lines allow the reader to delve deeper into the themes, structure, and language that Lochhead utilises throughout this stanza.