AQA GCSE
POETRY EXAM
CONFLICT
L.O.
By the end of this session you
will be able to:
•
•
•
•
•
Use an acronym to help
remember exam
techniques
Comment on each
CONFLICT poem in detail
Sort the poems into
themes
Create your own examstyle questions for revision
Write an exam-style
answer
POETIC – Remember this
acronym!

Purpose: the meaning of the poem

Organisation: rhyme scheme, line length, lines per stanza,
repetition, structure, layout, end stopped lines, number of
stanzas
 Emotive tone: (feelings the poem expresses) sad, wistful,
angry, scathing, ironic, celebratory
 Techniques: metaphor, simile, personification, repetition,
alliteration, assonance, onomatopoeia, letter sounds,
enjambment, oxymoron
 Individual
words: any key words or phrases
 Contrast: opposites (there will always be contrast in a wellwritten poem)
Futility
THEMES
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Causes of Conflict
Effects of Conflict
Reality of Battles
Nature
Sadness and Loss
6. Divided Society
7. Patriotism
8. Individual Experiences
9. Death
10. Helplessness
Task 1:
In your group, discuss and sort each poem into
the above themes. You must be ready to give at
least one reason for your decisions!
1. Causes of Conflict
The Yellow Palm
Hawk Roosting
Next to of course god america I
Flag
The Right Word
2. Effects of Conflict
Futility
The Charge of the Light Brigade
Bayonet Charge
Poppies
Out of the Blue
‘Come on, Come Back’
3. Reality of Battles
The Charge of the Light Brigade
Bayonet Charge
Belfast Confetti
Mametz Wood
Futility
Hawk Roosting
4. Nature
Hawk Roosting
The Falling Leaves
Mametz Wood
Bayonet Charge
Out of the Blue
The Yellow Palm
5. Sadness and Loss
Futility
The Falling Leaves
‘Come On, Come Back’
Poppies
The Charge of the Light Brigade
Out of the Blue
6. Divided Society
The Right Word
At The Border, 1979
Belfast Confetti
The Yellow Palm
Flag
Next to of course god america I
7. Patriotism
The Charge of the Light Brigade
Next to of course god america I
Flag
‘Come On, Come Back’
At the Border, 1979
8. Individual Experiences
Out of the Blue
Poppies
The Right Word
At the Border, 1979
‘Come On, Come Back’
Bayonet Charge
9. Death
Out of the Blue
‘Come On, Come Back’
Mametz Wood
Hawk Roosting
Futility
The Charge of the Light Brigade
The Falling Leaves
10. Helplessness
At the Border, 1979
Belfast Confetti
Out of the Blue
Futility
The Charge of the Light Brigade
The Falling Leaves
Poppies
Create your own question!
Example from theme 2:
Comparing ‘Come On, Come Back’ and
The Charge of the Light Brigade, discuss the
poets’ attitudes to the effects of conflict.