UNIT 1: POST – 2000 POETRY

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ROS BARBER’S MATERIAL

‘Material’ is a poem by Ros Barber which considers the transition between
childhood and adulthood, and the narrator’s nostalgia for a less consumer-driven
world through the description of a traditional handkerchief. Barber was born in
America but raised in England, and is an internationally renowned scholar of
Christopher Marlowe who some believe, including Barber, to be the true writer of
Shakespeare’s work. Interestingly, a handkerchief features prominently in both
‘Othello’ and this poem.

‘Material’ The title of the poem helps to immediately give a reader an indication of
what the poem is about, although at the same time it remains relatively ambiguous
due to the large amount of possibilities for what might be explored in reference to
‘Material’. It is also interesting to note how the title links directly to the end of the
poem, helping to make the poem come together as one and act as a key
reminder of the poem’s message. The four syllables of ‘Material’ also help to
lengthen the title in speech but not in its presence on the page, which is
interesting for a reader because it could be seem as symbolic of the deeper ideas
presented in the poem.

POEM STRUCTURE:
There are regular verses throughout the poem with the exception of the
sixth stanza, which breaks from the typical eight line rule of the poem to have nine
lines, and is also the only example of enjambment across stanzas. This slightly
disrupts the flow of the poem, and therefore makes it more noticeable to a reader
and marks the tonal shift of the poem, as from this point onwards it has the feeling
of sadness-tinged nostalgia due to the changes in attitude which have occurred
throughout society.
Each stanza (with the exception of the fifth) ends with an end-stopped line, which
can be interpreted as representing the traditional structure of society and the world
in times gone by, with the one break in this pattern representing a transition. In
addition, all of the first lines of the three final stanzas are only one line, with the
lengthened pause creating a tone of consideration and reflection which is not as
apparent earlier on in the poem.

Unlike many other poets from the ‘Poems of the Decade’ collection, Barber also
makes use of the visual form of the poem with italic phrases to show names or
phrases said by others, helping to add further emphasis to them. This is very
effective for the final two lines of the poem, because it helps to act as a visual
reference for a reader in order to remember the message of the poem more
successfully, with the reference to “daughter” making the poem end on a very
sentimental note. Another poem within the anthology which uses a similar
technique is ‘A Minor Role’.

POETIC TECHNIQUES:
One of the more obvious poetic devices used in ‘Material’ is the symbolism of the
handkerchief. While it can be interpreted literally, it can also be understood to
represent many ideas and features of a past time in the poet’s childhood with their
mother. The use of symbolism means that readers can associate their own
experiences and ideas with the poem, helping to make the technique and poem as
a whole much more memorable and effective.

A sentimental tone is also established through the contraction of words, such as

cardigan being shortened to “cardi” in the second stanza. This brings a more
natural speech and rhythm to the poem, making it sound more story-like and
therefore more personal. This has connotations of personalisation, family life and
sentiment, once again helping to make useful long term possessions seem
significant in comparison to a more materialistic world today. Similarly, there is
heavy use of personal pronouns to further emphasise the personal connections
and ideas.
Many references are very descriptive, with the imagery presented to a reader
making them feel that they are almost that person and able to remember these
occasions, which is very helpful in making a reader empathise with the narrator.
This contributes significantly to Barber’s aim of showing how consumable the
world has become, with this imagery being very helpful for those readers who may
not have considered these ideas before.

IMPORTANT LINES:
“Nostalgia only makes me old.” Being one of the shortest lines of the poem helps
contrast this idea against the long, almost rambling sentences of the previous
stanza in a relatively abrupt way. It makes a reader question why the narrator has
been nostalgic up to this point, which in turn indicates that the narrator feels old in
relation to the huge changes in societal attitudes since their childhood. Readers
could also interpret that the narrator doesn’t want their children to grow up to a
similar situation, as supported by the following lines in the seventh stanza.

“their soft and hidden history” An object usually disregarded is given new
significance in this line, with the alliteration of “hidden history” identifying the
importance that an object so simple (and family heirlooms and possessions in
general) have had over generations. Some readers may interpret this line as also
alluding to the idea of tradition, noticing how the tradition and significance of many
possessions such handkerchiefs have been diminished in recent years.

“tissues and uncertainty” It becomes apparent in the final stanza of ‘Material’ that
the ideas of consumerism that are present throughout the poem are just the
surface level of emotions that the narrator has, shown through the sadness in
relation to the death of their mother. Noting how she too no longer used
handkerchiefs, the idea of “uncertainty” is discussed, and that the most important
thing was to make the best of whatever situation pragmatically.
“MATERIAL” – KEY THEMES:
Childhood: Throughout ‘Material’ there is strong consideration of childhood and
childhood experiences, with the narrator looking at how situations have changed
and developed over time and everything that has been lost in that time.
Identity: Core principals of the mother and narrator are considered, with their
actions and opinions being used to build up the identity presented to the reader.
There is also the concept of societal identity which can be interpreted as being
alluded to in the poem, and how different objects or customs can be very
important even if their physical value is low.
Past and Present: There is a clear transition of time in this poem, shown through
the language and imagery as readers move from the nostalgic past to the more
uncertain present, with considerations made for the future too. This would be quite
noticeable to a reader because of the speed of the transition, in a similar way to
‘The Fox in the National Museum of Wales’.

QUICK FOCUS QUESTIONS:

1. How does the structure of ‘Material’ contribute to a reader’s interpretation?
2. What examples of contrasting imagery and ideas are there in the poem, and
how are these effective?
3. Would the title have been more memorable or have greater impact if it were
different? Explain your reasoning.