Name: Grace Higgins

Read the poem When Six O’Clock Comes and Another Day Has Passed by
Kathryn Simmonds and reread the anthology poem Genetics by Sinéad
Morrissey. Compare the methods both poets use to explore the bonds between
parents and children.

Word Count: 1762

The relationships between parents and children are shown in both poems from different
perspectives - one from a parent in When Six O’Clock Comes and Another Day Has Passed and
one from a child in Effects. There seems to be a sense of stability offered through these bonds,
that changes as time continues, arguably growing stronger.

Morrissey’s title, Genetics, could potentially explore different perspectives on the relationships
between parents and children. One such perspective is that the bond is unbreakable, showing
the connection as always being shared biologically, or comparing the poet’s relationship with
her parents as being unbreakable as such. It could also hint at the opposite, perhaps referencing
more distant relationships between parents and children, thus making the strongest connection
between them the shared DNA. This double meaning is likely also referenced through the
poem’s villanelle structure. The use of rhyming couplets in an ABA pattern could reference the
relationship in the poem between the poet and her parents, showing them as equals and
hinting at the support or structure they have offered her as their child. With this idea in mind,
the speaker suggests feeling differentiated to her parents, having a separate identity yet still
being present in their child’s life, perhaps their support for their child allowing for her
developing individual identity. The apparent free form used by Simmonds creates a more
relaxed feel to the poem, perhaps hinting at the gentle upbringing the speaker is offering their
child. The layout of the poem could still be said to reference a wave-like pattern, perhaps linking
to the “row, rowing” the poet refers to doing with their child, hinting at the dynamic between
parent and child as constantly changing, while their bond is still being strengthened by both
parties respectively in a back-and-forth nature. Whilst Genetics as the title suggests DNA being
the foundation of the relationship between parents and child (as is also shown through the
helix-like structure of the poem), Simmonds’ use of an epigraph could perhaps show the
strength in this particular parent/child dynamic, as while the shared genetics between them are
unimportant, the time they spend together is. Both poems include a cyclic structure, perhaps
suggesting that there is a limit as to what different upbringings have on individuals. Genetics
opens with a focus on the speaker’s hands, as “I know my parents made me by my hands”,
showing a sense of personal pride in the unity between her and her parents, whilst suggesting
equal input as her father is “in [her] fingers” and her mother is “in [her] palms”, perhaps
implying their unity was significant to her upbringing. As it ends on a similar line, “We know our

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Name: Grace Higgins

parents make us by our hands”, there is a sense of hopefulness for the future. The previous
“made” is now in present tense, showing progression, likely influenced by the guidance of her
parents. The switch in pronouns from “I” to “we” suggests a new sense of unity, whether
between the speaker and her partner, or humankind as a whole, from the shared experiences of
growing up. The cyclic structure in Simmonds’ poem is referenced through the passing of time.
As the poem has opened with mention of “the sun has risen” and ends with “early evening
light”, the ambiguity as to the specific date or stage during the child’s life could show the
parent’s dedication, as all that matters is “the baby who can not speak, speaks to me.” The
repetitions of “speak” could show the extent of the connection between parent and child, as
there is a strong bond between them despite the lack of verbal communication, as is shown in
the end of the poem when the child “says I understand”. The ambiguity of the “I” enhances the
unity between parent and child, as the individuality of the pair is unimportant, as long as they
are connected.

Furthermore, both poems seem to suggest the influence of parent/child relationships passing
onto other relationships the child has throughout their life. In Genetics, the poet focuses on her
recollection of her parents through their relationship together. The fourth stanza in the poem
describes the poem shaping “a chapel where a steeple stands”, the religious imagery showing a
range of connections. As the poet had previously end-stopped, “at least I know their marriage
by my hands,” there seems to be a back-and-forth connection between the speaker’s hands and
her parents’ marriage, showing a physical representation of the unity between the two. The
focus on the church itself could be exploring a multitude of relationships, such as romantic,
parent/child or religious, as the church setting is a catalyst for all of them. The poet enforces
that her “body is a marriage register”, suggesting an aspect of unbreakability between the child
and her parents, equating to a legal document. Another common religious ceremony taking
place in a church is a baptism, which although is never stated, could perhaps be implied with
“quarry their image by a river”, showing the solidification of the relationship with each other, to
their child, and in the eyes of God. The concept of marriage is explored by the speaker herself in
the final stanza, opening with “so take me with you”, showing the desire for a different form of
unity. The parallel between the speaker and her partner seems to mirror her parents’
relationship, as she states “I’ll bequeath my fingers if you bequeath your palms”, perhaps
demonstrating the poet’s wanting a relationship as strong as the one demonstrated by her
parents. “Bequeath” means to pass on, one again reflecting the thesis point of the poem with
DNA as the foundation in parent/child relationships, perhaps demonstrating the intensity of the
poet’s feelings by wanting to have a family with her partner, as displayed by her parents. In
When Six O’Clock Comes and Another Day Has Passed, there is a distinct connection between
“the baby” and nature. The parallels between the child’s “blue eyes” and the “white clouds”
could reference the purity of the baby, equating the new life to a new day, showing a sense of

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Name: Grace Higgins

optimism towards the child’s future. This would show the parent’s adoration for their child,
whilst also suggesting this as a shared experience between all parents. The parent distances
themselves from the child’s birth, describing how the baby “so recently surfed through womb
swell”. The depersonalisation could suggest the connection between parents in terms of
endearment for their children. The “surf” could also link back to the idea of the two
“row-rowing”, once again linking to the natural world with the imagery of water, which itself
could link to amniotic fluid during pregnancy. Simmonds also looks at the connection between
people as a result of the child, manifesting in the form of “hopes”. By referring to the baby being
heavy with “other people’s hopes”, the speaker once again removes themself, suggesting that
they are not involved in the pressures placed upon their child which in itself differentiates the
bond between a parent and other family members to a child. This could instead suggest the
opposite, reflecting the parent’s guilt in such “heavy” hopes for their child, so much so they
remove themselves from it.

Both poets seem to display the bond between children and their parents as a constant means of
security in an otherwise liminal existence. The second stanza in Genetics features liminality
within the relationship of the poet's parents, as they “may have been repelled to separate
lands”, describing the only secure connection being “where fingers link to palms”. Whilst this
focuses on the dynamic of the parents’ relationship, it could suggest that their child offers some
form of security which would subvert the typical dynamic between parents and children,
perhaps emphasising the closeness between the family. The repetition of the unity being
compared to the speaker’s “hands” suggests an aspect of certainty and stability in their
relationship, as well as an aspect of protection. “Hands” are often used to represent humanity,
communication and creation, which seems fitting given the poet’s use of this metaphor for the
bond she shares with her parents. It could be said that the liminality of life, as shown through
the interchanging of her parent’s relationship, sees an increase in dependency from the
speaker’s perspective in other aspects of her life. Not only does she wish for a relationship like
how her parents used to have, “I’ll bequeath my fingers if you bequeath your palms”, but it
seems as though she wishes to start a family of her own, possibly linking to the influence her
childhood had on her parents’ relationship, as shown through the poem’s structure. The
liminality in Simmonds’ poem seems to be through the motif of time. Not only is it featured in
the poem’s epigraph, but it is mentioned towards the end of the poem. The baby “softens her
face in the early evening light”, the contrast from “the sun has risen” at the start of the poem
perhaps showing the constant development of the parent/child relationship. The soft sounds
used could imply the gentleness the speaker has with their child, creating an impression of
adoration and support. The alliteration used in “whose scalp must be combed of cradle cap”
suggests a mundane repetitive process that the parent is still dedicated to, portraying the
parent as ever-present in their child’s life. The “row-rowing” that the pair engage in is liminal,

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Name: Grace Higgins

suggesting the journey from one place to another, likely the poet describing the child growing
up. Following this imagery, the poet includes a line break before including “our boat”, showing
the togetherness between parent and child as the latter moves through childhood. This
suggests an aspect of physical support as well as emotional support, as the baby is highly
dependent on their parent for assistance with having their “hands” “unfurled, and wiped with
cotton wool.” Simmonds also uses the motif of hands, likely for similar reasons as Morrissey -
highlighting the significance of creating and bringing a new life into the world. The “cotton
wool” shows the fragility of the child at this early stage in their life and their parent’s gentleness
towards them.

To conclude, both poems seem to show a wholesome perspective on parent/child relationships,

exploring healthy and supportive parents and the positive influence they have on their children.
Whilst Morrissey offers an emotive and thoughtful reflection on the subject from the
perspective of the child, Simmonds provides a view from the perspective of an adoring parent.
Still, both poems show the significance of such bonds in an arguably evocative and moving way.