Welsh writing in English Jugged Hare Choose a task – by Jean Earle

Welsh writing in English Jugged Hare Choose a task – by Jean Earle – Choose a task based on the poem. Activity A Activity B Activity C Activity D Activity E Activity F Activity G Activity H Glossary

Welsh writing in English Activity A Jugged Hare – by Jean Earle – Menu Identify the three people involved in the events of this poem. 1 She mourned the long-ears Hung in the pantry, his shot fur Softly dishevelled. She smoothed that, Before gutting – yet she would rather Sicken herself, than cheat my father Of his jugged hare. What words are used to identify these three people? A tender lady, freakish as the creature – But resolute. She peeled it to its tail. Oh, fortitude! Her rings sparked in and out Of newspaper wipes. Blood in a bowl, Sacrificial gravy. A rarely afforded Bottle of port. She sustained marriage On high events, as a child plays house. Dramas, conciliations – Today, the hare. She sent me out To bury the skin, Tossed the heart to the cat. She was in full spate. Click here to view next stanzas 2

Welsh writing in English Activity A Jugged Hare – by Jean Earle – Menu Identify the three people involved in the events of this poem. 2 Fragrance of wine and herbs Blessed our kitchen; like the hare’s dessert Of wild thyme; or like his thighs As though braised by God. She smiled And dished up on willow, Having a nice touch in framing One-off scenarios. What words are used to identify these three people? After the feast, my father was a lover Deeply enhanced. I heard them go to bed, Kissing – still inside her picture. Later, I heard her sob And guessed it was the hare Troubled her. My father slept, Stunned with tribute. She lay now Outside her frame, in the hare’s dark Hating her marital skills And her lady-hands, that could flense a hare Because she wooed a man. In years to come, I understood. Click here to return to the beginning of the poem 1

Welsh writing in English Activity B Jugged Hare – by Jean Earle – What do these lines suggest about her attitude to her husband? she would rather Sicken herself, than cheat my father Of his jugged hare. Menu What does the word ‘cheat’ suggest about her attitude to not doing it?

Welsh writing in English Jugged Hare Activity C – by Jean Earle – 1 Menu Track through the poem and identify words which reveal how the woman preparing the hare is presented: her character, thoughts and feelings. She mourned the long-ears Hung in the pantry, his shot fur Softly dishevelled. She smoothed that, Before gutting – yet she would rather Sicken herself, than cheat my father Of his jugged hare. Consider the words shaded in yellow. Click to show shading. A tender lady, freakish as the creature – But resolute. She peeled it to its tail. Oh, fortitude! Her rings sparked in and out Of newspaper wipes. Blood in a bowl, Sacrificial gravy. A rarely afforded Bottle of port. She sustained marriage On high events, as a child plays house. Dramas, conciliations – Today, the hare. She sent me out To bury the skin, Tossed the heart to the cat. She was in full spate. Click here to view next stanzas 2

Welsh writing in English Jugged Hare Activity C – by Jean Earle – 2 Menu Track through the poem and identify words which reveal how the woman preparing the hare is presented: her character, thoughts and feelings. Fragrance of wine and herbs Blessed our kitchen; like the hare’s dessert Of wild thyme; or like his thighs Consider the words shaded in As though braised by God. She smiled yellow. Click to show shading. And dished up on willow, Having a nice touch in framing Select the one quotation that you One-off scenarios. think most helps reveal this woman to the reader, and explain After the feast, my father was a lover your choice. Deeply enhanced. I heard them go to bed, Kissing – still inside her picture. Later, I heard her sob And guessed it was the hare Troubled her. My father slept, Stunned with tribute. She lay now Outside her frame, in the hare’s dark Hating her marital skills And her lady-hands, that could flense a hare Because she wooed a man. In years to come, I understood. Click here to return to the beginning of the poem 1

Welsh writing in English Jugged Hare Activity D – by Jean Earle – 1 Menu A child ‘playing house‘ is play-acting. In what sense could the woman preparing the hare be said to be play-acting? She mourned the long-ears Hung in the pantry, his shot fur Softly dishevelled. She smoothed that, Before gutting – yet she would rather Sicken herself, than cheat my father Of his jugged hare. A tender lady, freakish as the creature – But resolute. She peeled it to its tail. Oh, fortitude! Her rings sparked in and out Of newspaper wipes. Blood in a bowl, Sacrificial gravy. A rarely afforded Bottle of port. She sustained marriage On high events, as a child plays house. Dramas, conciliations – Today, the hare. She sent me out To bury the skin, Tossed the heart to the cat. She was in full spate. Click here to view next stanzas 2

Welsh writing in English Jugged Hare Activity D – by Jean Earle – 2 Menu A child ‘playing house‘ is play-acting. In what sense could the woman preparing the hare be said to be play-acting? Fragrance of wine and herbs Blessed our kitchen; like the hare’s dessert Of wild thyme; or like his thighs Consider the words shaded in As though braised by God. She smiled yellow. Click to show shading. And dished up on willow, Having a nice touch in framing One-off scenarios. After the feast, my father was a lover Deeply enhanced. I heard them go to bed, Kissing – still inside her picture. Later, I heard her sob And guessed it was the hare Troubled her. My father slept, Stunned with tribute. She lay now Outside her frame, in the hare’s dark Hating her marital skills And her lady-hands, that could flense a hare Because she wooed a man. In years to come, I understood. Click here to return to the beginning of the poem 1

Welsh writing in English Jugged Hare Activity E – by Jean Earle – 1 Menu Identify all the words which reveal anything at all about the presentation of the father: his character, thoughts and feelings. On balance, do you think he is presented in a positive, negative or neutral way? She mourned the long-ears Hung in the pantry, his shot fur Softly dishevelled. She smoothed that, Before gutting – yet she would rather Sicken herself, than cheat my father Of his jugged hare. A tender lady, freakish as the creature – But resolute. She peeled it to its tail. Oh, fortitude! Her rings sparked in and out Of newspaper wipes. Blood in a bowl, Sacrificial gravy. A rarely afforded Bottle of port. She sustained marriage On high events, as a child plays house. Dramas, conciliations – Today, the hare. She sent me out To bury the skin, Tossed the heart to the cat. She was in full spate. Is anything implied about the father? Click to show shading. What are the implications of his allowing his wife to do something she hates? What are the implications of ‘Stunned with tribute’? Click here to view next stanzas 2

Welsh writing in English Jugged Hare Activity E – by Jean Earle – 2 Menu Identify all the words which reveal anything at all about the presentation of the father: his character, thoughts and feelings. On balance, do you think Fragrance he is presented in and a positive, of wine herbs negative or neutral way? Blessed our kitchen; like the hare’s dessert Of wild thyme; or like his thighs Is anything implied about the As though braised by God. She smiled father? Click to show shading. And dished up on willow, Having a nice touch in framing What are the implications of his One-off scenarios. allowing his wife to do something she hates? After the feast, my father was a lover What are the implications of Deeply enhanced. ‘Stunned with tribute’? I heard them go to bed, Kissing – still inside her picture. Later, I heard her sob And guessed it was the hare Troubled her. My father slept, Stunned with tribute. She lay now Outside her frame, in the hare’s dark Hating her marital skills And her lady-hands, that could flense a hare Because she wooed a man. In years to come, I understood. Click here to return to the beginning of the poem 1

Welsh writing in English Jugged Hare Activity F – by Jean Earle – Menu Why do you think stanza 4 has only one line? 1 She mourned the long-ears Hung in the pantry, his shot fur Softly dishevelled. She smoothed that, Before gutting – yet she would rather Sicken herself, than cheat my father Of his jugged hare. Does ‘She smiled’ in the next stanza accurately reflect her feelings? A tender lady, freakish as the creature – But resolute. She peeled it to its tail. Oh, fortitude! Her rings sparked in and out Of newspaper wipes. Blood in a bowl, Sacrificial gravy. A rarely afforded Bottle of port. She sustained marriage On high events, as a child plays house. Dramas, conciliations – Today, the hare. She sent me out To bury the skin, Tossed the heart to the cat. She was in full spate. Click here to view next stanzas 2

Welsh writing in English Jugged Hare Activity F – by Jean Earle – Menu Why do you think stanza 4 has only one line? 2 Fragrance of wine and herbs Blessed our kitchen; like the hare’s dessert Of wild thyme; or like his thighs As though braised by God. She smiled And dished up on willow, Having a nice touch in framing One-off scenarios. Does ‘She smiled’ in the next stanza accurately reflect her feelings? After the feast, my father was a lover Deeply enhanced. I heard them go to bed, Kissing – still inside her picture. Later, I heard her sob And guessed it was the hare Troubled her. My father slept, Stunned with tribute. She lay now Outside her frame, in the hare’s dark Hating her marital skills And her lady-hands, that could flense a hare Because she wooed a man. In years to come, I understood. Click here to return to the beginning of the poem 1

Welsh writing in English Jugged Hare Activity G – by Jean Earle – Menu From whose point of view is the poem written? 1 She mourned the long-ears Hung in the pantry, his shot fur Softly dishevelled. She smoothed that, Before gutting – yet she would rather Sicken herself, than cheat my father Of his jugged hare. A tender lady, freakish as the creature – But resolute. She peeled it to its tail. Oh, fortitude! Her rings sparked in and out Of newspaper wipes. Blood in a bowl, Sacrificial gravy. A rarely afforded Bottle of port. How many times are the words ‘my’, ‘me’ and ‘I’ used? How old would you say the girl is when this event occurs? How do the last two lines affect the mood of the poem? She sustained marriage On high events, as a child plays house. Dramas, conciliations – Today, the hare. She sent me out To bury the skin, Tossed the heart to the cat. She was in full spate. Click here to view next stanzas 2

Welsh writing in English Jugged Hare Activity G – by Jean Earle – Menu From whose point of view is the poem written? 2 Fragrance of wine and herbs Blessed our kitchen; like the hare’s dessert Of wild thyme; or like his thighs As though braised by God. She smiled And dished up on willow, Having a nice touch in framing One-off scenarios. After the feast, my father was a lover Deeply enhanced. I heard them go to bed, Kissing – still inside her picture. Later, I heard her sob And guessed it was the hare Troubled her. My father slept, Stunned with tribute. She lay now Outside her frame, in the hare’s dark Hating her marital skills And her lady-hands, that could flense a hare Because she wooed a man. In years to come, I understood. How many times are the words ‘my’, ‘me’ and ‘I’ used? How old would you say the girl is when this event occurs? How do the last two lines affect the mood of the poem? Click here to return to the beginning of the poem 1

Welsh writing in English Activity H Jugged Hare – by Jean Earle – What is the mood of stanza five? How far does it represent the mood of the poem as a whole? Fragrance of wine and herbs Blessed our kitchen; like the hare’s dessert Of wild thyme; or like his thighs As though braised by God. She smiled And dished up on willow, Having a nice touch in framing One-off scenarios. Menu Consider the words shaded in yellow. Click to show shading.

Welsh writing in English Jugged Hare Glossary – by Jean Earle – Click on the highlighted words to show their meaning 1 untidy; in a mess determined in following chosen course of action Jugged Hare She mourned the long-ears Hung in the pantry, his shot fur Softly dishevelled. She smoothed that, Before gutting – yet she would rather Sicken herself, than cheat my father Of his jugged hare. unusual in shape; (someone A tender lady, freakish as the creature – or something) odd or unusual But resolute. She peeled it to its tail. uncomplaining courage Oh, fortitude! Her rings sparked in and out Of newspaper wipes. Blood in a bowl, Sacrificial gravy. A rarely afforded Bottle of port. to keep (it) going bringing back to friendship after a disagreement (said of a river) in a fast flowing state following heavy rain Menu hare cut in pieces and stewed with wine and other seasonings She sustained marriage On high events, as a child plays house. Dramas, conciliations – Today, the hare. She sent me out To bury the skin, Tossed the heart to the cat. She was in full spate. offering of a slaughtered person or animal on an altar to God or a god (children "play house" when they) pretend to be adults, and act out the daily activities they see their parents perform. Click here to view next stanzas 2

Welsh writing in English Jugged Hare Glossary – by Jean Earle – 2 plots, sequences of events for (fictional) work improved in quality and intensity (especially something already good) Menu Fragrance of wine and herbs Blessed our kitchen; like the hare’s dessert Of wild thyme; or like his thighs As though braised by God. She smiled willow (pattern) design And dished up on willow, used in pottery, usually in Having a nice touch in framing blue on a white background, One-off scenarios. After the feast, my father was a lover Deeply enhanced. I heard them go to bed, Kissing – still inside her picture. Later, I heard her sob And guessed it was the hare Troubled her. My father slept, Stunned with tribute. She lay now Outside her frame, in the hare’s dark showing a Chinese landscape with a willow tree, bridge and human figures gift etc. given as an expression of admiration, affection etc. Hating her marital skills strip the skin from an And her lady-hands, that could flense a hare animal Because she wooed a man. In years to come, I understood. Click here to return to the beginning of the poem 1