Climbing My Grandfather

Extended Metaphor: The poem uses the metaphor of climbing a mountain to explore the relationship with a grandfather. How does this metaphor influence your perception of his character? Which aspects of the "climb" stand out to you as particularly vivid or unexpected?

Sensory Experience: Waterhouse incorporates rich tactile and physical imagery throughout the poem—such as rough skin, warm breath, and a pulse. How does anchoring an emotional relationship in physical sensations affect how readers connect with the poem?

Journey and Discovery: The speaker ascends from the grandfather's feet to his face. What might this upward movement signify in terms of how we come to truly know someone? Would the poem have the same impact if it were structured in reverse?

Tone and Mood: How would you characterize the poem's overall tone? Is it joyful, reverent, melancholic, or something else entirely? Identify specific words or phrases that back up your interpretation.

Risk and Safety: Mountain climbing evokes feelings of danger and challenge, yet the grandfather is portrayed as a safe and welcoming figure. How does Waterhouse navigate these contrasting ideas, and what effect does this tension create?

Family and Memory: The poem can be seen as a reflection on memory and the wish to hold onto a loved one. Do you interpret the grandfather as alive or as a memory in this poem? Does it make a difference? How does your interpretation alter the poem's meaning?

Free Verse Form: The poem is written in free verse without punctuation. In what ways does this choice reflect the act of climbing—the ongoing movement, the pauses for breath, and the feeling of an unbroken journey?

The Extended Metaphor: The poem likens the grandfather's body to a mountain or landscape. What specific details does the poet include to develop this metaphor? What do you think this unique comparison reveals about the speaker's relationship with their grandfather?

Sensory Experience: How does the speaker incorporate touch, sight, and physical sensation throughout the poem? Why do you think the poet opted for a physical, almost tactile journey instead of a spoken or emotional one to express closeness?

Structure and Form: The poem is composed in free verse without punctuation. How does this choice influence your reading of the poem? What does the absence of punctuation imply about the nature of the climb — or the relationship itself?

The Summit: The speaker aims to reach the grandfather's face and "feel the slow pulse." What is the significance of concluding the journey there? What does the "pulse" symbolize?

Tone and Mood: How would you characterize the overall tone of the poem — is it celebratory, tender, melancholic, or something else? Identify specific words or phrases that bolster your interpretation.

Wider Connections: How does this poem compare to other works you have studied that delve into family relationships or the passage of time? What insights does it offer about how we truly know another person?