History- John Burnside

The first thing to understand is the 'news' that he's talking about - 9/11 - The Twin
Towers, The Pentagon, the downed plane in Pennsylvania... 

The second thing to understand is that Burnside likes the theme of 'spaces between':
The space between reality and the imagination
The space between what we know and what we don't understand
The space between life and death
The space between what is close to us and what is far away 

In 'History', he is concerned with many of these spaces but particularly with the space
between what is real to us in the here and now and what is 'out there' that will impact
on us at some point soon in our lives.

Interpretations

Your interpretation of this poem is important. You need to worry less about what
every single line means and more about the overall meaning of the poem for you. The
interpretations and conclusions drawn by this blog are only useful as a template for
your own ideas.

What does the poem make you think about? Which aspects of structure, form and
language help you to do this?

Structure and form

The disjointed and fractured lines which are at times irregular, following patterns of
speech and at times are strict iambic pentameter, could reflect a number of things.
Some have said that they make us think of the twin towers themselves falling apart.
Others say they are like the tides, drifting and uncertain, others point out that there
are spaces between different ideas in the lines, reflecting the spaces in between our
close reality and the reality that is 'out there' and may impact on us at some point in
the future.

Themes
There are many contrasts in the poem:
 Toddlers and parents
 Flying kites and flying planes
 Sand and the smell of gasoline are both in the air
 Being alone in thoughts yet with his family
 Life and death in the sea shells
 the world we own and the world we dream about
 Bodies fixed and kites free in the sky
 pink and blue: sea creatures and childbirth
 fear and safety
 confinement and freedom
 being in the present and fear of the future
 being comfortable with what we know and uncomfortable with what we don't

The poem ‘History’ by John Burnside is based around the tragic events on 9/11, I think the speaker is
looking at all of the things around him and remembering how this event in history has even effected
the way he sees the little things around him. There is also this sense of worry in the fact that he
wants to protect his child from any type of tragedy like 9/11.

Themes and tone

Uncertainty – the speaker shows a hopeless feeling for the future and recovery of mankind as a
whole after this heart breaking event. It is as if ‘war planes’ have shadowed over the ‘morning light’,
therefore people do not feel as if a new day can begin as it is being overshadowed by disastrous
events like 9/11. There is also uncertainty around what is really important in life, he feels ‘lost’
however knows that what defines us is ‘neither kinship nor our given states’, meaning that it is not
our family or our appearance that makes us who we are but our generosity.
Humanity – there is this theme that humans ‘trade so much to know the virtual’, meaning that we
lose focus on whats important and rather devote our time to things that in reality mean nothing. It is
quite sad that we as humans are so engulfed in our own lives that ‘we scarcely register the drift and
tug of other bodies’, meaning that we aren’t aware of what other people are going through because
we are trapped in our own virtual reality.
Structure
The first line of the poem (‘Today’) is separate from the rest of the poem. I think that Burnside has
chosen to do this it emphasises the fact that ‘Today’ is an important and memorable day that will
never be forgotten. The fact that it is alone also may be a symbol of how alone people feel in a world
full of war and death.
The length of the stanzas and lines vary, by looking at the random, free flowing structure of the
poem I get the image of the ocean tide drifting in and out. However, it could also be argued that the
fact that the line lengths fluctuate could be replicating how peoples emotions were all over the place
after catastrophic events like 9/11.
The poet also placed the word ‘people’ alone maybe to represent the lack of unity in humanity.
There is also a use of plosives in the line, ‘puzzled by the pattern’ which could be replicating the
sounds of explosions and war.
Techniques
Burnside uses sibilance in the line, ‘sand spinning’, which I think could be reflecting the movement
and sound of the waves.
The poet also uses imagery in lines such as, ‘snail shells; shreds of razorfish; smudges of weed and
flesh on timeworn stone’. That instantly gives me a visual of carcasses that are left there to rot and
be forgotten.
Important quotes
‘quail-grey in the distance’
I think that this is a symbol of how like a bird (quail) represents freedom, this freedom is in the
distance and unattainable to people. They can see it, but not reach it.

‘petrol blue’
I think that the petrol is a representation of the way that peoples lives are polluted by this event in
history, petrol can kill. It could also represent people’s fuel to keep going.

‘kite plugged into the sky’

I think that this is a symbol of hope, the same sky that is used for warplanes to kill is also where they
put up their kite to symbolise hope. The kite is plugged, showing that this is an act of power over
tragic events in history.

Title and Context:

The title of this poem is very important in helping the reader to understand the
poet’s mindset at the time the poem was written. The word “History” would
suggest that the poem is about an event which has happened in the past, and
yet the first two stanzas of the poem both begin with the word “today”, which
suggests that the poem is about an event happening in the present. This implies
that the poem is written about an important event – one which was happening
at the time the poem was written, but which will make history. The line
underneath the title tells us what this event is; the poet specifically states that
the poem was written in “September 2001“, which strongly implies that it is about
the aftermath of 9/11.
Structure:
The poem is written in free verse structure, with no set line or stanza lengths,
and no rhyme scheme. As you can see in the excerpt above, the length, spacing
and placement of lines on the page is quite erratic, which creates a sense of
falling. This could mirror the literal falling of the Twin Towers on 9/11, but could
also suggest that, in the aftermath of such an event, the poet feels that his sense
of security is collapsing. The structure does seem to become slightly less disjunct
as the poem progresses, which could perhaps indicate that the poet does
manage to gather his thoughts somewhat.

At the end of the first page there is a quatrain – “At times I think what makes us
who we are / is neither kinship nor our given states / but something lost
between the world we own / and what we dream about behind the names”. This
stanza stands out from the ones before it due to its more organised structure,
which could imply that this is a significant message in the poem. In this stanza,
the poet indicates that he feels there is nothing concrete which defines a person,
and that people’s thoughts and actions cannot always be explained using logic,
which may be his rationale as to why a person could bring themselves to commit
acts which others consider to be unthinkable, such as terrorist attacks.

Themes, Imagery and Tone:

The key theme of this poem is a sense of uncertainty: the poet is uncertain of
what makes us who we are, what is important in life, and how he can be
expected to live a normal life after an awful event has shattered his worldview
and made him aware of his mortality and the finality of actions.

One way in which this theme is conveyed is through the repeated use of contrast
between the concrete and the abstract. For example, he mentions “the news in
my mind, and the muffled dread / of what may come”, which is a very vague and
abstract idea (particularly given the use of the word “muffled”, which implies that
even the poet himself does not know what it is about the future he fears), but
then goes on to list specific items which he finds on the beach with his son –
“shells … pebbles … snail shells; shreds of razorfish”, which he describes as
“finding evidence of life”. This could suggest that the poet takes comfort in
finding tangible and familiar things, as they remind him that the small and
fundamental aspects of the world have not changed.

Another idea which the poet explores is his attempts to find a connection
between these concrete and abstract elements. One way he does this is by
specifying that the poem takes place on a beach; a beach is comprised of either
sand or stones, which individually are solid, but collectively behave somewhat
like a fluid, giving the impression of being partway between the two.
Additionally, beaches sit between the land (which is solid) and the sea (which is
fluid), providing a kind of bridge between them (an image which is echoed later,
when the poet describes being “on the dune slacks with a kite / plugged into the
sky”). This could suggest that the poet is trying to make sense of the world by
connecting abstract ideas and concepts with the things he can see around him.

Conclusion:
Overall, the poet seems to feel that experiencing a disaster (even if this is only a
second hand experience – the poem specifies that the poet has still been
affected by the events of 9/11 despite being on another continent) can shatter
your perception of the world, and that the only way to rebuild it is by focusing on
the tangible things in the present moment, which are real and unchanging.
‘History’
The title is an ordinary word, and as such is open to a variety of interpretation, failing to give
much indication of the meaning behind the poem. It indicates that it could be about a large-
scale event, but this contrasts with the opening stanza beginning with “Today”, which may be
confusing for a reader. However, the subtitle under the poem states “September 2001” which
due to the significance associated with this time, it would immediately be clear that it is likely
about the September 11 terrorist attacks, and Burnside will be reflecting historical
significance of that day. This unlocks the initial overarching meaning of the poem, however it
is important to note that there a range of deeper ideas that can still be interpreted from the
rest of the poem.
Poem Structure
There is a highly irregular structure throughout the poem, with the free verse being used to
its full effect with no particular consistency in stanza or line length whatsoever. This is very
effective because it helps to convey the confusion and strong changes in emotions that
could be felt by someone hearing the news, with their thought process becoming erratic as
they attempt to process the information. Alternatively it could also be interpreted as being a
visual representation of the destroyed and damaged twin towers, or as a broader
representation of confusion and shock within society.
There are occasional stanzas which seem more deliberate and structured, showing small
sections of collected thoughts and helping to convey important meanings and points from the
poem, such as the links people share in society described in the line beginning “At times I
think”. Despite this, the poem still feels dominated by vague ideas which show the confusion
and uncertainty felt by the narrator. The mix of condensed and fragmented stanzas could be
interpreted as showing the way in which different elements and parts of society could be
seen to have disintegrated and been damaged over time, as a result of the gradual loss of
collective memory of important past events.
Loss and confusion is further emphasised by the unfinished feeling that many lines have as
a result of enjambment, with multiple lines flowing over each other. This helps to encourage
a strong feeling of uncertainty because a reader is never sure as to when a line will end or
pause, which would also likely extend to the rhythm of their speech when the poem is read
aloud. This could also help with slowing the poem, allowing more time for a reader or
audience to fully consider the significance of the descriptions. #
Poetic Techniques
There is a semantic field of the sea in the poem, with various references to creatures
including “jellyfish” and “carp”, and also the scenery of the beach and sea, such as “dune
slacks” and “tideworn stone”. The references to such a variety of animals could be seen as
representing the diversity of human life, demonstrating how despite everyone being different
there are still factors that hold them in common, therefore creating a shared bond. This
would be very effective for a reader because they would likely recognise how easy it is for
division to arise from any sad or horrific event, so this allusion to unity would show how
important Burnside believes it is.
Links to universal ideas that are rooted in the natural world is also a key part of ‘History’ with
descriptions such as “tethers us to gravity and light” midway through the poem. The use of
these fundamental ideas is designed to further highlight the shared experiences of humanity
within the world, while the reference to “light” is used to bring a more positive and hopeful
tone through its connotations. This positive light imagery also is part of a semantic field, with
other references such as “gold” and “bright” helping to reinforce these positive elements
further.
However, while there is positive imagery, this is against a backdrop of more uncertain and
war related ideas that persist through the poem to ensure that there is still a general sense
of unease felt by a reader. This is most notable at the beginning of the poem with reference
to “war planes” which encourages a reader to consider the global and military repercussions,
but also smaller references such as “petrol”  and “states” which while are not directly about
military or conflict, some readers may link them given the context; this would be very
effective because it can be seen as representing the permanence of forms of conflict in the
world.
Important Lines
“sand spinning off in ribbons”
This pleasant imagery acts as a contrast to the negative thoughts and ideas that continue
throughout the rest of the poem, although arguably this phrase gives a hint of the future
negative subject matter through the use of sibilance. In addition, the “spinning off” could be
representative of either the destruction of the towers, or metaphorically representing the
potential society as a whole now has to lurch to negative actions and to ‘spin out of control’.
“the muffled dread of what may come”
The highly emotive “dread” shows the emotion of the situation for the narrator, but coupled
with “muffled” makes it sound more sinister and intimidating, with a lack of free expression.
To some readers this could be particularly fearsome because it indicates a level of distortion,
and therefore lack of clarity which further emphasises the confusing experiences.
“attentive to the irredeemable”
The whole phrase comes across as relatively repetitive due to the multiple syllables in
“attentive” and “irredeemable” and consonance of the ‘t’ and ‘d’ sounds. This could be
interpreted as demonstrating society’s focus on key news events and the way that more
focus is typically given to the more horrendous acts and events. Ending the poem on this
note almost acts as a warning or message to the reader about the way society can become
enthralled with analysis of events such as these. ‘History’
Key Themes
Society and Culture: ‘History’ directly addresses ideas regarding society and the reaction of
society to terrorist attacks and traumatic events as a whole. This is both in the form of
societal identity, and through the way in which society reacts.
Identity: The poem looks at the idea of identity, using ideas of fish and sea life to represent
the contrast and diversity in society while simultaneously showing what is held in common
and shared between people.
Conflict: While other poems in the anthology may consider conflict more directly, ‘History’
instead shows the repercussions of conflict and how these can impact on individuals and
society as a whole.  This arguably is more effective because it is more likely to be something
that a reader can relate to.