Before You Were Mine

"Before You Were Mine" by Carol Ann Duffy

Context

• Carol Ann Duffy is a contemporary British poet who served as Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom from 2009 to 2019. "Before You Were Mine" is from her 1993 collection "Mean Time." The poem reflects on the life of the speaker's mother before she became a parent, exploring themes of memory, identity, and the changing roles of women over time.

The Poem

I'm ten years away from the corner you laugh on

with your pals, Maggie McGeeney and Jean Duff.

The three of you bend from the waist, holding

each other, or your knees, and shriek at the pavement.

Your polka-dot dress blows round your legs. Marilyn.

← Imagery

I'm not here yet. The thought of me doesn't occur

in the ballroom with the thousand eyes, the fizzy, movie tomorrows

the right walk home could bring. I knew you would dance

like that. Before you were mine, your Ma stands at the close

with a hiding for the late one. You reckon it's worth it.

The decade ahead of my loud, possessive yell was the best one, eh?

← Metaphor

I remember my hands in those high-heeled red shoes, relics,

and now your ghost clatters toward me over George Square

← Simile

till I see you, clear as scent, under the tree,

with its lights, and whose small bites on your neck, sweetheart?

Cha cha cha! You'd teach me the steps on the way home from Mass,

← Juxtaposition

stamping stars from the wrong pavement. Even then

I wanted the bold girl winking in Portobello, somewhere

in Scotland, before I was born. That glamorous love lasts

where you sparkle and waltz and laugh before you were mine.

← Repetition

5 A* Quotes + Analysis You Need to Know

1. Language Device = Imagery. "Your polka-dot dress blows round your legs. Marilyn."

• Analysis: The imagery of the "polka-dot dress" and the allusion to Marilyn Monroe evoke a sense of glamour and carefree youth. This highlights the mother's vibrant and lively past before the responsibilities of motherhood.

2. Language Device = Metaphor. "The decade ahead of my loud, possessive yell was the best one, eh?"

• Analysis: The metaphor of the child's "loud, possessive yell" suggests the demanding nature of motherhood and the impact it has on the mother's life. It contrasts with the carefree decade before the speaker's birth, implying a significant change in her mother's identity and freedom.

3. Language Device = Simile. "Your ghost clatters toward me over George Square / till I see you, clear as scent, under the tree,"

• Analysis: Comparing the mother's memory to a "ghost" creates a sense of nostalgia and loss. The simile "clear as scent" emphasises the vividness of the memory, suggesting how powerfully the past lingers in the speaker's mind.

4. Language Device = Juxtaposition. "You'd teach me the steps on the way home from Mass, / stamping stars from the wrong pavement."

• Analysis: The juxtaposition of religious duty ("Mass") and playful rebellion ("stamping stars from the wrong pavement") highlights the complexities of the mother's character. It suggests a blend of responsibility and a youthful spirit.

5. Language Device = Repetition. "Before you were mine."

• Analysis: The repeated phrase "before you were mine" underscores the contrast between the mother's past and her life after the speaker's birth. It emphasises the transformation and sacrifices she made for motherhood.

Form & Structure Points to Mention for Top Grades

• Free Verse: The poem is written in free verse, without a consistent rhyme scheme or metre.
  • Effect: This form mirrors the natural flow of memories and reflections, allowing the speaker to explore her thoughts and feelings freely.
• Enjambment: The use of enjambment creates a flowing, continuous rhythm throughout the poem.
  • Effect: This technique reflects the seamless transition between past and present, highlighting the ongoing influence of the mother's past on the speaker.
• Quatrains: The poem is composed of five quatrains, providing a structured framework for the exploration of memories.
  • Effect: This structure helps to organise the speaker's reflections, creating a balance between the vivid imagery of the past and the contemplative tone of the present.

Example Paragraph for a Grade 9 Answer:

In "Before You Were Mine," Carol Ann Duffy presents memory and change through vivid imagery and a reflective tone. The poem begins with the speaker imagining her mother's youth, "Your polka-dot dress blows round your legs. Marilyn," creating a lively scene of friendship and freedom. The allusion to Marilyn Monroe adds a layer of glamour and cultural significance, emphasising the mother's vibrant past. As the poem progresses, the speaker acknowledges the changes brought by her own arrival, "The decade ahead of my loud, possessive yell was the best one, eh?" highlighting the sacrifices and transformations of motherhood. The imagery of "high-heeled red shoes, relics" and the ghostly figure "clatters toward me over George Square" evoke a sense of lost time and longing, while the final lines, "Before you were mine," celebrate the enduring vibrancy of the mother's past self. This vivid portrayal of memory contrasts with the more tranquil satisfaction she feels when he is near, capturing the depth and complexity of her emotions. Through these literary devices, Duffy captures the complexities of memory and the bittersweet nature of change, reflecting on the profound impact of time and motherhood on personal identity.