Walking Away

"Walking Away" by C. Day-Lewis

Context

• Cecil Day-Lewis, an Irish-born poet and the Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom from 1968 until his death in 1972, often explored themes of personal experience and relationships. "Walking Away" was published in 1962 and reflects on a father's feelings as he watches his son grow up and become independent, capturing the bittersweet nature of letting go.

The Poem

It is eighteen years ago, almost to the day –

A sunny day with leaves just turning,

The touch-lines new-ruled – since I watched you play

Your first game of football, then, like a satellite

← Simile

Wrenched from its orbit, go drifting away

Behind a scatter of boys. I can see

You walking away from me towards the school

With the pathos of a half-fledged thing set free

← Imagery

Into a wilderness, the gait of one

Who finds no path where the path should be.

That hesitant figure, eddying away

Like a winged seed loosened from its parent stem,

← Metaphor

Has something I never quite grasp to convey

About nature's give-and-take – the small, the scorching

Ordeals which fire one's irresolute clay.

I have had worse partings, but none that so

Gnaws at my mind still. Perhaps it is roughly

← Personification

Saying what God alone could perfectly show –

How selfhood begins with a walking away,

← Aphorism

And love is proved in the letting go.

5 quotes + analysis to achieve a grade 9

1. Language Device = Simile. "like a satellite / Wrenched from its orbit, go drifting away"

• Analysis: The simile compares the son to a satellite being wrenched from its orbit, suggesting a sudden and forceful separation. This highlights the father's sense of loss and the disorienting nature of watching his son become independent.

2. Language Device = Imagery. "With the pathos of a half-fledged thing set free / Into a wilderness"

• Analysis: The imagery of a "half-fledged thing" suggests the son's vulnerability and inexperience as he ventures into the world. The "wilderness" symbolises the challenges and uncertainties of life, emphasising the father's concern and protective instincts.

3. Language Device = Metaphor. "Like a winged seed loosened from its parent stem"

• Analysis: The metaphor of a "winged seed" captures the natural process of growth and separation. It suggests that, like a seed, the son must detach from his parent to grow and thrive, highlighting the inevitability and necessity of this transition.

4. Language Device = Personification. "Gnaws at my mind still"

• Analysis: The personification of the parting as something that "gnaws" at the father's mind conveys the lingering pain and difficulty of letting go. This emphasises the deep emotional impact of the separation on the parent.

5. Language Device = Aphorism. "How selfhood begins with a walking away, / And love is proved in the letting go."

• Analysis: This aphorism encapsulates the central theme of the poem: the idea that personal growth and independence are initiated by separation, and that true love involves allowing loved ones to go their own way. It underscores the bittersweet nature of parental love and the importance of letting go.

Form & Structure Points to Mention for Top Grades

• Regular Stanza Structure: The poem consists of four quintains (five-line stanzas).
  • Effect: The regular stanza structure reflects the controlled, reflective tone of the poem, mirroring the father's attempt to make sense of his emotions and the passage of time.
• ABACA Rhyme Scheme: The consistent rhyme scheme provides a rhythmic and cohesive structure.
  • Effect: This rhyme scheme adds a lyrical quality to the poem, reinforcing the reflective and poignant nature of the father's memories and emotions.
• Enjambment: The use of enjambment creates a flowing, continuous rhythm throughout the poem.
  • Effect: This technique mirrors the ongoing process of reflection and the continuous nature of the father's feelings as he comes to terms with his son's independence.

Example Paragraph for a Grade 9 Answer:

In "Walking Away," C. Day-Lewis presents ideas about separation and independence through vivid imagery and reflective language. The poem opens with the simile, "like a satellite / Wrenched from its orbit, go drifting away," capturing the father's sense of disorientation and loss as his son becomes independent. The imagery of a "half-fledged thing set free / Into a wilderness" emphasises the son's vulnerability and the uncertainties he faces, reflecting the father's protective instincts and concern. The metaphor of a "winged seed loosened from its parent stem" suggests the natural process of growth and separation, highlighting the inevitability and necessity of the son's independence. The personification of the parting as something that "gnaws at my mind still" conveys the deep emotional impact on the father, emphasising the lingering pain of letting go. The aphorism, "How selfhood begins with a walking away, / And love is proved in the letting go," encapsulates the poem's central theme: the idea that true love involves allowing loved ones to become independent. Through these literary devices, Day-Lewis effectively captures the complexities of parental love and the bittersweet nature of separation and independence.