How Does Age Shape Identity? How is Age Presented in this Anthology? Unpacking ‘Poems of the Decade’
From the wisdom of old age to the struggles of youth, Poems of the Decade offers a powerful exploration of how age defines experience, identity, and relationships. But how do poets present aging—its beauty, its pain, and its inevitability?
In this deep dive A-level comparison, we analyse key poems that tackle themes of youthful ambition, generational conflict, and the passage of time, helping you uncover the deeper meanings behind the words. Explore the three poems: Easy Passage, To My Nine-Year Old Self and A Leisure Centre is a Temple of Learning.
Stretch & Challenge: Consider unpacking the difference between youth, age and experience and the subtleties in their unique interpretations.
Here is a scan of our class flipchart work comparing three poems from the ‘Poems of the Decade’ Forward Anthology. We consider the presentation of age in three poems: Easy Passage, To My Nine-Year Old Self and A Leisure Centre is a Temple of Learning*.
*Please be aware of which award you are sitting. A Leisure Centre is a Temple of Learning features only in the Edexcel International A-Level collection.
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