Edwin Morgan Trio

Edwin Morgan Poems

Trio

Trio

> Present tense " the young man carries a new guitar" gives poem immediacy makes it seem real as if it is happening in front of us

> Realistic details "Coming up Buchanan Street" realistic details a familiar setting makes the  reader connect

> Symbol "under the Christmas lights" suggests they are watched over and protected allusion to the three wise men bringing gifts author sees them as gifts under the tree

> Repetition of " young" and "girls "a young man and  two girls" suggests youth, happiness, hope, vitality 

> Repetition of "carries" "the young man carries" suggests protection and safety

> Negative sounding first line "Coming up Buchanan Street, quickly, on a sharp winter evening" the author is not feeling in a festive mood- cold, trying to get somewhere fast shows how precious this sight was to the author - it warmed him up and filled him with Christmas cheer suggests happiness can be found in unlikely places

> Glasgow dialect "Wait till he sees this, but!" gives location, seems more realistic 

> Ideas of fragility "the Chihuahua has a tiny Royal Stewart tartan coat, like a teapot holder" teapot made of china, easily broken, fragile shows the Chihuahua is well cared for, protected, treated well (Royal tartan)

> Ideas of safety and protection "Laughter ringing them like a cloud" their laughter is surrounding them, warding troubles off their happiness is enough to protect them from life's troubles

> Very long descriptive lines "the guitar swells out under its milky, plastic cover, tied at the neck with silver tinsel tape and a brisk sprig of mistletoe" Morgan doesn't want to interrupt the love and the happiness of the trio so does not break the line

> Exclamation marks "Orphean sprig! Melting baby! Warm Chihuahua!" the author is shouting with joy at the glorious sight

> Humour " Melting baby!" bizarre phrase makes us smile adds to the joy of the poem

>Allusion to the myth of Orpheus"Orphean sprig!"something so delightful it can charm anyone out of any dark situation

> Allusion to the nativity story "Trio" "under the Christmas lights" three wise men with their gift for baby Jesus under the star

> Allusion to hymn words "The vale of tears is powerless before you" life's darkest moments cannot affect the trio because of their love and happiness they are protected by their love and happiness

> Ambiguity of "march" "this march of three" could be them physically marching or metaphorically marching into battle with their happiness protecting them

> Ambiguity of "ringing" "laughter ringing round them like a guard" could be the sounds of their laugh or their 'invisible cloud' of happiness forming a ring around them

> Parenthesis made of dashes "under the Christmas lights-....- and the three have past" tells us all about the trio (mood, chat they are carrying, their speech) shows us what the author saw of the in the space of a few seconds protects the trio, encloses his encounter

> Parenthesis made of brackets "( yet not vanished...like a guard)" tells us that they have not vanished because the author has remembered them and treasured what he saw the brackets protect them their joy and laughter is protecting them from all unhappiness

> Line layout on page"it abdicates                         under the Christmas lights" line literally steps down as if fate is stepping away from this happy sight because it does not wish to spoil it

> Connotations "Trio" three people musical trio harmony

> Connotations "under" protected safe shelter

> Connotations "white" pure clean innocent young angellic

> Connotations " bright" happy alert positive interested

> Connotations "cloud" heavenly light floats easily (no worries) peaceful

> Connotations "favours" surprises small special gift

> Connotations "fresh" new unspoilt warm

> Connotations "sweet" pleasant cute pudding(!)

> Connotations "swells" pride struggling to contain something

> Connotations "milky" white young babies pure

> Connotations "silver" precious valuable

> Connotations "mistletoe" Christmas love kiss

> Connotations "abdicates" leave step down (from high/important/powerful position)

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