Vernon Scannell's Poem 'Nettles'

Nettles

In the poem “Nettles” the author Vernon Scannell is writing about a boy falling into a nettle bed, and how his father afterwards is trying to comfort his son. Thereafter, the father goes out and removes the nettles, but not long after the nettles are standing tall again. In this poem, Vernon Scannell uses the situation with the son falling into the nettles along with figurative language and sound techniques, as a metaphor for being at war. Scannell uses true masculine rhyme in the pattern ABAB. With the exception of the rhyme between the two words “blade” and “parade”, where “parade” makes it a semi-feminine rhyme (line 9 and 11). Scannell also uses iambic pentameter throughout the poem, which along with the rhyme scheme creates a steady rhythm. This rhythm can be associated with war because soldiers normally march in a steady and monotone way. Scannell uses both end-stopped lines and enjambment. He also uses a caesura, in the middle of line 12, that shows a break between the father’s two tasks.

Scannell uses a metaphor when he writes “for those green spears” (line 3). “Green spears” refers to the nettles as standing in a group, reaching tall, like if they were soldiers in green uniforms with spears. The nettles are also personified when Scannell uses the words “regiment of spite” about the nettles. He refers to the group of nettles as an opposing side who just want to hurt a person. The same way as war normally involves two sides that want to hurt each other. The nettles are also personified with the words “tall recruits” (line 15). The nettles are being recruited in large numbers and have quickly grown tall again. In the same way, as an army recruits more people when they are at