The Living Photograph

My small grandmother is tall there, 

Straight back, white, broderie anglaise shirt,

pleated skirt, flat shoes, grey bun,

a kind, old smile round her eyes.

Her big hand holds mine,

white hand in the black hand.

Her sharp blue eyes look her own death in the eye.

It was true, after all, that look.

My tall grandmother became small.

Her back round and hunched.

Her soup forgot to boil.

She went to the awful place grandmothers go.

Somewhere unknown, unthinkable

But there she is still,

In the photo with me at three,

The crinkled smile is still living, breathing.

Jackie Kay

My small grandmother is tall there,

straight-back, white broderie anglaise (1)___________________,

pleated (2)____________, flat shoes, grey bun,

a kind, old (3)_________ round her eyes.

Her big hand (4)____________mine,

white hand in black hand.

Her sharp blue eyes look her own (5) ______________ in the eye.

            It was (6) __________ after all; that look.

            My tall grandmother became small.

            Her back round and (7) _____________.

            Her (8) _____________ forgot to boil.

            She went to the (9) ____________ place grandmothers go.

            Somewhere unknown, (10) ___________.

But there she is still,

in the photo with me at (11)____________,

the crinkled smile is still (12) _____________ , breathing.

1.   true                Antonym: ______________

2.   sharp             Antonym: ____________ 

3.  forgot             Antonym: ______________

4.   awful             Antonym: ______________

1.       The persona recollects the memories of her grandmother as she looks at the photograph.

(___________)          

2.      The persona’s grandmother is still living with her.

(___________)

3.      The grandmother seems to be a friendly and kind woman.

(___________)

4.      The persona is three years old when her grandmother dies.

(___________)

5.      The grandmother remains strong and healthy until her death.

(___________)

6.      In the photograph, the grandmother will always be alive.

(___________)

Answer the following questions based on your understanding of the poem.

1.       How old was the persona when the photograph was taken?

2.      Which line in the poem tells us the grandmother has become forgetful?

3.      The grandmother seems to be a friendly and kind woman.

4.      The persona is three years old when her grandmother dies.

5.      The grandmother remains strong and healthy until her death.

6.       Give one moral value one can learn from the poem.