The seed needs to be alive and grow

The winter brings harsh weather

During this time the seed fights the cold in order to grow

True

False

White lilac, catkin, may drift and the transformed elms make the scene appear like spring.

Daffodils, white lilac, lilies

Hardships in our lives release new growth inside us/ Real change happens invisibly/ our future shows that man is part of nature and that change is natural

Change is difficult to accept and we do not always adapt to changes which occur in life. Changes are visible and can be prevented

The dash in line 2 explains the outrageous theft that has occurred. The exclamation mark after aconite and snowdrop! (line 14) conveys the extreme disappointment and shock of the bride at losing her newfound status.

The hyphen in line 2 explains the outrageous theft that has occurred. The exclamation mark after aconite and snowdrop! (line 14) conveys the extreme disappointment and shock of the bride at finding her newfound status.

True

False

This is a severe form of frost.

This is a comforting frost.

The tone is strongly and negatively critical, accusatory, disparaging, perhaps even indignant, because the frost has turned the countryside into a bride dressed in white just for a short while, then taken it all away (by melting), leaving only the plants which flower in winter. The exclamation mark in line 14 emphasises this tone

The tone is strong and positive, without judgement. The frost has turned the countryside into a bride dressed in white just for a long while, then taken it all away (by melting), leaving only the plants which flower in winter. The exclamation mark in line 14 emphasises this tone

Personification

Assonance

Metaphor

True

False

The frost has made a sudden appearance and transformed the world in a way that makes it appear as if spring has arrived; the frost has stolen away the winter with its pretence of spring.

The frost is similar to the thief as it does not change its ways. It is hard and cold.

The glittering and sparkling of the reflected

frost creates a bright image but, as the speaker admits, this is ‘too brilliant to be true’

The transformation of winter to spring is brilliant

Her admires the beauty of the silent transition

This poem describes the appearance of a hard frost that formed overnight. Think of the

patterns that frost forms on glass, and how it sparkles in the early morning sunlight.

This poem was a poem describing the beautiful scene the poet saw one day he woke

up in winter morning. Besides portraying the stunning scenery, the poet also wanted

to relate the transformation in nature to human life cycle.

The speaker comments on how the world’s appearance has been radically altered by the

layer of frost, and in such a way that suddenly the surroundings seem almost spring-like

(although the absolute opposite is the case).

They have transformed completely

They shine with crystals

The poet arranges his content into two stanzas, of similar length.

He does not use

traditional rhyme scheme, and the line and stanza arrangement is set up to support the

content.

The first stanza describes the scene, while the second stanza comments on it

and exposes the ‘truth’ of the first.

The alliteration of ‘flounce and filigree’ (line 15) suggests the disapproving tone of the

speaker.

The alliteration of ‘flounce and filigree’ (line 15) suggests the gentle tone of the

speaker.

The metaphor comparing the white frost blanket to a wedding dress (line 11-13) contains

quite a disapproving tone. The wedding dress is being lent to a country maid for a few

hours, but she will be left terribly sad when she has to return it and resume her usual,

boring appearance.

The simile comparing the white frost blanket to a wedding dress (line 11-13) contains

quite a disapproving tone. The wedding dress is being lent to a country maid for a few

hours, but she will be left terribly sad when she has to return it and resume her usual,

boring appearance.

The personification of the last two lines crates an image of a contest of strength taking

place beneath the ground where the earth is surrendering its frozen hold to the power of

spring. This allows the seeds the chance to sprout, grow and break out of the soil to

promise future life and growth.

The personification of the final two lines are effective as they describe the process of growth. The image shows the way the seedling will grow

Hard suggest that the frost was cold hearted and merciless

Hard suggest that criminals are cruel

The poem is written in free verse and has two stanzas, one of nine lines and the other of ten.

Nature is free of human intervention.

The poem is an example of a ballad in which the poet expresses his love of nature and how free it is.

The beautiful, spring-like appearance of the frosty scene is deceptive/mischievous, as it will soon melt away and the frost-damaged winter landscape will be revealed. (Winter is seen as a paragon of art)

The actual approach of spring is happening underground - less glamorous but more meaningful.

To an extent what we see as beautiful and worthy is actually an illusion, and the valuable and irreplaceable things in life are often happening unseen and unappreciated

Personification

The frost is described in negative terms from the start. It is seen as a sinister being capable of mischief

Metaphor

The frost is described in negative terms from the start. It is seen as a sinister being capable of mischief

The alliteration "flounce and filigree" refers to the beautiful patterns the frost makes on the windows and plants — this beauty will actually cause damage and death to many plants.

It emphasizes the damaging, albeit beautiful appearance of the frost.

The assonance "flounce and filigree" refers to the beautiful patterns the frost makes on the windows and plants — this beauty will actually cause damage and death to many plants.

It emphasizes the damaging, albeit beautiful appearance of the frost.

The personification/comparison of the frost to a thief is disturbing: it suggests that the frost works silently and stealthily, taking that which does not belong to it.

The frost is like a thief in the night. Dangerous and scary

While the speaker is delighted at the transformation of his world from the bleak harsh landscape of winter, he is equally pensive in that he knows that this transformation is temporary/effectively illusory.

The view of spring is beautiful and filled with optimism. However, he feels that it might be too soon to celebrate

He is saying he went to bed expecting a spring day the next morning and was surprised to awaken to a frost in its place! He admires the beauty of the frost and how it has changed the landscape, but he knows that the frost is temporary and the spring, with its promise of summer lies just beneath the frost.

He is saying that the frost is dangerous and we should not be fooled by the beauty of winter. It is immature to assume spring is beautiful too as this season is temporary.