How Does Simon Armitage Present Strong Feelings in the Poem "Out of the Blue"?

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How does Simon Armitage present strong feelings in the poem “Out of the Blue”? The poem “Out of the Blue” was one written in response to the tragedy of 911. Even before reading the poem, the title makes this obvious, as the events that took place most certainly arrived out of the blue. However, similarly did the planes, the destruction and devastation they brought came suddenly; out of a clear blue sky. The poem is one from the perspective of a trapped business elite on one of the higher floors of an affected tower- throughout the poem his emotions run rampant, but they vary from those of anger to sadness to hope and finally, to acceptance. The poem begins with a direct address to the reader, immediately capturing their attention and creating a somewhat intimate setting (“You have picked me out”). However, it also depicts the man’s anger, as he has been “picked out”, but has not been helped. It is then revealed that by “you”, he is addressing the thousands of people who are watching him “through a distant shot of a building burning”. This brings the helplessness of his situation into perspective as he is being broadcasted to the mass media- his desperation and pain on display- yet the emergency services have not rescued him. Naturally, this would have created a certain degree of fear and panic within him, as it becomes obvious that it’s not the fact that he has not been noticed that is preventing his escape- but the fact that he is beyond saving. Nonetheless, he still tries to draw attention to himself by “twirling” and “turning” his white cotton shirt- showing his determination and strength of will. An important point to note is that the “white” in his shirt is symbolic of not only peace, but also innocence. In this instance, Armitage is reminding the reader that the people who were faced with these circumstances were innocent- and due to the intimate setting

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