Michael Longley: A Poppy

Poem Title

Original Publication

CP Page no

A Poppy

Broken Dishes, Ireland: Abbey Press, 1998

255

Length / Form 12 lines; language connects Homeric and Virgilian image to World War I - 'Tommy', 'doughboy helmet'

Relationship to Classical text Translates 3 lines from Iliad, alludes to Virgil 'steal[ing]' the same image  - quotes the Latin version. Iliad 8. 306-8, Aeneid 9. 436

Note  Previously published Broken Dishes, Ireland: Abbey Press, 1998