With Birds You’re Never Lonely (AQA GCSE English Literature)

'With Birds You're Never Lonely'

Each poetry anthology at GCSE contains 15 poems, and in your exam question you will be given one poem – printed in full – and asked to compare this printed poem to another. As this is a closed-book exam, you will not have access to the second poem, so you will have to know it from memory. Fifteen poems is a lot to revise. However, understanding four things will enable you to produce a top-grade response:

• The meaning of the poem

• The ideas and messages of the poet 

• How the poet conveys these ideas through their methods

• How these ideas compare and contrast with the ideas of other poets in the anthology

Below is a guide to Raymond Antrobus' poem 'With Birds You're Never Lonely', from the Worlds and Lives anthology. It includes:

• Overview: a breakdown of the poem, including its possible meanings and interpretations

• Writer’s methods: an exploration of the poet’s techniques and methods

• Context: an exploration of the context of the poem, relevant to its themes

• What to compare it to: ideas about which poems to compare it to in the exam

Overview

In order to answer an essay question on any poem, it is vital that you understand what it is about. This section includes:

• The poem in a nutshell

• A “translation” of the poem, section-by-section

• A commentary of each of these sections, outlining Raymond Antrobus' intention and message

'With Birds You're Never Lonely' in a nutshell:

'With Birds You're Never Lonely', written by the twentieth-century poet Raymond Antrobus, examines, via a speaker who is deaf, London’s urban world and compares this to a rural community in New Zealand, in order to comment on the way disconnections with the natural world can isolate people.

'With Birds You're Never Lonely' breakdown

Lines 1–3

“I can’t hear the barista

over the coffee machine.

Spoons slam, steam rises.”  

Translation

• The poem begins describing a modern London coffee shop

• The shop is described as noisy and busy

Antrobus' intention

• The first two lines of the poem open in media res, describing the noise of the shop:

  • The background noise is intrusive and makes communication difficult

• The coffee shop is described in sensory imagery to bring the scene to life, creating an immediacy which contributes to a sense of busyness

Lines 4–6

“I catch the eye of a man

sitting in the corner

of the cafe reading alone” 

Translation

• The speaker observes a man in the coffee shop and notices they are alone

Antrobus' intention

• The first-person perspective allows Antrobus to focus on significant details

• The speaker uses non-verbal communication to “catch the eye of a man” 

• Here, Antrobus introduces the idea of solitude, as he introduces a man sitting by himself 

Lines 7–9

“about trees which is, incidentally,

all I can think about

since returning.” 

Translation

• The speaker returns to their own thoughts as they notice the man is reading about trees

• The speaker introduces a memory that has had great impact on them

Antrobus' intention

• Antrobus' speaker returns to their own thoughts as they are reminded of a significant event:

  • The man’s book, which is about trees, is connected to the memory of a place they visited

  • This, in turn, creates a connection between the speaker and the man

Lines 10–11

“Last week I sat alone

on a stump, deep in Zelandia forest” 

Translation

• The speaker is reminded of when he was alone in a forest the week before

• He was in New Zealand, sitting on the stump of a tree

Antrobus' intention

• The speaker describes the forest as “deep” to conjure up images of a wilderness

• The image of being alone in a deep forest conveys the significance of the experience  

Lines 12–14

“with sun-syrupped Kauri trees

and brazen Tui birds with white tufts

and yellow and black beaks.”

Translation

• The speaker closely describes the plants and animals in New Zealand

Antrobus' intention

• Antrobus uses natural imagery to describe New Zealand

• Antrobus' speaker remembers the vibrancy and sensuality of nature:

  • For example, the metaphor of the “sun-syrupped” Kauri trees suggests that the sun has coated the trees in sweet luxury

Lines 15–18

“They landed by my feet, blaring so loudly

I had to turn off my hearing aids.

When all sound disappeared, I was tuned

into a silence that was not an absence.”  

Translation 

• The speaker describes the intrusive sounds of the forest in New Zealand

• They say the birds were so loud they had to turn off their hearing aid:

  • This is the first time the reader learns that the speaker is deaf

• This allows the speaker to reconnect with nature, as they are able to “tune in”

• He describes it positively, saying the silence was not uncomfortable or lonely

Antrobus' intention

• Antrobus describes the sounds of the forest to contrast the sounds of modern London

• Antrobus conveys the sense of immersion and comfort found in the natural world:

  • Nature is shown to be a powerful presence rather than an absence, and the verb “tuned” suggests the speaker is harmonising with nature 

Lines 19–26

“As I switched sound on again,

silence collapsed.

The forest spat all the birds back,

and I was jealous— 

the earthy Kauri trees, their endless

brown and green trunks of sturdiness.

I wondered what the trees

would say about us?

What books would they write

if they had to cut us down?”

Translation 

• The speaker explains that when they switched the hearing aid back on the silence ended

• The forest came alive with uncomfortable noise again

• The speaker appears to be jealous of the natural world – of the unhearing trees

• Nature is described as resilient and eternal

• The speaker questions an alternative perspective: they ask what nature may think of humans 

Antrobus' intention

• Antrobus changes tone here as negative emotions are implied

• The forest seems angry as it “spits” the sound of the birds and the speaker expresses jealousy towards the unhearing trees

• Antrobus begins to raise questions about the impact of humans on the natural world 

Lines 27–31

“Later, stumbling from the forest I listened

to a young Maori woman.

She could tell which bird chirped,

a skill she learned from her grandfather

who said with birds you’re never lonely.” 

Translation 

• The speaker recalls meeting an indigenous woman in New Zealand

• The speaker explains the close connection she has with the natural world:

  • She knows the sounds of the birds very well

  • This knowledge is passed down through the generations

• The speaker remembers something she said: that being a part of nature brings a sense of comfort and belonging

Antrobus' intention

• Antrobus shows how the trip impacted the speaker:

  • They stumble from the forest, implying, perhaps, either their vulnerability in nature or how shaken they were 

• The poet conveys the connection the Maori people have with nature

• Antrobus also implies a sense of belonging and of family, as the speaker refers to a legacy of knowledge about the natural world

• The title of the poem is repeated to emphasise the idea of a close relationship between humans and nature

Lines 32–35

“In that moment I felt sorry

for any grey tree in London,

for the family they don’t have,

the Gods they can’t hold.”

Translation 

• The speaker returns to the present and to London

• The speaker expresses remorse at the way urban London has made the trees “lonely” as they have so few birds around them

• He expresses pity for the trees, as they are lonely and isolated

Antrobus' intention

• Antrobus contrasts the bright colours of the forest with the description of the “grey” trees in London to highlight ideas about urbanisation

• Antrobus uses emotive language to convey remorse about the impact of humans on the natural world

• Antrobus ends the poem on a bleak note:

  • The trees, he says, are without family or spirituality 

  • He implies the urban world brings isolation 

  • The poem therefore concludes again with the idea of connection

• The final line suggests that humanity does not respect nature enough (we see ourselves as gods, rather than seeing god in nature)

Writer’s methods

Although this section is organised into three separate sections – form, structure and language – it is always best to move from what the poet is presenting (the techniques they use; the overall form of the poem; what comes at the beginning, middle and end of a poem) to how and why they have made the choices they have. 

Focusing on the poet’s overarching ideas, rather than individual poetic techniques, will gain you far more marks. Crucially, in the below sections, all analysis is arranged by theme, and includes Raymond Antrobus' intentions behind his choices in terms of:

• Form

• Structure

• Language

Form

The poem is written in couplets to signify ideas related to harmony and togetherness. However, Antrobus disrupts this rhythm to highlight concerns about relationships between humans and a connection with the natural world. 

Structure

Antrobus' poem presents the confused thoughts of a speaker describing life in London compared to life in a rural community. The poem’s structure indicates tensions, as the speaker reflects on a disconnected relationship between humans and the natural world.

Language

'With Birds You’re Never Lonely' is a reflection on communication between humans and nature. Antrobus compares London and New Zealand, highlighting the togetherness and harmony found in the rural world in contrast with the isolation of the urban world. 

Context

Examiners repeatedly state that context should not be considered as additional factual information: in this case, it is not random biographical information about Raymond Antrobus that is unrelated to the ideas in 'With Birds You’re Never Lonely'. The best way to understand context is as the ideas and perspectives explored by Antrobus in the poem that relate to worlds and lives. This section has therefore been divided into two relevant themes that Antrobus explores:

• Home and heritage

• Relationships with the world

Home and heritage  

• Raymond Antrobus was born in London in 1986 to a Jamaican father and an English mother:

  • This is reflected in the way that Antrobus centres the poem around two cultures

  • His poem describes a modern London coffee shop and a forest in New Zealand

• The poem focuses on the solitude the narrator (who is deaf) experiences in a London coffee shop, unable to hear over the sounds of the barista (the person making the coffee)

• His speaker describes London as “grey” and implies the city lacks the comfort of community, family and spirituality that trees and birds bring

• The poem refers to Maori culture, wherein families pass down knowledge about the natural world:

  • The grandfather teaches his grandchildren how to communicate with their world

  • Antrobus therefore implies the importance of legacy and family

Relationships with the world  

• Raymond Antrobus was born deaf (his condition was diagnosed when he was six years old)

• He works with deaf children in schools, helping them engage with the sound of language:

  • For this reason, communication is a focus of his life

  • He therefore refers to “hearing aids” in this poem

• His poem introduces the idea that sound can be overwhelming

• In the poem, Antrobus uses auditory language to convey ideas about isolation or belonging within his environment:

  • His speaker describes being “tuned in” to silence

  • He says the “silence collapsed”

  • His speaker “switched sound on again”  

  • He describes the birds “blaring so loudly” and the spoons slamming

• Antrobus also explores the idea of communication between human beings and nature:

  • The significance of his trip to New Zealand focuses on the sounds of the forest as the birds communicate with the speaker

  • The poem centres around a Maori woman’s words, which have lasting impact 

  • Antrobus implies a sense of harmony amongst the Maori people as result of communicating with the birds 

What to compare it to

The essay you are required to write in your exam is a comparison of the ideas and themes explored in two of your anthology poems. It is therefore essential that you revise the poems together, in pairs, to understand how each poet presents ideas about worlds and lives, in comparison to other poets in the anthology. Given that 'With Birds You're Never Lonely' explores the ideas of disconnected relationships between human beings and nature, the following comparisons are the most appropriate:

• 'With Birds You're Never Lonely' and 'Lines Written in Early Spring'

• 'With Birds You're Never Lonely' and 'Like an Heiress'

• 'With Birds You’re Never Lonely' and 'In a London Drawing Room'

For each pair of poems, you will find:

• The comparison in a nutshell

• Similarities between the ideas presented in each poem

• Differences between the ideas presented in each poem

• Evidence and analysis of these similarities and differences

'With Birds You're Never Lonely' and 'Lines Written in Early Spring' 

Comparison in a nutshell:

Both Raymond Antrobus' 'With Birds You're Never Lonely' and William Wordsworth’s 'Lines Written in Early Spring' present speakers who explore their place in the world. Both poems examine disconnected relationships that affect individuals negatively. However, while Antrobus contrasts an urban and a rural setting, Wordsworth sets his poem in a pleasant pastoral setting. 

Similarities:

Differences:

'With Birds You’re Never Lonely' and 'Like an Heiress'

Comparison in a nutshell:

This is an effective comparative choice to explore individuals’ responses to their worlds. Both poets describe mixed emotions as their speakers observe their surroundings and reflect on humanity’s relationship with nature. However, Raymond Antrobus' poem examines contrasting cultures, while Grace Nichols’ 'Like an Heiress' explores her heritage via the ocean.

Similarities:

 Differences:

'With Birds You’re Never Lonely' and 'In a London Drawing Room'

Comparison in a nutshell:

Both Raymond Antrobus' 'With Birds You're Never Lonely' and George Eliot’s 'In a London Drawing Room' explore contrasts between the natural world and the world of humans. While Antrobus compares two modern worlds, urban London and rural New Zealand, Eliot’s Victorian poem describes London as changing as a result of industrialisation.

Similarities:

Differences: