Two Photographs

This is about two different photographs about two different women who have one thing in common, they are both his grandma's. Throughout the poem they are shown in contrast.
Firstly Annabella who is vulnerable, pretty compared to Doris who is portly and handsome. Though one "fasted" another "feasted."

Annabella has a "welsh with a Patagonian accent" whereas Doris has an "English with a welsh valley's lilt" showing the define difference in their voices and perhaps upbringing. Annabella believes in being "damned" cursed but Doris shakes it with a "devilishly laughed" showing she seems more relaxed. Doris comes across as a rebellious character as she "ate pork!" which in Jewish religion is forbidden also the use of an exclamation mark may empathise his surprise with her actions.

In seeing these photographs he beings to dream and remember the women and their "grey hair" seems "illusory" showing age becomes distant. Abse uses a simile to describe his memories as being "like dust that secretively flows in a sudden sunbeam" the 'dust' could symbolise his memories and the sunbeam could be the moment that made him remember and begin daydreaming.

However towards the end of the poem "what's survived?" he begins questioning  life and that only "amber brooch" "string of pearls" remain, only objects can hold the memories together and "grandchildren will ask who?" the younger generations only rely on the objects or stories to understand what happened, so Abse beings to wonder "I never lived" when he's gone who ill remember him and what objects will hold memories for him to be told to other generations.

I feel this poem links well with 'Love Songs in Age' as the music holds memories and each object/mark on the music tells it's own story, and remembering how time was in the music/photographs allows you to question your own life and how it pleases or upsets you.