Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/8-1-1-summary-structure-and-form [Revision notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes.md) › [GCSE](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse.md) › [English Lit](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature.md) › [AQA](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa.md) › [English Lit: AQA GCSE Poetry - Love & Relationships](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships.md) › Summary, Structure & Form # Summary, Structure & Form English Lit: AQA GCSE Poetry - Love & Relationships, topic 8.1.1 ## Summary of _Walking Away_ Cecil Day Lewis was a modernist poet who often used natural imagery to explore and describe his personal experiences. _Walking Away_ is about his relationship with his son Sean. ### Background ![Background](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-03/f6970fba-7a6b-4e93-9aaa-786fa2c5da8e/shutterstock_534937255.jpg) - Cecil Day Lewis was a modernist poet. He was made poet laureate from 1968 until his death. - Brought up by his father, Lewis focuses on father-son relationships in this poem. - _Walking Away_ is about his relationship with and love for his own son, Sean. ### Summary ![Summary](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-03/d0ccb614-1c99-4e85-b51b-f310e3b5538c/shutterstock_228563083.jpg) - Lewis’ narrator begins looking back on his memories of his son’s first game of football. This moment is used as a fixed moment in the past and a metaphor for Lewis’ son growing up. - He uses cosmic and natural imagery to try and convey the poignant sense of loss a parent feels as their child grows up. He also tries to capture a parent's awareness that their child must and should break away from them in order to experience true ‘selfhood’. ### Parental love ![Parental love](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-03/e45e43ca-29f7-45d3-a4f8-200e542b7102/shutterstock_281254388.jpg) - Lewis explores familial love in this poem, a kind of love that is often presented as unconditional. - But, even though Lewis will never stop loving his son, the way he expresses his love has to change as his son grows up – including allowing his son to metaphorically walk away from him. - His pain at this 'loss' is lessened by his awareness that this is, in itself, an act of love. His son needs freedom to thrive and grow up. ## Structure and Form in _Walking Away_ Here are some of the features of structure and form in Cecil Day Lewis' poem _Walking Away_ ### First-person narrative ![First-person narrative](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2025-09/a9e36f63-1a7b-40ca-9c1c-a56e55858119/4013a4ae-7d1a-4d54-99be-adf26ce5e51c.png) - The poem is a first-person narrative, from the perspective of a father remembering his son’s first football match. ### Real speech ![Real speech](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2025-09/aee66267-4edd-402f-984f-6b10f8e45b09/2c5a81ec-5058-4466-813d-8f1a262fca6a.png) - The poem attempts to create a sense of real speech with the use of enjambment and caesura. - The use of words such as ‘perhaps’ and ‘roughly’ gives the sense that the poet is struggling to put into words how he feels. - The use of dashes makes the reader feel like the narrator’s thoughts are interrupting the flow of the poem. ### Development of narrator's thoughts ![Development of narrator's thoughts](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2025-09/a838401b-83df-4aeb-8d83-3d91525004bd/5d8b144f-a8d5-49a8-845b-de21463b1da6.png) - As much as the poem is about development and growth, the poem itself reflects the development of the narrator’s thoughts. - He begins focusing on memory in the first two stanzas. - In the middle two stanzas, he reflects on these memories and the raw pain he feels. - In the final stanza, he comes to the painful conclusion that while this is difficult for him – it is an act of love to let his son go. ## Test yourself on Summary, Structure & Form - What memory does Lewis begin the poem with? - What type of poet was Cecil Day Lewis? - Development of the Narrator's Thoughts - What person is the poem _Walking Away_ written in? - How does the poet try to mimic real speech in _Walking Away_? [Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/562992d0-2b85-11e8-949b-0fcba71f2ced/section/791e13f0-2df2-11e8-b086-e74db677cf13/session) - Previous topic: [7.1.5 Exam-Style Questions - The Farmer's Bride](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/7-1-5-exam-style-questions-the-farmers-bride.md) - Next topic: [8.1.2 Themes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/8-1-2-themes.md) ## English Lit: AQA GCSE Poetry - Love & Relationships contents ### 1 When We Two Parted - Lord Byron (1788-1824) - 1.1 When We Two Parted Analysis - [1.1.1 Summary & Structure](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/1-1-1-summary-and-structure.md) - [1.1.2 Themes: Death & Loss](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/1-1-2-themes-death-and-loss.md) - [1.1.3 Themes: Time & Anger](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/1-1-3-themes-time-and-anger.md) - [1.1.4 Key Quotes & Comparisons](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/1-1-4-key-quotes-and-comparisons.md) - [1.1.5 End of Topic Test - When We Two Parted](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/1-1-5-end-of-topic-test-when-we-two-parted.md) ### 2 Love’s Philosophy - Percy Bysshe Shelley - 2.1 Love's Philosophy Analysis - [2.1.1 Summary & Structure](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/2-1-1-summary-and-structure.md) - [2.1.2 Themes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/2-1-2-themes.md) - [2.1.3 Key Quotes & Comparisons](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/2-1-3-key-quotes-and-comparisons.md) - [2.1.4 End of Topic Test - Love's Philosophy](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/2-1-4-end-of-topic-test-loves-philosophy.md) - [2.1.5 Exam-Style Questions - Love's Philosophy](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/2-1-5-exam-style-questions-loves-philosophy.md) ### 3 Porphyria’s Lover - Robert Browning (1812-1889) - 3.1 Porphyria’s Lover Analysis - [3.1.1 Summary & Structure](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/3-1-1-summary-and-structure.md) - [3.1.2 Themes: Porphyria & Violence](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/3-1-2-themes-porphyria-and-violence.md) - [3.1.3 Themes: Sin & Pathetic Fallacy](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/3-1-3-themes-sin-and-pathetic-fallacy.md) - [3.1.4 Key Quotes & Comparisons](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/3-1-4-key-quotes-and-comparisons.md) - [3.1.5 End of Topic Test - Porphyria's Lover](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/3-1-5-end-of-topic-test-porphyrias-lover.md) ### 4 Sonnet 29 - Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861) - 4.1 Sonnet 29 – ‘I think of thee!’ Analysis - [4.1.1 Summary & Structure](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/4-1-1-summary-and-structure.md) - [4.1.2 Themes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/4-1-2-themes.md) - [4.1.3 Key Quotes & Comparisons](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/4-1-3-key-quotes-and-comparisons.md) ### 5 Neutral Tones - Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) - 5.1 Neutral Tones Analysis - [5.1.1 Summary & Structure](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/5-1-1-summary-and-structure.md) - [5.1.2 Themes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/5-1-2-themes.md) - [5.1.3 Key Quotes & Comparisons](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/5-1-3-key-quotes-and-comparisons.md) - [5.1.4 End of Topic Test - Sonnet 29 & Neutral Tones](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/5-1-4-end-of-topic-test-sonnet-29-and-neutral-tones.md) ### 6 Letters from Yorkshire - Maura Dooley (Born 1957) - 6.1 Letters from Yorkshire Analysis - [6.1.1 Summary & Structure](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/6-1-1-summary-and-structure.md) - [6.1.2 Themes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/6-1-2-themes.md) - [6.1.3 Key Quotes & Comparisons](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/6-1-3-key-quotes-and-comparisons.md) ### 7 The Farmer’s Bride - Charlotte Mew (1869-1928) - 7.1 The Farmer's Bride Analaysis - [7.1.1 Summary, Structure & Form](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/7-1-1-summary-structure-and-form.md) - [7.1.2 Themes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/7-1-2-themes.md) - [7.1.3 Key Quotes & Comparisons](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/7-1-3-key-quotes-and-comparisons.md) - [7.1.4 End of Topic Test - Dooley & Mew](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/7-1-4-end-of-topic-test-dooley-and-mew.md) - [7.1.5 Exam-Style Questions - The Farmer's Bride](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/7-1-5-exam-style-questions-the-farmers-bride.md) ### 8 Walking Away - Cecil Day Lewis (1904-1972) - 8.1 Walking Away Analysis - [8.1.1 Summary, Structure & Form](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/8-1-1-summary-structure-and-form.md) - [8.1.2 Themes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/8-1-2-themes.md) - [8.1.3 Key Quotes & Comparisons](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/8-1-3-key-quotes-and-comparisons.md) ### 9 Eden Rock - Charles Causley (1917-2003) - 9.1 Eden Rock Analysis - [9.1.1 Summary, Structure & Form](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/9-1-1-summary-structure-and-form.md) - [9.1.2 Themes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/9-1-2-themes.md) - [9.1.3 Key Quotes & Comparisons](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/9-1-3-key-quotes-and-comparisons.md) - [9.1.4 End of Topic Test - Walking Away & Eden Rock](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/9-1-4-end-of-topic-test-walking-away-and-eden-rock.md) ### 10 Follower - Seamus Heaney (1939-2013) - 10.1 Follower Analysis - [10.1.1 Summary, Structure & Form](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/10-1-1-summary-structure-and-form.md) - [10.1.2 Themes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/10-1-2-themes.md) - [10.1.3 Quotes and Comparisons](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/10-1-3-quotes-and-comparisons.md) ### 11 ‘Mother, Any Distance’ - Simon Armitage (Born 1963 - 11.1 'Mother, Any Distance' Analysis - [11.1.1 Summary, Structure & Form](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/11-1-1-summary-structure-and-form.md) - [11.1.2 Themes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/11-1-2-themes.md) - [11.1.3 Key Quotes & Comparisons](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/11-1-3-key-quotes-and-comparisons.md) - [11.1.4 End of Topic Test - Follower& Mother, Any Distance](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/11-1-4-end-of-topic-test-followerand-mother-any-distance.md) ### 12 Before You Were Mine - Carol Ann Duffy (Born 1955) - 12.1 Before You Were Mine Analysis - [12.1.1 Summary, Structure & Form](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/12-1-1-summary-structure-and-form.md) - [12.1.2 Themes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/12-1-2-themes.md) - [12.1.3 Key Quotes & Comparisons](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/12-1-3-key-quotes-and-comparisons.md) ### 13 Winter Swans - Owen Sheers (Born 1974) - 13.1 Winter Swans Analysis - [13.1.1 Summary, Structure & Form](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/13-1-1-summary-structure-and-form.md) - [13.1.2 Themes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/13-1-2-themes.md) - [13.1.3 Key Quotes & Comparisons](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/13-1-3-key-quotes-and-comparisons.md) - [13.1.4 End of Topic Test - Duffy & Sheers](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/13-1-4-end-of-topic-test-duffy-and-sheers.md) ### 14 Singh Song! - Daljit Nagra (Born 1966) - 14.1 Singh Song! Analysis - [14.1.1 Summary, Structure & Form](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/14-1-1-summary-structure-and-form.md) - [14.1.2 Themes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/14-1-2-themes.md) - [14.1.3 Key Quotes & Comparisons](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/14-1-3-key-quotes-and-comparisons.md) ### 15 Climbing My Grandfather - Andrew Waterhouse - 15.1 Climbing My Grandfather Analysis - [15.1.1 Summary, Structure & Form](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/15-1-1-summary-structure-and-form.md) - [15.1.2 Themes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/15-1-2-themes.md) - [15.1.3 Key Quotes & Comparisons](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/15-1-3-key-quotes-and-comparisons.md) - [15.1.4 End of Topic Test - Nagra & Waterhouse](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/15-1-4-end-of-topic-test-nagra-and-waterhouse.md) ### 16 Grade 9 - Comparisons - 16.1 Grade 9 - Comparisons - [16.1.1 Grade 9 - Comparisons](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/16-1-1-grade-9-comparisons.md) ### 17 Recap: Main Quotes - 17.1 Recap: Main Quotes - [17.1.1 When We Two Parted - Lord Byron (1788-1824)](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/17-1-1-when-we-two-parted-lord-byron-1788-1824.md) - [17.1.2 Love’s Philosophy - Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/17-1-2-loves-philosophy-percy-bysshe-shelley.md) - [17.1.3 Porphyria’s Lover - Robert Browning (1812-1889)](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/17-1-3-porphyrias-lover-robert-browning-1812-1889.md) - [17.1.4 Sonnet 29 - Elizabeth Barrett Browning (](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/17-1-4-sonnet-29-elizabeth-barrett-browning.md) - [17.1.5 Neutral Tones - Thomas Hardy (1840-1928)](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/17-1-5-neutral-tones-thomas-hardy-1840-1928.md) - [17.1.6 Letters from Yorkshire - Maura Dooley (Born 1957)](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/17-1-6-letters-from-yorkshire-maura-dooley-born-1957.md) - [17.1.7 The Farmer’s Bride - Charlotte Mew (1869-1928)](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/17-1-7-the-farmers-bride-charlotte-mew-1869-1928.md) - [17.1.8 Walking Away - Cecil Day Lewis (1904-1972)](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/17-1-8-walking-away-cecil-day-lewis-1904-1972.md) - [17.1.9 Eden Rock - Charles Causley (1917-2003)](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/17-1-9-eden-rock-charles-causley-1917-2003.md) - [17.1.10 Follower - Seamus Heaney (1939-2013)](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/17-1-10-follower-seamus-heaney-1939-2013.md) - [17.1.11 ‘Mother, Any Distance’ - Simon Armitage (Born1963)](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/17-1-11-mother-any-distance-simon-armitage-born1963.md) - [17.1.12 Before You Were Mine - Carol Ann Duffy (Born 1955)](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/17-1-12-before-you-were-mine-carol-ann-duffy-born-1955.md) - [17.1.13 Winter Swans - Owen Sheers (Born 1974)](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/17-1-13-winter-swans-owen-sheers-born-1974.md) - [17.1.14 Singh Song! - Daljit Nagra (Born 1966)](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/17-1-14-singh-song-daljit-nagra-born-1966.md) - [17.1.15 Climbing My Grandfather - Andrew Waterhouse](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/poetry-love-and-relationships/17-1-15-climbing-my-grandfather-andrew-waterhouse.md)