The Living Photograph by Jackie Kay

My small grandmother is tall there,

straight-back,white broderie anglaise shirt,
pleated skirt,flat shoes,grey bun,
a kind,old smile round her eyes.
Her big hand holds mine,
white hand in black hand. Her sharp blue eyes look her own death in the eye.

It was true after all ;that look.

My tall grandmother became small.
Her back round and hunched.
Her soup forgot to boil.
She went to the awful place grandmothers go.
Somewhere unknown, unthinkable.

But there she is still,

in the photo with me at three,
the crinkled smile is still living ,breathing.
Meaning of the Stanza
Stanza 1The persona described her grandmother as tall and well-dressed with a kind smile. Her smile comes
from her eyes. On her deathbed, she held the personas small black hand in her big white hand. She was not
afraid to leave the world.
Stanza 2 The persona accepts that her grandmother has passed to the other world, as all grandmothers do.
Grandmother, who was of a tall stature became small, hunched and forgetful.

Stanza 3 The persona at the age three had taken a photograph with grandmother. When she looks at the
photograph, she feels grandmothers presence. To the persona, her grandmother is still very much alive and
smiling at her.

About the poem

The persona captured two images of her adoptive grandmother -one seen in the photograph when the
persona was three years old and another image of her grandmother as the lady became older and finally
passed away. The persona resonates with the memories of many young people who have lost their beloved
grandparents.
The Poet : Jackie Kay
-Born on November 9 1961 in Edinburgh, Scotland to a Scottish mother and a Nigerian father. Her parents
gave her away for adoption to white Scottish parents (John and Helen Kay) who brought her up in Glasgow
with great affection.
-The grandmother in the poem above was her adoptive grandmother who also loved her as much as her
biological parents.
-Thus, from an early age, Jackie Kay was often baffled by her ethnic identity as she looked "coloured"
compared to her adoptive "white" grandmother and adoptive parents.
-This poem, like many other by Jackie Kay, reflects her generally happy, childhood, as well as her concerns
about her true 'biracial' ethnic identity.
Theme
Close family ties Grandmother-Granddaughter relationship Love and appreciation Unwillingness to let go of
someone close Value of photograph
Point Of View
1st person point of viewthe persona uses the words, my and me
Language And Style
The persona gives her views and feelings of her grandmother Language is easy to understand Clear and
descriptive Stylesimple and understanding
Tone And Mood
Appreciative and thankful Thoughtful and Loving Sense of strong family ties
Moral Values
-We must strive for close family relationship with our grandparents and parents.
-We should love and appreciate close family members while they are still alive.
-We must learn to let go of the dead. Keeping a memento like a photograph helps to keep memories alive.
-We must not dwell on the past too much.