Power and Conflict Poetry Anthology Guide
The AQA Power and Conflict poetry cluster contains 15 poems that explore themes of war, nature, identity, memory, and the abuse of power. In the exam, you will be given one poem and asked to compare it with another of your choice. This guide summarises every poem, identifies the key themes, and shows you how to write comparison essays that score top marks.
The 15 Poems at a Glance
Ozymandias (Percy Bysshe Shelley)
A traveller describes a ruined statue in the desert with the inscription: "Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!" Nothing remains of the king's empire. The poem explores the theme that power is temporary and that nature outlasts human ambition.
London (William Blake)
Blake walks through London and sees suffering everywhere: poverty, child labour, prostitution, and oppression. The poem criticises institutions (the Church, the monarchy, the government) for allowing this misery. Power is held by the few while the many suffer.
The Prelude (William Wordsworth)
A young boy steals a boat and rows across a lake. A huge mountain seems to rise up and chase him. The experience fills him with awe and fear. The poem explores the power of nature and how it can humble and change us.
My Last Duchess (Robert Browning)
A duke shows a visitor a painting of his dead wife. Through his monologue, we realise he had her killed because she smiled at other people. The poem reveals the terrifying power of a controlling, jealous man.
Charge of the Light Brigade (Alfred Tennyson)
Describes the disastrous cavalry charge at the Battle of Balaclava (1854) where soldiers rode into heavy gunfire because of a mistaken order. The poem honours the soldiers' bravery while questioning the leaders who sent them to their deaths.
Exposure (Wilfred Owen)
Soldiers in WW1 trenches suffer from extreme cold. Nothing happens: there is no attack, just endless waiting and freezing. Owen shows that the real enemy is not the opposing army but the brutal weather. War is presented as futile and devastating.
Storm on the Island (Seamus Heaney)
An island community prepares for a violent storm. The poem explores fear of nature and the sense of vulnerability when facing forces beyond our control. Some critics read it as an allegory for the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
Bayonet Charge (Ted Hughes)
A soldier runs across a battlefield. His patriotic reasons for fighting dissolve as terror takes over. Hughes captures the raw, physical reality of combat: fear, confusion, and the body acting on instinct.
Remains (Simon Armitage)
A soldier describes shooting a looter in Iraq. The memory haunts him and he cannot escape it. The poem explores PTSD, guilt, and the psychological damage of war. The colloquial language makes it feel real and immediate.
Poppies (Jane Weir)
A mother describes her son leaving for war. She pins a poppy to his blazer and later walks to a memorial, pressing her face against it. The poem explores loss, love, and the private grief of those left behind.
War Photographer (Carol Ann Duffy)
A photographer develops images from a war zone in his darkroom in rural England. The contrast between the suffering he witnessed and the comfortable indifference of people at home highlights society's detachment from conflict.
Tissue (Imtiaz Dharker)
Paper is used as a metaphor for power, identity, and human life. The poem suggests that structures of power (buildings, borders, money) are fragile, like tissue paper. True power lies in human connection and light.
The Emigree (Carol Rumens)
The speaker remembers a city they left as a child. Despite the city now being associated with conflict and tyranny, their memories remain bright and beautiful. The poem explores identity, belonging, and the power of memory.
Kamikaze (Beatrice Garland)
A Japanese kamikaze pilot turns his plane around and goes home instead of completing his suicide mission. His family and community treat him as if he is dead. The poem explores honour, shame, and the conflict between duty and survival.
Checking Out Me History (John Agard)
The speaker contrasts the British history taught in school (nursery rhymes, Guy Fawkes) with the black history that was hidden from them (Toussaint L'Ouverture, Mary Seacole, Nanny de Maroon). The poem is about power, identity, and reclaiming your own narrative.
Key Themes for Comparison
- Power of nature: The Prelude, Storm on the Island, Exposure, Ozymandias
- Effects of war: Remains, Exposure, Bayonet Charge, Poppies, War Photographer
- Abuse of power: My Last Duchess, London, Checking Out Me History, Ozymandias
- Memory and identity: The Emigree, Kamikaze, Poppies, Checking Out Me History
- Loss and grief: Poppies, Remains, War Photographer, Kamikaze
- Pride and honour: Charge of the Light Brigade, Kamikaze, Ozymandias
Exam Tips
- You must compare two poems. Weave them together throughout your answer rather than writing about one then the other.
- Use connectives: similarly, in contrast, whereas, likewise, on the other hand.
- Analyse language and structure, not just content. How does the poet use form, rhythm, enjambment, caesura, imagery?
- Memorise 2-3 short quotes from every poem. You will not have the anthology in the exam.
- Choose your comparison poem wisely. Pick one you know well that shares a clear thematic link.
- Include context where relevant but do not let it dominate. The focus should be on analysis.
Practice Questions
- Compare how the effects of war are presented in Remains and one other poem.
- Compare how power is presented in Ozymandias and My Last Duchess.
- Compare how nature is presented as a powerful force in The Prelude and Storm on the Island.
- Compare how memory is explored in The Emigree and one other poem.
- Compare how loss is presented in Poppies and War Photographer.
Recommended Revision Guides
Essential guides for the Power and Conflict anthology:
- CGP Power and Conflict Poetry Anthology Guide — Every poem analysed with comparison grids and exam practice.
- York Notes AQA Poetry Anthology Study Guide — Detailed analysis with grade boosters.
- Oxford AQA Poetry Anthology Revision Guide — Clear summaries and comparison tables.