Jo Shapcott: Poems Summary

Jo Shapcott: Poems Summary

"Hairless"

In the poem Hairless, the poet describes a cleaning woman who has a bald head. Chemotherapy or any illness is not mentioned in the poem so it could have been shaved as well. The poet calls her the 'queen of the moon' perhaps the bald head in its full exposure appears like a moon but unlike the moon, a living brain and consciousness lies beneath that scalp. The poet goes on to describe the physical and mental stability of a bald head and says that air speaks differently to them.

"Procedure"

The poem Procedure occurs in the collection of poems Of Mutability by Jo Shapcott. The collection is about cancer, though the illness is not mentioned anywhere in the collection. In Procedure, the poet first describes a cup of tea and then tells how the tea reminds her of the time of her illness and the procedures of testing she had to undergo. Though in the end, she feels grateful for the older times and for the present.

Update this section!

You can help us out by revising, improving and updating this section.

Update this section

After you claim a section you’ll have 24 hours to send in a draft. An editor will review the submission and either publish your submission or provide feedback.