Compare and contrast these two 20th century love poems - "Love Birds" by Paul Henry and "Overheard in County Sligo" by Gillian Clarke.

The two poems are about love. One portrays a very distant marriage, the other portrays a very committed marriage. Both poems are of Welch relevance. Gillian Clarke and Paul Henry were both born in Wales. I am going to begin with the poem "Overheard in County Sligo." The first line of the poem :"I married a man from County Roscommon" suggests they have a distant relationship in the way she says "a man" and does …

…imply he is a murderer. The final verse reads : "She knows all this, waiting in the early kitchen, lovingly timing two cracked eggs in a saucepan." I think the last line of this verse is trying to say that she hopes the relationship wont break, though she is trying so hard to keep it together. Again, I think this shows commitment in this loving relationship and that she will support her husband no matter what.