Pot (AQA GCSE English Literature)

Each poetry anthology at GCSE contains 15 poems, and in your exam question, you will be given one poem – printed in full – and asked to compare this printed poem to another from the anthology. As this is a closed-book exam, you will not have access to the second poem, so you will have to know it from memory. Fifteen poems is a lot to revise. However, understanding four things will enable you to produce a top-grade response:

• The meaning of the poem
• The ideas and messages of the poet 
• How the poet conveys these ideas through their methods
• How these ideas compare and contrast with the ideas of other poets in the anthology

Below is a guide to Shamshad Khan’s poem “pot”, from the Worlds and Lives anthology. It includes:

• Overview: a breakdown of the poem, including its possible meanings and interpretations
• Writer’s methods: an exploration of the poet’s techniques and methods
• Context: an exploration of the context of the poem, relevant to its themes
• What to compare it to: ideas about which poems to compare it to in the exam

In order to answer an essay question on any poem, it is vital that you understand what it is about. This section includes:

• The poem in a nutshell
• A “translation” of the poem, section-by-section
• A commentary of each of these sections, outlining Khan’s intention and message

“pot” in a nutshell

“pot” is written by the poet Shamshad Khan, who was born in England but is of Pakistani heritage. Khan’s poem examines the way artefacts from countries around the world were brought to England during the rise of the British Empire and placed in British museums.  

“pot” breakdown

Lines 1–2

“so big -  they said you shouldn’t really be moved

so fragile you might break”

Translation

• These lines introduce a long-running debate about moving artefacts from the British Museum and returning them to their countries of origin 
• The lines provide the reasons given by governments as to why historical artefacts cannot be returned to their original countries

Khan’s intention

• Khan introduces the idea of an artefact as a living thing
• The lines introduce a third person plural perspective by referring to “they”:
• This is suggestive of conflict between the speaker and the opposition to the return of the objects

Lines 3–4

“you could be from anywhere pot

styles have travelled just like terracotta”

Translation

• The speaker tells the pot it is easy to imagine it could be from any country in the world
• The reason for this is that global “styles” spread to Europe as a result of Imperialism
• Khan refers to “terracotta”, an ancient Earthenware originating in the East

Khan’s intention

• Khan comments on the pot’s lack of individual identity, suggesting it is the result of Colonisation

Lines 5–8

“you could almost be an english pot

but I know you’re not.

I know half of the story pot

of where you come from

of how you got here”

Translation

• The Narrator tells the pot that although it could pass for being English, the speaker knows it is from elsewhere 
• The narrator feels half of the information about the pot’s journey to England is missing

Khan’s intention

• Khan implies there is a suspiciously limited amount of information regarding foreign artefacts and how they come to be in British museums

Lines 9–13

“but I need you to tell me the rest pot

tell me

did they say you were bought pot

a looter's deal done

the whole lot

sold to the gentleman in the grey hat”

Translation

• The narrator instructs the pot to tell its story, again referring vaguely to “they” as the people responsible for moving it:
• The narrator subtly asks if the people who brought the pot to England actually paid for it
• They refer to an Auction (where people can bid for objects of value):
• The “gentleman in the grey hat” represents a powerful European or British man

Khan’s intention

• Khan refers to what she sees as a dubious narrative:
• Khan makes a wry comment about the country of origin’s reimbursement for artefacts taken (suggesting this is not the case)
• Khan’s use of the word “looters” implies the artefacts were stolen

Lines 14–15

“or

did they say you were lost pot

finders are keepers you know pot”

Translation

• The narrator continues listing possible reasons why the pot has ended up in England

Khan’s intention

• Khan’s sarcasm is evident in the child-like phrase, “finders are keepers you know” 
• She pokes fun at the people who took the pot from its country of origin and now believe they own it

Lines 16–18

“or

did they say they didn’t notice you pot

must have slipped onto the white sailing yacht

bound for england.”

Translation 

• The narrator continues listing possible excuses for the pot’s placement in England
• The reference to a “white sailing yacht” highlights how artefacts were taken from Colonies by white people

Khan’s intention

• Khan’s list implies the excuses given are weak 
• The reference to the “white” yacht alludesto race, implying the colonists were of European or British background

Lines 19–24

“someone

somewhere

will have missed you pot

gone out looking for you pot

because

someone

somewhere

made you

fingernails

pressed

snake patterned you pot

washed you pot

used you pot

loved you pot”

Translation 

• The narrator believes the hand-made pot was made with care and loved by the owners
• It implies that the pot was made by traditional methods

Khan’s intention

• Khan gives a personal identity to the pot
• The description alludes to family life:
• She implies the pot meant a lot to its owners:
• This suggests British colonists took others’ personal property without their permission

Lines 25–27

“if I could shatter this glass

I would take you back myself pot.”

Translation 

• The narrator speaks intimately to the pot:
• The speaker refers to breaking the glass of a museum case holding displays of artefacts 
• The narrator wants to take the pot back to its original home 

Khan’s intention

• The intimate address presents the narrator’s frustration that the pot is in a museum in England:
• This highlights the central issue of where this object belongs, presenting it as significant and emotive

Lines 28–29

“you think they wouldn’t recognise you pot

say diaspora

you left now

you’re not really one of us.”

Translation 

• The narrator questions whether the pot would be welcomed back to its original home: 
• The reference to “diaspora” links the pot to displaced people who spread out across the world having left their homelands

Khan’s intention

• Khan raises ideas about displacement and Migration resulting from colonialism

Lines 30–38

“pot I’ve been back to where my family’s from

they were happy

to see me

laughed a lot
said I was more asian than the asians pot

I was pot

imagine.

the hot sun on your back

feel flies settle on your skin

warm grain poured inside”

Translation 

• The narrator remembers how they were welcomed home after being away:
• They describe a close bond with their heritage, despite living elsewhere
• They ask the pot to imagine their homeland and how it would feel

Khan’s intention

• Khan comments on the significance of expressing cultural identity
• Khan uses sensory imagery, such as “hot sun on your back”, to present the emotional connection with home

Lines 39–41

“empty pot

growl if you can hear me

pot? 

pot?"

Translation 

• The narrator is frustrated the pot does not reply
• The poem ends with them asking the pot to answer

Khan’s intention

• The poem ends with unresolved and unanswered questions
• Khan’s poem suggests foreign artefacts remain away from their homeland

Although this section is organised into three separate sections – form, structure and language – it is always best to move from what the poet is presenting (the techniques they use; the overall form of the poem; what comes at the beginning, middle and end of a poem) to how and why they have made the choices they have. 

Focusing on the poet’s overarching ideas, rather than individual poetic techniques, will gain you far more marks. Crucially, in the sections below, all analysis is arranged by theme, and includes Khan’s intentions behind her choices in terms of:

• Form
• Structure
• Language

Form

The poem’s form is a reflective and silent conversation between a speaker and a pot in a museum, suggestive of repressed voices. 

Theme	Evidence	Poet’s intention
Belonging and heritage	The poem’s free verse form reflects the narrator’s reflective thoughts	Unrhyming and irregular line lengths present the speaker’s deep consideration of the artefact
	The lack of capitalisation in the title, as well as throughout the poem, subverts standard grammatical rules	Khan’s Non-standard grammar reflects both the speaker’s rambling, free-flowing thoughts, as well as her ideas about challenging established traditions
	Shamshad Khan’s poem depicts a migrant’s deep reflections, which present a challenge to unquestioned ideas in British society

Structure

The structure of Khan’s poem, “pot”, contributes to its intimate and conversational tone, as the speaker addresses an artefact. This examines the pot as a living thing with its own cultural identity. In this way, Khan promotes themes regarding displacement. 

Theme	Evidence	Poet’s intention
Individual lives	The speaker address the pot directly throughout the poem: “you could be from anywhere pot”: The lack of article(e.g. “the” pot) contributes to the sense that it is a living thing	Khan’s speaker forms a personal connection with the artefact: This implies the speaker feels similarly isolated away from their homeland They find a common bond
	The speaker anthropomorphises the pot: Imperative verbs instruct it repeatedly to speak: “tell me the rest pot”, “tell me” and “growl if you hear me”	Khan shows the speaker’s sense of frustration as they try to form a relationship with the artefact
	The poem is written in a conversational style, with the use of enjambment and a lack of punctuation	This gives the poem a conversational style, suggesting that the speaker has empathy towards the pot
	By attributing a personal identity to the pot, Khan brings attention to the cultural heritage of artefacts in British museums and likens it to a migrant’s sense of displacement

Language

“pot” is a commentary on migration, as well as British colonialism. The poem examines the individual’s sense of isolation resulting from diaspora. 

Theme	Evidence	Poet’s intention
Disconnected relationships	The speaker addresses the displacement of the pot: The speaker links this to a disconnected identity: “you’re not really one of us”	Khan addresses anxieties regarding an individual’s lack of belonging: She implies the migrant does not belong in their new home, nor in their homeland when they leave
	Contrasting verbs highlight the displacement felt by the speaker, who projects this to the pot:  The speaker presents the pot’s old life as loving: “Someone” misses the pot they “made”, “patterned”, “washed” and “loved” This contrasts to its current place in the museum, where the speaker wants to “shatter the glass” which encases it	Khan’s speaker conveys mixed emotions as they speak to the pot, hinting at their sense of disconnection: They appear sentimental about the past However, their frustration grows as they consider current circumstances
	Imagery is used to convey Khan’s ideas regarding colonialism: In the homeland they remember they feel “hot sun” and “warm grain” In contrast, the colonists wear a “grey hat” and travel on a “white sailing yacht”	Khan describes their homeland as simple and Sensual, while contrasting this with the wealth and power of the British Empire
	Khan’s poem, “pot”, explores individuals who cannot connect due to their different experiences and misunderstandings in the world around them

Examiners repeatedly state that context should be connected to your analysis. Examiners ask for sophisticated contextual connections that are linked to the theme in the question, which means how the social or political context informs the writer’s messages. The best way to understand context is how the ideas and perspectives explored by Khan are informed by, or reflect, contextual aspects related to worlds and lives. This section has therefore been divided into two relevant themes that Khan explores:

• Belonging and heritage 
• Disconnected relationships

Belonging and heritage 

• The poem, “pot”, examines a long-running debate regarding the displacement of foreign artefacts in museums:
• Khan’s speaker wants to return the pot to its homeland, to “take you back myself”
• Khan’s poem refers to an English museum (the pot was “bound for england”):
• In 2022, human rights lawyer Geoffrey Robertson reported that the British Museum contained the highest number of foreign relics globally (8 million) 
• Khan’s frustration about foreign artefacts in British museums may be implied in the line: “if I could shatter this glass”
• The poem was written as a commission for the Manchester Museum:
• It specifically references a Nigerian pot featured in the museum
• Khan speculates about how the pot’s journey might have been made, and the lack of choice the pot is likely to have had
• In this way, Khan is able to comment on issues of identity, colonial practices, migration and the slave trade
• Khan wishes to convey the significance of the cultural heritage of artefacts:
• Her speaker addresses the pot as if it is a living thing and has its own identity
• The speaker asks it to speak about its history 
• Khan refers to the way artefacts may have been taken from original countries during the process of colonisation:
• The description of a “white sailing yacht” may be referring to this idea
• Her negative description, that it was a “looter's deal done”, refers to a prevalent perspective that the artefacts were actually stolen:
• The word “looter” originated in India and was used in reference to British settlers
• Recently, debates have re-emerged regarding the Elgin Marbles:
• The Elgin Marbles is a set of Greek statues dating back to the fifth Century BCE 
• The Greek government’s efforts to return the statues to Greece have continued for over two hundred years
• The Elgin Marbles were brought to England between 1801 and 1812 by the Earl of Elgin, Thomas Bruce, who sold them to the British Government
• In 2021 former Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, refused to return the statues, suggesting they were legally owned by Britain:
• A link could be made between this and the line: “did they say you were bought pot”
• Most recently, current Prime Minister of Britain, Rishi Sunak, has ignored renewed requests by the Greek government to return the Elgin Marbles:
• Khan’s poem ends with unresolved questions and the pot stays silent

Disconnected relationships

• Shamshad Khan was born in Leeds in 1964 and later relocated to Manchester
• Her family heritage, however, is Pakistani:
• Her poetry appears in a number of poetry anthologies, including Redbeck Press anthology, a collection of poems written by British South Asian poets
• The poem “pot” explores the idea of being caught between two cultures:
• The speaker refers to being in England, specifically in a British museum
• The poem also comments on being “more asian than the asians pot”
• Khan’s poem reflects on the consequences of diaspora on an individual’s identity:
• At first, the speaker refers to displacement, “you left now/you’re not really one of us”
• The poem explores the way an individual’s heritage remains part of their identity 

The essay you are required to write in your exam is a comparison of the ideas and themes explored in two of your anthology poems. It is therefore essential that you revise the poems together thematically and practise comparing pairs of poems. Consider how each poet presents ideas about worlds and lives in comparison to other poets in the anthology. Given that “pot” explores the ideas of disconnected relationships and cultural differences, the following comparisons are the most appropriate:

• “pot"  and “A Portable Paradise” 
• “pot” and “On an Afternoon Train from Purley to Victoria, 1955" 
• “pot” and “Homing”

For each pair of poems, you will find:

• The comparison in a nutshell
• Similarities between the ideas presented in each poem
• Differences between the ideas presented in each poem
• Evidence and analysis of these similarities and differences

“pot" and “A Portable Paradise” 

Comparison in a nutshell:

Both Shamshad Khan’s poem “pot” and Roger Robinson’s poem “A Portable Paradise” reflect on the importance of cultural heritage and recognise disconnected relationships within their world. While Shamshad Khan presents an intimate conversation between a speaker and a foreign artefact in a British museum, Roger Robinson offers more unclear listener advice.

Similarities:

Topic sentence	Both speakers convey emotional pleas within criticisms of their world
Evidence and analysis	“pot”	“A Portable Paradise”
	Khan’s poem conveys a reflective, emotional tone with free-flowing enjambment: At times, this presents as sarcastic criticism: “the whole lot/sold to the gentleman in the grey hat”	Robinson, too, conveys the speaker’s tension in their world through enjambment: The speaker conveys a breathless expression of emotion: “concealed, so/no one else would know but me”
	Khan’s speaker, although frustrated, finds comfort in connections with their heritage: The speaker is confident about the bond of family: they “were happy/to see me/laughed a lot”	Robinson conveys the comfort found in traditions: The speaker refers to their cultural heritage fondly: “my grandmother/who told me”
	Khan describes the speaker’s homeland fondly, using natural imagery: They imagine: “hot sun” and “warm grain”	The poet uses Sensory imagery to similar effect: “piney scent” and “hum its anthem” He finds a paradise of “white sands, green hills and fresh fish”: With this he can “Shine the lamp on it like the fresh hope of morning”
	The speakers’ emotional responses to their worlds convey an attempt to find comfort through their cultural identity

Topic sentence	Both poems comment on individuals’ disconnected relationships with their world
Evidence and analysis	“pot”	“A Portable Paradise”
	Khan’s poem depicts a speaker who senses disconnections within their environment:   The speaker conveys doubt: “I know half of the story pot” Khan’s speaker refers to opposing groups in society:  The speaker uses the detached Pronoun, “they” to refer to the British government	Robinson’s poem, similarly, comments on their world: The speaker refers to the Third-person plural “they”: This suggests a conflict between the boy and those in power: “That way they can’t steal it”
	Khan presents a frustrated individual: The speaker wants to “shatter the glass” and take the pot back to its homeland The poem conveys the foreign artefact’s silenced voice: “growl if you hear me”	Robinson criticises the “pressure” and the “stresses” in England: The speaker implies these are “sustained and daily” The poem links isolation and safety: “get yourself to an empty room – be it hotel,/hostel or hovel”
	Both poets examine powerful systems that diminish cultural identity and  personal freedom

Differences:

Topic sentence	Shamshad Khan’s poem “pot” depicts an unresolved, tense conversation about cultural identity with a pot, while Roger Robinson’s “A Portable Paradise” offers a solution to an undefined listener
Evidence and analysis	“pot”	“A Portable Paradise”
	Khan depicts a conflicted narrator in conversation with a foreign artefact: Imperative verbs instruct the pot to relate their journey to England: “I need you to tell me the rest pot/tell me”	Robinson, however, begins his poem in the middle of a composed conversation: It is unclear who the listener is: “And if I speak of Paradise, then I’m speaking of my grandmother”
	Khan’s poem ends with unanswered questions: The speaker is unable to learn the pot’s heritage and it is unable to express its identity: The last line ends with two questions: “pot?/pot?”	Robinson offers advice about how to find personal freedom in states of isolation: The poem directly addresses a listener: “And if your stresses” The speaker advises: “empty your paradise onto a desk” and “keep staring at it till you sleep”
	Khan’s poem conveys the frustration of isolated individuals unable to find freedom in their worlds. While Robinson’s poem presents an individual in similar circumstances, his poem offers hope

“pot" and “On an Afternoon Train from Purley to Victoria, 1955”

Comparison in a nutshell:

Both Shamshad Khan and James Berry present cynical individuals who feel isolated because of their cultural identity. Nevertheless, the poets comment on the comfort found in close Ancestral bonds. However, while Khan’s speaker is frustrated and resentful, Berry presents an individual resigned to their experiences.

Similarities:

Topic sentence	Both poems present cynical narrators in typical everyday settings
Evidence and analysis	“pot”	“On an Afternoon Train from Purley to Victoria, 1955"
	Khan conveys the speaker’s bitterness about foreign objects in British museums with irony: “finders are keepers you know pot” Subverting traditional rules of grammar allows Khan to further reflect a dissenting voice	Berry’s speaker is similarly Ironic, conveyed through short sentences, without punctuation: “Snow falls elsewhere I said.”
	Khan depicts the isolation of displaced individuals and objects: The speaker feels a secret bond with a foreign pot in the British museum: “you could almost be an english pot/but I know you’re not” The pot does not reply, leaving the speaker alone with their thoughts	Berry presents similar themes by showing the miscommunication between a migrant and a Quaker woman on a train:  The hesitant response to the woman’s small talk presents the disconnected conversation: “I was thoughtful, then said”
	Khan and Berry present the way displaced individuals feel a sense of isolation in their world in terms of their cultural identity

Topic sentence	Both poems present individuals who find comfort in ties with their heritage
Evidence and analysis	“pot”	“On an Afternoon Train from Purley to Victoria, 1955"
	Khan uses sensory imagery to describe the speaker’s homeland: The narrator emphasises the natural environment: “the hot sun on your back” and “warm grain poured”	Berry’s speaker, similarly, conveys sentimental memories regarding their cultural heritage: “my father’s big banana field”
	Khan depicts an individual who is reassured by family bonds:  The family were “happy/to see” the speaker when they returned home They are still “more asian than the asians pot”	While depicting an individual on an English train, Berry also highlights the significance of heritage: “Where are you from? she said./Jamaica I said.”
	Khan and Berry examine the displacement felt by individuals with more than one cultural identity

 Differences:

Topic sentence	Shamshad Khan’s poem, “pot” describes frustration as a result of stifled voices and unanswered questions, while James Berry’s poem “On an Afternoon Train from Purley to Victoria, 1955" presents a speaker who appears to surrender to their inability to communicate
Evidence and analysis	“pot”	“On an Afternoon Train from Purley to Victoria, 1955”
	Khan depicts a bitter, yet silent conversation between an individual and a foreign artefact: It appears neither the pot nor the individual can express themselves vocally: “growl if you hear me”	Berry’s speaker, however, engages in polite small talk with a Quaker: He adapts to the customs of England despite his Jamaican heritage: “Nice day I agreed.”
	The narrator in “pot” is sarcastic about the placement of foreign artefacts in a British museum: repetition presents the reasons as excuses from an opposing group: “or did they say”	Berry’s narrator’s quick and witty replies suggest they are used to disconnected conversations: Their ironic replies suggest a resigned tone: “Where Ireland is near Lapland I said.”
	Khan’s speaker wants to “shatter the glass” but they repress their emotions: Khan’s poem ends without resolution The narrator asks two questions with no reply: “pot? pot?”	Berry’s poem ends without any sense of change in the narrator’s emotions:  Despite the woman’s hurtful comments, the narrator describes her as “beautiful” The conversation simply ends: “people sat down around us”
	Khan depicts an angry, silent individual, frustrated with their world, while Berry examines a migrant who adapts to their displacement and accepts casual discrimination

“pot" and “Homing”

Comparison in a nutshell:

Both Shamshad Khan’s “pot” and Liz Berry’s “Homing” consider the significance of cultural identity. However, Khan’s poem is a defiant comment on displacement, while Liz Berry presents a positive portrayal of integrating cultures. 

Similarities:

Topic sentence	Both poems examine the significance of expressing one’s cultural identity
Evidence and analysis	“pot”	“Homing”
	At first, Khan describes a stifled identity:  The narrator speaks to a foreign pot in a British museum: “you could be from anywhere pot” Khan emphasises the idea of  lost heritage: “you could almost be an english pot”	Correspondingly, Liz Berry’s poem begins by conveying the struggles of integrating in a new place:  The speaker refers to an individual practising Received Pronunciation in elocution lessons They must articulate the vowels in “how now brown cow”
	Khan’s poem “pot” explores barriers that limit cultural expression: “I know half of the story pot/of where you come from”	“Homing” expresses a similarly  restrictive process of integration:  The speaker describes how the listener kept their accent “in a box beneath the bed” They describe the way “the lock rusted shut by hours of elocution”
	Khan presents ties with one’s heritage as a source of comfort:  The speaker’s doubt is substituted with confidence as they recall lasting family ties: “they were happy/to see me/laughed a lot” Sensory imagery presents the speaker’s homeland positively They describe “the hot sun” and the “warm grain”	Liz Berry, similarly, promotes the idea of maintaining one’s cultural identity:  The speaker encourages the listener to “let years of lost words spill out” The poet uses sensory imagery to describe an individual’s strong ancestral ties: “railways, factories thunking and clanging”, “lick the coal”
	The poets both comment on individuals with rich cultural experiences that inform their identities

Differences:

Topic sentence	James Berry draws attention to their speaker’s reduced identity, whereas Liz Berry’s poem is an emotional expression of an individual’s identity
Evidence and analysis	"pot”	“Homing”
	Khan’s poem depicts a frustrated speaker who expresses themselves in a silent conversation with a pot	In Liz Berry’s poem, the speaker’s freedom of expression is encouraged: “shout it from the roofs,/send your words, like pigeons,/fluttering for home”
	Khan’s narrator expresses their anger with verbs: “if I could shatter this glass/I would take you back myself pot”	In “Homing”, however, Berry uses emotive language to express a positive response to different cultures:  The individual in the south of England is enthusiastic about the Black Country accent: “I loved its thick drawl, g’s that rang”
	The poem ends with unanswered questions, illustrating unresolved issues surrounding displacement:  The pot does not reply: “pot?/pot?”	The poem’s ending offers a hopeful message about integration: The poem uses Metaphorical language related to homing pigeons, drawing on ideas related to belonging and coming home
	While Shamshad Khan highlights an individual’s inner turmoil as a result of displacement, Liz Berry depicts Harmonious relationships between a native in the south of England and a migrant from central England