Harwood’s ability to interweave the past and present is epitomised through her poem “the violets” where her deeply personal experiences evaluate the inevitable cyclic effigy of one’s life.
Alluding to the cyclical nature of “the violets”, the paradox “Frail melancholy flowers among/Ashes and loam” symbolise death and rebirth, highlighting Harwood’s recognition of the inevitable raging process. Through this, Harwood is able to communicate the complexities of the human condition to the audience, exploring the inevitability of growth from innocence to maturity.
Similarly, reflection is utilised to highlight ones transition from innocence to experience correspondingly to the human condition of the cyclical nature of life is explored in “At Mornington”
