Which poet wrote Poppies, a poem focusing on a mother's response to her son leaving for war?

• A. Seamus Heaney
• B. Carol Ann Duffy
• C. Simon Armitage
• D. Jane Weir

Answer: (D)

The question tests your ability to match a poem’s voice and subject to its author. Poppies is written from a mother’s point of view, focusing on the intimate, domestic moment of saying goodbye to a son who is heading off to war. This blend of everyday, tactile imagery—things like stitching, ribbons, and keeping a home safe—paired with the sorrow and tenderness of a parental goodbye, is a hallmark of Jane Weir’s approach in this piece. She writes 21st‑century war poetry from personal, gendered perspectives, foregrounding how conflict reaches into family life and memory, which is exactly what Poppies explores through a mother’s feelings.

The other poets listed are known for different angles on war and conflict, but the distinctive combination of a private, maternal voice and domestic imagery in this poem points to Jane Weir as the author. This makes her the best answer for who wrote Poppies.