Málfríður - 15.05.1997, Qupperneq 25

A B
Read the following fragment of a poem and then answer the questions. Some information has been added to the fragment, read it over:
/ Hold Your Hand in Mine / Hold Your Hand in Mine
I hold your hand in mine, dear, I press it to my lips. I take Your dainty finger tips. My joy _ . , dear, If you were only here, But A precious souvenir. I Hold your hand in mine, dear I press it to my lips. I take Your dainty finger tips. My joy would be complete, dear, If you were only here, But _ your hand A precious souvenir.
The night , I really don’t know why, For now each time I kiss it The night , I really don’t know why, For new each time I kiss it bloodstains
I’m sorry _ _ , For our love fine, And till I shall hold your hand in mine. I’m sorry , For our love was something fine, And till __ get me I shall hold your hand in mine.
1. Do you think this poem was written by a woman or a man? Why? 2. What does the word ‘dainty’ mean? 3. Does the speaker of the poem strike you as being happy or sad? Why? 4. Now complete the poem by writing what you think most suitable on the lines. The number of words is up to you, but try to think about the con- text and the rhythm as you write. 5. Does the added information change your ideas of the poem? How? 6. Look up the meaning of the world ‘dainty’ in your dictionary. Does it change your view of the poem? 7. Are you happy with your earlier com- pletion of the poem? If not, make the necessary changes
/ Hold Your Hand in Mine Heimaverkefni
Tom Lehrer
I hold your hand in mine, dear, I press it to my lips. I take a healthy bite from Your dainty finger tips. My joy would be complete, dear, If you were only here, But still I keep your hand as A precious souvenir. 8. Write a newspaper report of the mur- der. Don’t forget the catching head- line and don’t be afraid of spicing up your story. OR Write the murderer’s diary from the day of the murder until he’s discovered by the police three days later.
The night you died I cut it off, I really don’t know why, For now each time I kiss it I get bloodstains on my tie. I’m sorry now I killed you, For our love was something fine, And till they come to get me I shall hold your hand in mine.
25
L