Not Waving But Drowning: Stevie Smith

This 17-slide lesson explores Stevie Smith’s poem, ‘Not Waving But Drowning’.

Students are asked challenging but important questions about how conscious we are of the feelings of those around us - our family, friends, and even neighbours, colleagues, and acquaintances.

We discuss the nature of Smith’s poetry - her recurring themes, styles, and subject matter - before reading her famous poem. We think about how the poem might be read as an allegory, reflecting on important ideas surrounding mental health and compassion.

The language, imagery, structure, and rhyme of the poem are then deconstructed in detail. Students explore the poem’s key themes, and ambitious vocabulary is introduced to facilitate sophisticated analysis.

At the end of the poem, an exam-style question is included.

Please note: this poem (and lesson) explores some mature themes regarding mental health. PowerPoint saved as PDF.