Imagery and metaphors

For you to better understand the meaning of the poem, it is important to focus on imagery, metaphors and other figures of speech employed by poet Roger McGough in “The Commission”.

Figure of speech

An interesting figure of speech is created by the unusual association between the word “groaning” and the word “table”:

“In this poem there is a table
Groaning with food.
There is also a child
Groaning for lack of food.” (ll. 1-4)

As we have already explained, a groan means a painful sound created by pain. The amount of food on the table gives the reader the illusion that the structure of the table is affected by the weight.

Symbol: food

As you have probably noticed, food is an important symbol in the poem. In the first stanza, for instance, food is depicted as an instrument meant to sell after-dinner mints. The amount of food pictured on the table is exaggerated and the stru...