Question

What does the phrase “her barred face identity mask” mean?

Answer 1

Hint: Ted Huges is the author of the poem “The Laburnum Top”. A Laburnum tree and a Goldfinch bird are central to the poetry. The poem's central theme depicts the two's reciprocal friendship.

Complete answer:
The poem opens with a description of how serene the Laburnum tree is in the yellow September light. He notices the tree's yellow leaves and the seeds scattered on the ground. Until a goldfinch bird rests on its branch, it looks to be stationary. As soon as the bird begins to chirp, the poet sees the tree come to life. The tree and the nestlings begin to chirp and become alive as the mother goldfinch arrives. She's constantly fluttering in and out, feeding her young ones. As a result, when she leaves, the tree reclaims its enigmatic silence.

Her body turns yellow after that, blending perfectly with the tree's yellow foliage. Finally, she makes a beautiful chirping sound as she reaches the branch's end. As she floats away in the infinite sky, the poet compares this sound like whispering. As a result, after the bird has left the tree, the Laburnum tree becomes silent and death-like once more.

The word refers to the bird's barred or covered face acting as an identity mask. Her striped face makes her distinctive, and this face becomes her identifying mark, as she remains hidden in 'thickness.'

Note: The poet is attempting to convey through the poem "The Laburnum Top" that life is a process of exchange and metamorphosis. People are alive because energy is exchanged between them. The goldfinches and chicks alter the tree and bring it to life; without them, the laburnum would be simply another tree.