Imitations - Dannie Abse

From within this poem we see that Abse is portraying to the audience the similarities that he and his son both have. This poem is a key example of representing time due to how it goes on through the stanzas of the spring weather falling into winter and then coming back into spring once more. Also throughout the seasons we then see that his son is becoming to appear more like Abse and is though he is seeing a younger self due to this. We get this notion that his son is beginning to appear like him due to the phrase, "He is my chameleon" which implies to us readers that he has adapted like how is father is and is beginning to appear like him.
We also see that within the middle stanza that the relationship between him and his son isnt that close due to how he is not aware of what is occuring in his sons life. This is similar to how he was when he was a boy and how his father felt within that time. We see this within the line, "my father alive again (I, his duplicate)" which supports this notion that they are similar to past generations. They both have the same bond that each father and son have had and over the changes of the seasons we see this occur more and more until they are both very similar to each other.
Throughout this poem we get a wide use of imagery due to various metaphors and the use of an oxymoron of the words "soft diamond".
Poems that are link in well to the themes of family bonds, time and nature would be Dockery and Son, An Arundel Tomb and the common one known as Here.
An Arundel Tomb links in well to the theme of time but has a difference towards it. This poem shows us the difference that in time things do not change and as for the tomb of this couple remains there for centuries we see that the only change is the privacy of it but not the craftswork upon it. Abse poem shows the theme of time passing like Larkins' poem but shows us that within this time we see the boy becoming more and more like his father as time goes on and will result in the end to seem as though he was looking in a mirror.
The poem Here links in well due to the scenery described. Abse portrays a clear use of imagery to us readers with the creatures and nature and Larkin does this also within Here.
Finally the poem Dockery and Son links in well due to this bond between father and son. Dockery and Son states well that his son is also within the same university that Dockery use to go to, and Abse poem shows us the similarity the father and son have towards each other with the key line, "He is my chameleon".