The British poet Carol Ann Duffy published "In Your Mind" in her 1990 collection The Other Country. Like many of the poems of this collection, "In Your Mind" explores the startling journeys people can undertake within their own imaginations. The poem's speaker describes mentally leaving behind a drab, rainy day at work in England in order to venture to some "other country," implied to be the place they grew up (or at least spent a chunk of their younger years). The poem suggests the powerful way that memory and imagination can transport people to bygone times and places, resulting in a poignant mix of emotions when the daydreamer must return to real life.
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The other country, ...
... autumn in England,
and in your ...
... in the sun.
You know people ...
... into the sea.
Sleep. The rasp ...
... the room yours.
Of course. You ...
... the way home.
Then suddenly you ...
... For a moment
you are there, ...
... window. English rain.
Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.
A Synopsis of The Other Country — Check out the publisher's synopsis of Duffy's third collection of poetry, in which "In Your Mind" first appeared.
The Poet's Life and Legacy — A biography of Duffy from the Poetry Foundation.
A Look at the Poet's Career — A Guardian article discussing Duffy's poetic projects, influences, and the central themes that run through her work.
Duffy's Poet Laureate Acceptance Speech — An interview with Carol Ann Duffy where she talks about her role and responsibility as the UK's first female/LGBTQ poet laureate.