An African Thunderstorm

David Rubadiri

Summary
In the poem, we see the threat of an incoming thunderstorm to an African village. The power
of this storm is emphasized with the statement that the wind forces the trees to bend as it
whistles by. The theme of the poem is nature, or man vs nature, and the mood is one of
impending doom and terror.

Analysis
"Clouds come hurrying with the wind, Turning sharply, Here and there"
This shows that the clouds are moving with great speed and in erratic and unexpected
patterns/directions.

"Like a plague of locusts"

The wind is compared to a plague of locusts here to show it as destructive. Locusts are
associated with famine and destruction, most notably in the biblical story of Moses and
Pharaoh of Egypt- where one of the ten plagues was a plague of locusts.

"Tossing up things on its tail"

Once again, the destructive, disruptive quality of the wind is shown. As it moves, it leaves
things 'tossed up' in its wake.

"Like a madman chasing nothing"

The wind is now likened to a madman's unfocused wandering in its directionless movement.
A madman usually poses a threat to the people around due to his lack of restraint and sanity,
similar to how the wind is being painted as an impending doom ready to wreak havoc upon
anything it encounters.

"Pregnant clouds ride stately on its back, "

The poet's choice of the word pregnant to describe the clouds shows that the clouds are
carrying something- probably rain, waiting to be released upon the land below. The clouds
are said to be riding 'stately' on the back of the wind, which shows how the wind carries the
clouds in a sort of dignified manner. This could be related to how high above the ground the
clouds are (a sense of dignity) and how slowly clouds move in the wind.

"Gathering to perch on hills, like sinister dark wings;"

The clouds are described as gathering over hills. The use of 'perch on' as opposed to 'hover
over' relates the clouds to birds. Comparing the clouds to 'sinister dark wings' also relates
them to birds, more specifically crows (in their dark colour). The clouds are described as
sinister as well, showing that their presence is threatening.

"The wind whistles by, and trees bend to let it pass."

These lines give the sound the wind makes, but more importantly, it shows the power of the
wind as it forces the trees to bow and bend before it.

"In the village, screams of delighted children toss and turn in the din of the whirling
wind."
Here, we can see that the quick, whistling wind and the looming clouds don't have an effect
of total fear on the children. They seem excited, either by the wind tossing up everything in
its path, or by the rain to come. By saying that their screams 'toss and turn in the din of the
whirling wind,' the poet relates that the children's delighted shouts are lost in the loud wind as
it blows.

"Women, babies clinging on their backs, dart about, in and out, madly;"
This shows a contrast to the delighted screams of the children. Instead of being excited,
babies latch on to the backs of their mothers (likely in fear), and the women move about
erratically in a sort of madness as the storm approaches.

"The wind whistles by whilst trees bend to let it pass."

We see a repetition of the lines at the end of stanza 2, to once again show the wind bending
nature to its will as it blows past.

"Clothes wave like tattered flags, flying off to expose dangling breasts"
The clothes of the people in the village wave violently in the powerful wind, to the point that
they fly off of their bodies. This also brings attention to the state of their clothing- "tattered
flags"- showing that their clothes are torn and tattered.

"As jagged blinding flashes rumble, tremble and crack amidst the smell of fired smoke
and the pelting march of the storm."
The 'pregnant clouds' now seemingly release their terror upon the earth below. This terror
obviously includes lightning (blinding flashes), thunder (rumble) and heavy rain (pelting
march). We also get the possibility of lightning setting things aflame- "the smell of fired
smoke."
Note: There is an alternative analysis of this poem that suggests the 'storm' is a metaphor for
the European colonial masters 'from the west,' however, the poem is listed under nature in
the World of Poetry, so it is assumed that the poem should be analyzed in terms of a
commentary on nature.

This is the Dark Time, My Love

Martin Carter
Summary
This poem is written in the context of the pain and suffering associated with war, and
specifically the struggles of Guyana during British colonization in 1953. At that point, the
constitution had been suspended to allow Britain to send soldiers into Guyana to crush the
uprising of the people. It is likely that the ‘love’ spoken of by the persona is his country,
however it could also simply be a woman who he loves. The poet communicates a gloomy
atmosphere plagued with the sentiment of doom due to oppression by soldiers and weapons
of terror. Nature reflects this gloom, as seen in the absence of sunlight and drooping flowers.
The people of the country are all melancholy and anxiety-stricken, visibly oppressed by the
spoils of war. Death (and war) is personified as a man who tramples not only nature, but the
peace and dreams of the persona’s country underfoot. The mood of the poem is dismal and
gloomy. The tone is pessimistic and sad, and the themes include war, conflict, doom, death
and despair.

Analysis
“This is the dark time, my love,”
The persona begins by declaring the dismal nature of their current time. This time is
characterized by darkness, and therefore a sentiment of impending doom and unfavourable
outcomes. The titular line conveys that the persona is speaking to someone, his ‘love,’ which
could simply be his lover, but could be better interpreted as being his country (like how the
persona of ‘It is the Constant Image of Your Face’ (Dennis Brutus) refers to his country as
his ‘dearest love.’

“All round the land brown beetles crawl about.”

This refers to the British soldiers who occupied the country during this time. Note the use
of alliterationhere in ‘brown beetles.’ The persona communicates a landscape filled with the
soldiers, corresponding to the atmosphere of war.

“The shining sun is hidden in the sky

Red flowers bend their heads in awful sorrow.”
Now, nature seems to reflect the dismal mood, the ‘dark time’ if you well. The sun does not
shine in the sky, so it is not just dark in the sense of gloom, but also literally, with the absence
of sunlight. The sun, like any sign of positive outcome or optimism is hidden. Reinforcing the
mood, the poet personifiesred flowers by saying that they ‘bend their heads in awful
sorrow.’ The flowers are given the quality of emotion and reflecting that emotion. Thus, even
the flowers are mourning the dark times of death and sorrow. They are the colour red (the
colour of blood), essentially the only colour mentioned in the poem.

“This is the dark time, my love,

It is the season of oppression, dark metal, and tears.”
The persona describes this dark time as a season, characterized by endless oppression, the
dark metal of the machines of war and sadness. Note the repetition of the word ‘dark,’ which
communicates the pessimistic outlook and an atmosphere of terror. The ‘dark metal’ likely
refers to tankers and guns which oppress the people of the persona’s country.

“It is the festival of guns, the carnival of misery.

Everywhere the faces of men are strained and anxious.”
The poet utilizes two oxymorons here (two contradicting ideas in close succession). He
refers to this dark time of war as a festival (associated with joy and celebration)
of guns (machines of terror, oppression and violent death). Quite incompatible/contradictory
terms. He continues by describing it as a carnival (associated with fun and the joy of
children) of misery (a terrible emotion of helplessness and despair). The persona remarks the
strained emotions in the faces of everyone around him- including his own countrymen and
the soldiers.

“Who comes walking in the dark night time?

Whose boot of steel tramps down the slender grass?”
The poet uses rhetorical questions to lead into the reveal of a personification of war and
death. It hints at something being closely related to dark times such as these, who has a ‘boot
of steel.’ This reflects the oppressive and abusive effect war has, pressing down on not only
the environment, but on the people of the country as well. It tramples the grass underfoot,
showing blatant disregard for nature- opting instead to fulfil selfish goals through needless
death and suffering.

“It is the man of death, my love, the strange invader

Watching you sleep and aiming at your dream.”
The poet personifies death as a strange invader to the persona’s country. This man of death is
said to not only crush nature under his steel boot, but also watch the persona’s love sleep and
aim at destroying her dream. If the love he refers to truly is his country, then the man of death
aims to wreck any possibility of realization of the dream held by the country overall- one of
freedom and independence. The war and conflict spurred by the invasion of soldiers to crush
resistance and attempts at liberation directly intends to destroy the dreams and optimism of
the people of the country overall.

The Woman Speaks to the Man who has Employed her Son
Lorna Goodison

Summary
In this poem, the persona seems to be addressing a man who has taken a woman's son into a
life of crime and gun violence. The history of the woman's relationship with her son is
recounted and the love she felt for him even before his birth. She first knew she was pregnant
due to morning sickness- showing that this pregnancy was not necessarily planned. This son
had no father, so the mother played both roles in his upbringing. She saw his potential as
endless, he could become anything. However, she is the told that he has been employed by a
man who 'values' him so much that he gives him his own submachine gun. The son for whom
she had great hope for had now been inducted into a life of crime that would ultimately cut
his life short. She prepares for the funeral of her son, which she believes will happen sooner
rather than later because of what he has become involved in. She compares this feeling of
betrayal and misfortune to 'throwing a partner' (or sou sou agreement) with notably
untrustworthy people and drawing the first and last hand.

"Her son was first made known to her as a sense of unease, a need to cry for little
reasons and a metallic tide rising in her mouth each morning."
This gives some sort of exposition for the life of the woman. It says that 'her son was first
made known to her' through morning sickness, discomfort and emotional hypersensitivity
showing that this pregnancy was a surprise and therefore completely unplanned. Chances are
that she was irresponsible, and did not use contraceptives.

"Such signs made her know that she was not alone in her body."
This continues to give the impression of a somewhat naive and irresponsible mother who
relies on 'signs' to confirm her pregnancy rather than having planned or being aware enough
to know. The line saying "she was not alone in her body" implies that she was being taken
over by some unknown being and had no choice but to accept this new presence.
"She carried him full term tight up under her heart."
The mother makes no attempt to abort the baby and carries him for the full nine months. The
phrase 'tight up under her heart' shows that she loved and deeply cared for the unborn son.

"She carried him like the poor carry hope, hope you get a break or a visa, hope one
child go through and remember you."
This simile compares how she carried the child to how those in poverty carry their hope. This
shows that the mother likely saw the son as a potential ticket out of poverty- a child that may
secure that elusive visa and get an opportunity to work abroad, and, remembering his mother,
send remittances to her. Hope is repeated 3 times here, almost as if to show that where there
is a paucity (lack) of money, there is an excess of hope.

"He had no father. The man she made him with had more like him, he was fair-minded
he treated all his children with equal and unbiased indifference."
This line boldly states the lack of a father figure in the child's life. The man who had
biologically fathered the child had no intention of caring for him. The subsequent line, which
states 'the man she made him with,' gives an impression that the creation of the child was a
mechanical, routine process, that, much like the biological father's regard for his child, was
devoid of emotion or real care. There was a paternal gamete supplier, but no father.
The speaker goes on in sarcastically referring to the man as 'fair-minded,' due to his
indiscriminate disregard for his children. These lines would be somewhat comical, had they
not been given with such venomous indictment of the prevalence of parental truancy. He has
several children, but makes no attempt to support any of them emotionally or financially.

"She raise him twice, once as mother then as father,"

This line continues to show the impact of the absence of the father- the mother takes the role
of both mother and father. She makes every effort to be supportive to this son of whom she
expects so much.

"set no ceiling on what he could be doctor, earth healer, pilot take wings."
This continues to establish the high expectations held by the mother. She believes his
potential is limitless- he could become anything in the world.

"But now he tells her he is working for you, that you value him so much you give him
one whole submachine gun for him alone."
This is the volta or turning point of the poem. Up to this point, the hopes of the mother have
been built up and her love and care for her son has been displayed. Her hopes are completely
dashed now though, when he tells her that he has been recruited by a gunman. The persona
now completely doubles down on the tone of anger/resigned sadness that was underscored
previously in the mentions of paternal absenteeism.
This line is a good example of irony. The mother is told that this gunman values her son so
much that he gives him his own submachine gun. This is ironic because the son feels this
false sense of pride because he is put in charge of this gun. He feels that he is held in a high
esteem by the gunman because he is given the responsibility of a terrible weapon that can
only cause destruction to himself and his community.

"He says you are like a father to him she is wondering what kind of father would give a
son hot and exploding death, when he asks him for bread."
The son, having had no father figure while growing up due to an indifferent father, now
views this gunman as his father figure. The mother questions his idolization of this donor of
guns using a biblical allusion to Matthew 7:9, which states, "Which of you, if your son asks
for bread, will give him a stone?" (a similar verse is at Luke 11:11). The son's penury has led
him to seek material goods, so why would this "father figure" offer him a weapon of certain
death? The woman accuses the man of being purely wicked and having no regard for her
son's wellbeing.

"She went downtown and bought three and one-third yards of black cloth and a deep
crowned and veiled hat for the day he draw his bloody salary."
The mother is completely convinced that this induction into gun violence will inevitably get
him killed. In melancholic resignation, she prepares for his funeral by purchasing a hat and
the material for a dress. She knows that he will eventually draw his 'bloody salary,' i.e. he will
reap the rewards of violence- death.

"She has no power over you and this at the level of earth, what she has are prayers and
a mother’s tears and at knee city she uses them."
The mother knows that she cannot physically combat the gunman, but, being religious, she
believes that she can implore the spiritual, righteous power of God. Faith is the only strength
she can possibly use to fight him. She uses her tears, a manifestation of her grief and sadness
for her son and a symbol of condemnation of the man who has given her reason to cry, at
"knee city." This is a sort of Jamaican term that refers to long sessions of prayer, kneeling.
So, the mother prays for her son and implores the intrinsic power of her motherly tears.

"She says psalms for him, she reads psalms for you, she weeps for his soul, her eyewater
covers you."
The mother continues her spiritual warfare with this man who has recruited her son.
She says psalms for her son- hoping to shield and protect him. However, she reads psalms
for the man, (reading psalms for someone often means to hope for bad things to befall your
enemies) hoping to injure and inhibit him.
Her tears continue to flow for her son as she implores the forces of heaven.

"She is throwing a partner with Judas Iscariot’s mother the thief on the left-hand side
of the cross, his mother is the banker, her draw though is first and last for she still
throwing two hands as mother and father."
This stanza is rife with biblical allusions. She is engaged in a savings agreement (called
a partner in Jamaica, a meeting in Barbados or a sou sou in other Caribbean islands) with
Judas Iscariot's mother (the mother of the well-known betrayer of Jesus) and the thief who
was crucified with Jesus. The thief's mother is the banker, who keeps the money- meaning
that she may have her money stolen if the thief learnt it from his mother. These women seem
to belong to a club of mothers of 'infamous offspring,' reinforcing the point that even people
who have done some of the most ignominious acts in human history have mothers.
The fact that she must hold a savings agreement with these mothers of notorious biblical men
doesn't bode well for her, as a partner agreement requires trust and honour among the
members. The persona says the mother has two ‘draws’ (payments) coming from the
‘partner’ because she has borne the responsibility of both parental roles. being both mother
and father to the boy. She has the first and last payments- the last being particularly risky in a
partner since dishonesty begins to influence the participants the longer they wait to draw.
Similarly, she had the first draw and brought him into the world and she will be there when
his life comes to an end, taking the last draw.

"She is prepared, she is done. Absalom."

The mother has prepared herself for the inevitable passing of her son due to his involvement
in this criminal activity. She has bought her dress materials for his funeral, and she has
prayed. There is nothing more that she can do.
The final word, 'Absalom' is spoken sort of like an 'Amen' at the end of a poem. This is a
biblical allusion to David's son Absalom, who was killed after plotting to kill his father.
David however, still feels grief at the death of this son who plotted to kill him. In accepting to
be employed by the gunman, the son has basically plotted against his mother’s investment in
him and her limitless expectations for him. He has killed her hopes.
The mother, like King David, will experience profound grief over the death of her wayward
son.

My Parents
Stephen Spender

Summary
In the poem, the persona recalls a childhood where his parents kept him from 'rough' children.
His parents hope to protect him from the derision and harassment of these children, which,
throughout the poem, is shown to be true. However, it becomes evident that in keeping him
from these children (likely of a lower social class than he is), his parents greatly restrict his
freedom, and he is jealous of the freedom that these rough children possess. In titling the
poem My Parents and then only mentioning his parents once before speaking about
bullying, the persona seems to both blame his parents for his lack of freedom and him being
the target of the children's abuse. But, he also seems to appreciate their protection, as the rest
of the poem essentially proves his parents right. They play in the street and climb cliffs and
swim in rivers with no constraint. He feared these children and their abrasive nature; their
vituperative words and seemingly insurmountable strength. Even in this fear though, there is
an admiration of their strength that far surpasses his own. Nonetheless, they would tease him
constantly, mocking his lisp while pointing reproachfully. The persona seems deeply troubled
by their endless torment and abuse. He pretends to smile, hoping to inspire some form of
peace and fraternity, but to no avail. He always longed to forgive them for their harassment,
but is denied when they do not reciprocate any desire for harmony. The persona and the
children are of different socioeconomic classes; the children, lower class and the persona,
middle-to-upper class. Thus, there is a divide between them, and their mockery of him is
suggested to have a separate motivation other than simple childish badinage- they are jealous
of his privilege. The persona himself is jealous of the rough children's freedom even though
his social class permits him far more privilege than they have. This is the implicit irony of the
poem.
The mood of this poem is reflective. The themes include childhood experience, parental
influence and social segregation.

Analysis
"My parents kept me from children who were rough"
The persona begins with a somewhat accusatory phrase. His parents restrained him from
being near the 'children who were rough' as a preventative measure. They do not want him to
be teased and mocked for his disabilities, and the abrasive nature of these children justifies
their worry. Describing them as rough instantly creates a contrast between the children and
the persona himself, as his parents' effort to keep him from them means that he himself is not
like them. The use of the word 'kept' implies that sort of childish resentment that the persona
would have felt as a child, wanting to experience the same freedom as these children but held
back nonetheless.

"Who threw words like stones and wore torn clothes

Their thighs showed through rags they ran in the street
And climbed cliffs and stripped by the country streams."
The rough children are said to throw 'words like stones.' This simile gives the reader insight
into the character and behaviour of these children, as their use of words is compared to the
destructive act of throwing stones. Their words, therefore, are used with the intention to harm
emotionally in the same way stones are thrown with the intention of causing physical
destruction. The sharp, monosyllabic language used in the simile communicates a harsh use
of words without etiquette characteristic of the lower class.
The children wear torn clothes, another indicator of their less than fortunate status. Despite
this suboptimal economic status, the children are able to explore and play uninhibited. They
run in the street, climb cliffs and swim in streams; all things that our dear persona could never
dream of doing. His overprotective parents keep him from both these children and their
carefree, unrestricted lifestyle. He is envious of them, and wishes to enjoy the same wonders
of freedom as they do. An alliteration is used here in 'climbed cliffs.' This shows the agility
of these children, and sort of portrays them in an animalistic and primitive light in their
scaling of natural landscapes. Their thighs are said to show 'through rags,' rags being a
symbol of poverty and communicating their poorer status in comparison to the persona.

"I feared more than tigers their muscles like iron

Their jerking hands and their knees tight on my arms"
Using hyperbole, the persona communicates how great his fear was of these boys. Tigers are
able rip a human limb from limb with sheer animalistic instinct and power, but he still places
his fear of their muscles above that (hence why it is an exaggerated expression). Coupled
with the use of simile to compare their muscles to the rigid strength of iron, the persona
conveys a very exaggerated fear along with a possible amount of admiration of their strength.
Being of a lower working class, they would perform more manual labour and explore more,
giving them physical strength far beyond the reach of the persona.
We also see the harassment he is subjected to, as he is pinned to the ground during some sort
of fight. He is made the victim of this torment, and it is possibly because of how different he
is from them. His superior social status is a likely cause, along with his disability mentioned
later on in the poem.

"I feared the salt coarse pointing of those boys

Who copied my lisp behind me on the road."
The persona now states that he feared their 'salt coarse pointing.' This metaphor directly
compares their pointing to the coarseness of salt. The use of coarse continues the description
of the children as rough, but it also gives a tangibility to the derision of the boys. The persona
feels their mockery to be coarse and harsh, inflicting a near-physical abrasion that goes
beyond some sort of friendly badinage. By saying salt coarse, it also alludes to a common
phrase 'rub salt into the wound.' Although it is a bit of a stretch, their mockery, on top of
forcing him into compromising positions in fights, is like rubbing salt into an open wound, as
he experiences the emotional fallout as well as the physical.
The boys copy his lisp behind him on the road, showing that his speech impediment is a point
which they use to mock him. His disability is therefore one of the things that make him a
prime target of these rough children.

"They were lithe they sprang out behind hedges

Like dogs to bark at my world. They threw mud
While I looked the other way, pretending to smile."
The persona continues to describe their incessant harassment of him. They are lithe and agile,
and he is not. Using simile, he compares them to dogs, "springing out behind hedges like
dogs to bark at my world." Dogs usually bark to threaten intruders or those they think do not
belong. In the same way, like animals, the children jump out at him and threaten him and his
highly privileged world. Throughout their mud-throwing he would pretend to smile, as
though unperturbed by this torment. He hopes to inspire some form of friendliness through
this peaceable smiling.

"I longed to forgive them but they never smiled."

Even though he wants to forgive them for the torment they cause him, they never reciprocate
this desire, nor do they return a smile. The difference in their social classes causes the
children to envy his fortune while he envies their freedom. These strong societal barriers of
envy and jealousy create vitriol between them that cannot easily be overcome.

Little Boy Crying

Mervyn Morris

Summary
The poem is narrating an interaction between a father and his son, who he has punished for
playing in the rain. The little boy feels somewhat betrayed by his father, and finds no sign of
remorse in him. So, he sees him as evil figure, likening him to the evil giant from the fairy
tale of Jack and the Beanstalk. The poem accurately shows how the child feels in the
moment- a sudden emotion of cold hate and anger towards this 'colossal cruel' who has
harmed him. In the third stanza though, the poet introduces the perspective of the father, who
evidently cares for his son. Through the child's eyes, he is painted in a light of supreme
cruelty and callousness due to emotionally-caused exaggeration. The father is shown to be
caring because he feels guilt and remorse when he sees the tears of his son. But the dilemma
within is obvious- he doesn't enjoy making his son feel this way, but he must teach him this
lesson. He wants to comfort him and show his care; but he knows that he must maintain his
composure in order for his son to truly learn the lesson.
The poem is written from a third person omniscient perspective. The themes are parenting,
vulnerability and childhood experiences. The mood is tense.

Analysis
"Your mouth contorting in brief spite and hurt,"
This line begins to show the little boy starting to cry. His mouth twists (as shown with
'contorting'), showing not only his pain (emotional and physical) but also an attempt to spite
(deliberately annoy) his father.

"your laughter metamorphosed into howls,"

Contrast is introduced here, where the laughter of the child (happiness) metamorphoses (an
example of diction by the poet) into howls of pain and hurt. To metamorphose means to
change completely in form or nature- so, in the same way his laughter changes to howls, his
happiness changes to despair and pain.

"your frame so recently relaxed now tight with three year old frustration"
The poet continues to show contrast between his previous disposition and now- when his
frame has tightened as he contracts in beginning to cry. His frame tight with 'three year old
frustration,' which is sort of ironic considering that, being 3 years old, he would have very
little to be frustrated about, and the harsher more oppressive concept of frustration clashes
with the small non-threatening nature of a 3 year old.

"your bright eyes swimming tears, splashing your bare feet,"

This is an example of hyperbole, where the poet suggests that the child's eyes are 'swimming
tears' that splash his feet. Obviously a human's eyes can't produce enough tears to literally
splash upon their feet- but the poet uses this device to show the exaggerated crying of the
child. The phrase 'eyes swimming tears' suggests that the child's eyes are completely
submerged in tears.
"you stand there angling for a moment’s hint of guilt or sorrow for the quick slap
struck."
Now the boy searches for any sign of remorse, empathy or guilt in this unnamed person who
has hit him. Alliteration (slap struck) is used along with monosyllabic language ('quick slap
struck,' each word is one syllable to convey the speed of the slap).

"The ogre towers above you, that grim giant, empty of feeling, a colossal cruel, soon
victim of the tale’s conclusion, dead at last."
In this stanza, the little boy is now likening the evil of this unnamed person the best way he
can- using fairly tales and mystical fictional evils. Using a metaphor, he refers to this person
as an ogre towering over him. Using alliteration, the boy calls this person a 'grim giant' who
is cold and unfeeling, and a 'colossal cruel.' This is, of course, a caricatured/exaggerated
description of this man by a teary-eyed and hurt child. He is so angered and frustrated in this
moment that he compares his abuser to a giant, an allusion to the fairy tale Jack and the
Beanstalk ('...that grim giant') and hopes for him to eventually end up just like the giant at the
end of the fairy tale- dead.

"You hate him, you imagine chopping clean the tree he’s scrambling down or plotting
deeper pits to trap him in."
The boy continues with sentiments exaggerated by momentary pain, frustration and anger.
The boy is said to hate this man, and imagines for him the same defeat as the giant in the tale-
chopping down the stalk he climbs down. These plots correspond to the child's feelings of
sadness and anger, he wants to defeat this person who has harmed him.

"You cannot understand, not yet, the hurt your easy tears can scald him with,"
The speaker now considers the perspective of the father. The child doesn't understand yet
what happens beyond the steely exterior of his father. He doesn't know that his tears really do
harm him, and that he does truly feel remorse for hurting his son. The boy cries endlessly and
without restraint or difficulty, but he doesn't know that his father feels these tears and they
'scald him' like acid or hot oil.

"nor guess the wavering hidden behind that mask."

Adding to the list of things the boy doesn't understand, he cannot guess the conflict within his
father that is hidden by an unfaltering facade. He doesn't want to hurt his son, but he cannot
show the hesitation.
"This fierce man longs to lift you, curb your sadness with piggy-back or bull fight,
anything, but dare not ruin the lessons you should learn."
The poet uses contrast again here, juxtaposing the description of this man as 'fierce' with the
description of this man as a vulnerable, loving, empathetic one who wants to curb the boy's
sadness. The father sees his son crying, and his natural reaction is to want to comfort him- but
he cannot, in order to ensure that he learns the lesson.
"You must not make a plaything of the rain."
This final line conveys what was likely the reason for the father punishing the child, he was
playing in the rain.

A Stone's Throw
Elma Mitchell

Summary
The poem alludes to the story of Mary Magdalene in the Bible (John 8:3-11),
highlighting themes of religion, violence, sexism and hypocrisy. The persona is
addressing some sort of unknown audience who he either wants to convince or
shares his point of view. He appears to be a misogynist, objectifying the woman
who is the subject of the poem and the victim of the abuse of the persona. The
persona stereotypes the woman as a harlot, and considers his assault of the woman
to be righteous as a result. The recounting of this tale of violence by the persona is
laced with glee, self-righteousness and sexual overtones. As the members of the
village 'rough her up,' the persona notes callously that she had felt men's hands
greedy over her body before. There is a sense of irony throughout the poem due to
the assertion of the persona that they, assaulting this woman are more virtuous than
the woman herself or any man with whom she had been with. However, as the
persona and presumably a group of others in the village (as suggested by the use of
'we') prepare to exact 'justice' upon this woman through stoning her to death, a
guru/preacher (Jesus) 'spoils their fun' by speaking to the woman. He sees a sort of
humanity within the woman which the persona cannot and judges them, letting the
woman judge them, and therefore triggering introspection in the surrounding
crowd. They now leave, still holding stones- and their judgements against her-
which they hope to throw another day given the urge.
The tone of the poem is nonchalant, callous and condescending. The mood is
violent.
Analysis
"We shouted out, 'We've got her! Here she is! It's her all right '. We caught
her."
The persona begins with the use of the pronoun 'we' to show that he was
accompanied by at least one other person. This could be in an attempt to share
accountability, but it is more likely a display of the involvement of multiple
pursuers in search of this woman. The subsequent lines are punctuated with
exclamation points to show their excitement. 'We've got her' shows a triumphant
conquering of this woman who has apparently evaded them for a while. 'Here she
is' gives the impression of exhibiting her for all to see, like a trophy or an elusive
animal. 'It's her all right' and 'we caught her' echo that triumph in capturing the
woman.

"A decent-looking woman, you'd have said, (They often are)"

The persona evidently sees the woman as physically attractive, but uses the phrase
'you'd have said' to somewhat distance himself from admitting to the idea of
finding her attractive. He continues to say 'they often are' showing that he simply
classifies her as part of a group rather than as an individual. She is made to be only
a stereotype.

"Beautiful, but dead scared,"

The persona again reaffirms the fact that the woman looks beautiful even though
she is obviously deathly afraid.

"Tousled - we roughed her up A little, nothing much"

The word tousled here suggests that her clothing is slightly ruffled or her hair is
disheveled, as though playing around. The persona goes on to say that they
'roughed her up a little, nothing much', a euphemism, insinuating that they didn't
use any excessive force in capturing her. His version of the tale is obviously a lie.
"And not the first time By any means She'd felt men's hands Greedy over her
body - "
These lines show that the men took the opportunity to let their hands roam around
the woman's body. The persona makes a point of expressing that it wasn't the first
time something like this would have happened to her, so it wasn't out of the
ordinary. This also insinuates that she was a prostitute or a adulteress given to such
promiscuity. The use of the word 'greedy' suggests a violent ravaging of the
woman's body by these men who hope to sate a hunger by molesting this scared
woman. They likely had long wanted to do so, but had neither the audacity nor the
opportunity before.

"But ours were virtuous, Of course."

The persona here tries to make it seem as though they are virtuous in probing her
body with their hands; as if they are above reproach for doing so. He tries to
distance himself from those men with whom she fornicates. This is irony in that
the persona suggests that he and those with him are 'virtuous' in fondling this
woman's body, although they are doing the same thing as those she 'sins' with.
Hence, his obdurate assertion of self-righteousness is ironic, since he is no different
from those he tries to separate himself from.

"And if our fingers bruised Her shuddering skin, These were love-bites,
compared To the hail of kisses of stone,"
The persona uses 'if' here in an attempt to mitigate their cruelty. It is obvious that
they did bruise her skin, which is described as shuddering due to her fear. The
persona introduces more erotic overtones by comparing these bruises to 'love-bites'
like a bite made during intercourse meant to be pleasurable and painful
simultaneously. He attempts to palliate (mitigate) their maltreatment of the woman
by saying that there was far worse in store for her- particularly what is expressed in
the speaker's euphemism for being stoned, 'the hail of kisses of stone.' By saying
that the hail of stone would be like kisses, he introduces the idea that this violent
execution of 'justice' would be pleasurable.
"The last assault and battery, frigid rape, to come of right."
The persona mentions the final punishment- like the final dish of a meal (assault
and battery)- to be given to the woman- 'frigid rape.' This is an oxymoron because
the speaker is inferring that the woman will be sexually assaulted, but not
penetrated as in an actual rape. The phrase expresses the inability to consummate
the physical act of a sexual assault, as it will be her corpse being violated. This is
'justice' to the persona as it correlates to how he thinks the woman lived her life- an
object for the sheer use and disposal of men.

"For justice must be done specially when it tastes so good."

It is made evident by this line exactly how self-righteous the persona really is,
because it isn't made clear in the poem exactly whose justice is being executed.
These lines, then, clarify that this is simply providing pleasure for the persona, who
neither values the life of the woman nor the idea of true justice. After all, whose
laws did the woman break? What authority have they to deliver punishment? And
most of all, is anything done here even close to justice? This extrajudicial
punishment is clearly just enjoyable for the persona as shown by the line "...it
tastes so good." They relish in the brutal assault and violation of this woman. This
delight in her misfortune or Schadenfreude, continues this metaphor of a meal to
sate the appetites of these power-hungry, misogynistic miscreants.

"And then - this guru, Preacher, God-merchant, God-knows-what -Spoilt the

whole thing,"
The persona's tone takes a turn for the contemptuous as his masochistic euphoria is
interrupted. He spits out several names to label the man by, and it is obvious that
he is greatly upset by this man's intervening. He calls him a guru, as he is well-
versed in matters pertaining to God or philosophy and the gospel; a God-merchant,
implying the man's trade in things relating to God. The poet skilfully incorporates
the use of the phrase 'God-knows-what,' as it denotes the persona's frustration with
this man and his inability to confine him to a single category; but, it also indicates
the fact that God does know the identity of this man even if no one in the crowd
does (Jesus).

"Speaking to her (Should never speak to them) Squatting on the ground - her
level,"
The man speaks to the woman who they want to persecute- something the persona
considers taboo due to how he discriminates against this woman, stigmatizing her
as a prostitute/adulteress undeserving of any human decency. The man literally
comes between the mob and the woman, putting himself in harm's way.
The intervening man stoops to the ground, at the same level as the woman. This
essentially shows that he is not critical of the woman; he doesn't consider himself
morally or socially superior to her for any reason. Unlike the crowd, he sees her as
a human being and not an object of immorality and ridicule. The way that the
persona says 'her level' gives the impression of disgust and prejudice.

"Writing in the dust Something we couldn't read."

This line, where the man is said to write something that the mob couldn't read, has
several possible connotations. What he wrote could either be a foreign language or
it could be simply illegible. However, he could have intended to show the crowd
that they lacked discernment in their condemnation/persecution of another human
being by writing in the dust.

"And saw in her something we couldn't see at least until he turned his eyes on
us, her eyes on us, our eyes upon ourselves."
The man sees something in the woman that the persona and the mob could not see
in her. However, it became obvious once the man looked at the crowd, and the
woman looked at them as well. In turn, they began to look at themselves. In an
attempt to persecute this woman, they themselves had operated with no moral
compass. They had descended to such a level where nothing morally right had
been achieved. No words were said, but the crowd understood.

"We walked away still holding stones that we may throw another day given
the urge."
The crowd leaves, feeling dejected and unable to satisfy their craving for brutality
and violence. However, they still have their stones in hand- showing that the
insight given by the man would not be permanently incorporated into the minds of
the crowd. The precepts of true justice- rationality, truth and fairness- has never
been and will never be a part of the crowd's purpose. They have no intention of
changing. They will do the same again 'given the urge.'

The entire poem, is of course an allusion:

The poet has used the concept of intertextuality in crafting her poem from an
original story taken from the Gospel of Jon 8: 3-11. In the Bible story a woman is
accused of adultery and is brought before Jesus because according to Mosaic Law,
she should be stoned to death. Jesus states the famous lines, “He that is without sin
among you, let him cast the first stone at her.” Her accusers scatter. Jesus tells the
woman he does not condemn her and to go and refrain from sinning.

West Indies, U.S.A.

Stewart Brown

Summary
A man in an airplane on a stopover flight stops momentarily in San Juan, Puerto
Rico. The man remarks about Puerto Rico being different from the other countries
of the Caribbean he'd stopped in. He also laments the fear the US has of the poorer
people of the Caribbean stowing away illegally in the country. As the plane climbs
above the streets of San Juan, he recognizes the stark contrasts in the city: between
shanties and condominiums, poverty and affluence. He, in so doing, exposes the
the 'dual reality' and economical segregation within Puerto Rico itself and in the
Caribbean as a whole. He makes note of the plush appearance of Puerto Rico being
'fools-glitter,' showing that although the country appears wonderful, it has serious
underlying issues nonetheless. Brown ends the poem with the powerful remark that
Puerto Rico's dangerous clash of cultures and dualistic reality only belongs to the
USA. The mood of the poem is sarcastic. The tone seems to be bitter or resenting,
and the themes include oppression, discrimination.
Analysis
"Cruising at thirty thousand feet above the endless green"
The persona is in an airplane above the lush greenery and foliage of the country
below. This provides us with some visual imagery.

"the islands seem like dice tossed on a casino’s baize, some come up lucky,
others not. Puerto Rico takes the pot,"
The poet uses a simile "islands seem like dice tossed on a casino’s baize," to
compare the islands to dice tossed on a baize (this is the soft velvet fabric used on
pool tables and card tables). This is used to show not only the small and
insignificant size the islands seem to have when looking down from that height,
but also the way in which the prosperity of each Caribbean island seems to be up to
chance.
Puerto Rico has seemingly won this game of chance. The poet says that "Puerto
Rico takes the pot," showing that, like in poker, where the winner takes all of the
money wagered, Puerto Rico won in terms of prosperity.

"the Dallas of the West Indies, silver linings on the clouds"

In an allusion comparing Puerto Rico to Dallas, a city in the oil rich state of Texas,
the poet reinforces the idea of Puerto Rico being an incredibly prosperous and
affluent standout from the other Caribbean islands. The poet also seems to making
a connection between the USA's acquisition of Puerto Rico in 1898 and the USA's
annexing of Texas from Mexico in 1845. He therefore establishes a relation
between the prosperity of both the state and the island.
The poet also alludes to the cliché of 'every cloud has a silver lining' to again make
the point that the island is wealthy, and a place of great economic opportunity
(unlike some of its fellow Caribbean islands).

"San Juan glitters like a maverick’s gold ring."

The poet compares San Juan to a maverick's gold ring using simile. The word
maverick suggests an outsider, or non-conformist. In this way, Puerto Rico is
shown to be completely different from the other islands in the region. San Juan,
Puerto Rico is in the Caribbean but is not the same as the other islands- it belongs
to the USA.

"All across the Caribbean we’d collected terminals – airports are like calling
cards, cultural fingermarks; the hand-written signs at Port-au-Prince,
Piarco’s sleazy tourist art, the lethargic contempt of the baggage boys at ‘Vere
Bird’ in St. Johns... And now for plush San Juan."
The persona states that they'd 'collected terminals' across the Caribbean as they
travelled. He compares airports to calling cards (using a simile), implying that the
airport of each country, like a calling card, gave them information of the country
overall. The quality of the airport would depict in a compact way the
socioeconomic state of the rest of the country. The poet also calls the airports
'cultural fingermarks,' as they all have unique aspects to them that relate the wider
cultural landscape of the island. He lists that the signs were hand-written rather
than printed in Haiti, that the art was produced solely for tourist consumption in
Trinidad, and that the baggage handlers in Antigua were slow, filled with contempt
and reluctant in doing their jobs. All of this contrasts starkly with the plush San
Juan.

"But the pilot’s bland, you’re safe in my hands drawl crackles as we land, 'US
regulations demand all passengers not disembarking at San Juan stay on the
plane, I repeat, stay on the plane.' Subtle Uncle Sam, afraid too many
desperate blacks might re-enslave this Island of the free, might jump the
barbed electric fence around ‘America’s back yard’ and claim that vaunted
sanctuary... 'give me your poor...'"
As they descend, the pilot (likely southern American based on the word 'drawl')
states that everyone not coming off in San Juan should remain on the plane instead
of being able to explore the airport. The speaker takes on sarcasm now, stating
how 'subtle' Uncle Sam (metonym for the United States) attempts to be by trying
to disguise their discrimination with regulation. This regulation is basically saying
that you may not even step foot onto Puerto Rican soil if it is not your intended
port of disembarkment. The persona is disgusted with the Americans for being so
prejudicial.
He states his belief that the US is only fearful that an influx of 'desperate
blacks,' i.e. the people of the Caribbean in search of economic opportunities will
undermine the prosperity of the island.
The poet also uses a pun here with 'island of the free.' 'Land of the free and home
of the brave' is a line from the national anthem of the USA. The poet utilizes a play
on words here to again reinforce the idea that Puerto Rico belongs to America.
This could also be seen as an instance of irony, since it is ironic that the poet refers
to Puerto Rico as an 'island of the free' while subtly insinuating that it is not truly
free and is property of the US. His use of 'free' also brings up the idea that Puerto
Rico is free in comparison to the other Caribbean islands simply because of its
affluence.
The persona states that the US fears too many desperate blacks might jump the
fence around America's backyard and 'claim that vaunted sanctuary.' This line
alludes to a term used in former US president Ronald Reagan's speech on anti-
American regimes in the Caribbean and Latin America in the 1980's. He said
that the US government would not tolerate the establishment of such governments
in America’s backyard.
The final part of the line seems to be said with some bitterness or disgust by the
persona. The phrase "give me your poor" is a quote from the poem New
Colossus by Emma Lazarus placed on the Statue of Liberty. The full line states
"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free."
The poem highlights a humanitarian vision of the US, one that welcomes the
disenfranchised of the world, like how the early immigrants were welcomed. But
in Puerto Rico, the immigrants now are barred from even touching the soil-
showing that these 'American ideals' are not realized there.

"Through toughened, tinted glass the contrasts tantalise; US patrol cars glide
across the shimmering tarmac, containered baggage trucks unload with fierce
efficiency. So soon we’re climbing,"
As the persona looks through the toughened windows of the airplane, he realizes
the contrasts between Puerto Rico and the other islands. The patrol cars and
baggage trucks move with 'fierce efficiency' showing that the workers are working
with military-like severity and precision (unlike the lethargic St. Johns baggage
boys). They are back in the air quickly, so their efficiency seems to be a way to get
them out of their country as quickly as possible.

"low above the pulsing city streets; galvanised shanties overseen by

condominiums, polished Cadillacs shimmying past Rastas with pushcarts"
The persona, now in the plane which is still low above the streets is able to see the
contrast between his first impressions based on appearance and the reality that
would have gone unnoticed at a higher altitude. He can now see the disparity
between prosperity and penury within San Juan- the shanties in small towns being
overlooked by lush condominiums, the pristine Cadillacs 'shimmying' past Rastas
with pushcarts (this suggests a skittish avoidance of the Rastas because of their
poverty). The Rastas are juxtaposed with the owners of expensive Cadillacs and
condominiums who are at the top of the economic food chain and can flaunt their
material opulence.

"and as we climb, San Juan’s fool’s glitter calls to mind the shattered innards
of a TV set that’s fallen off the back of a lorry, all painted valves and circuits
the roads like twisted wires, the bright cars, micro-chips."
This lucid, perspicuous realization that the glittering golden maverick ring of
Puerto Rico is only fool's gold, that the reality is far different from the appearance,
reminds the persona of a shattered TV 'that’s fallen off the back of a lorry.' This is
similar to the idiomatic expression 'to fall off the back of a lorry,' which means to
come into someone's possession by illegal or dubious means, usually stealing. The
visual imagery created by the broken television comparison shows a sort of
confusing tangle of roads and streets as seen in the simile 'the roads like twisted
wires.'
"It’s sharp and jagged and dangerous, and belonged to someone else."
Here, the persona makes his final remarks about the island. He refers to the tangle
of American culture and Puerto Rican culture; and the juxtaposition of prosperity
and penury to be dangerous. From a distance, or even an altitude, Puerto Rico
looks like a prosperous modern country, but upon closer scrutiny, the island is not
so desirable after all. Puerto Rico is reduced to a shattered television set; it is
broken and whoever possesses it, is in receipt of stolen property.

Test Match Sabina Park

Stewart Brown

Summary
The persona is an Englishman who comes to Sabina Park to watch a cricket match
between his home team and the West Indies team. A proud man, he becomes
uneasy once he realizes that something is wrong. His team appears to be abstaining
from any exciting gameplay, and the pace of the match is slow. He notices the
stark differences between cricket at Lords and here at Sabina Park. Here, there is a
massive crowd unheard of in England. The crowd is rowdy, and is restless due to
the slow and unimpressive gameplay of the English team. The persona, being
essentially the only white man in the stadium apart from the team, is targeted by
the restless spectators who want to know why the English team has so failed to
produce a thrilling game. The persona, now feeling crestfallen and embarrassed for
his nationality, his team and himself, leaves the park- the complete opposite of how
he felt going in.
The mood here is tense and frustrated. The tone is one of frustration (from the
West Indian attendees) and embarrassment (the British man).

Analysis
"Proudly wearing the rosette of my skin I strut into Sabina"
This line serves to show the pride of the persona. His skin is a 'rosette,' a prize that
distinguishes him as a privileged person simply due to his race. The diction of the
poet in using "strut" here conveys the arrogance and sense of self-importance in his
walk.

"England boycotting excitement bravely, something badly amiss."

These lines (3-4) are expressing multiple things. Firstly, it gives a sense
of sarcasm, as the English team is said to be 'boycotting excitement bravely' as
though they are valiant warriors of some sort, but really, they are performing very
poorly and producing an unexciting game. 'Something badly amiss'suggests that
this is very different from usually happens in England- maybe this poor
performance is uncharacteristic of the national team.
Secondly, these lines are a pun. The poet skilfully incorporates a play on words
here to ridicule the poor performance of the two English cricketers:Geoff
Boycott and Dennis Amiss.
"Cricket. Not the game they play at Lords, the crowd- whoever saw a crowd
at a cricket match? – are caged vociferous partisans, quick to take offence."
The persona notices a very big difference between the cricket here and the cricket
at Lords. He uses a rhetorical question, to show that the crowd at Sabina is large,
loud and rowdy, and definitely not like what he would usually see at a cricket
match at Lords in England. The crowd, he says are 'caged vociferous
partisans,' which gives the impression that the crowd is kept behind some form of
iron bars or mesh to watch the match, unlike the unrestrained, free park at Lords.
This line also lets us know that the crowd is very loud and unapologetically vocal
in support of the West Indies team. It is also suggested that the crowd takes offence
for anything that happens to their team or is said against their team, as shown
in "quick to take offence."

"England sixty eight for none at lunch. ‘What sort o battin dat man? Dem
kaaan play cricket again, praps dem should-a-borrow Lawrence Rowe!’ "
At lunch, the score is poor and the crowd is evidently frustrated with this
unimpressive performance. One Jamaican speaker suggests that "praps dem
should-a-borrow Lawrence Rowe," an allusion to a well-known
prolific Caribbean batsman at the time, in a mocking manner. The dialect of the
Jamaican speaker directly contrasts with the persona's standard English. His
interjection shows a use of language that truncates words and omits letters-
somewhat dismissing and ridiculing the Queen's English, much like he ridicules
the British team.
"And on it goes, the wicket slow as the batting and the crowd restless. ‘Eh
white bwoy, how you brudders dem does sen we sleep so? Me pay me monies
fe watch dis foolishness? Cho!’ "
The game continues, and so does the ridicule of the crowd. The slow paced
gameplay continues to drive the crowd to restlessness, so much so that one man
speaks directly to the persona, saying that he feels his money was wasted on a
match that is so boring. He refers to the persona as 'white bwoy' showing that
the rosette of his skin commands no respect here. He is offhandedly placed in the
family with his underperforming British countrymen who continue to abstain from
exciting gameplay.

"So I try to explain in my Hampshire drawl about conditions in Kent, about

sticky wickets and muggy days and the monsoon season in Manchester but fail
to convince even myself. "
The persona now attempts to explain why the English team is performing so
poorly. He tries to chalk it up to weather conditions that are different in England
than in the Caribbean, and, quite hilariously, the 'monsoon season in
Manchester.' There is, of course, no monsoon season in Manchester, England
because monsoons are phenomena of South Asia and India. He probably assumes
that they wouldn't know this and is grasping at straws to create some form of
explanation.
However, all of this is pointless since the West Indian spectators are not convinced,
and neither is he. He is, like the cricketers, facing a 'sticky wicket' (which is a
difficult situation).

"The crowd’s loud ‘busin drives me out skulking behind a tarnished rosette
somewhat frayed now but unable, quite, to conceal a blushing nationality."
This final stanza represents a large contrast from the start of the poem. Instead of
being proud and overly arrogant, strutting around, he leaves 'skulking,' cowardly-
"unable, quite, to conceal a blushing nationality." His use of the truncated word
"'busin" suggests that he has acquiesced. Like the West Indian cricketers, the West
Indian dialect has proven stronger than that of the English. His high and mighty
attitude has vanished. The British cricketers' colossal flop is a national and racial
embarrassment for the speaker. His white skin, his rosette, once his badge of
honour and source of pride has lost its lustre, and is now red with embarrassment.