West Indies U.S.A by Steward Brown

West Indies U.S.A[The under dog poem that deserved more tbh]

West Indies, U.S.A.  Stewart Brown  Cruising at thirty thousand feet above the endless green  the islands seem like dice tossed on a casino’s baize,  Some come up lucky, others not. Puerto Rico takes the pot,  the Dallas of the West Indies, silver linings on the clouds  as we descend are hall-marked, San Juan glitters  like a maverick’s gold ring.  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. -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 backyard’ and claim that vaunted sanctuary... ‘Give me your poor...’  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,  low above the pulsing city streets;  galvanised shanties overseen by condominiums  polished Cadillacs shimmying past Rastas with pushcarts  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.  It’s sharp and jagged and dangerous, and belonged to someone else.

 

SUMMARY

The persona is travelling in a plane, looking down at San Juan, Puerto Rico, as the plane descends. He is saying that this island is the wealthiest in the Caribbean because it has won the jackpot, it has come up lucky. He then points out that he, and others, had travelled to many Caribbean islands and received a hint of the flavour of each island through it’s calling card, – its airport – all of which fail when compared to plush San Juan. As they land, they are instructed to stay on the plane if their destination is not San Juan. The persona takes offence and states that America does not want blacks in San Juan, implying that they might be a disruptive force. He notes the efficiency with which things flow, enabling them to take to the skies once more. During the ascent, the persona notes the contrast between the influences of the Caribbean and America. He likens San-Juan to a broken TV, it looks good on the outside, but broken on the inside.

 

LITERARY DEVICES

1. SIMILE

Line 2: Puerto Rico is compared to dice that is tossed on a casino’s baize, it can either come up with winning numbers, or losing numbers. Puerto Rico comes up with winning numbers in the game of chance, as reflected in its wealthy exterior, which is supported by America.

Lines 7-8: San Juan’s glitter is compared to a maverick’s gold ring. The word maverick implies non-conformist, an individualist. This implies that San Juan, Puerto Rico is in the Caribbean, but not a part of the Caribbean. It belongs to America.

Lines 10-11: Airports are compared to calling cards. This means that, like a calling card, the quality of the airport gives you an idea of the island’s economic status. The airport is also compared to a cultural fingerprint. A fingerprint is an individual thing, therefore the airport gives the traveler an idea of the island’s cultural landscape.

Line 39: The road is compared to twisted wires. This means that the roads, from above, look both plentiful and curvy. This does not carry a positive connotation, but implies confusion.

 

2. ALLUSION

Line 5: Dallas is an oil rich state in America. Therefore, many of its inhabitants are wealthy, and the state itself is wealthy. By stating that San Juan is the Dallas of the West Indies, it implies that it is a wealthy island in the West Indies.

Lines 5-7: An allusion is being made to the well known cliche; ‘every cloud has a silver lining’. It means that behind everything that is seemingly bad, there is good. In the context of this poem, it means that the good, the silver lining, has a mark, or stamp, that authenticates its good quality; it is hallmarked. This implies that it will always have its silver lining showing.

 

3. SARCASM

Line 20: This statement means the exact opposite of what is stated. The persona is disgusted that Uncle Sam (America) would have such a regulation. This regulation bars anyone from stepping a toe on Puerto Rican soil, if it is not your intended destination. You just have to remain in the aircraft, no matter the waiting period, until it is time for takeoff. The persona believes that the Americans are being blatantly discriminatory, and are attempting to camouflage it through the use of regulations. He does not believe that they have achieved their goal of subtlety.

Line 20: The statement, ‘give me your poor…’ is particularly sarcastic because it is a direct quote from the New Colossus, which rests on a plaque on the statue of liberty, and signifies that the disenfranchised of the world are welcome. The persona, as a member of the ‘disenfranchised’ masses, clearly feels unwelcome.     

Line 26: The persona implies that America is all talk and no action. They really do not want the poor because they bar them from entering and expediently send them on their way when they enter their airport. The statement is sarcastic because it is loaded with an alternate meaning, due to the contrast in statement and action.

  

4. PUN

Line 17-18: The pun is placed on ‘land of the free’, it becomes ‘Island of the free’. This pun emphasizes how isolated Puerto Rico is from the rest of the Caribbean islands. It belongs to the U.S.A. This state of belonging to, or being owned by the US is asserted through its insertion into the Star Spangled Banner.

Line/Phrase Breakdown;

5. ‘plush’

This word implies soft, like a teddy bear. It also implies luxury. So San Juan is all of these things.

6.’desperate blacks might re-enslave this Island of the free’

These ‘desperate blacks’ to whom the persona is referring are the poor people of the Caribbean. If they converge on the glistening San Juan, sucking up its resources, then it might become re-enslaved by poverty.

7.’America’s backyard’

A backyard means one of two things for people. It is a haven where you relax, therefore you decorate it and invest time and money in it. Or, you ignore it and spend all your time indoors, not investing any time, energy or money in it. America viewed Puerto Rico as the latter, a prize in which it saw value. Therefore, when the persona uses this phrase, he is implying that while it is valued, it is still at the back. Slight sarcasm is being used here.

8.’the contrasts tantalise’

When something, or someone, is tantalising, it implies that it is intriguing. The persona, by using this phrase, is trying to draw the reader's attention to the jarring contrasts by stating that he finds them intriguing.

9.’fierce efficiency’

The word fierce, used to describe the level of efficiency with which the people worked to get the plane off the ground, shows the extent to which they were not wanted on the island.

10.’fools-glitter’

This implies that the flashiness of San Juan was not authentic.

11.’It’s sharp and jagged and dangerous, and belonged to some-one else.’

This implies that San Juan is not safe. The cultures are not melding, but jarring against each other. The reason for this is because it belongs to someone else.

CONTRAST

The contrast in this poem is found in stanza 5. The American cars etc, against the pushcarts. The American culture versus Puerto Rican culture.

MOOD/ ATMOSPHERE

The mood of the poem is sarcastic.

TONE

The tone of the poem is slightly bitter, which is fueled by the sarcastic atmosphere.

 

THEMATIC CATEGORIZATION

• Discrimination,

• oppression,

• places,

• culture.                           

Fears that blacks might take over Puerto Rico again. The poet compares the Puerto Rician airport to Haiti and Trinidads due to the countries’ wealth.

Puerto Rico developed due to the relationship with America. 

Birdshooting Season By Olive Senior

Birdshooting Season[The other poem you are going to hate because of it's overuse by teachers and questions- this and the theme of love and family relationships become traumatizing]

 

 

Figurative Devices

•     Metaphor –

Examples: “Men make marriages to their guns” not literal marriage but shows the close, needed, and the relation the men had with their guns now that it is bird shooting season, you need your gun to shoot so the gun was held in high importance.

 

•      Imagery-

Examples: “in darkness shouldering their packs, their guns they leave” we can imagine the scene of the men cloaked in darkness with guns in hand and their sacks on their back leaving in the night to go hunt.

 “We stand quietly on the doorstep shivering” again another image where we can picture the young children standing feeling the cold air, shivering as they watch the men leave.

 

   Possible Themes 

•     Gender roles

•     Children’s curiosity

•     Childhood experiences

•     Nature

Summary

The persona (likely a young girl due to their attention to the details of the women's emotions) describes the beginning of birdshooting season. Men gather from far and wide to the house of the persona's father, influencing an atmosphere of manliness and machismo. The preparations of both the men and the women are described through the eyes of the child. Women prepare tea and coffee for these hunters and make food for them as they set forth on this seasonal exodus, with neither thanks nor acknowledgement. The little boys all dream of becoming bird hunters like their fathers, while the little girls encourage the birds to fly away, as though hoping that they themselves, like the birds will escape the fearsome grasp of the bird hunting men and the resulting cycle. The themes include gender roles, nature and childhood experiences. The mood is reflective.

 

Analysis

"Birdshooting season the men make marriages with their guns"

The poem begins with the titular phrase 'birdshooting season,' communicating a yearly/seasonal time period during which men go out for shooting birds. The poet uses a combination of alliteration and metaphor in "men make marriages with their guns." The repetition of the deep, manly 'm' sound sets up birdshooting season as a time meant mostly for the enjoyment of men and for them to display their male prowess. The metaphor 'make marriages with their guns' conveys the care and attention they give to their guns, as though actually marrying them. Thus, they prioritize the condition of their guns, doting on them like in marriage- as they are, they are the primary tools they need to work in union with for bird shooting.

 

"My father’s house turns macho  as from far the hunters gather"

The persona's father's house 'turns macho' with the influx of several men. To be 'macho' is to be manly in an excessively aggressive or assertive way, so it appears that with the flocking of men from far and wide to one home, their masculinity has built upon one another's, becoming more and more assertive to the point of machismo.

 

"All night long contentless women stir their brews: hot coffee chocolata, cerassie wrap pone and tie-leaf for tomorrow’s sport. Tonight the men drink white rum neat."

The women are described here as 'contentless,' meaning they are dissatisfied or unhappy. This is likely due to the fact that they must stay up all night preparing the beverages and food for these men without thanks, only for them to depart for a long period of time to shoot birds. As the men have made marriages with their guns, they have neglected care for their wives and children. The women must stock them up with food and drink year after year without acknowledgement from their husbands. The poem alludes to a slew of traditional Caribbean drinks and foods, and it is said that the men drink 'white rum neat,' meaning white rum undiluted at full strength. This again communicates the assertive machismo of the men, showing off their masculine resistance to strong alcohol.

 

"In darkness shouldering their packs, their guns, they leave"

The men now leave in the darkness of early morning carrying the guns they so dearly cherish and the packs holding food and drink. There is no mention of acknowledging anyone other than themselves.

 

"We stand quietly on the doorstep shivering. Little boys longing to grow up bird hunters too Little girls whispering: Fly Birds Fly."

Shivering in the cold morning air, boys seem to idolize the birdhunting men, hoping to become like them in the future. By contrast, the girls hope for the birds to fly away, whispering encouragement for them to escape. This reflects a more empathetic and caring sentiment that is contrary to the aggressive masculinity of the men. This could also be because birdshooting takes their fathers away for a simple sport, and they can see themselves in the birds, being grasped by an endless cycle surrounding a ritual of bird shooting for the enjoyment of men

African Thunderstorm By David Rubadiri

African Thunderstorm [Quiet literally the poem you are going to hate either the most or second most... not because of the content- its a well structured and written poem- but because the teachers are going to reference it almost every single time for an essay or whatever they need a reference for smh]

The Dictation used in free verse is to capture the quick movements as much as possible in a short sentence. One word sentences are used to portray how quickly the storm happens.. THus it has no pattern or rhyme scheme but is very detailed.

Line breakdowns;

Title; → An african thunderstorm← 

• It contrasts two things/ideas that occur differently.

• THe storm is destructive yet fascinating to the readers.

→ Lines; Stanza 1← 

Verse/ Stanza 1 shows the coming together of the storm;

Clouds come hurring with the winds;

• Shows the unpredictable nature of the storm.

Turning, Sharply;

• Emphasises the movement of the approaching storm, suspense hangs in the air like quick nature.

Like a plague of locusts;

• A simile showing the destructive nature of the storm along with its movement.

Tossing up things on its tail;

• Picking up more clouds as it gets larger.

Like a madman chasing nothing;

• Simile used to show the unruly movement of the winds

Pregnant clouds;

• A metaphor used to show the clouds getting bigger and biggers as if it were a pregnant lady with a baby growing in her stomach.

Ride stately on its back;

• Personification example which shows the shaping of the hurricane like a cone shape.

Like dark sinister wings;

• A simile used to show the evil look of the hurricane's appearance. As it is hovering over and threatening.

The winds whistled by, And trees bend to let it pass;

• It appears as if the trees move out of the hurricane's path, as well as show repetition as it has not hit yet yet the winds power is overwhelming.

→ Stanza/Verse 2← 

This stanza takes place in the village and what is happening along with their preparation. It mainly shows the vulnerability of the person and how they are afraid of what is to come.

*Screams of delighted children

• This line shows the innocence of the children as they are not aware of the destruction and dangers the storm brings with it.

 *Toss and turn 

*In the din of the wind;

• These *three lines portray the  delight of the children for the storm that they wish to play in despite the worry of their parents.

Dart about, In and out

• These two lines show the vulnerability of the villagers and emphasises on it to show the power of the storm.

The mad winds whirls by, And trees bend to let it pass;

• The line is repeated to show the storm is still going on and all the persons can do is wish to be safe.

And the pelting march of the storm;

• Rain starts falling then leaves the story in a cliffhanger which leaves suspense to end off the story.

Literary Devices used;

• Simile;

• “Like a plague of locusts, ” the storm is coming with a destructive force

• “Like a madman chasing nothing.” Show the chaotic movement of the storm

• “Like sinister dark wings;” showing the harshness and “evil” of the storm

• Imagery;

• “From the west

• Clouds come hurrying with the wind

• Turning sharply

• “…on their backs Dart about In and out”.

• “Clothes wave-like tattered flags Flying off”

• Onomatopoeia;

• “Rumble, tremble and crack”

• “The wind whistles”

• Personification ;

• ”Pregnant clouds,” not literal pregnant clouds but clouds filled with fain

• The wind whistles

Themes

• Nature

• Man vs nature

• Colonization/Colonialism

Natural Elements used;

•  Clouds

• Wind

• Tree

• Thunder

• Lightening

• Rain

Nature working together to bring about the hurricane or the natural phenomenon as the common link  of nature is the steadfast and persistence of nature.

Orchids By Hazel Simmons-McDonald

 Orchids:

Poem reading: 

If {Between the lines~}Adam Webb Comes up while watching he's a fantabulous person to watch [or play in the background] for LIT help... that dood is a MASTER AT SAVING PEOPLE AT LAST MINUTE!!

Link to Adam Webb's youtube video; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aM72MKfOGYc

Orchids I leave this house box piece of the five-week life I’ve gathered. I’ll send them on to fill spaces in my future life. One thing is left a spray of orchids someone gave from a bouquet one who makes a ritual of flower-giving sent. The orchids have no fragrance but purple petals draw you to look at the purple heart. I watered them once when the blossoms were full blown like polished poems. I was sure they’d wilt and I would toss them out with the five-week litter. They were stubborn. I starved them. They would not die. This morning the bud at the stalk’s tip unfurled. I think I’ll pluck the full-blown blooms press them between pages of memory. Perhaps in their thin dried transparency I’ll discover their peculiar poetry. Hazel Simmons-Mc Donald

Qualities of the Orchid;

• Resilient

• Admirable

• Bold

• Steadfast

• Tough(ness)

• It never gives up

These are the qualities that have been identified that the poet admires.

• At the beginning the poet disregards the flower then at the end her attitude changes positively, as she begins to admire the orchid.

• The poet also wants to find the same qualities in herself.

• She is moving on but a memory refuses to die.

• This symbolizes the poet/ person not wanting to leave or move on from them.

• The poet’s use of blank verse (lacks rhyming pattern) effectively captures the persona’s struggle between hope and despair as he narrates (tells his life-story) with a tone that similarly and occasionally shifts between feelings of optimism and pessimism, adding to a mood that varies between contemplative serenity and foreboding uncertainty.

Themes;

• Relentlessness

• Human cruelty/ Survival/Death< Refers to the poet trying to kill the orchid

• Nature's beauty

• Contemplation

• Resilience

• Curiosity

• Pessimism

Literary devices used;

• Symbolism- 

• The orchid is a flower of magnificence that brings a universal message of love, beauty, wisdom, thoughtfulness, luxury, strength, refinement,  affection, new growth and development.

• “This elegant flower should make you feel pampered. Purple is the colour of royalty. Orchids are generally regarded as symbolic of rare and delicate beauty…. Their graceful appearance draws immediate attention, and their reputation as an exotic and unusual flower evokes a sense of refinement and innocence”.

• Alliteration

• 
  

• Personification

• Simile

• lines 13-14 

• The orchid’s full blown blossoms are being compared to a polished poem. The word polished in this comparison implies perfection, shiny and pleasant to read.

• Contrast

Mood or Atmosphere;

The mood of the poem is pensive, or thoughtful. The persona is thinking about the lack of value that she places in the orchid.

Tone of the Poem;
The tone of the poem is one of almost bored musing.