Orchids

The persona seems to be moving out of a house after renting it for a five-week period. Now, all that remains in her space is an orchid
in which she has found no value. This flower was given to her by a friend who compulsively gives flowers as gifts, and thus, she
doesn’t think of the orchid as special in any way. So much so, in fact, that she only watered it once when it had been in full bloom.
She seems perplexed by its resilience and its refusal to wilt despite only being watered once. She expected this orchid to be merely
something she would discard after her period of renting/living in her current house. Just like this ‘five-week life,’ she expects it to
wither away and have no further meaning after becoming but an insignificant memory. The orchid is stubborn, and does not die.
Despite her initial indifference to it, she is drawn to the orchid and its petals and decides to pluck the blooms of the orchid and
preserve it between the pages of a book, hoping to one day understand a deeper meaning behind the orchids’ resilience. Note how the
poem is written, broken up into several stanzas with few lines. This reflects how the persona leads a somewhat nomadic lifestyle,
considering that she is leaving after only 5 weeks. Thus, her life, like the structure of the poem is broken up into several shorter
periods of living in different places. The tone of the poem is reflective.
Literary Devices
SIMILE- 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.
PUN
The purple heart literally refers to the splash of color in the center of the orchid’s bloom, but it could also refer to the bravery of the
flower. This is so because a purple heart, in the army, is a medal that a soldier receives for bravery.
Metaphor
The persona compares her experience over a five week period with boxes that she uses to pack her belongings in.

This is the Dark Time, My Love

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.
LITERARY DEVICES
REPETITION
Stanza 1, line 1 & stanza 2, line 7: The repetition of this phrase highlights that there is something seriously amiss. The persona is
telling his ‘love’ that this is a sad and terrible time.
ALLITERATION
This device literally draws the reader’s’ visual attention to the sentence. The sentence implies that everything that is good and positive
is hidden away, or gone. This alliteration sets a sad tone at the very beginning of this poem.
PERSONIFICATION
This device emphasizes the sad tone of the poem. This is the case because flowers are usually associated with feelings of happiness
and cheerfulness. Therefore, if the flowers – ambassadors of joy – are sad, then it highlights how really sad the times have become.
METAPHOR
The contrast in this device is startling. The terms ‘festival’ and ‘carnival’ not only describes fun and festivity, but also a large amount
of each. Both words are associated with huge crowds. This emphasizes how terrible the times have become because guns and misery
are plentiful.
RHETORICAL QUESTION
Stanza 3, line 13: This device informs the reader/ audience that a threat exists and that it comes in the dark of night.
Stanza 3, lines 14 – 15: It is implied that the threat is a soldier through the term ‘boot of steel’. The ‘slender grass’ is the innocent
youth who is cut down and trampled by these ‘boots of steel’. The fact that we are given this information through the use of rhetorical
question adds mystery and intrigue to the poem.

Ol’ Higue
The 'Ole Higue' is a supernatural character found in Caribbean folklore. This nocturnal being is also called a jumbie, soucouyant and
backoo as is a mixture of a vampire and a witch. In Caribbean folklore the Ole Higue or Old Hag is an old woman. She sheds her skin
at nights; stores it in a mortar and turns into a ball of fire before going about to suck the blood of babies. In the poem, the Ole Higue
appears bitter and unhappy with the circumstance she is in. She defends the involuntary nature of her compulsive behaviour. She
seems repulsed by the mothers of young children, yet she believes she plays an important role in society by being a scapegoat for the
infanticidal tendencies of some mothers and the inexplicable. She comes across as self-centred, but also clever and insightful. The
Ole Higue wishes that she didn't have such an affinity for children, however, she knows that the myth of her existence can never die as
long as mothers have children and need something- or someone to blame for their deaths.
The mood of the poem is irritable, and somewhat smug and bitter. The tone is argumentative and defensive, but also reflective and
sensitive towards the end of the poem.
LITERARY DEVICES
SIMILE
Cane-fire has a very distinct quality. It burns very quickly and its presence is felt through its pungent smell. Therefore, when the Ol’
Higue compares herself to cane fire in her fireball state, it implies that she uses a lot of energy quickly, and is very visible.
RHETORICAL QUESTION
Stanza 1, line 4: This rhetorical question highlights the scant regard that the Higue has for the average person. She is thoroughly
annoyed that she has to literally waste her energy on them.
Stanza 1, line 5: This highlights the fact that, again, she is annoyed that she has to expend so much energy to obtain a few drops of
baby blood.
Stanza 1, lines 6-8: The Ol’ Higue is emphasizing the fact that regular people ingest blood too, just in a more palatable manner. She
would not mind if she could ingest it in the same manner as well.
Stanza 3, lines 22-23: At this point the Ol’ Higue is making excuses for her presence, claiming that she serves an actual purpose in the
scheme of life. If a child dies of unknown causes, she can be scapegoated for it.
Stanza 3, lines 24-25: ‘The murder inside your head’ refers to the moments, when out of pure frustration and tiredness, a mother might
wish ill on her child. The Ol’ Higue is implying that, again, she can be used as a scapegoat if something unfortunate happens to the
child. The mother is relieved of bearing the burden of guilt.
REPETITION
The repetition of the word ‘soft’ emphasizes the fact that the call of the child’s blood has captured and beguiled the Ol’ Higue’. She
implies that she cannot resist that call.
ALLITERATION
This device emphasizes the Ol’ Higue’s dependence, even addiction, to the sweet blood of the baby.

Dulce et Decorum Est

The poem is written as a harsh, but ultimately fair criticism of the atrocities of war. The poet wrote this whilst hospitalized after
experiencing fighting in the trenches of Northern France in World War I. The soldiers in a languid, drowsy state march slowly, shell-
shocked by the traumas of war and losing touch with their own senses. He recounts in graphic detail being caught in the noxious gases
of chemical warfare and watching one of his fellow soldiers unable to fit the gas helmet on in time. This man, stumbling, yelling and
screaming suffers a slow painful death, choking in the cruel toxic gas. This image of the man dying before the persona’s eyes, with
him unable to help, stays with him in his dreams. This graphic, traumatic sight leads the persona to a blunt conclusion. Having seen
this man die before his eyes, his lungs corrupted by the chemicals, he finds no true glory or goodness in martyrdom for one's country.
The image of an innocent man needlessly killed in his country’s conflict drives the persona to rebuke the hackneyed maxim 'Dulce et
decorum Est pro patria mori.' He doesn't believe that any child searching for glory should ever be told this; a shameful falsehood that
death on the battlefield is 'sweet.' Owen does not hold back in this criticism, and sincerely concludes the gruesome death of war is not
sweet, nor are these innocent lives lost in such traumatic ways reflective of a joy in patriotic martyrdom.

The themes of the poem include war, propaganda, patriotism, trauma and martyrdom. The mood of the poem is pitiful, and the tone is
both critical and pitiful.
LITERARY DEVICES
SIMILE

Stanza 1, line 1: This simile introduces the exhaustion of the soldiers.

Stanza 1, line 2: This emphasises not only the tiredness of the soldiers but the fact that they might be sick as well.
Stanza 2, line 19: This device gives a visual image of how the soldier physically reacted to the gas. Floundering implies flopping
about, therefore, the soldier was flopping about violently. We know it was violent because fire and lime illicit excruciating pain.
Stanza 4, line 39: This device gives a visual image of the expression on the soldier’s face. This is a particularly grotesque image that
highlights the soldier in the throes of death.
Stanza 4, line 39: Cancer is a horrible disease that takes many lives on a daily basis. Therefore, to compare this dying soldier’s face to
this disease is to emphasize the agony that the soldier was going through, which was reflected on his face.
Stanza 4, lines 39-40: This is another graphic comparison that compares the soldier’s face to incurable sores. ‘Sores’ is a disgusting
visual image of degradation which, in turn, highlights the soldier in the throes of death.
ALLITERATION
Stanza 1, line 7: This device points to the level of fatigue that the soldiers were undergoing.
Stanza 1, lines 7-9: This highlights not only the fatigue that the soldiers were feeling but the fact that they were injured as well.
Stanza 4, lines 29-30: This device highlights a visually graphic death mask. The soldier is in the throes of impending death.

Birdshooting Season
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 birdhunters like their fathers, while the little girls encourage the bids to fly away, as though hoping that they
themselves, like the birds will escape the fearsome grasp of the birdhunting men and the resulting cycle. The themes include gender
roles, nature and childhood experiences. The mood is reflective.
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, the guns they leave” we can imagine the scene of the men cloaked in darkness with
guns in hand and their sacks on their backs 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.

My Parents
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.

Figurative devices
Simile
“Who threw words like stones” the words the boys use where harsh and hurt when they would say them.
“muscles like iron” they boys were strong and Spence may have not been strong enough to fight them off so to him they were much
stronger than him and it would hurt to be hit by them.
“Like dogs to bark at my world” not literal dogs but they were loud and unrelenting like dog’s barks frightening and offensive getting
ready to attack.
Metaphor:
“the salt coarse pointing of those boys” salt is rough and salt in wounds sting. The pointing by the boys would point and it would hurt
emotionally for spencer.
Allusion:
“While I looked the other way” an allusion to Jesus turning the other cheek as a form of forgiveness, like Spencer wanting to forgive
the boys.

Little Boy Crying

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.
Themes
Parent – Child Relationship
The father seems to be firm and strict with his son. Although he loves him he does not allow him to have his own way.
Childhood Experiences
The little boy experiences pain and resentment for his parent. Unlike Ana, his childhood is not one that is carefree without any
consequences for undesired behaviour.
Parenting
The father tries to be a good parent. In his eyes there are some lessons that his son must learn. Therefore, he carries out physical
punishment so that he can learn these lessons.

God’s Grandeur
In this poem, the persona is adulating the incredible power of God. He compares the glory of the Lord to an electric charge present in
all things- a fulminant power uncontainable and endlessly great. However, the persona questions the actions of mankind in their
insatiable search for self-gain and exploitation of the natural world. He wonders why mankind does not heed the warning of and
defer to the immense power of the Lord, but rather leaves a permanent deleterious mark on the surrounding world. Even in this
questioning of the deplorable acts of humanity against the world, he realizes that the ever-present innate freshness in all things
continues to live on. Nature is never completely depleted by humanity’s ruthless exploitation of it. Even though the sun sets on one
day, the sun rises yet again for the triumphant beginning of another, simply because the Holy Ghost, like a mother bird tending to her
young, nurtures it without fail.

You may notice that this poem is similar to Sonnet Composed upon Westminister Bridge, September 3, 1802 by William
Wordsworth. They both speak about the wonder and beauty of nature. (And they are both Italian Sonnets)

The theme of this poem is a sort of glorification of God- that is, Hopkins intends to adulate the grandeur of God and his
unshakeable infusion in nature. The theme also incorporates man vs nature or man's destruction of nature. The tone is reverent
overall, but shifts between disgust and hope at some points.

 Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line such as the sound of /o/ in “Generations have trod, have
trod, have trod” and /ea/ sound in “And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil”.
 Consonance: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line such as the sound of /d/ in “World broods with
warm breast and with ah! Bright wings”.
 Metaphor: It is a figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between the objects different in nature. The working
of God’s power in his creation is compared to an enormous electric charge in the second line of the poem where it is stated as, “It
will flame out, like shining from shook foil”.
 Simile: Simile is a device used to compare an object with something else to make the meanings clear to the readers. There are two
similes used in this poem. The first is used in the second line, “It will flame out, like shining from shook foil” and “It gathers to a
greatness, like the ooze of oil”.
 Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line such as the sound of /g/ in “It gathers to a
greatness, like the ooze of oil” and /d/ sound in “There lives the dearest freshness deep down things”.
A Stone's Throw
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.
Literary Devices
SARCASM:
The persona is making the point that the lady was in fact NOT decent looking.
PERSONIFICATION:
This device is particularly effective because the word ‘kisses’ is used. Kiss implies something pleasant, but it is actually utilized to
emphasize something painful that has happened to the lady; she was stoned.
PUN:
Title: The title of the poem is itself a pun on two levels. A stone’s throw is used by many people in the Caribbean to describe a close
distance. eg. “She lives a stone’s throw away”. The other use of the title is to highlight the content of the poem. It is a figurative
stoning, or judging, of a woman.
ALLUSION (biblical) The content of the poem alludes to the story of Mary Magdalene in the Christian Bible. See John 8 v 5-7.
CONTRAST
Lines 13-15: These lines show that the men who were ‘holding stones’ believe they are more morally upright than the other men with
whom the woman associates.
IRONY
One would think that men with ‘virtuous’ hands would have only pure thoughts, but these men intend to stone the woman, who seems
utterly defenseless. Also, images of cruelty are used, such as ‘bruised’, ‘kisses of stone’, ‘battery’ and ‘frigid rape’.
It is the Constant Image of Your Face
The persona seems to be a statesman (or some sort of stakeholder or representative of his country) who is accused of heartbreak by his
lover. It appears that there was an event in the past where he was unfaithful- seemingly to his lover. However, there can be no excuse
for either of them, he believes, since loyalty to one's country supersedes all else. He can claim no loyalty to her, but neither can she to
him, as the persona considers his country to be above all of his other loves. Now however, he pleads for forgiveness of some sort,
confessing freely his denial of his own country. His lover, the 'accomplice of his heart' in denying his country, has treated him with
such tender love that he cannot simply ignore it. He hopes that his country will be able to forgive him. As he now compares the love
he holds for his lover and his land, he reveals his own confusion. He loves his land and this woman. One, he believes should take
precedence above all others, and the other, has conspired with his heart to siphon some of his affection for the other. He cannot discern
which one is more dear to his heart, which one is more tender.

The tone of this poem is remorseful and wistful. The mood is solemn and sad, with a sense of guilt. The themes of the poem include
patriotism, divided loyalties and romantic love vs love of one's country.
LITERARY DEVICES
PERSONIFICATION
Lines 4, 6-7: The love interest’s eyes constantly accuse and convicts the persona. This device highlights the extent to which the
persona has hurt this person.
Lines 18-20: The persona hopes that his country, his other dearest love, will forgive him for the treasonous act of loving another. This
highlights the patriotism that defines the persona’s relationship to his country.
OXYMORON
The term heart’s-treachery implies that the heart, something so vital and indicative of love, has committed a terrible crime. It
highlights the heartbreak that the persona has caused his love interest.
Dreaming Black Boy
The persona is a young black male wishing for things he should have already been guaranteed for being a human. He has suffered
great racial discrimination throughout his life, and this has affected him to the point where he isn't as bold as he should be. He
knows that he is different from his enslaved ancestors, but he feels still trapped by the prejudice he has to bear. He wants to travel the
world and be educated, rather than having to do demeaning jobs to get by. He wishes to be like the revolutionary Paul Robeson, whom
he idolizes. This boy has suffered through seeing members of the Ku Klux Klan discriminating against and lynching black people like
him, and he hopes that no one else has to bear this terrible burden he does. The speaker’s tone is one of wistfulness, subdued
optimism, restrained anger, sadness and despair. Like the attitude of the black boy, the atmosphere of the poem is one of despair,
sadness and deep suffering.

REPETITION:
The constant repetition of the phrase ‘I wish’ points to a yearning, a desperation even, for the basic things that life has to offer. The
repetition gives credence to the idea that the persona might believe that his wishes are actually dreams that might not come true.
ALLUSION:
Stanza 1, lines 6 and 7, alludes to slavery, the state of lacking control over one’s own life and destiny. The fact that reference is made
to this hints to how the persona feels about his life. He does not feel as if he has control over it.
Stanza 3, lines 19 to 20, alludes to Paul Robeson, a black intellectual, who attained success despite difficult circumstances. The
persona yearns to be like this person. He wants room to stretch intellectually.
Stanza 4, lines 22 to 25, alludes to the klu klux klan. Burning lights refers to the burning of crosses and the pyjamas alludes to their
white outfits that look like pyjamas. The persona wants them to leave him alone, find something else to do other than make his life
difficult by contributing to his wishes remaining in the realm of the dreams.

The Woman Speaks to the Man who has Employed her Son
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.
LITERARY DEVICES
SIMILE
Lines 1-2: The persona emphasizes that the mother placed all her hopes in her son. When you are poor, generally, you have no
prospects, you only dream and hope. Therefore, the persona uses this metaphor to emphasize the mother’s dependence on her son’s
success.
Line 17: The employer is being compared to a father figure. This implies that this person fills a gap in the son’s life.
SARCASM
The persona appears to praise the child’s father by referring to him as ‘fair-minded’. She is, however, chastising him for not only
ignoring his son, but all of his other children.
IRONY (situational)
The son innocently tells his mother that his employer values him so much that he gave him a whole submachine gun for himself. The
irony in this situation is that if you really care about someone, you do NOT give them a gun due to the negative results that are bound
to occur.
ALLUSION (biblical)
Lines 28-29: This line alludes to a particular verse in the Christian Bible, Luke 11 vs 11. The verse questions what the actions of a
good father should be.
Lines 38-39: Psalms is a particular chapter in the Christian Bible. In this chapter there are verses for protection, the mother uses those
for her son, as well as verses for retribution and rebuking. It is implied that the mother chooses those for the employer.
Lines 43-45: In the Christian Bible, Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus. Therefore, it does not bode well for the mother if she is in a
‘partnership’ with this person’s mother because she might also be betrayed. The banker in the ‘partnership’ also happens to be the
thief on the left hand side of the cross’ mother. This also does not bode well for the mother if the apple does not fall far from the tree.
Line 49: Absalom is the son of David, in the Christian Bible. Absalom betrayed his father, which implies that the mother feels
betrayed by her son because she has placed all her hopes in him.

Test Match Sabina Park

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 (West Indian attendees) and embarrassment (the British man).

LITERARY DEVICES
RHETORICAL QUESTION
Stanza 2, lines 6-7: This question reveals that, despite the fact that cricket is a popular sport in England, the venues for the matches are
not crowded. This question could also point to the fact that Sabina Park was very crowded.
Stanza 3, line 10: This question represents the general frustration of the West Indians in the crowd. They are annoyed that the cricket
match is progressing so slowly.
Stanza 4, lines 16-18: These questions imply that the West Indian crowd’s level of frustration has escalated.
ALLUSION–The allusion to Lawrence Rowe, a very colourful and successful West Indian cricketer, emphasizes the fact that the
match is slow and boring.
SARCASM- To ‘boycott’ is to abstain from, or to stop, doing something. Therefore, the persona is being sarcastic because excitement
is a good thing. People usually boycott for something negative, therefore the persona is, again, highlighting the slow and boring pace
of the cricket match.

South
In the poem, the persona is reflecting on the island home of his childhood. He has travelled to many places, but appears to be
constantly homesick. He remarks the stark contrasts between the "stoniest cities" and his own homeland, and seems overcome with
happiness once he recounts the wondrous memories of his childhood. The title, 'South' seems to refer to the southern hemisphere,
including the Caribbean islands (the likely origin of the persona considering that the poet is Barbadian), the southern US states, South
America and the southern states of Africa, all of which are associated with racial tensions involving black people. The persona
juxtaposes his southern island home, full of bright beaches and warm people, with the "lands of the north," the northern lands having
unfavourable weather conditions, colder people and a lack of the ocean which our persona so desperately longs for. The theme is
nature, idealization of childhood and nostalgia. The mood could also be described as nostalgic and longing.

SIMILE
The persona compares the manner in which the beauty of the morning settles over the city, to that of a garment on a body. This
emphasizes the perfection of the beauty of the morning, just as a garment flows smoothly over a body.
PERSONIFICATION
Lines 9-10: The sun is referred to as a male who rises sharply and beautifully. This emphasizes the beauty of the city in the morning.
The use of this personification also helps the reader to personalize this beauty.
Line 12: Like the sun, the river is personalized as well. This allows the reader to see the river as real, instead of a thing. It comes alive
and we can visualize its movement, gliding, as beautiful.
Line 13: When someone is asleep, they are usually peaceful. Therefore, when the persona describes the houses as sleeping, he is
emphasizing the peace that exists in the city in the morning. The inhabitants of the houses are asleep, therefore the houses are quiet
and peaceful. For something negative, therefore the persona is, again, highlighting the slow and boring pace of the cricket match.
Sonnet Composed Upon Westminister Bridge, September 3, 1802
In this 14-lined Italian sonnet, the persona is crossing the Westminister bridge and sees a sight that he never has before. The
city before him now seems to be more beautiful than he ever had considered it to be before, in the early morning air. He notices
the small details all around him, and is awed by the stillness and beauty all around. The sonnet overall is an expression of the
persona's admiration of the world around him. The theme is natural beauty, and the tone is reverent and somewhat celebratory
of the beauty of nature. The mood could be described as amazement, serenity or wonder.

SIMILE
The persona compares the manner in which the beauty of the morning settles over the city, to that of a garment on a body. This
emphasizes the perfection of the beauty of the morning, just as a garment flows smoothly over a body.
PERSONIFICATION
Lines 9-10: The sun is referred to as a male who rises sharply and beautifully. This emphasizes the beauty of the city in the morning.
The use of this personification also helps the reader to personalize this beauty.
Line 12: Like the sun, the river is personalized as well. This allows the reader to see the river as real, instead of a thing. It comes alive
and we can visualize its movement, gliding, as beautiful.
Line 13: When someone is asleep, they are usually peaceful. Therefore, when the persona describes the houses as sleeping, he is
emphasizing the peace that exists in the city in the morning. The inhabitants of the houses are asleep, therefore the houses are quiet
and peaceful.
West Indies, U.S.A.
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 '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.

SIMILE
Line 2: Puerto Rico is compared to dice that are 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 a 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 traveller 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.
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 cliché; ‘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.
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 take-off. 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 unwelcomed.
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.
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.

Once Upon a Time

In this poem, the persona, a father (or mother) seems to be speaking to his son about how people, as well as he himself have changed
from showing genuine emotion to being insincere and in genuine. The persona reminisces about times gone when people would
"laugh with their eyes" and "shake hands with their hearts." He disdainfully remarks about the disingenuous pretenses people put on
now of feigned laughs and heartless handshakes whilst they search him for information about his financial status. The persona also
speaks about his own adaptation to this new insincere world by saying nice things and acting amiably in contrast to what he really
feels. However, he expresses to his son as well how much he misses people being genuine, and being sincere himself- as he finds
himself unable to really laugh. He wants to be young and able to show his true feelings again like his son.

The theme of the poem is societal changes, hypocrisy and values. The mood is one of disdain and nostalgia. The tone of this poem
could be considered to be ironic, since not only does the father act the exact way he despises, but his dream of turning the clock back
to a time of sincerity is nothing more than a fantasy as well.

METAPHOR
The people’s eyes are as cold as ice. This means that there is no warmth or real feeling in the words that they say, or how they behave.
This metaphor literally allows you to visualize a block of ice, cold and unwelcoming.
SIMILE
Stanza 4, lines 20-21 emphasizes the constant changes in the persona’s face. If you think of how often a woman changes her dress,
then that is how often the persona adjusts his/her’s personality to suit an audience. The list of faces that follow this line emphasizes
this point.
Stanza 4, lines 23-24 compares people’s faces to smiles in a portrait. If you think about a portrait, it is usually very formal and stiff,
even uncomfortable. Therefore, the implication is that the smiles are actually fake and stiff. They are conforming or trying to fit, into a
preconceived mould that is set up by societal expectations.
Stanza 6, lines 38-40 compares the persona’s laugh to a snakes. When you think of a snake, words such as sneaky and deceitful come
to mind. Therefore, the implication is that the persona is fake, just like the people he/she despises.
REPETITION
This phrase is repeated at the beginning and the end of the poem. This usually signals the beginning of a fairy tale. Therefore, it is
implied that the persona is nostalgic about the past

An African Thunderstorm
The poem tells of a storm violent storm moving, this storm makes its way towards an African village causing havoc has it moves
toward and through the village having the trees themselves bending over the strength of the winds. Clouds heavy with rain moving
quickly, children laugh and shout as the storm makes it way but the mothers take them as they try to find shelter from the storm. The
duality of the actual storm and colonization in the poem gives a hidden meaning in lines of the poem much like those of the songs of
the slaves.

Figurative devices
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
Mirror
Just as the title suggests, the poem is about a mirror in its many forms. It is written from the perspective of the mirror as it comments
on its own objective reflection of the things around it. It considers itself wholly truthful, an impartial retelling of the physical
appearance of something devoid of preconceptions. The first stanza simply relates the mirror’s basic function, and its regular
meditation on the pink speckled wall opposite to it, separated momentarily by the darkness of night cycles and passing faces. The
second stanza shows the mirror in the form of a lake. The mirror now relates saddening recurring interactions with a woman who uses
the lake as a mirror, trying to see what she is. The mirror (as the lake) reflects her appearance truthfully, triggering great unhappiness
and displeasure in the woman, bringing her to tears. The lake and its objective reflection of her fading youth is like an important ritual
to her. Daily, she sees old age appear more and more in her features, as though something horrible is rising in the lake each time she
consults its impartial reflection.
The themes of the poem include appearance vs reality, senescence, time and women. The mood is somewhat reflective and pensive.
The tone is matter-of-fact (dignified) based on the mirror’s pride in its impartial reflective properties.

Figurative devices
Metaphor:
“In me she has drowned a young girl,”- the woman, she has been looking at the mirror since she was a young woman now her youth
has passed and she is now old
“I think it is part of my heart”- the mirror has been reflecting the wall for so long is has become a standard part of its existence as it
always there
Simile:
“Rises toward her day after day, like a terrible fish.” – making a comparison to the woman’s reflection and her perception of herself as
a terrible fish showing how much she disdains her reflection.
Personification:
“Now I am a lake”-
“I am silver and exact. I have no preconceptions.” – the mirror is personified throughout the poem as it is the narrator it now gives
itself more human qualities and referring to itself as a being.
Imagery:
“It is pink, with speckles.”- the description of the wall allowing us to imagine the wall
“But it flickers.
Faces and darkness separate us over and over.” we can imagine the moving of faces, the darkness and the light which give the
impression of time moving
Theme for English B
The persona is a negro student (the only one in his class) who is given an assignment by his instructor write a page that comes from
within him, and is therefore 'true'. He is 22 and lives in Harlem. He now puzzles over what is 'true' for any person. The persona
questions who he is. The introduction of the concept of truth is strange for him as a black man given this assignment by a white
instructor. He recounts his own tastes- a mixture of things liked by different people of different races. This brings to light a dilemma
within him; an uncertain relationship between race and identity. He now sees that his race doesn't define his tastes, He ponders
whether his race affects his identity, and therefore, if it will affect the identity of truth he presents on his page. He knows that it is
important to his identity, but, through his realization that his tastes are unaffected by race, he knows that it doesn't define his identity.
The persona boldly now asserts that he and his instructor are part of one another. Their history, and evidently American societal bonds
between them, form a deep connection. He knows now that his race is not what defines his identity, nor is it an intimate determiner of
who he is. Instead, race seems a sort of encumbrance, or burden, which is why he knows that his instructor may not often want to be a
part of him. However, this connection that pervades age, race and gender is undeniable. As the only coloured student in his class, he
obviously experiences a great deal of alienation and may feel out of place. In spite of this, they are linked, and they learn from each
other. The persona knows that his race can be a burden that limits him, and he also knows that his instructor is somewhat more free
than he is- simply because he is white. This all shows the true message of the poem- the fact that race and the unequal distribution of
privilege based on race is not what defines them, it simply obscures the deep connections between them. The themes of this poem
include race and identity. The tone is reflective, and the mood is also thoughtful/pensive.

LITERARY DEVICES
RHETORICAL QUESTION
Stanza 2, line 6: The persona ponders the ease of what he is asked to do. This question, in turn, actually highlights the difficult nature
of the task.
Stanza 3, line24: This question highlights the persona’s confusion as to who he is, or his character. He is unsure.
Stanza 4, line 32: The persona is wondering whether his race will affect what he writes on the page. This is despite the fact that he
concludes that race does not hinder people, in general, liking the same things.
REPETITION
 This repetition emphasizes the profound impact that Harlem, New York, has had on the personality of the persona.
Landscape Painter
The landscape painter Albert Huie, a famous Jamaican painter by the poet admires the painter’s process as he watches this method and
speaks in awe as he captures the scenery as if the landscape is a living thing getting ready to be painted and showing their best side for
this painter. Capturing the painter in his element.

Figurative Devices
Simile:
 “Grandchildren about the knees”
Imagery:
 “On corner of the Twisted climbing mountain track”
 “dips, darts, now here, now there”
 “…Puzzles of pigment bloom in the pallets wild small garden”
Metaphor:
 “tireless hummingbird, his brush”
Personification:
 “the mountains pose for him”
 “The little Hills fidgeting”
 “sprawl grandchildren about the knees”

A lesson for this Sunday

In this poem the persona is lying in his hammock and is enjoying the beauty of nature, “the summer grass” and “furious butterflies”
(lines 1-2) "Two children; a boy and a girl (brother and sister) are chasing a butterfly with yellow wings. After they caught the
butterfly they dissect it (operate on it) Then the black (African) maid sees them and stops them but the girl in the lemon dress begins
to scream
Figurative Language
Two examples of figurative language in this poem are, "The lesson is the same" (line 9 stanza 2) is an extended metaphor throughout
the poem. It examines human's nature and the belief that bigger and stronger will dominate and destroy the weaker simply because
they can. In the line "the growing idleness of the summer grass," (line one) personification dl used where grass is personified as idle.
This statement helps to give the reader a clearer mental picture of the day described by the persona.
Themes
Man's Cruelty to Nature - "Or so they should until I hear the cries of two small children hunting yellow wings, who break my
Sabbath with the thought a sin" (line 3 stanza 2). The persona shows even children who are portrayed as innocent can be cruel.
Religion -"who break my Sabbath with the thought of sin," (line 3 stanza 2) Sabbath is a weekly day of rest and time for worship.
"The manta prays" (line 7 stanza 2) can imply the mantis is resting on its front legs and rose as if in prayer, this helps the poet to keep
in touch with the religious part of the poem.
Death be not Proud
'Death be not Proud' is a poem addressed to the personification of Death. The speaker highlights Death’s false pride, his unearned
reputation, and his shortcomings. The speaker begins by calling out Death for what he believes is an inflated ego and an unearned
reputation as all-powerful. He directly informs Death that Death cannot kill him. Linking the experience of sleep to death, he
suggests that Death is merely a long sleep. Since sleep is pleasurable, then there is no reason to believe that Death would not be too.
The speaker goes on to mention that the best men die young, achieving rest from the realms of the earth. He suggests that Death is not
all-powerful but actually dictated to by random events, kings and those desperate enough to murder or take their own lives.

Further berating the personification of Death, the speaker points out the type of undesirable company he keeps: Poison, war and
sickness. The speaker lists poppies and charms as things that can cause a peaceful sleep, which is better than what Death can offer. He
asks Death why he is so puffed up when he is, in fact, inadequate. Finally, the speaker suggests that Death is but a short sleep before
we wake eternally, which logically means that Death then dies when the person 'awakes'.

This poem is probably one of the most famous uses of personification in 17th-century literature. Donne personifies Death, so he can
question his power. By personifying an abstract state or event, Donne creates a conceit and also immediately brings Death down to
the level of the humans that fear it. The personification enables him to address Death directly and attribute human shortcomings to
him. These include false pride, being at the beck and call of human murderers and those who are suicidal, keeping bad company and
also being a bit useless at his job of ensuring eternal death. As Death was something to be feared by many, Donne's approach is an
interesting way to reduce the fear associated with phenomena that are not fully understood.

imagery
Donne makes extensive use of imagery to bring his poem of Death berating to life and to support his argument.
Sleep
Sleep is referred to as the 'picture' of death. This creates an image of death as just a longer version of sleep. To use a state (sleep) as
imagery is unusual as it is not a visible object, but it is effective in diminishing the power of Death to instil fear. Who fears sleep?
The speaker goes on to add that the sleep of Death is temporary and that those waking to eternal life, ultimately 'kill Death'.
Slavery
Donne creates the image of Death as a slave to Kings, murderers, and the suicidal and random events. By doing this, he subverts
the all-powerful reputation that Death has been given over time. Rather than a master over human life, he is, in fact, the minion of
mankind and even dictated to by abstract, random events.