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“dem tell me dem tell me”
links to themes: OPPRESSION AND INEQUALITY, IDENTITY
This repetition at the onset of the poem creates a lasting accusatory tone throughout the poem
This is channelled by the poet's pent-up anger
The enjambment highlights how this marginalisation of his identity and culture is ongoing, a modern societal concern
Agard's lack of utilisation of punctuation reflects his rejection of the colonial convention of the restriction of literature and locution
The enjambment both in this quotation and throughout the rest of the poem demonstrates how Agard's emotions on this topic cannot be constrained by the structure of the poem
The poet's use of Guyanese Creole highlights how although he is oppressed, his true culture and identity bleed through
Agard is resisting the oppression of the traditional English language
“bandage up me eye […] blind me to me own identity”
links to themes: OPPRESSION AND INEQUALITY
This quotation holds injury-like connotations, symbolising the poet's pain caused by his upbringing
The violent metaphor of "blind me" links to the deliberate infliction of pain by colonial powers on others
“de cow who jump over de moon”
links to themes: OPPRESION AND INEQUALITY, IDENTITY
This quotation links to a well-known English nursey rhyme, the lexical field of childhood and youth linking both to the poet's reclamation of their youth but also to his loss of childhood through oppression, linking to his wider inability to move on from his past
“but what happen to de Caribs and de Arawaks too”
links to themes: OPPRESSION AND INEQAULITY, IDENTITY
Agard utilises the connective "but" to demonstrates the intrinsic separation between white and black history
This quotation details Agard's desperate search for his identity, its truth obscured by the oppression caused by colonial powers
“Mary Seacole […] a yellow sunrise”
links to themes: IDENTITY
Agard adeptly utilises light in referral to black historical figures, the visual imagery of this light connoting these figures as beacons of everlasting hope and a source of guidance for black communities
“I carving out me identity”
links to themes: OPPRESSION AND INEQUALITY, IDENTITY
This quotation is a significant turning point in the poem, stamping finality to its ending
Through this quotation, Agard wrests back his autonomy
This is juxtaposed with the injury-like connotations at the beginning of the poem, demonstrating Agard's journey through this literature to resolution
The present tense of "carving" further emphasises the fact that Agard's journey for acceptance and his fight against marginalisation is still ongoing
structure
rhyming couplets
unites the distinct sections of the differing historical perspectives
eludes to Agard’s over-arching desire to end segregation utilising literary unification
italics
used to highlight the disparity between the two warring accounts of history
dual structure endeavours to portray distinct separation in the UK’s taught hidden history
lack of punctuation
punctuation is an English literary convention that aims to restrict structure
Agard is resisting colonialism and oppression
creole patois
Agard utilises Caribbean dialect to resist English oppression
