Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan (+ Annotations by Sophie Brazier 11B) They sent me a salwar kameez[SB1] peacock-blue,[SB2] glistening like an orange[SB3] split[SB4] open, embossed slippers, gold and black[SB5] points curling. Candy-striped glass bangles snapped[SB6], drew blood[SB7]. Like at school, fashions changed in Pakistan – the salwar bottoms were broad and stiff[SB8], then narrow. My aunts chose an apple-green [SB9]sari, silver-bordered[SB10] for my teens. I tried each satin-silken[SB11] top – was alien[SB12] in the sitting room.
I could never be as lovely as those clothes – I longed[SB13] for denim[SB14] and corduroy[SB15]. My costume clung[SB16] to me and I was aflame[SB17], I couldn’t rise up out of its fire, half-English, unlike Aunt Jamila. I wanted my parents’ camel-skin lamp – switching it on in my bedroom, to consider the cruelty[SB18] and the transformation[SB19] from camel to shade, marvel at the colours like stained glass. [SB20] My mother cherished her jewellery – Indian gold, dangling, filigree. [SB21] But it was stolen from our car. [SB22] The presents were radiant in my wardrobe[SB23].
My aunts requested cardigans from Marks and Spencers. [SB24] My salwar kameez[SB25] didn’t impress the schoolfriend who sat on my bed, asked to see my weekend clothes. [SB26] But often I admired the mirror-work,[SB27] tried to glimpse myself in the miniature glass circles, recall the story how the three of us sailed to England. Prickly heat[SB28] had me screaming on the way. I ended up in a cot in my English grandmother’s dining room[SB29], found myself alone, playing with a tin boat[SB30]. I pictured my birthplace from fifties’ photographs.
When I was older there was a conflict[SB31], a fractured[SB32] land throbbing[SB33] through newsprint. Sometimes I saw Lahore [SB34]- my aunts in shaded rooms, screened from male visitors, sorting presents[SB35], wrapping[SB36] them in tissue. Or there were beggars, sweeper-girls and I was there – of no fixed nationality[SB37], staring through fretwork at the Shalimar gardens. [SB1]Cultural reference referring to Pakistani culture. [SB2]Bright vivid colours suggesting beauty of culture. [SB3]See above comment. [SB4] Onomatopoeia adding to imagery in mind.
[SB5] See Comment [SB3] [SB6]This may be the personas patience snapping or her tolerance. [SB7]Suggests that the girl is uncomfortable with the Pakistani culture that she is experiencing. [SB8]See Comment [SB6] [SB9]See Comment [SB2] [SB10]See Comment [SB2] [SB11]Alliteration showing detail and feel of clothing creating a picture in our minds. [SB12]See Comment [SB6] [SB13]The fact that this phrase is all on one line shows the intensity of this desire. [SB14]Stereotypical English clothing [SB15]See above comment. [SB16]See Comment [SB7]
[SB17]This may show her embarrassment at her ‘foreign’ clothing making us feel uncomfortable and ashamed if we have judged someone on appearance. [SB18]This may be her feeling when she is expected to wear or uses the presents from her Aunts in Pakistan. [SB19]See above comment. [SB20]Simile so we can compare the beauty to something we are familiar with. [SB21]See Comment [SB2] this shows us positive seemingly perfect view. [SB22]The above comment is juxtaposed with this comment bringing a sense of reality into the poem. This makes us ashamed of the way people can act sometimes.
[SB23]This seems to be as if she doesn’t want to acknowledge her presents which be a parallel of her not wanting to acknowledge her roots and heritage. [SB24]See Comment [SB14] this is a typical English gift which adds irony to the poem making us empathise with the persona, if others don’t have to have cultural presents then why should she? [SB25]See comment [SB1] [SB26]She may resent not having weekend clothes. [SB27]This seems that there are mixed feelings concerning her iage and this makes us interested as to why because she seems confused. [SB28]Uncomfortable experience making it memorable.
[SB29]Typical English room adds second cultural element. [SB30]No one to play with so we feel sorry for the persona. [SB31]Mention of conflict, theme of pain and discomfort. [SB32]See above comment. See Comment [SB31][SB33] [SB34]Daydream quality here shows us the she still thinks of Pakistan and imagines it. [SB35]Link back to the title. [SB36]This may be a metaphor for cushioning the persona from life. [SB37]This may be that she resents having one fixed nationality and she likes and dislikes certain elements of both the English and Pakistani culture.
