Both poets have significantly presented their purposes and mission in and through their work. Eric Roach poems display his passion for the land and the people, both of which are so clearly West Indian. The poems “The flowering rock” and “Poem”, show Roach’s way of thinking and involves the reader into what he sees. The poem “The flowering rock” was written either between the periods, 1938-1974. The title of the poem signifies that, out of something hard and inanimate, flourishes beautiful life, in the form of a flower. Roach may have written this poem to recreate a sense of self-worth in the people of the West Indies.
Colonialism, however had replaced self-worth with self-contempt, establishing images of West Indians as “dhotis” or uneducated. One might suggest that it portrays a struggle between the West Indian African people and the culture of the Europeans. Even though the African people are in a struggle experiencing a state of suppression, they adapt to the changes. These individuals, in addition, do not allow the British influence to break their stride and take away their Joy. They envelop a positive mind-set and look forward to the future. In the poem, “flowering rock”, personification functions as a device of art.
The words used, creates an image within the readers head, this therefore, evokes the intensity of feeling in order to clearly understand what concept the poet is trying to exhibit. For Roach, nature is his muse, or inspiration. He connects concepts and feelings through landscape. “The stream water croons… Cool rhythms among stones”, a sense of easiness is awarded. More so, throughout the poem, there is a pattern of compare and contrast. It’s seems like there is a comparison between two worlds. “Our hearts break not… Though they are ever broken”, “A froth of laughter… Tops our sea of sorrows”.
This suggests that even though reality is painful, these people are strong. Its shows that despite the control of the British over them, the hardships they undergo, it cannot take away their spirit. There is much beauty that encompasses them and that beauty cracks the struggle. “Our voices bear the tracery of tears, the burden of their cadence… Our hope begin its orisons. ” In addition, the repetition of the word “our”, that occurs constantly within the poem sets up barriers for ownership. “Our village girls, our hearts break, our voices, our symbol, our souls and our hope. “The West Indian people have in spite of he pressures of the British influence and way of life, have made a way to show what is theirs and be proud even if it is not the greatest, it is who they are, it is their identity. The tone of this poem is proud, whereas the mood is one of aspiration. Roach does a great Job, with the use of his words and the incorporation of nature to bring across his message. The poem can take the form of a story where you can relate, and connect with what the reader is saying. Roach, does hold back or “sugar coat”, his words.
He shows that West Indian people though coming turmoil we are not damaged, our beauty is in our struggle. We as a West Mind diamond on the rough, regardless if we starve today, we are tumor “Poem” by Eric Roach is also another poem with which nature is us 23 poetry. In “the flowering rock”, he uses landscape but, in “Poem” an reptile (serpent) is his creative influence. The title “Poem” may Simi writing in which Roach expresses his feelings and ideas. The mood sense of payback, whereas the tone is satisfaction. In this poem, R e serpent, symbolic for the root of all evils that are faced by him, We and people of the world.
A serpent has connotative meanings data pleasant due to their biblical encounter in the early story of create Serpents are seen as deceptive, sneaky, and venomous. The even serpent can act as the calamities of slavery, hate, racism, poverty society. Roach however, sees the serpent as the British colonizers, every infliction experienced by West Indians. The poem speaks of t the serpent undergoes shedding of the skin. The serpent in this pr vulnerable because it is at its weakest. It is a very intense, violent p It is like a self-imposed hell.
In the end the serpent is successful, a Roach uses this analogy to show that the only way the British can t a new outlook, is if they experience the same pain and suffering oh wrought. There change is based on the guilt and torments that beef stanza, of the poem Roach doesn’t want to see the snake live and r wants it dead, for who cares for the serpent (British); they are a me also draws back to the biblical reference, where the serpent dice creature robbed us of a life, where everything could have been pee deceived the slaves that were brought to the West Indies, promising favored life, but was given a life of turmoil and pain.
Roach is out British colonizers snakes. Another profound poet to come out of the Martin Carter. Martin Carter was a Gayness poet, and a social cacti n his country’s politics. In his early twenties, carter became heavily movements for independence. This however, would later be the ca Due to his time in Jail, Carter composed one of his most important poems of resistance. This includes the poem “This is the dark time “Childhood of a voice” which would be analyses. The poem “This love”, was written in the sass’s. The title of the poem is a very imp understanding what the poem means.
The phrase is also repeated poem, in various instances. “This is a dark time my love”, signifies a where there is a series of unfortunate events and despair. Carter addressing the state of his country, yet establishing his love and d Carter’s mission and purpose in his poems can be seen based on politics in his country. He is an outspoken agitator, reflecting his p philosophy. He acts as the conscience and voice of the nation, for t speak out. However, there is the mysterious aspect in Carter’s work much quieted through the use of coded language. This is a dark it poem about the struggles of Guyana during British colonization, in government suspended the constitution and have sent their soldiers to De of Iguana’s uprisings. In relation to Eric Roach’s “flowering rock”, Carter also tauter as an inspiration to explain themes of war and oppression. “Red FL their heads”, “hidden sun in the sky”. The poem starts, with the title of the p is also repeated in the latter. This shows the depth of pain felt by the speak can also be a warning, influencing the reader to be aware and conscious.
T persona is also preparing you for the unfavorable events that will transpire is very creative in using different literary devices to bring across his message second and third line there is a metaphorical reference. “All round the land beetles crawl about”, and “The shining sun is hidden in the sky’. It seems the rowan beetles are symbolic for the British soldiers. This is because of the a wear. Their uniforms are brown and more so, they may be wearing hard ha are also the color brown. These soldiers are however roaming the land, is nuisance because they are invading without permission.
In addition, the shih which is hidden in the sky, relates to the dark time, there is no light. The pH also indicate the hope of the people of Guyana is hidden, lacks assurance b they are not sure of the outcome. Furthermore, the first stanza ends with a personified line, “Red flowers bend their heads in awful sorrow. ” This shows even nature connects with the depth of sadness, pain and loss of courage, people are facing. These individuals are also petrified because, they know t soldiers are not afraid to abuse their power, and kill. “It is the season of pop dark metal, and tears”.
The oxymoron’s, “festival of guns”, “carnival of miser on words. Festival and carnival are Joyous events, therefore it initializes that British seem to enjoy inflicting misery upon the people. Who comes walking dark night time? Whose boot of steel tramps down the slender grass? It is the man of death, my love, the stranger invader, Watching you sleep and aiming at your dream. The final stanza starts with two rhetorical questions, “Who comes walking in night time? “, and “Whose boot of steel tramps down the slender grass? ” It is that the British soldiers are there to destroy.
They hurt both the people and – landscape of the country. In addition not only do these invaders have the a kill, but to target the hope and aspirations of the Gayness people, to become independent nation. The overall mood of the poem would be of sadness an The persona is making aware the terrible events his country is facing. Where tone of the poem is one of warning, the persona warns his people to be awe angers that surround you. Another poem by Martin Carter is “Childhood o This poem was written in the sass’s. The title of this poem speaks volumes. Is poems uses a lot of analogies. With reference to “This is the dark time m the phrase “Childhood of a voice is repeated within the poem. Martin Carte describing the voice of the persona as “childlike”. This poem one might sue about Martin carter’s persistence, devotion and active role to help his count to become independent of the British rule. He has persevered and done all can do, yet no progress is made where he can witness the day his country g redeem. “The familiar white street is tired of always running east”, “The sky arching over”, “The tree of always reaching up”.
Carter therefore is tired and feels a sense of defeat, the repetition of the phrase “Childhood of a voice” shows his petitions and actions falling on deaf ears. No action is taking place. People neglect to consider what children have to say as important. The persona also with frustration is still having hope. “The light oppresses and the darkness frees”. The day time is where people engage with each other at work, school and leisure. This is also the time to experience the strife, war and ignorance of the British rule. But the darkness is a time of rest and reflection in the comfort of their homes, night eases the mind to face yet another day.
Though this period seems like a never-ending depression the persona hopes and pleads for a brighter tomorrow. “But if only the rain fall, and the sky we have not seen so long come blue again”. The mood of the poem is somewhat depressing, and the tone demonstrates a sigh of defeat. Both Eric Roach and Martin Carter are very observant poets. They both use nature, the landscape of their countries as their tool to successfully bring forth their sage. Flowers, rocks, mountains, trees are all elements of nature that we take for granted each day.
Roach and Carter takes these simple things in life, which we can relate to and make profound thought provoking statements. These poets can be seen as historians, they write to bring awareness to the present and the future of what makes up our identity “West Indians”, their political and philosophical stance. Granted that both poets use the same inspiration they execute quite differently. Roach tends to be a more coded writer where his mission and message is hidden, whereas Carter is a more out right, in your face straight to the point poet, but uses his words tastefully, and also at times codes his work.
