Exploring the poetry of John Agard and Grace Nichols
Part Two: Grace Nichols As you discovered last week, husband and wife, John Agard and Grace Nichols, are two very well-known and well-regarded poets who are both still living, writing and performing poetry in Britain today.
Last week, you looked at a selection of poems by John Agard.
This week, the focus is on the poetry of his wife Grace Nichols. Grace Nichols (b. 1950)
Grace Nichols was born in Georgetown, Guyana, and lived in a small village on the country's coast until her family moved to the city when she was eight years old. She took a Diploma in Communications from the University of Guyana, and subsequently worked as a teacher (1967–70), as a journalist and in government information services, before she immigrated to the United Kingdom in 1977. Much of her poetry is characterised by Caribbean rhythms and culture, and influenced by Guyanese and Amerindian folklore.
Her first collection of poetry, I is a Long-Memoried Woman, won the THINK: What similarities 1983 Commonwealth Poetry Prize. She has written several further books of poetry can you draw between the and a novel for adults, Whole of a Morning Sky, 1986. Her books for children early life of Grace Nichols include collections of short stories and poetry anthologies. Her religion is with that of her husband Christianity after she was influenced by the UK's many religions and multi-cultural John Agard? society. For example, they are both She lives in Lewes, East Sussex, with her partner, the Guyanese poet John Agard. originally from Guyana (information about this Caribbean country is on adapted from Wikipedia Slide 5). TASK 1: Read the information about Guyana on the next slide and think about your own knowledge of the Caribbean – you could do some additional research. Complete the following table describing some of the differences between life in the Caribbean and life in Britain.
Life in the Caribbean Life in Britain
• palm trees • busy roads • sandy unspoilt beaches • crowded • hot weather • often grey and rainy • blue skies • lots of traffic Guyana Guyana (officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana) is a country on the northern mainland of South America. It is, however, often considered part of the Caribbean region because of its strong cultural, historical and political ties with other Anglo-Caribbean countries and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). With 215,000 square kilometres (83,000 sq mi), Guyana is the third-smallest sovereign state on mainland South America.
Originally inhabited by many indigenous groups, Guyana was settled by the Dutch before coming under British control in the late 18th century. It was governed as British Guiana, with a mostly plantation- style economy until the 1950s. It gained independence in 1966, and officially became a republic within the Commonwealth of Nations in 1970. The legacy of British rule is reflected in the country's political administration and diverse population, which includes Indian, African, Amerindian, and multiracial groups.
Guyana is the only South American nation in which English is the official language. The majority of the population, however, speak Guyanese Creole, an English-based creole language, as a first language.
The population in 2018 was approx. 786,000.
The capital and largest city is Georgetown. adapted from Wikipedia TASK 2: Read Island Man then summarise, in less than three sentences, what you think the poem is about.
Island Man – Grace Nichols
(for a Caribbean island man in London who still wakes up to the sound of the sea)
Morning and island man wakes up to the sound of blue surf Comes back to sands in his head of a grey metallic soar the steady breaking and wombing to surge of wheels to dull North Circular roar wild seabirds and fisherman pulling out to sea muffling muffling the sun surfacing defiantly his crumpled pillow waves from the east island man heaves himself of his small emerald island he always comes back groggily groggily Another London day
You can hear Grace Nichols discuss and then read her poem here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bACVeAclpU TASK 3: How would you explain the mood of this poem? Write a sentence in response to each of these questions:
1) How does the man feel towards the island where he comes from?
2) How does he feel towards London?
Challenge: can you find any evidence (quotes) to support your points?
Extra challenge: can you explain the connection between place and identity?
You can find a study guide for the poem here: https://poemanalysis.com/grace-nichols/island-man/ You are going to explore the way in which places are presented within Island Man through the poet’s use of imagery and to understand how these images are used to create effects on a reader. THINK: How do the images of the Caribbean compare to the images of London? (Use the Imagery Jigsaw on Slide 9 to help you).
the sound of blue surf comes back to sands of a grey metallic soar
his small emerald island to surge of wheels to dull North Circular roar the sun surfacing defiantly
Another London day his crumpled pillow waves The poet is describing two different places in the poem. What do you think are the main differences between these Name them below: two places that Nichols describes within the poem? Imagery Jigsaw 1. ______2. ______
Morning and island man wakes up The poet writes that the island man Nichols writes that the sun is ‘surfacing defiantly’. How to the sound of blue surf in his head ‘heaves’ himself up in the mornings now. does this adverb reflect the lifestyle in the Caribbean do the steady breaking and wombing What does that verb suggest to a reader you think? about how he feels when he gets up? wild sea birds and fishermen pushing out to sea the sun surfacing defiantly from the east of his small emerald island The ‘North Circular’ is a 25 mile road in The poet describes the man’s home as ‘his small emerald he always comes back groggily groggily North London which gets very busy. island.’ Comes back to sands - Which poetic technique has the poet used - What is an emerald? of a grey metallic soar to describe the sound of it? - What does this suggest about the colour of the sea and to surge of wheels to dull North Circular roar ______the appearance of the island? - What does the use of this technique - Emeralds are a precious jewel so what does this reveal muffling muffling reveal about what the island man thinks of to a reader about the way the man views his island? his crumpled pillow waves island man heaves himself the road?
Another London day
The poet uses a strange verb to describe the sea’s movement: ‘wombing’. - What words do you associate with the colour grey? (Is it a positive colour?) - What is a womb?
- What develops in the womb?
- If the man thinks of the sea as a womb, what is he saying about the nature of it? What does the sea do for him/ how does it make him feel? TASK 4: What effect does the imagery in Island Man have on the reader? Use the following scaffold to support your responses (and refer back to the previous slides to help you):
‘Island Man’ is a poem that presents images of two different places; the Caribbean and London. When the poet writes that the sun is ‘surfacing defiantly’, the adverb ‘defiantly’ suggests that the sun ______.
The use of this word indicates to the reader that the island man would rather be in the Caribbean because ______.
defiantly: characterized by defiance; boldly resistant or challenging: a defiant attitude.
From https://www.dictionary.com/ TASK 4 (continued):
When the poet describes the island as ‘emerald’ it is an effective image as the reader can understand that the island is ______. TASK 4 (continued):
Choose a piece of imagery from the poem that is used to describe London and explain why it is effective for a reader: ______. TASK 4 (continued):
STAR CHALLENGE QUESTION:
Why is the dual imagery so effective now we know what the poem is about? ______. Another of Grace Nichols’ most famous poems is Hurricane Hits England.
Hurricanes are some of the most violent and destructive storms on planet Earth. They can be many hundreds of miles wide and have wind speeds of over two hundred miles per hour. The worst have killed thousands of people and caused billions of pounds worth of damage. Although common in the Caribbean, thankfully they are very rare in Britain. THINK: Watch the clip and think: “Why is it shocking to see a hurricane in England?” Where do you normally expect to see hurricanes?
Refer back to TASK 1 (Slide 4) contrasting life in the Caribbean to life in Britain. What else might you now add to your table?
Grace Nichols said about the 1987 hurricane: Watch the infamous 1987 weather forecast here: “It seemed as though the voices of the old gods were in the wind, within the Sussex wind. www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnxjZ-aFkjs And, for the first time, I felt close to the English landscape in a way that I hadn't earlier. It was as if the Caribbean had come to England.” A few hours before the Great Storm of 1987 broke, on 15 October 1987, British weather forecaster Michael Fish said during a forecast: "Earlier on today, apparently, a woman rang the BBC and said she heard there was a hurricane on the way. Well, if you're watching, don't worry, there isn't!".
The storm was the worst to hit South East England for three centuries, causing record damage and killing 19 people.
adapted from Wikipedia THINK: Read the poem Hurricane Hits England (Slide 18). What images does Nichols create in your mind? Are these images positive or negative? Be prepared to justify your opinion.
You can listen to the poem here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sc3gxG2OzN8 Hurricane Hits England – Grace Nichols The blinding illumination, Even as you short- Circuit us It took a hurricane, to bring her closer Into further darkness? To the landscape. Half the night she lay awake, What is the meaning of trees The howling ship of the wind, Falling heavy as whales Its gathering rage, Their crusted roots Like some dark ancestral spectre. Their cratered graves? Fearful and reassuring. O why is my heart unchained? Talk to me Huracan Talk to me Oya Tropical Oya of the Weather, Talk to me Shango I am aligning myself to you, And Hattie, I am following the movement of your winds, My sweeping, back-home cousin. I am riding the mystery of your storm.
Tell me why you visit Ah, sweet mystery, An English coast? Come to break the frozen lake in me, What is the meaning Shaking the foundations of the very trees within me, Of old tongues Come to let me know Reaping havoc That the earth is the earth is the earth. In new places? Grace Nichols
For an in depth analysis, look here: https://poemanalysis.com/grace-nichols/hurricane-hits-england/ TASK 5: How does Grace Nichols use imagery to convey meaning in Hurricane Hits England? Compare it to the use of imagery in Island Man. Use the grid on the next slide (Slide 19) to help you plan.
Point: In ‘Island Man’, Grace Nichols uses contrasting imagery to show the difference between life in the Caribbean and life in London.
Evidence: For example, she describes the “blue surf” and the “wild seabirds” of the Caribbean, as opposed to the “dull metallic roar” of London.
Explain: The imagery connected to the man’s hometown is very positive, whereas the London imagery is quite negative, reflecting his emotions and perhaps suggesting that he feels out of place in London.
Point: Similarly, in ‘Hurricane Hits England’, Nichols also uses contrasting imagery to convey meaning.
Evidence: For instance, she says “______.”
Explain: ______
______
______. Use this grid to help you with your comparison of the two poems.
Hurricane Hits England Island Man Similarities/differences
Meaning
What is it about?
Imagery
Are there any similes/metaphors, personification?
Language
Any alliteration, assonance, onomatopoeia? Noticeable words?
Effect
How does the poem make you feel?
Structure
What does it look like? Is there a rhyme scheme? Is it free-verse? Why? EXTENSION: Check out some of Grace Nichols’ other poems. Many can be found online (usually with an audio file or video link to one of her poetry recitals).
Praise Song for My Mother Cat-Rap To My Coral Bones
Hurricane Hits England The Price We Pay for Sun Sugar Cane
Brian Sleeping Out Cosmic Disco
Lady Winter’s Rap For Forest Like a Beacon
Try: https://poetryarchive.org/poet/grace-nichols https://childrens.poetryarchive.org/poet/grace-nichols/ https://www.poemhunter.com/grace-nichols/