Assignment #3

[Dr. Raymond Oenbring]

English 120 (Oenbring)

Reading (and Writing) Assignment #3

There are two options for this assignment:

1) Perform a close reading of one of the poems in the course reading packet or in Tamarind. Try to keep your close reading focused on one particular aspect of the poem. Please use at least three of the concepts (e.g., intertextuality) in the close reading handout or the linguistic devices (e.g., metonymy, anaphora) in the course reading packet.

2) Write some of your own poetry on the topic of Bahamian identity.

Length: approximately 300 words
Due date: Tuesday, Oct 20 at 10 pm

Post this to the message board.
;D

[majesty115]

Junkanoo For Me Too
by Livalia Stuart

Left Africa for the new world
To labor and never be free
An equal individual I would never be
Master say go out into the streets and blow off steam
This one day to vent my frustration
Cannot replace emancipation
A new day has dawned
Or so it seems
Afrocentric Bahamians still rush out into the streets
To make rhythmic sounds
Master has a new face
Government to take his place
Haves enjoy premium seats
Nots watch on TV
Caters to those who possess Benjamins
Majority only see Washingtons
Yearn to experience my cultural identity
Wish to be apart not home looking in
Change come when finances improve
Then Junkanoo would be for me too

[Anjozel Rahming]

Anjozel Rahming
English 120 – 02
Close Reading of Bahamian Poem
“Me and My Natty Knots Gone”

In the poem “Me and My Natty Knots Gone,” the poet Delancey expresses a tone of pride and a deep sense of vanity is portrayed throughout the entire poem. “Mr. Man snap your lens my way.” The word “lens” has a dual meaning referring to both the attention and the camera lens of the photographer. The metaphor of the camera can also be seen as the attention of the photographer this is an example of a connotation.
“Don’t waste your film on da birds and trees,
Capture this creature,” Perfect use of dialect is used in the ninth and tenth line of the one stanza poem. The word “da” is used to replace the proper term “the.” The use of dialect gives insight into the character; it brings forth understanding of the character’s vulnerability. Dialect is used in the simile “I can sway in da breeze just like them.” Delancey refers to the movements of trees; her use of imagery tends to describe nature. She compares herself to “dat flower” that has no “moves” on her. However, the comparison may be a metaphor used to compare her not to a “flower” but, another woman seen as a threat.

[micheala]

Election Time Again
By Micheala Taylor





Election Time Again!
Flags waving, pom poms shaking
People drunk, off dem rum
dem going crazy, but dey is
FNM, PLP
Child aint none a dem fa me

Music blasting, party pomping
People dancing ,children prancing
Big plate a food wit
peas n rice, chicken, marcaroni and cole slaw
Bar always open serving them huge cup a gin
making people head spin

Election time near
People cheering everywhere
Still bigging up there party
Horns blowing, as the people scream
" AIN'T LONG NAH"

Election day here
People gearing up everywhere
Poles open, ballets waiting to be marked
Finally time to vote
"AIN'T NO TURING BACK"
It's all over, everything dead
Only one thing left to hear!
Who would win the big position?
FNM or PLP!

Child it don't matter to me
Well let me tell you one thing
Weather it's FNM or PLP
I still gat my freedom of speech!
Election time again!

[tsuki]

Joanne Turnquest
LightSkinned ID (for the South)
By Christian Campbell

“Lightskinned ID” is a poem that speaks on the effects and addiction, that Campbell has with “bleaching”. She uses beautiful language constantly throughout the poem. Yet, her most notable of all, would most likely be her use of various analogies and repeated euphemism and hyperboles.
Campbell through the use of a simile shows us the effects of bleaching. She states; “the veins branch out like green pipes. This speaks of the near surface veins found on the feet and hands. The mutation of skin color, normally makes them even more noticeable. Christian Campbell further describes herself, using metaphors. She writes: “I’m a peanut-butter oreo”; “an apple dipped in molasses”. This is her attempt I believe, to justify her slightly problematic habit. She claims that she was always “lightskinned”, until after the age of six. The apple implies her color at the age of six, whilst the molasses denotes the darkening of her skin by the merciless sun.
Additionally, the anaphora of euphemisms and hyperboles, both play a tremendous role in the beauty of this poem. An example of euphemism can be found in the first stanza when she states, “…sun and chlorine kissed the night into my skin”. This could have just as easily been written as “the sun and chlorine made be darker”. It simply describes the process that lead to her metamorphosis. However, Campbell through the use of euphemisms makes the language beautifully interesting. It makes the process appear elegant when read. She continues her euphemisms later on when she states: “Ambi my skin to blossom peach all over”; “to Hollywood on an undersong of cream.” The use of euphemism in the latter disguises the truth of her success. The reason she eventually arrives to Hollywood status, is because of her cream’s lightening powers of transformation.
Christian Campbell’s use of hyperboles contributes greatly to the beautiful language displayed in the poem as well. She states: “My id is colorstruck with itself”; “black ants dying in an orgy of honey.” In both instances, Campbell illustrates her obsession with erasing her skin pigments. She compares that obsession to ants dying because they over indulged in honey. It seems as though she is clearly aware of the dangers of bleaching; yet, she longs to fulfill the desires of her flesh to maintain her success. Campbell is deeply infatuated, yet bound by a serial killer.

[chart]

TITLE: EXCUSE ME

Bahamian woman
cracked heel
dark skin
extra fleshy
no too thin

Loud too
hard hair
and dirty shoe

dats no longer true

Excuse me

Bright skin
bleaching cream
long nails
weave galore

I am da new Bahamian woman

Excuse me

I am Bahamian petite figure
slim waist
pointed chin
on my oval face

Excuse ME!
I am Bahamian
wat you looking at me for