In ‘Half Caste’ the poet is mocking the use of the word half caste as a derisive term. The first stanza is sarcastic and the message of the poem is how the short sightedness of which people view people of a mixed race is wrong and how they need to view ‘wid de whole of ya eye’ and not just half. It is trying to put across the message that because someone is half caste, do not think of them as half the person you are. The poet is suggesting that people who look at mixed race people as if they are second in society are the ones who are really ‘half caste’.
The use of Standard English in ‘Not My Business’ shows that the poet wants the world to hear about the injustice in his homeland, Nigeria. However, he does use words such as ‘yam’ which indicates his culture. He uses imagery and violent verbs to convey the overall message like ‘stuffed him down the belly of a waiting Jeep’. This personifies the Jeep and the effect created makes it seem more violent. When the poet puts in names like ‘Danladi’ it once again reflects his culture and makes the poem seem realistic which is good to get his message across.
The poet uses Non Standard English to reinforce his re-identity. The poet is from Gujana which is around South America. The use of imagery also helps reinforce this such as ‘black wid a white key is a half caste symphony’. This shows the reader that as Tchaikovsky created such whole, complete melodies that you need black and white to be whole, unless you are playing in the key of C major, which no one does because it is boring. He uses the term ‘ah rass’ which is an exclamation of disgust and that shows disgust towards the weather, England and its overall attitude to non Caucasian people.
In both of the poems the poets use the last stanza to convey the true meaning of the messages in their poem. Also, both these poems have a refrain which emphasises the poets’ points even more. In ‘Not My Business’ there is a sarcastic refrain. The poet said he did not care unless they took the ‘yam from my savouring mouth’ which is an indulgent but selfish term. In the refrain there is a question format which challenges the reader. The final refrain shows the need to protest against the injustice in the world, such as ‘Danladi …. off to a lengthy silence’. This enthusiasm makes you wonder, prison or death? Who knows? In ‘Half Caste’ the refrain is more challenging and the repetition of ‘ya’ makes the reader feel included and even guilty. The poem addresses the reader throughout the poem with personal pronouns. The end emphasises the error of the ‘half’ aspect of half caste and the importance of identity based on something whole. It’s not your skin colour that makes you ‘ya’, it is the person underneath and the poet thinks you should not judge a book by its cover.
Daniel Broad, 11 CO
