Post-colonial literature: "A far cry from Africa" by Derek Walcott.

Walcott describes himself as "poisoned with the blood of both" and asks hopelessly, "Where shall I turn, divided to the vein?" The trauma and bloodshed of the independence struggle presents him with an impossible choice between two versions of self-betrayal. "How can I face such slaughter and be cool? / How can I turn from Africa and live?" Walcott points out that individuals such as himself find themselves asked to choose between incompatible cultures, or spread amongst multiple cultures so they cannot lay claim to a singular, unmixed identity.

The fact that Walcott is of mixed race is advantageous by the fact that he is able to contemplate the faults of each culture without reverting to the bias created by attention to moral considerations. Walcott portrays the African Kikuyu in a negative light: "flies/Batten upon the bloodstream of the veldt". Here Walcott is likening the Kikuyu to savages who abuse their countries fertile resources, insinuating that the arrival of the British appears beneficial not only to the inhabitants, but also to the suffering land. However, Walcott contrasts this image of the British as liberators by giving an unfavourable description of them in the subsequent lines: "The worm, colonial of carrion, cries:/'Waste no compassion on these separate dead!'". Here Walcott likens the British to worms, animals which are at the bottom of the food chain. The brutality the British show towards their captives parallels the agricultural and technological ignorance of the Africans.

With regard to his own feelings Walcott, remains silent and instead focuses on the failings of each culture. He depicts the pointlessness of an experiential comparison of the two cultures: "The gorilla wrestles with the superman". The Africans here being given a primitive, natural strength, and the British, portrayed as an artificially enhanced power, remain equal in the contest for control over Africa and its people.

In the final stanza Walcott further complicates his search for a pure identity though this time he does it in a more positive way. He questions, "How choose/between this Africa and the English tongue I love?" In these more positive lines Walcott identifies the aspects of each culture that he admires. He prefers the African terrain and way of life, and favours the English language and literary tradition.

Both of theses two cultures hold various attractions for Walcott and the tension which this causes for Walcott increases as the poem continues. The final lines of the poem show that Walcott has by no means found an answer to solve his dilemma: "How can I face such slaughter and be cool?/How can I turn from Africa and live?" . Walcott feels burdened with guilt by his split loyalties. He wishes to adopt the "civilized" culture of the British, but cannot substantiate their abuse of the Africans. The fact that Walcott cannot resolve the inconsistency of his mixed races is revealed by the dismay he shows throughout the poem.

Richard Stephens 28/04/2007