‘Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan’ by Moniza Alvi, and ‘Search for my Tongue’ by Sujata Bhatt

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Comparing Poems

I have decided to compare in detail 'Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan' by Moniza Alvi, and 'Search for my Tongue' by Sujata Bhatt, because these are the two poems that I find most interesting.

I shall begin by discussing them individually in some (hopefully not too much) detail.

'Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan' is a very cultural poem, focusing on the differences between Pakistani and English cultures. Generally, Pakistani culture is seen as more lavish than that of England, and this poem expresses that in the type or clothing worn by each culture. Pakistani clothing is described as lovely, clearly shown in line 18-19 "I could never be as lovely as these clothes". Alvi, describing the elaborate clothing worn by Pakistani women, goes on to say "I couldn't rise out of its fire, half English" (Line 24-25). The poet also says, "I longed for denim and corduroy". She is saying that she feels more comfortable in the simple clothes worn by English women, and doesn't think she could live up to the Pakistani clothing. The clothing in this poem is used as a metaphor for the cultures of our two nations, and so she is in fact saying that she feels more comfortable in England that in Pakistan, but Pakistani culture is more elegant and beautiful than that of England. The story in the poem is that a girl is taken from Pakistan to England when she is very young, and only remembers a few images of her home.
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The poet structured the poem in stanzas of irregular lengths, with each describing a different aspect of the cultures, or the story that the poet is telling. This seems to show a seriousness to the words in the poem, since other things have been deliberately left out.

The poem uses imagery well describing cultures/clothing, using phrases like "glistening like an orange split open" (line 4). This allows of the poem to be assimilated in more depth by the reader, and also makes it more effective at 'getting the message across'.

'Search for my Tongue' is ...

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