How do the poets of 'Night of the Scorpion' and 'hurricane hits England' show the responses of people in different cultures to the disasters the two poems focus on

Both poems don't see these disasters as being actual tragedies. With the cultures that they have been brought up in, it is just merely a thing which happens regularly so the poems do not hold an element of surprise. Grace Nichols refers the raging wind to be 'Fearful and Reassuring.' the quote 'Come to let me know That the earth is the earth is the earth' in the last verse, shows that Nichols knows that it is an every day tragedy which nobody could possibly prevent. Likewise, Ezekial does not see the scorpion as a villain. He says that 'Ten hours of steady rain had driven him to crawl beneath a sack of rice.' The scorpion probably didn't intentionally sting the poets mother, but instead it was more of a warning to her as she approached its hiding place. The scorpion was most probably confused and felt scared at all the people rushing in overpowering it so 'he risked the rain again.'

Although I have mentioned a fair few similarity's, there are also many differences. The first, very obviously being where the poems were set. The responses to how the people would act in these poems would of course be extremely different as the culture of the two are almost the opposite. 'Hurricane Hits England' is obviously set in England, whereas 'Night of the Scorpion' was in India where scorpions would commonly be. Nichols just takes it in her stride that the hurricane is happening juxtaposed to Ezekiel who watches as people are pouring through the door in a mad rush to help his mother.

Both poets use extremely descriptive language to get their message across. For example 'trees Falling as heavy as whales' is effective because the huge trees become like whales when the torrential rain that accompanies a hurricane makes the land become almost like a sea.

Ezekiel used a smile comparing villagers to 'swarms of flies.' it is striking that he uses an insect to describe the people's reactions to an invertebrate's sting. He develops the simile in the following line 'they buzzed the name of God.' There is also a contrast between the neighbours 'peace of understanding' and the mother who 'twisted through and through, groaning on a mat,' It is ironic that they are at peace because of her discomfort.

The exclamations towards the end also help us to understand how the woman is feeling and contribute to the tone of the poem. She becomes excited, even ecstatic, at the power of the storm and the thoughts that it rouses her. Ezekiel uses different ways to show how it sounds. There is alliteration throughout the poem which helps to link or emphasise ideas. The scorpion is seen 'parting with his poison,' and his father tries 'herb and hybrid.' Ezekiel also sees 'flame feeding' on his mother.

In both of the poems, much of the meaning of them are conveyed by the attitude it expresses toward its subject matter. It can be though as a combination of the poets tone of voice and the ideas they are trying to get across to the reader.

In conclusion I think that the poets show responses of people in different cultures to the disasters the two poems focus on in many different ways and the two have lots of differences and similarity's in this sense. In a way, both poems end up happy as Grace Nichols shows she is just happy the way the earth is and tries to look at the good points of these disasters. 'Night of the Scorpion' also ends on a happy note, as although his mother was stung, and possibly killed by the scorpion, she was grateful that she was the chosen one, not one of her children. I think that both poems are trying to teach a lesson to be thankful for what you have got and focus on what is going right for you, not what went wrong!

By Rebecca Cheetham