A Far Cry From Africa
The poem manifests the struggle of the poet and anxiety caused due to his split identity. His ambivalent attitude towards the Kenyan terrorists and the white colonial government features the poetry. During the independence struggle of the country in 1950s, many innocent people were killed. The poet cannot sympathize with either of the parties because he feels that the cause of violence and bloodshed are the inhuman practices of both the parties. He has gained his English tongue and the power to write from the colonials and shares blood with the Africans who are being victimized by these colonials. He hence carries with himself the guilt which he is not able to overcome throughout. He proclaims his trouble using images like “scattered corpses” and “worm”. The poet feels that the “far cry” from African cannot be heard by the white colonial government and the poet cannot do anything about it as he is “poisoned with the blood of both”.
Midsummer
Derek Walcott brings out a beautiful picture of America in its hustle and bustle. He delineates the fence which is “American” and tries to separate the American things from non-American. Using several images, Walcott attempts to give an appraisal about this society where different types of people bend together as one. The coast, metal lights, engine are distinctly American and seem to have iterating American’s power over the world. The poem attempts to sketch the tragic situation of the immigrants who must have been struggling for a job in the new land. The poet links the idea of working in this bizarre land and suffering because to earn a living, these immigrants had to lose their identity “stitching stars in the sand”.
The Sea is History
The poem explicitly talks about various histories of humankind. He talks about the history of bloodshed and battles and interrogates where the monuments and tribal memory has gone. He brings out the image of the ship and imagines how Portuguese came to Africa using the sea and settled there. He then questions the Biblical events and their authenticity which were used and manipulated by the whites for their selfish enterprises. For the poet, the sea is the melting point of all the histories, written and unwritten.
Night in the Gardens of Port of Spain
Walcott’s ‘Night in the Gardens of Port of Spain’ has eight stanzas and is filled with lexical repetitions. The poet compares the night to a negro possibly because of the color. He describes the night as secretive and hot because of the commerce and tambourines present. The night is engaged in secretive sinister activities while the city is busy in its everyday activities. The poet concludes the poem with an image of a “coolie” which can be taken as a metaphor for death. The poet substantiates that the moment daylight breaks, the death turns its tumbrel and hides while the scandalous human beings with their bright faces continue to work in the daylight.
