Anyone in their late twenties - early thirties study in England? Then you must know the prestigious anthology we all had to read in English class.. I think my worst days are now associated with some of the greatest writers in history thanks to the way those lessons were designed. Now whenever I hear John Agard's name I cringe with shitty English lesson memories...
Anyway the only reason why I am writing this is because I recently came across my old text book from school and decided to have a look at it, after vigorously laughing at my own annotations which was scribbled all over every poem there was in the anthology, I decided to find my favourite... Half-caste by John Agard!
(image from google search)
Excuse me
Standing on one leg
I'm half-caste
Explain yuself
Wha yu mean
When yu say half-caste
Yu mean when picasso
Mix red an green
Is a half-caste canvas?
Explain yuself
Wha u mean
When yu say half-caste
Yu mean when light an shadow
Mix in de sky
Is a half-caste weather??
Well in dat case
England weather
Nearly always half-caste
In fact some o dem cloud
Half-caste till dem overcast
So spiteful dem dont want de sun pass
Ah rass
Explain yuself
Wha yu mean
When yu say half-caste?
Yu mean tchaikovsky
Sit down at dah piano
An mix a black key
Wid a white key
Is a half-caste symphony?
Explain yuself
Wha yu mean
Ah listening to yu wid de keen
Half of mih ear
Ah looking at u wid de keen
Half of mih eye
And when I'm introduced to yu
I'm sure you'll understand
Why I offer yu half-a-hand
An when I sleep at night
I close half-a-eye
Consequently when I dream
I dream half-a-dream
An when moon begin to glow
I half-caste human being
Cast half-a-shadow
But yu come back tomorrow
Wid de whole of yu eye
An de whole of yu ear
And de whole of yu mind
An I will tell yu
De other half
Of my story
In school I really couldn't appreciate writing as much, but now when I look at this poem I no longer see words static on a page but emotions entangled in his mix of identity, what a wonderful poem I sighed after reading it 16 years later.