soti

• 1. poem is allegory for Troubles in Ireland and shows how Irish people were oppressed by British government
• 2. impact of colonialism

  • "we build our houses squat"
  • "there are no stacks [...] nor are there trees"
• 3. nature is made to be powerful to represent British colonialism

  • semantic field of war - "pummels" "exploding"
  • "spits like a tame cat turned savage"
  • one continuous stanza with no rhyme scheme
• 4. end of poem shows troubles felt by Irish

  • "we are bombarded by the empty air"
  • "strange, it is a huge nothing that we fear"
• • semantic field of war shows living with nature is like a battle
  • compares British colonialism to force of nature
  • shows how superiority of British which irish never stood change against
• "we are bombarded by the empty air"

  • "bombarded by the empty air" shows anticipation felt by Irish for next trouble to happen
• "strange it is a huge nothing that we fear"

  • "it is a huge nothing that we fear" shows sarcastic tone - British presents themselves as peacekeepers but are feared by Irish