checking out me history

• The poem looks through the voice and experiences of the poet at our understanding of

  identity through history.
•  We look at how history is taught and the conflict between fact

  and truths which is sometimes obscured by race or gender.
• The poem gives examples of powerful black figures from history, often involved in

  conflicts themselves in one way or another.
• Noticeably the poet emphasises how we often celebrate our national or cultural

  history, without looking at the history and culture of those we were in conflict with.
• Racial identity and history are important to the poem and the poet writes with a phonetic style to capture their voice and create tone

  emphasising his Caribbean origins
•  Conflict occurs when we see the contrast with what we are taught and what we are not, the nature of the

  characters and history involved being ‘conflict’ and the conflict of the victor (whom we remember) and those we don't.
•  The poet is also at

  conflict with ‘dem’ or with fact and fiction to emphasise the conflict in his own identity.
• Written in irregular rhyme and with short mixed enjambment in verses the work creates the tone of a man speaking out and angry/

  annoyed
•  It also however captures the accent and rhythm of the Caribbean ethnicity of the poet and the parts of the work in italic are

  almost song like with a rhythm that seems to suggest stories passed down in song or to a beat. 
• This is done to emphasise that not just the history, but the way it is passed on is very much a part of the poets identity and draws on his own Caribbean background, at conflict with the repetitive names and dates he was apparently being taught at English schools.
• -The poet shows the conflict between cultures and the need

  to forge his own identity by embracing his Caribbean

  heritage, even if it is not encouraged by authority.
• The poet looks, not just at his own ethnicity, but all those

  groups who are overlooked in favour of the ‘white British’

  contemporaries. Highlighting the conflict in these ‘false’

  history.
• -The poet uses structure to build in rhyme and rhythm and

  portray an oral tradition of stories.
• "dem tell me/ dem tell me"

  -phoenitcally- embracing culture, or refusing to become stereotypically British

  -repetition: frustration with constant ignorance

  -verb "tell", shows how he is made to sit in classroom and learn

  -lack of control

  -personal pronoun "me" juxtaposes "dem", he feels isolated and separated- racism

  -plural vs singular, sympathy
• "Bandage up me eye with me own history

  Blind me to me own identity"

  • metaphor- "bandage", "blind", hiding from society
  • hyperbole, shows great extent this happens, accusatory tone
  • plosive alliteration- determination for control
• "mountain dream/ fire-woman struggle/ hopeful stream/ to freedom river"

  -nature imagery to show power, mountains and fire are dominating

  -"river" is strong and forceful, like "Nanny"

  -long stanza, shows determination and love for black history, and how much history there is, short lines, mirrors his frustrations of how it has been dismissed by government