Checkin out me history - John Agard

• What is Agard talking about in this poem ?

  • He criticises the Eurocentric history he was taught.
  • He explores how Black historical figures were omitted or ignored.
  • He reclaims his identity by celebrating Black heroes and questioning the authority of colonial education.
• Key terms in the poem?

  • Power and Oppression (especially cultural control through education)
  • Identity and self-expression
  • Conflict between personal history and imposed history
  • Colonialism and resistance
  • History and Memory
• KEY QUOTATIONS
• “Dem tell me / Dem tell me / Wha dem want to tell me”

  • Repetition shows frustration with biased history.
• “Bandage up me eye with me own history / Blind me to me own identity”

  • Metaphor for being deliberately kept ignorant and defyant
• “But now I checking out me own history / I carving out me identity”

  • Assertion of self-discovery and reclaiming power.
• “Dem tell me bout 1066 and all dat”


  • Dismissive tone shows irrelevance of taught history to his identity.
• “Nanny / see-far woman / of mountain dream / fire-woman struggle / hopeful stream”

  • Celebrates powerful female Black figure with lyrical imagery.
• Context about the poet

  • John Agard was born in Guyana (Caribbean) and moved to Britain in the 1970s.
  • The poem reflects postcolonial themes and challenges the Eurocentric curriculum taught in British schools.
  • Part of a wider movement to recognise Black identity and history.
• Structure of the poem

  • Free verse and irregular rhyme reflect rebellion against rigid, imposed structures.
  • Use of non-standard English (Creole dialect) asserts identity.
  • Alternates between factual British history and lyrical, vivid accounts of Black heroes.
• LINKING POEMS
• "London" by William Blake

  • Theme: Oppression and control by institutions
  • Both criticise authority and its impact on people's lives.
• "The Emigrée" by Carol Rumens

  • Theme: Identity, memory, and conflict with dominant powers
  • Both deal with the tension between personal truth and political narratives.
• "Kamikaze" by Beatrice Garland

  • Theme: Cultural expectations vs personal choice
  • Both show individuals defying cultural norms to assert identity.