C.R.A.W.N.PC DW.AR.
CC
Theme- colonization and the colonized C
1. An African Thunderstorm -David Rubadiri
2. This is the Dark Time, My Love - Martin Carter
Theme- Racism R
3. Dreaming Black Boy- Langston Hughes
4. Test Match Sabina Park - Stewart Brown
Theme- Aging and Women A
5. Ol’Higue - Mark McWatt
6. Mirror - Sylvia Plath
Theme- Women in Society W
7. The Woman Speaks to the Man who has Employed Her Son- Lorna
Goodison
8. A Stone’s Throw- Elma Mitchell
Theme- Appreciation of Nature N
9. West Indies, U.S.A. -Stewart Brown
10. Sonnet Composed Upon Westminister Bridge -William Wordsworth
11. South- Kamau Brathwaite
12. Landscape Painter, Jamaica - Vivian Virtue
Theme- Children and Parenting PC
13. Little Boy Crying -Mervyn Morris
14. My Parents- Stephen Spender
Theme- War and Death DW
15. Death be Not Proud - John Donne
16. Dulce et Decorum Est - Wilfred Owen
Theme- Appearance versus Reality AR
17. Once Upon a Time -Gabriel Okara
18. A Lesson for this Sunday - Derek Walcott
Theme- Culture and Appreciation of a Place/ Country CC
19. Birdshooting Season -Olive Senior
20. It is the Constant Image of your Face - Dennis Brutus
Theme Poem 1 Poem 2 Poem 3
Racism Dreaming Black Test Match Sabina Park
Boy
Colonialism An African This is the Dark Time My
Thunderstorm Love
Nature/Environment Landscape Painter, Sonnet Composed Upon South
Jamaica Westminster Bridge
War Dulce Est Decorum This the Dark Time My
Love
Ageing of Women Mirror Ol’ Higue
Women in Society A Stone’s Throw The Woman Who Speaks
to the Man who has
Employed
Appearance versus Once Upon a Time A Lesson for this Sunday
Reality
Death and Dying Death Be Not Proud Ol’ Higue
Guilt It’s the Constant L
Image of Your Face
Childhood My Parents Little Boy Crying
Experiences
Culture Bird Shooting It’s The Constant Image of
Season your Face
Racism- Racism is one of the most dehumanizing attitudes of certain people in society.
Colonialism- Colonialism has stripped colonized people of their self-worth and dignity.
Nature- Nature has been a source of beauty and comfort to mankind.
Death- Even though death is a natural part life’s process, people have challenges
accepting death.
Childhood experiences- The view of the world through the eyes of innocent children
differ from adults’ view of the world.
War – War leads to mass loss of valuable human life.
Culture- Culture is one of the most precious aspects of human life.
Women in society- Women are valuable people in society who are often treated less than
valuable.
POETRY Essay format
Quote- Racism- Martin Luther King - “We must see now that the evils of racism.”
Paragraph 1- introduction- a) quote b) naming the two poems and their poets c) making
a statement on the theme that runs through both poems. d) Making a statement on the
literary devices used in each of the two poems.
Paragraph 2- Firstly, the summary of one poem
Paragraph 3 – Secondly, summary of the next same theme poem
Paragraph 4- Thirdly, discussion on the theme related to one poem
Paragraph 5- Fourthly, discussion on the theme related to the other poem
Paragraph 6- Fifthly, discussion on the literary devices related to the first poem
Paragraph 7 – In addition, discussion on the literary devices related to the second poem
Paragraph 8- In conclusion- naming the two poems, making a statement on the theme
that runs through both stories. Making a statement on the literary devices used in each of
the two poems.
Poetry essay - Example
Discuss the situation that occurs in TWO poems that deal with women in society. For
each poem
a) Briefly outline the situation in each of the two poems. (8)
b) Discuss the theme that runs through both poems. (8)
c) Using quotations from the poems, discuss two literary devices for each poem, that
bring out the above theme. (9)
Essay format
Paragraph 1- introduction- quote, naming the two poems and their poets, making a
statement on the theme that runs through both poems. Making a statement on the
literary devices used in each of the two poems.
Paragraph 1- introduction
Research a quote on the role or power of women in society.
The poems, “The Woman Speaks to the Man who has Employed her Son,” by Lorna
Goodison and “A Stone’s Throw,” by Elma Mitchell are both poems that examine the
treatment of women in society. Lorna Goodison uses a simile and Biblical allusion to bring
out her message. Elma Mitchell uses Biblical allusion and irony to highlight the treatment
of women in society.
Paragraph 2- firstly, the summary of one poem
Firstly, the woman was first made aware of her pregnancy with her son when she began
to experience morning sickness. She was sensitive due to the pregnancy hormone and she
felt like vomiting. The child was very dear to her. She carried him to the full pregnancy
term.
She carried the boy so close to her heart with great hope that he would make a difference
to her life. She was both his mother and his father. The man who got her pregnant treated
all his children with equality. He accepted responsibility for none of them. He cared for
none of them.
The women raised her son with both mother and father’s love. She set no limit on what
dream he could pursue for his career. He could choose whatever he wanted. He could be
a doctor or pilot. But now, the son tells her that the man values him son so much that he
has given him a whole submachine gun for himself.
She asks her son, what kind of father would give a son, hot exploding death when he asks
for a chance to earn a living. She went downtown and bought herself a black hat and veil
in preparation for the result that can be expected from this lifestyle: death.
All she can do is pray and kneel in prayers. She cries and prays for her son. Her tears
cover her son. She is comparing herself with Judas’s mother. Just as Judas’ mother had a
son who betrayed Jesus, the woman also has a son who is betraying his mother’s dreams.
Even though she is mother and father, she is expecting the worst due to her son’s job. She
has come to accept the situation. In a way she “accepted” peace with the result. She also
feels betrayed by her son at the same time.
Paragraph 3 – secondly, summary of the next same theme poem
Secondly, a group of men were shouting that they got hold of this lady. They had caught
hold of this lady. The poem is alluding to Mary Magdalene of the Bible. The lady
appeared decent looking. She was scared and they had roughed her up. They commented
that this was not the first time that she had felt men’s hands on her body. In fact, she
seemed used to it. They seemed to imply that she was a prostitute. They noted that their
touches were different. They were holy men. Even if these apparently spiritual men
touched and damaged her or took advantage of her, they had the right to do so. This was
part of justice.
Then suddenly a person of God, a representative came and wrote on the sand a Biblical
quote, that he who is without sin, cast the first stone. The men of God who were not
true representatives of God- they walked away with their stones in their hands. They
hoped that they would use them another day in the future.
Paragraph 4- thirdly, discussion on the theme related to the poem
Thirdly, the theme that is examined is
Paragraph 5- fourthly, discussion on the theme related to the poem
Fourthly, the theme that is examined is
Paragraph 6- fifthly, discussion on the literary devices related to the first poem
Fifthly, the literary devices related to the poem, …. are
Paragraph 7 – in addition, discussion on the literary devices related to the second
poem
Sixthly, the literary devices related to the poem, …. are
Paragraph 8- conclusion- naming the two poems, making a statement on the theme that
runs
In conclusion,
The poems, “The Woman Speaks to the Man who has Employed her Son,” by Lorna
Goodison and “A Stone’s Throw,” by Elma Mitchell are both poems that examine the
treatment of women in society. Lorna Goodison uses a simile and Biblical allusion to bring
out her message. Elma Mitchell uses Biblical allusion and irony to highlight the treatment
of women in society.
