Island Man Grace Nichols Why is this in

Island Man Grace Nichols

Why is this in the present tense? Morning and island man wakes up Which technique is used to the sound of blue surf here and why? in his head the steady breaking and wombing What is she describing here? What does the image `wombing’ suggest?

What sort of place is the island? Wild seabirds And fishermen pushing out to sea The sun surfacing defiantly What does the personification`defiantly’ suggest about the sun? Why then are `s’ sounds repeated in the alliteration?

The poet uses a metaphor to describe the island. What does `emerald’ suggest about what it looks like, and the man’s feelings about it? from the east of his small emerald island he always comes back groggily Why do you think there is a big gap here?

Another metaphor, as there are no sands in London. What do you think the poet means? Comes back to sands of a grey metallic soar to surge of wheels to dull North circular roar What do the words `dull’ and `grey’ suggest about London? Do they contrast with anything else in the poem? What does this onomatopoeic word tell us about the noise?

What is the island man’s mood here? What is he doing? muffling his crumpled pillow waves island man heaves himself Another London day. What is the man’s mood at the end of the poem? What is the pillow being compared to in this metaphor? What does this tell us about his feelings about getting up for work in London?

• How do you think the island man feels about where he came from, and his new life in London? Use point, evidence, explain in your answer.