Island Man ISLAND MAN for a Caribbean island

Island Man ISLAND MAN (for a Caribbean island man in London who still wakes up to the sound of the sea) Morning and island man wakes up to the sound of blue surf in his head the steady breaking and wombing wild seabirds and fishermen pushing out to sea the sun surfacing defiantly from the east of his small emerald island he always comes back groggily Comes back to sands of a grey metallic soar to surge of wheels to dull North Circular roar muffling his crumpled pillow waves island man heaves himself Another London day Grace Nichols

muffling his crumpled pillow waves island man heaves himself Another London day Grace Nichols wild seabirds and fishermen pushing out to sea the sun surfacing defiantly from the east of his small emerald island he always comes back groggily Comes back to sands of a grey metallic soar to surge of wheels to dull North Circular roar Morning and island man wakes up to the sound of blue surf in his head the steady breaking and wombing (for a Caribbean island man in London who still wakes up to the sound of the sea) Island Man The shape of the poem looks like the skyline of a city.

Island Man (for a Caribbean island man in London who still wakes up to the sound of the sea) Caribbean Dream ? London Reality ? Morning and island man wakes up to the sound of blue surf in his head the steady breaking and wombing wild seabirds and fishermen pushing out to sea the sun surfacing defiantly from the east of his small emerald island he always comes back groggily Comes back to sands of a grey metallic soar to surge of wheels to dull North Circular roar muffling his crumpled pillow waves island man heaves himself Another London day Grace Nichols The poem is split into two parts. They are split by the line “groggily”. The first part is about the Caribbean and the Island Man’s dream. The second part is about his life in London, it is reality.

Th em be an h d ab rea en as ou m t h ing i Ca n t is li rib he fe be an. Morning and island man wakes up to the sound of blue surf in his head the steady breaking and wombing Wombing is a word associated with motherhood. He feels like a belongs in the Caribbean.

Nichols uses very natural images to describe the island. wild seabirds and fishermen pushing out to sea the sun surfacing defiantly from the east of his small emerald island he always comes back groggily The word “emerald” suggests that the island is precious. It is very important to the island man.

he always comes back groggily The line “groggily” is set off to one side. This suggests that the man is waking up and moving from one location to another.

London is described as “grey”. This suggests it is dull and contrasts the island which is described as “blue” and “emerald”. ds to r wo ture s se na ty. u ls with e ci o ch ed th i N iat ibe oc scr s as de Comes back to sands of a grey metallic soar to surge of wheels to dull North Circular roar

The word “heaves” suggests that the man is finding it difficult to get out of bed. muffling his crumpled pillow waves island man heaves himself Another London day The last line of the poem is on its own. This suggests that the island man feels isolated in London. The capital letters show the formality of London compared to the Caribbean. The word “another” shows his life his repetitive and boring.