Themes for each poem (2018-2023)
An African Thunderstorm- David Rubadiri
Nature, Doom, Experiences, Africa, Destruction, Fear, People, Children, Man vs Nature
Once Upon a Time- Gabriel Okara
Hypocrisy, Dreams, Wishes, People, Changes (people and the world), Maturity, Adaptation, Childishness, Innocence, Appearance vs Reality, Childhood, Western Values, Regret, Purity, Deceit, Wishing for Life to be Different (14 may 2008), Duplicity of Modern Man, Life and Its Experiences, Interpersonal Relationships
Birdshooting Season- Olive Senior
Experiences, Manliness, Gender Roles, Aspirations, Identity, Childhood,
West Indies, U.S.A.- Stewart Brown
Appearance vs Reality, Places, Experiences, Discrimination, Prejudice, Culture, Oppression, Economic Dualism, Expectations, Poverty, Affluence, Imperialism, Contrast (Culture)
Sonnet Composed Upon Westminster Bridge- William Wordsworth
Nature, Appreciation/Admiration (of Nature), Peacefulness, Places, Experiences, Wonder
Orchids- Hazel Simmons-McDonald
Nature, Death, Survival, Resilience, Desires, Self-Discovery, Identity, Internal Conflict, Beauty
The Woman Speaks to the Man who has Employed Her Son- Lorna Goodison
Motherhood, Hope, Dreams, Death, Sadness, Poverty, Crime, Gun Culture, Paternal Truism, Expectations, Mother’s Love, Experience, Treatment of Women, Violence
It is the Constant Image of your Face- Dennis Brutus
Love, Patriotism, Internal Conflict, Hopes, Desires, Divided Loyalties, Romantic vs Patriotic Love, Relationships
God’s Grandeur- Gerard Manley Hopkins
Admiration, The Glory of God/Religion, Nature, Man vs Nature, Tarnishing Nature, The Regenerative Quality of Nature
A Stone’s Throw- Elma Mitchell
Hypocrisy, Treatment of Women, Women, Extrajudicial Punishment, Religion and Gender, Feigned Morality, Violence, Abuse of Power
Test Match Sabina Park- Stewart Brown
Race, Ethnocentrism, Racial Pride, White Privilege, Sports, Contrast (Language and Culture)
Theme for English B- Langston Hughes
Race, Alienation, American Values, Culture, Truth, Identity (and Race), Introspection, Life
Dreaming Black Boy- James Berry
Race, Wishes/Hopes/Desires/Dreams/Aspiration, Unfulfilled Dreams, Wishing for Life to be Different (14 may 2008), Oppression, Discrimination, Suffering, Life, Fear
My Parents- Stephen Spender
Parent-Child Relationships, Class Disparity, Bullying/Oppression, Love of Parents, Fear, Freedom, Wishes, Forgiveness, Childhood Experience
Dulce et Decorum Est- Wilfred Owen
War, Suffering, Expectation vs Reality, Criticism, Lies, Propaganda, Patriotism/Nationalism, Trauma, Death
This is the Dark Time, My Love- Martin Carter
Oppression, War, Suffering, Fear, Pessimism, Injustice, Military Oppression, Colonialism, Death, Cruelty, Pain, People, Conflict,
Ol’Higue- Mark McWatt
Myths, Supernatural Phenomena (they allow explanations for inexplicable events and allow humans to blame mythological creatures for the world’s faults)
Mirror- Sylvia Plath
Senescence/Aging, Youth, Womanhood, Transient Nature of Youth, Life, Truth, Time, Appearance vs Reality, Self-Perception
South- Kamau Brathwaite
Social Unrest, Migration, Longing for Home/Homesickness, Idealization of Childhood, Nature, Life, Experiences, Patriotism, Dreams, Nostalgia
Little Boy Crying- Mervyn Morris
Parent-Child Relationships, Discipline, Childhood Experiences, Sadness, Anger, Appearance vs Reality, Sadness/Remorse, Love, Youth and Innocence, Vulnerability, Parenting