P&C Poetry

"A healing star among the wounded, a yellow sunrise to the dying."

Quote Explosion

COMPARE

'Checking Out Me History' and 'Kamikaze' both deal with cultural identity. In 'COMH' it is the lack of cultural identity that causes conflict for our poet, who has been deprived of their culture in education. Whereas in 'Kamikaze', the cultural identity is the cause of conflict. The soldier goes against his culture and chooses to live, and loses honour as a result.

CONTEXT

Checking Out Me History - Power & Conflict

Mary Seacole was a British Jamaican nurse, who was a prominent figure in nursing during the Crimean War at the same time as Florence Nightingale. The poet is bringing light to black people who achieve the same as white but aren't given the attention they deserve.

STRUCTURE

ZOOM

METHODS

The poem has a split structure. The tone shifts from being bitter and satirical when referencing the knowledge he's exposed to in school, to inspirational and awe struck when telling the tales of historical black figures who have earned our praise. This is furthered through the use of italics when speaking about black history; the reader can physically see the differences in tone on the page.

The colour yellow has connotations of optimism, and the adjective "healing" suggests a caring nature. Having these positive qualities when tending to the dying validates Seacole's work, and her good nature.

John Agard spotlights the historic accomplishments of black people with the metaphor "a yellow sunrise to the dying." Sunrises are associated with new beginnings, this indicates she was the chance at another day for the sick and dying.