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Topic outline
The Power of Poetry
Sticks and Stones
by Ashley BrathwaiteI see her in class, she avoids me
An old repetitive game of hide and seek
Only it’s played over, a movie, déjà vu
The sad life of my old man and I in view
He hits me at home so I hit the dumb heifa
“Ya neva gine be important, neva!”
I echo his words to her at school ‘cause of the pain
I rerun my father’s acts that are so inhumane
I fear home while she fears school
Taunting her with my father’s phrase “igrant fool”
The heavy toxin makes him cruel and mad
So I want to be feared, like I am, of my dad
Woe to the man who uttered “sticks and stones”
My words hurt her like his whip on my bones
Preying like a wolf on a vulnerable sheep
Scarring and cutting her so brutal and deep
I learn on Sundays fear no man but Him
But still I fear him when he bruises my skin
He shouts “Spare de rod, spoil de chile”
It’s how he reasons his behavior should be wild
School is my haven while my victim dreads it
It’s a never ending cycle, a tit for tat, tat for tit
So when I go home & hear “I gine give you a slap”
I will go school tomorrow and tease that girl who is fat[1]
What is the situation in the poem?
The situation in any poem is the context of the poem OR what the poem is reallabout. To get a better understanding what a poem is about, you may have to read it about 2-3 times. In my introduction, we said this poem is dealing with bullying but what is really happening in the poem?
[2]
In what state of mind is the father in the poem? Give evidence to support your answer?[3]
Identify TWO phrases/expressions which identify the attitude of the persona towards his/her victim.
