CONTEXT:

Born in London, but traveled widely in Russia and Eastern Europe.
Rumens bases many ideas on modern examples of emigration from countries such as the ones she's traveled to (Russia), where people are fleeing corruption and the tyranny of dictatorship.

FORM:

Patriotic and Reminiscent Narrative.
1st Person: use of 1st person allows the poem to be taken on by anyone in the narrator's place, but also makes the repetition of the pronoun 'they' seem more harsh in a sense of segregation within her current city.

STRUCTURE:

Free Verse: no rhyme, reflecting the freedom the narrator feels when reminiscing about her city.
3 Stanzas, 8 Lines, but 9 on last stanza: defiance of the racial oppression she faces by the people from her current city; her reminscence of her city as in the last stanza particularly, the longer length showing how she doesn't want to leave.
Enjambment and Caesura: reflects the chaos of her home city, particularly in her last stanza about her home city; however, this disorder and chaos is contrasted by the positive imagery throughout - especially in the repetition of the noun 'sunlight', the fact is the last word of the poem - and of each stanza - leaves us with joyful imagery despite the oppression detail just prior to it - juxtaposition like this throughout.

LANGUAGE:

Power of identity.
Conflict from racial prejudice and of the two idenitities of the opposing cities, showing how where you're from is truly your identity, and further shows how the city is personified to reflect the loving nature of herself.
Repetition of Noun 'Sunlight' + Metaphor: integrated throughout, even when she talks of tyranny and oppression in both her current and home city; specifically, 'branded by an impression of sunlight.' is another contrast of positive and negative imagery, for the verb 'branded' is rather harsh, connoting to pain as well as how she is branded as an outsider in the current city, subjecting her to constant xenophobia; however, it can be viewed as metaphorical of her defiance not to change, and further the noun 'sunlight' is incredibly positive, connoting to images of pure happiness, the images of her city she wears on her sleeve - the images she is branded by - that cannot be destroyed by the xenophobia she experiences and the corruption in her home city; the light also relates to the possible biblical imagery of 'white streets' + 'white plane', connoting to heaven; 'my shadow falls as evidence of sunlight' - message of optimism that there is forever hope in darkness, and although she is surrounded by dark, xenophobic people in a dark city, she will forever be there as a reminder of the light of her previous city, even when she 'falls'(defeated) to the darkness of the prejudice; juxtaposition/contrast of light + dark imagery reflects the opposing views in her city.
Metaphor + Adjective: 'the bright, filled paperweight' - the paperweight is metaphorical for her idealistic views, holding them down with the 'brightness' that defies the darkness of her current city; must protect what's inside, keeps her steady.
Personification of a Lover: 'takes me dancing' + 'love its shining eyes' - attributes of a lover, shows the power of the place over her, the imagery of romance unbreakable; also a parental mindset, feels she must nurture the city into her idealistic view, the view she's had since childhood.

LINKS:

Kamikaze.
Checking Out Me History.

	Created by Louise Sherry over 7 years ago

GCSE English Literature Note on English Lit: Poetry, created by Louise Sherry on 17/03/2017.