1. Childhood & Innocence vs.

Experience

 "Once Upon a Time" – Loss of childhood innocence and societal change.

 "My Parents" – Parental protection and childhood experiences.
 "Little Boy Crying" – Parent-child relationship and discipline.

2. War, Conflict & Oppression

 "Dulce et Decorum Est" – The horrors of war.

 "This is the Dark Time, My Love" – Oppression and political struggle.
 "Dead Be Not Proud" – Defying death’s power.

3. Colonialism & Identity

 "West Indies, U.S.A." – Effects of tourism and colonial influence.

 "Test Match Sabina Park" – Cricket as a metaphor for colonial power struggles.
 "South" – Nostalgia and displacement due to colonial rule.
 "Dreaming Black Boy" – Racial discrimination and longing for equality.

4. Nature & Landscape

 "An African Thunderstorm" – Power of nature as a metaphor for change.

 "Sonnet Composed Upon Westminster Bridge" – Beauty of a cityscape.
 "Landscape Painter, Jamaica" – Caribbean scenery and its artistic representation.

5. Love & Relationships

 "It is the Constant Image of Your Face" – Love, guilt, and sacrifice.
 "A Lesson This Sunday" – Love and spirituality.
 "A Stone’s Throw" – Judgment and hypocrisy in relationships.

6. Women & Motherhood

 "The Woman Speaks to the Man Who Has Employed Her Son" – A mother’s pain
and societal struggles.
 "Ol’Higue" – Superstition and the role of women in Caribbean folklore.

7. Reflection & Self-Perception

 "Mirror" – Aging, self-identity, and perception.

 "Birdshooting Season" – Gender roles and societal expectations.
Detailed Explanation of Poem Groupings by Theme & Situation

1. Childhood & Innocence vs. Experience

These poems explore childhood memories, innocence, and the transition into adulthood. They
reflect on how society, parental control, and personal experiences shape one's understanding of
life.

 "Once Upon a Time" (Gabriel Okara) – The speaker nostalgically recalls a time when
people were genuine, contrasting it with the false smiles and pretenses of adulthood. He
wishes to regain the innocence of childhood.
 "My Parents" (Stephen Spender) – The poem highlights parental protection and class
differences, showing how childhood experiences can be shaped by social barriers.
 "Little Boy Crying" (Mervyn Morris) – Examines discipline from both the child’s and
parent’s perspectives, showing the emotional impact of punishment and the complexities
of parental love.

2. War, Conflict & Oppression

These poems depict the brutality of war, oppression, and political turmoil, emphasizing the
suffering of individuals and societies.

 "Dulce et Decorum Est" (Wilfred Owen) – A vivid portrayal of the horrors of World
War I, debunking the idea that dying for one’s country is glorious.
 "This is the Dark Time, My Love" (Martin Carter) – Highlights political oppression
and the emotional toll of colonial rule in the Caribbean.
 "Death Be Not Proud" (John Donne) – Challenges the power of death, suggesting that
it is weak and temporary because of eternal life.

3. Colonialism & Identity

These poems explore themes of colonialism, displacement, identity struggles, and the lingering
effects of European control over the Caribbean and other colonized regions.

 "West Indies, U.S.A." (Stewart Brown) – Critiques the commercialization of

Caribbean islands and how tourism masks the struggles of the local people.
 "Test Match Sabina Park" (Stewart Brown) – Uses cricket as a metaphor for the
power struggle between colonizers (England) and the colonized (West Indies), showing
tensions between cultural identity and colonial influence.
  "South" (Kamau Brathwaite) – Expresses nostalgia and displacement as the speaker
longs for the South, symbolizing a lost paradise tainted by colonialism.
 "Dreaming Black Boy" (James Berry) – A young black boy dreams of escaping racial
discrimination and gaining recognition in a world dominated by white privilege.

4. Nature & Landscape

These poems celebrate nature’s beauty, its power, and its impact on human emotions. Some also
use nature as a metaphor for larger societal issues.

 "An African Thunderstorm" (David Rubadiri) – The storm symbolizes impending

change, possibly referencing political upheaval in Africa.
 "Sonnet Composed Upon Westminster Bridge" (William Wordsworth) – Describes
the peaceful beauty of London in the early morning, highlighting the poet’s deep
appreciation for nature and urban life.
 "Landscape Painter, Jamaica" (Vivian Virtue) – Explores the Caribbean’s natural
beauty, questioning whether it can truly be captured through art.

5. Love & Relationships

These poems explore romantic love, sacrifice, guilt, and the complexities of relationships.

 "It is the Constant Image of Your Face" (Dennis Brutus) – A political poem where
the speaker’s love for a woman is intertwined with guilt over his love for his homeland,
showing personal and national conflict.
 "A Lesson This Sunday" (Derek Walcott) – Examines the contrast between love and
religious devotion, questioning human desires versus spiritual obligations.
 "A Stone’s Throw" (Elma Mitchell) – Uses the biblical story of the woman caught in
adultery to explore themes of judgment, hypocrisy, and gender inequality.

6. Women & Motherhood

These poems focus on women’s roles in society, motherhood, sacrifice, and struggles within
patriarchal systems.

 "The Woman Speaks to the Man Who Has Employed Her Son" (Lorna Goodison) –
A mother laments the loss of her son to crime and violence, criticizing society’s failure to
protect young men.
 "Ol’Higue" (Mark McWatt) – Uses Caribbean folklore about a bloodsucking old
woman to explore themes of aging, societal expectations, and motherhood.
7. Reflection & Self-Perception

These poems deal with self-awareness, personal struggles, and how individuals perceive
themselves versus how society sees them.

 "Mirror" (Sylvia Plath) – The mirror symbolizes truth, reflecting the harsh reality of
aging and self-identity.
 "Birdshooting Season" (Olive Senior) – Explores gender roles and societal
expectations, as the young girl observes the male-dominated world of hunting and
violence.

1. Displacement, Nostalgia & Identity

These poems explore feelings of longing, exile, and the search for identity in a changing world.

 "South" (Kamau Brathwaite) – A nostalgic reflection on the speaker’s homeland,

contrasting past beauty with present loss.
 "Dreaming Black Boy" (James Berry) – A young boy envisions a world free from
racial barriers, expressing his desire for recognition and acceptance.
 "West Indies, U.S.A." (Stewart Brown) – Critiques how the Caribbean is packaged for
tourists, making locals feel like outsiders in their own land.
 "Test Match Sabina Park" (Stewart Brown) – Uses cricket as a metaphor for post-
colonial struggles and identity crises in the West Indies.

2. Colonial Oppression & Political Resistance

These poems critique colonialism, racism, and the oppression of marginalized groups.

 "This is the Dark Time, My Love" (Martin Carter) – Highlights oppression and the
looming violence of colonial rule.
 "It is the Constant Image of Your Face" (Dennis Brutus) – Explores political loyalty
versus personal love, emphasizing the sacrifices made for freedom.
 "An African Thunderstorm" (David Rubadiri) – Uses nature as a metaphor for the
chaos and unpredictability of colonial upheaval.
3. War & Violence

These poems depict the brutality of war and its psychological effects on soldiers and civilians.

 "Dulce et Decorum Est" (Wilfred Owen) – Exposes the horrors of World War I,
countering the idea that dying for one’s country is honorable.
 "This is the Dark Time, My Love" (Martin Carter) – Connects war and political
unrest to the struggles of Caribbean nations under colonial rule.
 "A Stone’s Throw" (Elma Mitchell) – Uses biblical allusions to explore violence, mob
mentality, and gender oppression.

4. Gender, Family & Social Roles

These poems focus on traditional gender roles, relationships, and societal expectations.

 "The Woman Speaks to the Man Who Has Employed Her Son" (Lorna Goodison) –
A mother laments her son’s lost potential, criticizing systemic failures.
 "Birdshooting Season" (Olive Senior) – Highlights gender roles, as hunting is
presented as a male activity while women remain observers.
 "Ol’Higue" (Mark McWatt) – A feminist perspective on aging, motherhood, and
folklore.

5. Love, Relationships & Betrayal

These poems explore different types of love, from romantic to maternal, and the emotions they
evoke.

 "It is the Constant Image of Your Face" (Dennis Brutus) – A love poem intertwined
with political and emotional conflict.
 "A Lesson This Sunday" (Derek Walcott) – Contrasts spiritual devotion with earthly
love, reflecting on human desires.
 "Little Boy Crying" (Mervyn Morris) – Explores the complex emotions between a
parent and a child, especially discipline and love.

6. Nature & Its Symbolism

These poems use nature as a backdrop for deeper themes like change, loss, and beauty.

 "An African Thunderstorm" (David Rubadiri) – The storm represents political

upheaval and colonialism’s impact on Africa.
  "Landscape Painter, Jamaica" (Vivian Virtue) – Examines the difficulty of capturing
the true essence of the Caribbean landscape.
 "Sonnet Composed Upon Westminster Bridge" (William Wordsworth) – A
Romantic view of the peaceful beauty of London.

7. Death, Time & Human Mortality

These poems reflect on the inevitability of death and how humans perceive time and aging.

 "Death Be Not Proud" (John Donne) – Challenges the power of death, presenting it as
weak and temporary.
 "Mirror" (Sylvia Plath) – Explores self-perception, aging, and the passage of time.
 "A Stone’s Throw" (Elma Mitchell) – Examines society’s moral decay and judgment,
linking it to themes of life and death.

8. Society, Hypocrisy & Moral Judgment

These poems critique societal expectations, hypocrisy, and human judgment.

 "Once Upon a Time" (Gabriel Okara) – Discusses the loss of sincerity in human
relationships due to societal changes.
 "A Stone’s Throw" (Elma Mitchell) – Examines hypocrisy, particularly in how society
treats women and sin.
 "Test Match Sabina Park" (Stewart Brown) – Uses cricket to symbolize social
divisions and post-colonial tensions.

9. Sacrifice

 "The Woman Speaks to the Man Who Has Employed Her Son" – Lorna Goodison

 This poem highlights the sacrifice of a mother who loses her son to a life of crime. She
endures hardship and suffering in hopes of giving him a better future, but society
ultimately takes him away.

 "It is the Constant Image of Your Face" – Dennis Brutus

 The speaker struggles between his love for a woman and his devotion to his country’s
political struggle. He acknowledges the sacrifice required for the greater good, even at
the cost of personal relationships.
 SHORT STORIES

1. Childhood, Coming-of-Age & Identity

These stories explore childhood experiences, growing up, and the realization of societal
expectations.

 "The Two Grandmothers" (Olive Senior) – A young girl is caught between the
traditional values of her rural grandmother and the modern, materialistic world of her
urban grandmother.
 "Raymond’s Run" (Toni Cade Bambara) – A young girl, Squeaky, learns the
importance of self-confidence, family, and embracing her brother’s uniqueness while
preparing for a race.
 "To Da-duh, in Memoriam" (Paule Marshall) – A young girl visits her grandmother in
Barbados and experiences cultural contrasts between tradition and modernity.
 "The Man of the House" (Frank O’Connor) – A young boy is forced to take on adult
responsibilities when his mother falls ill, leading to his first experiences with maturity
and duty.

2. Family Relationships & Generational Differences

These stories highlight generational gaps, cultural clashes, and the influence of elders.

 "The Two Grandmothers" (Olive Senior) – Examines the differences between

generations through the perspectives of a traditional grandmother and a modern
grandmother.
 "To Da-duh, in Memoriam" (Paule Marshall) – Explores the bond between a
granddaughter and her proud yet old-fashioned grandmother.
 "Mom Luby and the Social Worker" (Kristin Hunter) – A humorous yet insightful
look at how an elderly woman manages to take care of children efficiently despite
bureaucratic interference.

3. Social Class, Race & Prejudice

These stories address economic and racial struggles, discrimination, and social mobility.

 "Berry" (Langston Hughes) – A black worker faces racial discrimination while

working at a home for disabled children.
  "Blood Brothers" (John Wickham) – Examines issues of race and friendship as two
boys from different racial backgrounds struggle with societal expectations.
 "Georgia and Them There United States" (Velma Pollard) – Explores migration,
cultural displacement, and the challenges of fitting into a new society.

4. Gender & Women’s Roles

These stories highlight the experiences, struggles, and empowerment of women.

 "Mint Tea" (Christine Craig) – A feminist perspective on relationships, power

struggles, and women’s independence.
 "The Two Grandmothers" (Olive Senior) – Examines how women of different
generations shape the perspective of a young girl.
 "To Da-duh, in Memoriam" (Paule Marshall) – The grandmother serves as a strong
female figure, representing traditional Caribbean values.

5. Humor & Satire

These stories use humor to critique social structures and human behavior.

 "Mom Luby and the Social Worker" (Kristin Hunter) – Satirizes government
inefficiency and contrasts real-life survival skills with bureaucratic procedures.
 "What Happened?" (Austin Clarke) – A humorous take on cultural misunderstandings
and expectations in a Caribbean community.

6. Responsibility & Duty

These stories explore characters who are forced to take on responsibilities beyond their years.

 "The Man of the House" (Frank O’Connor) – A young boy takes on the role of
caregiver when his mother falls ill.
 "Mom Luby and the Social Worker" (Kristin Hunter) – An elderly woman juggles
caring for children while dealing with an unhelpful social worker.
7. FOREIGNERS

Both "To Da-duh, in Memoriam" by Paule Marshall and "Georgia and Them There United
States" by Velma Pollard explore the theme of foreigners by highlighting cultural
displacement, identity conflicts, and differing perspectives on belonging.

1. "To Da-duh, in Memoriam"

o The young narrator, who was born and raised in the United States, visits her
grandmother, Da-duh, in Barbados. Although they are family, Da-duh sees her as
an outsider because she embodies modern, industrialized America, while Da-duh
clings to traditional Caribbean values.
o The tension between them symbolizes the clash between colonial history and
modern influence, showing how foreignness can exist even within one's heritage.
o The grandmother’s awe and fear of modern advancements, such as airplanes and
skyscrapers, further emphasize the divide between the foreign and the familiar.
2. "Georgia and Them There United States"
o The protagonist, Georgia, migrates from the Caribbean to the U.S. and struggles
with feeling like a foreigner in both places.
o Although she seeks opportunities abroad, she realizes that she does not fully
belong in America due to cultural and racial barriers. When she returns home, she
also feels disconnected, showing the emotional impact of migration.
o The story highlights the psychological alienation that migrants experience, as
they are caught between two worlds without fully belonging to either.

Comparison

 Both stories explore foreignness through identity conflicts, where the characters
experience cultural displacement and struggle to define their sense of belonging.
 In "To Da-duh, in Memoriam", foreignness is shown through generational and
cultural contrasts, while in "Georgia and Them There United States", it is explored
through the migrant experience and loss of cultural identity.