In what ways is Grace Nichols Using an Individual Essay Example

employed, illustrating that the forest cannot 'tune in' like a human listening to a radio. Animism is a contemporary belief which posits that the earth possesses a soul and thus listens to everything. This belief imbues the poet with a youthful and intelligent quality. Lines three to six feature personification, as the forest lacks ears to tune in, hair to let down, or the ability to touch. Consequently, the forest is personified as a human entity.

In the fourth line, there is an internal rhyme utilized, where "watersound" and "birdsound" create a sense of audible imagery. Furthermore, in the fifth line, anthropomorphism is employed, transforming the forest into a human-like entity by stating it is "letting her hair down," although forests do not possess actual hair. Following the exploration of sound, the sense of touch is introduced through the phrase "teeming and creeping," which conveys a tactile experience. The use of assonance, a repetition of vowel sounds, in conjunction with an internal rhyme can be observed within the phrase "teeming and creeping." Lastly, an unequal rhyming scheme is evident as lines four and six conclude with an end rhyme.

In the third stanza, the first line includes another modern word, 'Broadcast'. This addition enhances Grace Nichols' poetic voice, making her sound youthful compared to Ted Hughes and Seamus Heaney. Moreover, in the eighth line of the poem, there is a distinct influence of Rastafarian I-speak, where the opposite of the true meaning is never expressed. Instead of using 'cover up', the phrase 'cover her business down' is employed, suggesting that concealing something implies an attempt to suppress or hide it.

In line nine, Grace Nichols uses another internal

rhyme, which has been used before in her work, showcasing her unique style. The rhyme occurs with the words 'sky' and 'eye'. In this metaphorical line, it is implied that the sun cannot observe without eyes. This suggests that the sun is constantly watching, but the forest is hiding its activities. In ancient beliefs, the sun represents a god and the earth represents a goddess. Therefore, the rain and lightning could be seen as fertilizers, and when the earth gives birth to everything, it symbolizes a mother and father relationship. Consequently, the 'father' figure aims to ensure everything is in harmony. All of these imaginative elements are trademarks of Grace Nichols.

A simile is employed in line eleven, comparing something to a gown. Unlike a metaphor, which asserts that something is something else, a simile implies similarity. Within this context, the simile serves as an effective descriptive line. The word 'bad' in this poem has two potential meanings. It could imply that the forest is proficient at producing both pleasant and distressing dreams. Consequently, the phrase raises the question of its intended significance.

The term 'caress' in line fifteen evokes a sense of touch, suggesting a gentle stroking or rubbing motion. Line sixteen introduces the unusual term 'Forest rootsing'. This phrase signifies a return to one's origins and is typically associated with African Americans seeking to discover their ancestral roots. It is a relatively modern expression to employ. The seventeenth line references the presence of a 'howler monkey', confirming the rainforest setting of the poem, as these creatures are consistently found there. Enjambment occurs at the end of this line, wherein a line ends but the meaning

carries on, creating tension leading up to the phrase 'wake her up'.

The line also serves to draw attention to itself. The notion of sound is once again present in the word 'howl', which is also an onomatopoeic word, meaning a word that sounds like what it represents, such as 'boo'. The poem ends with a coda, which is the final part that conveys an important message. It conveys the idea of biodiversity. The rainforest contains a vast array of life that can benefit humanity, and removing it would be detrimental to our own well-being. Additionally, the poem's theme revolves around its ability to withhold or reveal secrets, potentially including cures for many illnesses worldwide.

Upon close analysis of this play, it is evident that there are numerous ways through which we have uncovered Grace Nichols' distinctive poetic voice. This is primarily achieved through the conversational style and the absence of an equal structure, rhythm, and verse form in the poem. The poem adopts a relaxed tone, establishing a connection between the poet and the reader. The repetition of the phrase 'Forest could keep secrets' serves to emphasize and reinforce this point. While the surface meaning of the poem suggests that it is simply about ecology, it carries additional connotations such as highlighting the vast diversity of life within the forest and underscoring the numerous benefits of preserving rainforests.

A multitude of imagery is employed by Grace Nichols in this poem, which forms an imagery museum similar to the approach of Hughes and Heaney in their poems. They all use the same image, but each diverges from it. This collection of images forms an image cluster within the

poem. The poem conveys an active tone that is difficult to fully comprehend, yet it maintains an intimate atmosphere.

I can conclude that Grace Nichols uses various methods to create an individual poetic voice. These methods include her Caribbean dialect and her intelligent use of poetic terms to effectively portray the subject matter.