From the AQA Anthology - Poems from Different Cultures for English (Language) Paper 2.
Limbo
Limbo has three meanings:
- Type of dance
- Region between heaven and hell
- Place for the unwanted
Context
This poem is set in the Carribean. It is about slavery and takes place on a slave ship travelling from Africa to the West Indies. It is written by Edward Kamau Brathwaite.
Form and Structure
- Free verse - does not rhyme
- Strong rhythm (song)
- Repetition
- Extended metaphor - the limbo dance
- Presentational devices - italics, single words etc
What it means
And limbo stick is the silence in front of me
The limbo stick is a symbol of oppression and the silence represented the language barrier on these slave ships, many people didn't speak the same language as they were from different tribes.
long dark night
Noun phrase suggests captivity and despair.
stick hit sound and the ship like it ready stick hit sound and the dark still steady
The poet uses repetition, mono-syllable suggests beating.
long dark deck and the water surrounding me long dark deck and the silence is over me
Repetition of long dark deck and repetition of long and dark. Imagery shows they are on a ship.
stick is the whip and the dark deck is slavery
Again this is repeated for emphasis, refers to the limbo stick as the whip - something to hurt them with. The deck on the ship is dark, suggesting death and slavery.
knees spread wide and the dark ground is under me
This is an unpleasant image of a woman who has been pushed to "dark ground" and is being sexually assaulted or raped.
down down down
Repetition is constantly used for an effect of emphasis and understanding, image of being forced down or falling, as if going to the underneath area of the ship that was for slaves.
out of the dark and the dumb gods are raising me
Coming out of slavery, Christianity turned a blind eye on slavery.
up up up
Image of hope and going up to heaven.
and the music is saving me
Resurrection, rebirth.
hot slow step on the burning ground
Burning and cleansing, fire of revival and rebirth - symbolises hell.
