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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained | |||
John Updike's poem "B.W.I." (British West Indies) presents a vivid and somewhat melancholic snapshot of life in a tropical colonial setting. Through a series of stark, contrasting images, Updike captures the juxtapositions of beauty and decay, luxury and neglect, that characterize the postcolonial landscape. The poem opens with the line "Under a priceless sun," immediately establishing a setting of intense, perhaps oppressive, natural beauty. This beauty is further emphasized with "Beside an emerald sea," suggesting an idyllic tropical paradise. However, the next lines, "Shanties and guava. / Lumps of lava," introduce elements of harshness and irregularity, hinting at the less picturesque realities of life in these locales. "On the white dirt road, / A blind man tapping" evokes a sense of isolation and struggle, contrasting with the leisure and detachment of "On dark Edwardian sofas, / White men napping." These lines highlight a social and racial divide, with the white men presumably being colonizers or expatriates, resting comfortably on remnants of colonial furniture, oblivious or indifferent to the hardships faced by the locals. The phrase "In half-caste twilight, heartfelt / Songs to Jesus" introduces a religious and cultural dimension, suggesting a community seeking solace or salvation in spirituality amidst a mixed-race society ("half-caste"). The "Ocean breezes" that blow "Across the arid land" may offer a literal and metaphorical breath of fresh air, yet they are also reminders of the vast distances that separate these islands from affluent metropolises and from economic prosperity. The repetition of sadness in "The sibilance of sadness / Never ceases" underscores a persistent undercurrent of melancholy, pervading the atmosphere as a constant, soft whispering. This feeling of decay and neglect is amplified in the next stanza with "The empty cistern. / The broken Victrola," where the broken music player and the empty water storage paint a picture of abandonment and deterioration. The mention of "The rusted praise of / Coca-Cola" is particularly striking, serving as a critique of commercialism and the penetration of American cultural products into every corner of the globe, which, despite their ubiquity, fail to address the local desolation or the people's needs. The poem concludes with somewhat nostalgic or outdated images: "Old yellow tablecloths, / And tea, and hairy / Goats, and airmail / Stationery." These items evoke a sense of a bygone era, perhaps the British colonial past, now left with only the remnants of its former glory amidst a reality that is frayed and worn. Overall, "B.W.I." by John Updike is a compact, image-rich poem that paints a poignant picture of the beautiful yet troubled landscapes of the British West Indies, capturing the contrasts and contradictions of a place caught between its colonial past and its postcolonial present.
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