Checking Out Me History - John Agard
Ever wondered why your history lessons seem to skip over certain cultures? Agard's poem tackles this head-on, showing how colonial education deliberately shapes what we learn about the past.
The poem uses repetition of "Dem tell me" to show how the speaker was force-fed European history - 1066, Lord Nelson, Florence Nightingale - whilst Black historical figures like Toussaint L'Ouverture, Mary Seacole, and Nanny de Maroon were completely ignored. This creates a powerful contrast between what's taught and what's hidden.
Agard's use of Caribbean dialect and no punctuation is rebellious - he refuses to conform to "proper" English because he sees it as oppressive. The enjambment makes the poem flow like bottled-up emotions finally spilling out, whilst free verse structure mirrors the speaker's break from rigid colonial control.
Key insight: The poem moves from passive "dem tell me" to active "I checking out me own history" - showing the speaker taking control of their own learning and identity.
The nature imagery (fire-woman, yellow sunrise, beacon) celebrates Black heroes as powerful, healing forces, contrasting sharply with the childish nursery rhyme presentation of white historical figures that mocks how colonial education treats students like naive children.