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.