Half-Caste by John Agard - Analysis
Ever been called a name that made you furious? Agard channels that anger into a brilliant takedown of racist language. The poem opens with "Excuse me" - polite on the surface but dripping with sarcasm as he demands an explanation for the term "half-caste."
Agard writes in Guyanese Creole with phonetic spelling like "wid" and "yu," which reflects his Caribbean identity whilst challenging Standard English poetry traditions. The short, choppy lines create an aggressive, confrontational tone that mirrors natural speech patterns.
The poet uses brilliant analogies to expose the absurdity of calling mixed-race people incomplete. He asks whether Picasso's mixed colours create "half-caste" canvases, or if England's mixture of light and shadow makes "half-caste weather." These comparisons cleverly show how mixing creates beauty, not incompleteness.
Key technique: Notice the insistent repetition of "wha yu mean when yu say half-caste" - this anaphora forces the addressee (and reader) to really think about the implications of their words.
Quick Tip: The examples from Picasso, Tchaikovsky, and English weather aren't random - they're all considered pinnacles of Western culture, making Agard's argument even stronger.
The poem's ending promises to reveal "de other half" tomorrow, leaving us wanting more and proving there's much more to any person than their racial background.