Checking Out Me History

Checking Out Me History

By John Agard

Dem tell me
Dem tell me
Wha dem want to tell me

Bandage up me eye with me own history
Blind me to my own identity

Dem tell me bout 1066 and all dat
dem tell me bout Dick Whittington and he cat
But Touissant L’Ouverture
no dem never tell me bout dat

Toussaint
a slave
with vision
lick back
Napoleon
battalion
and first Black
Republic born
Toussaint de thorn
to de French
Toussaint de beacon
of de Haitian Revolution

Dem tell me bout de man who discover de balloon
and de cow who jump over de moon
Dem tell me bout de dish run away with de spoon
but dem never tell me bout Nanny de maroon
Nanny
see-far woman
of mountain dream
fire-woman struggle
hopeful stream
to freedom river

Dem tell me bout Lord Nelson and Waterloo
but dem never tell me bout Shaka de great Zulu
Dem tell me bout Columbus and 1492
but what happen to de Caribs and de Arawaks too

Dem tell me bout Florence Nightingale and she lamp
and how Robin Hood used to camp
Dem tell me bout ole King Cole was a merry ole soul
but dem never tell me bout Mary Seacole

From Jamaica
she travel far
to the Crimean War
she volunteer to go
and even when de British said no
she still brave the Russian snow
a healing star
among the wounded
a yellow sunrise
to the dying

Dem tell me
Dem tell me wha dem want to tell me
But now I checking out me own history
I carving out me own identity

Summary of Checking Out Me History

• Understanding “Checking Out Me History”: Published in 2003 within the collection Half-Castle, “Checking Out Me History” is a powerful poem that confronts the limitations and biases within traditional historical narratives. John Agard masterfully highlights how certain stories and figures, particularly those from Caribbean and African heritage, have been systematically omitted from mainstream education. The poem’s enduring appeal stems from its sharp critique of how history can be manipulated to shape identity and control perceptions.
• The Poem as a Representative of Untold Histories: This poem directly challenges the selective nature of colonial and Eurocentric history taught in many educational systems. It begins with the repeated phrase “Dem tell me,” emphasizing the imposition of a particular historical viewpoint. The speaker laments the emphasis on figures such as William the Conqueror (1066) and characters from British folklore, while equally significant historical figures like Toussaint L’Ouverture, Nanny de Maroon, Shaka Zulu, and Mary Seacole are overlooked. This deliberate exclusion, Agard argues, effectively “bandages up me eye” and blinds individuals to their true identities and ancestral roots.
• Major Themes in “Checking Out Me History”: The poem grapples with profound themes of history, identity, colonialism, and cultural criticism. It powerfully juxtaposes the often trivialized and romanticized version of British history with the remarkable and impactful stories of African and Caribbean leaders and heroes. Agard exposes how the selective presentation of history serves to reinforce power structures and deny colonized people access to their own pasts. Through this critique, the poem champions the importance of reclaiming and rewriting history from diverse perspectives.

Analysis of Literary Devices Used in Checking Out Me History

Literary devices enrich the poem, adding layers of meaning and impact. Here is an exploration of some key techniques employed by John Agard.

1. Allusion: The poem is rich with allusions to historical figures and events, creating a powerful contrast between the familiar and the neglected. References include Napoleon, Dick Whittington, the Republic, France, Nelson, Waterloo, Columbus, the Caribs, the Arawaks, Florence Nightingale, King Cole, Robin Hood, and the Crimean War. These allusions highlight omissions and biases within traditional historical narratives.
2. Assonance: The repetition of vowel sounds adds musicality and emphasis. For example, the short “e” sound in “Dem tell me bout Dick Whittington and he cat” and the long “o” sound in “and how Robin Hood used to camp.”
3. Consonance: The repetition of consonant sounds creates texture and rhythm. Notice the “t” sound in “Dem tell me bout Florence Nightingale and she lamp” and the “n” sound in “But now I checking out me own history.”
4. Enjambment: This technique, where a phrase or sentence continues onto the next line without punctuation, creates a sense of flow and momentum. For example:
   

   Dem tell me bout Florence Nightingale and she lamp
   and how Robin Hood used to camp
   Dem tell me bout ole King Cole was a merry ole soul
   but dem never tell me bout Mary Seacole

5. Imagery: Agard employs vivid imagery to create memorable and evocative descriptions. Examples include “Bandage up me eye with me own history,” “Dem tell me bout Dick Whittington and he cat,” and “Dem tell me bout de dish run away with de spoon.”
6. Personification: Giving human qualities to inanimate objects. The poet personifies the dish in the seventh stanza with “Dem tell me bout de dish run away with de spoon.”
7. Symbolism: The poem uses symbols such as the bandage, the eye, and the omission of certain histories to comment on how history can blind and control identity.

Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in Checking Out Me History

Poetic and literary devices work together to create a powerful and layered poem. Here is an analysis of some key poetic techniques used by Agard.

1. Diction: The poem utilizes a distinctive and deliberate diction, blending standard English with Caribbean Creole and vernacular. This creates a unique voice and emphasizes the cultural identity being asserted.
2. End Rhyme: Agard employs end rhyme to create musicality and a sense of rhythm. Examples include “dat/cat,” “born/thorn,” and “moon/spoon.”
3. Quatrain: A quatrain is a four‑lined stanza. Several stanzas in the poem, such as the third, fifth, sixth, seventh, and last, are quatrains.
4. Repetition: The repeated lines “Dem tell me / Dem tell me wha dem want to tell me” function as a refrain, emphasizing the imposition of a dominant narrative and the speaker’s growing resistance. This repetition also contributes to the poem’s rhythmic quality.
5. Refrain: The repeated lines reinforce the theme of imposed history and the speaker’s eventual rejection of it.
   

   Dem tell me
   Dem tell me wha dem want to tell me

6. Stanza: A stanza is a group of lines forming a unit in a poem. The poem contains ten stanzas, each with a varying number of lines.
7. Tercet: A tercet is a three‑lined stanza. The first stanza is a tercet.

Quotes to be Used

These lines are powerful and memorable, suitable for use in discussions about history, identity, and the importance of diverse narratives.

Dem tell me
Dem tell me wha dem want to tell me
But now I checking out me own history
I carving out me own identity