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teST MATCH SABINA PARK
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Stewart Brown is an English-born lecturer in Caribbean and African culture, particularly Literature, at the Centre of West African Studies, University of Birmingham, since 1988, and has also spent periods teaching in schools and universities in Jamaica, Nigeria, Wales, and Barbados. (more)
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LITERAL MEANING
The persona, a white male, proudly enters Sabina Park to watch a cricket match between England and the West Indies. The persona notices that the game is slow and that the crowd is not reacting well. He is, in fact, initially shocked (www.bulbsoup.com) that there is a crowd at all because this is usually not the case at Lords. By lunch, England is sixty-eight for none, and the crowd gets abusive. They even state that maybe they should borrow Lawrence Rowe. The persona tries to explain the reason behind the slow pace of the British side but fails to convince even himself. His embarrassment at England's performance has him eventually skulking out of the venue.
The persona, a white male, proudly enters Sabina Park to watch a cricket match between England and the West Indies. The persona notices that the game is slow and that the crowd is not reacting well. He is, in fact, initially shocked (www.bulbsoup.com) that there is a crowd at all because this is usually not the case at Lords. By lunch, England is sixty-eight for none, and the crowd gets abusive. They even state that maybe they should borrow Lawrence Rowe. The persona tries to explain the reason behind the slow pace of the British side but fails to convince even himself. His embarrassment at England's performance has him eventually skulking out of the venue.
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Proudly wearing the 4. rosette of my skin
I 5. strut into Sabina 3. England (4. boycotting) excitement bravely, 6. something badly (4. amiss). 5 Cricket. Not the game they play at Lords, the crowd - 1. whoever saw a crowd at a cricket match? - are caged 7. vociferous partisans, quick to take offence. 8. England sixty eight for none at lunch. 10 1. 'What sort o battin dat man? dem kaaan play cricket again, praps dem should-a-borrow 2. Lawrence Rowe!' And on it goes, 9. the wicket slow as the batting and the crowd restless. 15 1.'Eh white bwoy, how you brudders dem does sen we sleep so? Me a pay monies fe watch dis foolishness? Cho! So I try to explain in my Hampshire drawl about conditions in Kent, 20 about 10. sticky wickets and muggy days and the monsoon season in Manchester but fail to convince even myself. The crowd's 11. loud 'busin drives me out 12. skulking behind a tarnished rosette 25 somewhat frayed now but unable, quite, to conceal a 13. blushing nationality. Poet: Stewart Brown |
LITERARY DEVICES
1. RHETORICAL QUESTION
*There is a distinct CONTRAST between the beginning of the poem when the persona is proud, and 'struts'. However, by the end of the poem, he is embarrassed and 'skulking'. |
IMPORTANT WORDS/ PHRASES
4. 'rosette of my skin' (Stanza 1, line 1)
Rosette implies a reddish colour, or tint, to the skin, that sometimes resembles a rose. This description immediately identifies the race of the persona as Caucasian. The persona is proud of his race, as he enters Sabina Park.
5. 'strut' (Stanza 1, line 2)
'This word means to walk proudly. It emphasizes the fact that the persona is proudly walking into Sabina Park.
6. 'something badly amiss' (Stanza 1, line 4)
The persona is jolted by the fact that the match is going slowly. The word 'amiss' implies wrong, the game should not be going so slowly.
7. 'vociferous partisans' (Stanza 2, line 8)
Vociferous means to be very noisy and clamorous, while partisan is a person who shows biased, emotional allegiance. Therefore, the West Indian crowd was extremely noisy in their support of their team. They were also very unappreciative of the slow pace of the match.
8. 'England sixty eight for none at lunch' (Stanza 3, line 9)
While this is a good score, it nonetheless highlights the slowness of the match, hence the fact that the experience, for the crowd, was far from exciting.
9. 'the wicket slow' (Stanza 4, line 13)
The purpose of the wicket is to 'out' the opposing side. Therefore, no 'outing' is occurring, the wickets are standing. Everything about the match is going slowly.
10. 'sticky wickets' (Stanza 5, line 20)
This implies a sticky, or awkward situation. It highlights England's situation.
11. 'loud 'busin' (Stanza 6, line 23)
The English team was being loudly abused.
12. 'skulking behind a tarnished rosette' (Stanza 6, line 24)
Skulking implies (www.bulbsoup.com) hiding in shame, and tarnished means tainted. Therefore, the proud Englishman is now embarrassed, and the rosette of his skin is making him stand out. Initially, this was a very good thing, but now it is a disadvantage.
13 .'blushing nationality' (Stanza 6, line 26)
At this point, the Englishman admits to being embarrassed for his team, as well as himself.
4. 'rosette of my skin' (Stanza 1, line 1)
Rosette implies a reddish colour, or tint, to the skin, that sometimes resembles a rose. This description immediately identifies the race of the persona as Caucasian. The persona is proud of his race, as he enters Sabina Park.
5. 'strut' (Stanza 1, line 2)
'This word means to walk proudly. It emphasizes the fact that the persona is proudly walking into Sabina Park.
6. 'something badly amiss' (Stanza 1, line 4)
The persona is jolted by the fact that the match is going slowly. The word 'amiss' implies wrong, the game should not be going so slowly.
7. 'vociferous partisans' (Stanza 2, line 8)
Vociferous means to be very noisy and clamorous, while partisan is a person who shows biased, emotional allegiance. Therefore, the West Indian crowd was extremely noisy in their support of their team. They were also very unappreciative of the slow pace of the match.
8. 'England sixty eight for none at lunch' (Stanza 3, line 9)
While this is a good score, it nonetheless highlights the slowness of the match, hence the fact that the experience, for the crowd, was far from exciting.
9. 'the wicket slow' (Stanza 4, line 13)
The purpose of the wicket is to 'out' the opposing side. Therefore, no 'outing' is occurring, the wickets are standing. Everything about the match is going slowly.
10. 'sticky wickets' (Stanza 5, line 20)
This implies a sticky, or awkward situation. It highlights England's situation.
11. 'loud 'busin' (Stanza 6, line 23)
The English team was being loudly abused.
12. 'skulking behind a tarnished rosette' (Stanza 6, line 24)
Skulking implies (www.bulbsoup.com) hiding in shame, and tarnished means tainted. Therefore, the proud Englishman is now embarrassed, and the rosette of his skin is making him stand out. Initially, this was a very good thing, but now it is a disadvantage.
13 .'blushing nationality' (Stanza 6, line 26)
At this point, the Englishman admits to being embarrassed for his team, as well as himself.
THEMATIC CATEGORIZATION: Discrimination, Desire, Patriotism, Places
ATMOSPHERE
The tone of the poem is one of frustration and annoyance (West Indian), as well as embarrassment (English man).
The mood is one of tense excitement.
*There are two voices in this poem, the Englishman's and the West Indian's.
The tone of the poem is one of frustration and annoyance (West Indian), as well as embarrassment (English man).
The mood is one of tense excitement.
*There are two voices in this poem, the Englishman's and the West Indian's.
Contributors: Leisa Samuels-Thomas
Shaun Thomas
Brown, S. 'Test Match Sabina Park' in A World of Poetry. Edited by Mark McWatt and Hazel Simmonds McDonald. Pearson Education Ltd, 2005.
Shaun Thomas
Brown, S. 'Test Match Sabina Park' in A World of Poetry. Edited by Mark McWatt and Hazel Simmonds McDonald. Pearson Education Ltd, 2005.
