it is supposed to be symbolic to the slaves' continiuous suffering. Also fits in with the dance that is being acted out with the poem. Because the poem symbolises the journey of the slaves. The poem begins with a capital letter to symbolise the beginning of the journey and ends with a full stop to show the journey has ended. It is a way of using structure and form to reflect or shape meaning. becasue it shows the way the slaves are getting on the boat it shows the flow of the slaves
Is about Slavery
limbo
Edward Kamau Brathwaite wrote Limbo to describe the pain the West African slaves went through on the ships. How they were in darkness and also how no matter what they did they couldn't escape all they could here was their heart beating in the rhythm of limbo.
The theme of the poem Limbo is the Slaves and their journey on slave ship from Africa to America. It is believed that the limbo dance was created on slave ships which could be where the name came from.
The poem "Limbo" by Edward Kamau Brathwaite may be available for download on reputable poetry websites, such as Poetry Foundation, PoemHunter, or through online bookstores where his collections are sold. It's important to purchase and download from legal and authorized sources to respect the copyright of the author.
The poem "Limbo" was written by West Indian poet Edward Kamau Brathwaite in 1962. Brathwaite is known for his contributions to Caribbean literature and his exploration of the African diaspora experience in the Caribbean. "Limbo" is a powerful and evocative poem that addresses themes of slavery, oppression, and cultural identity.
Poet, playwright, critic, and historian, whose works deal with the complex Caribbean heritage and its African roots. Braithwaite has been a major proponent of the use of "nation language", which is closely allied to the African experience in the Caribbean. still alive today- famous pieces of work include, nothings changed and limbo
It depends. It doesn't use specific formal language and is set-out like a song with the 'beat of the drum' creating a heartbeat. The poem uses lots of repetition which may suggest it to be informal, yet it has no slang or shortened words. I don't think this poem is trying to be formal or informal, it just wants to portray the location and actions of the slaves through a rhythmical structure.
The Limbo Dance is believed that it was invented on the slavery ships by the slaves themselves as a way of keeping fit in confined conditions. The poem is telling a story of the limbo dance, however, at the same time telling a story of slavery. For example: "stick hit sound" This suggests the sound of someone hitting a stick to the beat of the music, but at the same time, the sound of a slave being hit by a stick. Another one is "down down down" This suggests the stick being lowered in the dance but, at the same time, it telling us about the slaves being taken down to the bottom of the ship and it could also be their feelings; "down down down" - their hope and happiness being brought down to despair and misery.
i think knees spread wide could be refering to how cramped the position might be in ship so they creating more space by intervining the slaves and also when your dancing a limbo you have to spread your knees wide in order to bend over backwards from adiba (15 years old, stratford school)
Alliteration and the use of techniques
In the poem "Limbo" by Seamus Heaney, the imagery includes vivid descriptions of the bog landscape, such as "the dark, peat-stained water" and the "coiling roots of the sods" that evoke a sense of claustrophobia and entrapment. The poem also uses sensory details like the "cold glitter" of the frogs' eyes and the "gargled" sound they make, creating a haunting and eerie atmosphere.