I’m a writer blog

Guidelines for writing Poems, Stories and Tales

Where is John Agard?



John Agard lives in south-east England.

What happened to John Agard?

John Agard FRSL (born 21 June 1949 in British Guiana) is an Afro-Guyanese playwright, poet and children’s writer, now living in Britain. In 2012, he was selected for the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry. He was awarded BookTrust’s Lifetime Achievement Award in November 2021.

When did Agard move to Britain?

1977





Biographical information John Agard (born June 21, 1949) is a playwright, poet, and children’s writer from Guyana, who moved to England in 1977.

What is the message of half-caste?

This is a poem about asserting your identity against others who would ‘bring you down’. John Agard was born in Guyana in 1949, with a Caribbean father and a Portuguese mother (he is of mixed race). In 1977, he moved to Britain, where he became angry with people who referred to him as ‘half-caste’.

What inspired John Agard to half-caste?

Agard was born in what is now Guyana in 1949; he is of Afro-Guyanese descent, and his mixed-race upbringing is probably his inspiration for writing this poem.

Is Guyana in the Caribbean?

Some geographers classify Guyana as a part of the Caribbean region, which they deem to include the West Indies as well as Guyana, Belize, Suriname, and French Guiana on the South American mainland. The capital and chief port of Guyana is Georgetown.



What does Agard mean in English?



AGARD. An old word which signifies award. It is used in pleading, as nul agard, no award; A Law Dictionary, Adapted to the Constitution and Laws of the United States.

What does the name Agard mean?

Danish and Norwegian: habitational name from Ågård ‘farm by the stream‘. French: from a Germanic personal name composed of the elements agi(n) ‘edge (of a sword)’ + hard ‘hardy’, ‘bold’.

What is important to John Agard?

Metaphor – reference to Nanny de Maroon and others becoming free from slavery. This is what is important to John Agard.

What race is Guyanese?

The Indo-Guyanese (Guyanese of South Asian descent) form the largest ethnic group in the country, representing about two-fifths of the population. Their ancestors arrived mostly as indentured labour from India to replace Africans in plantation work.

What language do Guyanese speak?

Guyana is the only country in South America with English as the official language. This is a leftover byproduct of British colonization – Guyana gained independence in 1966. Although English is the official language, most Guyanese have Guyanese Creole as a first language.

What country owns Guyana?

Guyana is the only South American nation in which English is the official language.
Guyana.

Co-operative Republic of Guyana
• British Guiana 1814–1966
• Independence from the United Kingdom as Guyana 26 May 1966
• Republic 23 February 1970

Where is Liz Lochhead from?

Scottish poet and playwright Liz Lochhead was born in 1947, in Motherwell, Lanarkshire. She studied at the Glasgow School of Art and taught art at schools in Glasgow and Bristol. She was Writer in Residence at Edinburgh University (1986-7) and Writer in Residence at the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1988.



What inspired John Agard to write checking out me history?

The poem was inspired by reading a school textbook which claimed that West Indian history began with Columbus. It was published in the collection “Half caste and other poems” which was focused on both culture and racial identity. Agard published the collection after living in Britain for approximately 30 years.

Where is Guyana?

South America

Guyana, country located in the northeastern corner of South America.

What is Benjamin Zephaniah most famous poem?

Benjamin Zephaniah Poems

  • Biko the Greatness.
  • City River Blues.
  • Dis Poetry.
  • Eat Your Words.
  • Everybody Is Doing It.
  • Faceless.
  • Fair Play.
  • It’s Work.

What is Agard?

The Advisory Group for Aerospace Research and Development (AGARD) was an agency of NATO that existed from 1952 to 1996. AGARD was founded as an Agency of the NATO Military Committee. It was set up in May 1952 with headquarters in Neuilly sur Seine, France.



What type of poetry does John Agard write?

About John Agard
A unique and energetic force in contemporary British poetry, John Agard’s poems combine acute social observation, puckish wit and a riotous imagination to thrilling effect. Born in Guyana, South America in 1949, Agard moved to Britain in the late seventies.

Why does Agard use repetition in half-caste?

The repetition of the phrase “Explain yuself / wha yu mean / when yu say half-caste” is the most obvious, as it again and again lays the groundwork for the speaker to respond with a subversive answer.

What is the message of checking out me history?

The poem suggests the colonial syllabus deliberately blinded colonized people to their own histories, and argues that only by re-learning their history can these people can fully understand and embrace their identities.

What is the poem flag about?

His poem, ‘Flag’, is an indication of the great many different ways different people can view the same national symbolism. Most people are fairly familiar with their own national flag — for some it is an indication of pride, for some a sign of home, for others, a nostalgic memory.

What flag is white on top and red on bottom?

Poland Flag



What does the flag of Poland look like? The Polish flag is half white on top and half red on the bottom. This white and red horizontal bicolor flag was adopted on August 1, 1919 and updated on January 31, 1980.

How can I possess such a cloth?

that will outlive the blood you bleed. How can I possess such a cloth? Just ask for a flag my friend. Then blind your conscience to the end.