Caribbean Poetry (Essay 3)

Sea Canes - Derek Walcott

Time steals the life of all people, leaving us alone, without friends. In Derek Walcott’s “Sea Canes” the narrator weeps for his lost companions. He describes how much he wants to have them back, but “earth” can only offer new ones in their place. As we read in Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart” and with a lot of other Caribbean poetry, “Sea Canes” continues to illustrate the theme of life, death, and the ultimate change that falls between them.

An emotional connection is created through the imagery and narrator’s descriptions that make the reader become extremely enthralled in his feelings. Walcott describes the ocean, the embodiment of change, as carrying the memories of the past toward the shore. Emotion flows from the author as he continues throughout the poem and relives these precious moments with old friends. Experiences from these lost friends remind people of the things they shared while together, but are gone, and all that’s left are memories that will be carried forever by those who were there. Although they are fresh in mind, they will never be relived as nothing will ever live up to the standards set by the people who impact us so deeply. Walcott describes his struggle with this change, and how much he wants to cling on to his old friends, but can’t. Even though the world offers him new friends in return, he would rather have no friends at all then replace his old friends. In his mind, his companions are irreplaceable.

Walcott’s use of imagery brings his words to life so easily that he paints a picture in the reader’s mind of the shores of this lonely place. The sand is calm while the moon reflects off the ocean, alone in the world with nowhere to turn. The thoughts of friends-past causes time to pass un-noticed, floating in an abyss of dreams and happiness. The minds of people are carried through an endless sea of time living in the memories once shared by those now lost.
The memories still carried by the waves beat against the cliffs in a distance. They were a very important part of his life, but by losing them something better formed. It brought a sense so strong, forever bright and unwinding, which broke through the memories. They seem so realistic having brought the people we miss and love back to us just as they were.

Change is a very hard aspect of life to deal with. Caribbean poets such as Achebe and Walcott center their pieces around the ideals of life, death, and the struggle of the change between them. It could easily be said that their race, history and geographical location are the fuels that drove these emotional works. “Sea Canes” is the perfect example of the emotional human turmoil that comes associated with struggling to deal with change.

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Derek Walcott

Sea Canes

Half my friends are dead.
I will make you new ones, said earth
No, give me them back, as they were, instead,
with faults and all, I cried.

Tonight I can snatch their talk
from the faint surf's drone
through the canes, but I cannot walk

on the moonlit leaves of ocean
down that white road alone,
or float with the dreaming motion

of owls leaving earth's load.
O earth, the number of friends you keep
exceeds those left to be loved.

The sea-canes by the cliff flash green and silver;
they were the seraph lances of my faith,
but out of what is lost grows something stronger

that has the rational radiance of stone,
enduring moonlight, further than despair,
strong as the wind, that through dividing canes

brings those we love before us, as they were,
with faults and all, not nobler, just there.

from Sea Grapes, 1971

Things Fall Apart - Change

This story reminded me of some lyrics to a few of my favorite, well-known songs:

"Just Hold On Loosely, but don't let go
If you cling to tightly,
you're gonna lose control"
- Hold On Loosely, 38 Special

"And my time was running wild
A million dead-end streets and
Every time I thought Id got it made
It seemed the taste was not so sweet
So I turned myself to face me
But Ive never caught a glimpse
Of how the others must see the faker
Im much too fast to take that test

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
(turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-changes
Dont want to be a richer man
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
(turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-changes
Just gonna have to be a different man
Time may change me
But I cant trace time

I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream
Of warm impermanence
So the days float through my eyes
But stil the days seem the same
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
Theyre quite aware of what theyre going through

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
(turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-changes
Dont tell them to grow up and out of it
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
(turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-changes
Wheres your shame
Youve left us up to our necks in it
Time may change me
But you cant trace time

Strange fascination, fascinating me
Ah changes are taking the pace Im going through

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
(turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-changes
Oh, look out you rock n rollers
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
(turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-changes
Pretty soon now you're gonna get a little older
Time may change me
But I cant trace time
I said that time may change me
But I cant trace time"
- Changes, David Bowie


If you could summarize the whole theme for this story, it is easy to come up with one word: Change. When I first read "Things Fall Apart" in High School, I never really got too into the story or put much thought into it. Sometimes it takes rereading something to really find meaning in it. Reading it for the second time, this story really spoke to me and I could easily identify with Okonkwo. Things Fall Apart caused me to examine my own self and see how much I have changed since I started college. Just as Okonkwo came in contact with white Christians, I have met many new people here at college. Although I have learned from my new experiences and grabbed any chance to learn more, I understand how it could have been difficult for Okonkwo.

Before I really thought about it, change never seemed bothered me. As I take a step back and look at my life, I see a story full of change. Just in my two short years at UNCW, I have changed so quickly into my own person. I am more cultured and aware of diversity than I ever have been, and more welcomed to this change. In High School, I didn't enjoy the thought of changing. I was scared of it and I rarely reached out to other different things.

I think that I was mostly opposed to change because of my family. We've moved so much during the 19 years of my life, that I've never really felt like I've had a real home. I'm very jealous of all of those kids who have gotten to live in a house long enough to have real memories in them. I've always wanted to live in a house with an old dusty attic full of old family heirlooms and old treasures from my past. You could say my parents are minimalists in that way. They are very unsentimental when it comes to old things that used to hold memories. To them they are just junk that takes up space, and as a result my family has been known for our garage sales.