Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Wondering if you guys could help me, I am English HL, I will be doing my oral commentary very soon. I will definitely get a poem by Grace Nichols as I am Higher Level and I am having difficulties with some of her poems, they are: The Invitation and The Body Reclining.

The Body Reclining

I sing the body reclining

I sing the throwing back of self

I sing the cushioned head

The fallen arm

The lolling breast

I sing the body reclining

As an indolent continent

I sing the body reclining

I sing the easy breathing ribs

I sing the horizontal neck

I sing the slow-moving blood

Sluggish as a river

In its lower course

I sing the weighing thighs

The idle toes

The liming knees

I sing the body reclining

As a wayward tree

I sing the restful nerve

Those who scrub and scrub

incessantly

corrupt the body

Those who dust and dust

incessantly

also corrupt the body

And are caught in the asylum

Of their own making

Therefore I sing the body reclining

Invitation

1

If my fat

was too much for me

I would have told you

I would have lost a stone

or two

I would have gone jogging

even when it was fogging

I would have weighed in

sitting the bathroom scale

with my tail tucked in

I would have dieted

more care a diabetic

But as it is

I’m feeling fine

feel no need

to change my lines

when I move I’m target light

Come up and see me sometime

2

Come up and see me sometime

Come up and see me sometime

My breasts are huge exciting

amnions of water melon

your hands can’t cup

my thighs are twin seals

fat as slick pups

there’s a purple cherry

below the blues

of my black seabelly

there’s a mole that gets a ride

each time I shift the heritage

of my behind

Come up and see me sometime

…Love, love, love the simplicity! The gorgeous eloquence. Hope you’ve been blessed.

I'm just having difficulties in understanding what is meant. A nice discussion will be appreciated, thank you.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hey there! :)

Well from what i've read online about the poem and a view reviews, it seems 'the body reclining' is talking about women (I think about african women). It's basically talking about the how the body of the woman plays a central role as portraying women as an empowered subject. It shows the pleasure that can be derived from the body.

The second poem seems to be talking about the same thing. The physique of a woman and how it portrays her as an empowered subject. But the poet is talking about a fat woman. The fat woman is proud of her body and praises it by describing it sexually by using erotic imagery.

Try using this: http://www.mediafire.com/?63gx26gmr3bxf3n

Type in: the body reclining in the find tab and there's a bit of explanation on the poem. Do the same for 'invitation'. Hope i helped and good luck with your IOC :D

Edited by kim luffy
Link to post
Share on other sites

Hey there! :)

Well from what i've read online about the poem and a view reviews, it seems 'the body reclining' is talking about women (I think about african women). It's basically talking about the how the body of the woman plays a central role as portraying women as an empowered subject. It shows the pleasure that can be derived from the body.

The second poem seems to be talking about the same thing. The physique of a woman and how it portrays her as an empowered subject. But the poet is talking about a fat woman. The fat woman is proud of her body and praises it by describing it sexually by using erotic imagery.

Try using this: http://www.mediafire...63gx26gmr3bxf3n

Type in: the body reclining in the find tab and there's a bit of explanation on the poem. Do the same for 'invitation'. Hope i helped and good luck with your IOC :D

Thank you very much, I appreciate that :)

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...