Grace Nichols's Poetry
Support for studying English GCSE and A Level
Grace Nichols - BiographyGrace Nichols was born (Georgetown, Guyana) on 18 January 1950. She is a poet and novelist.
Nichols grew up on the Guyanese coast in a small country village. When she was eight, she moved to the city. She attended the University of Guyana, taking a Diploma in Communications. Following this, she worked as a teacher (1967–70) and journalist. In 1977 Nichols immigrated to the United Kingdom with her partner John Agard, who is also a poet. Nichols’ poetry has appeared in a range of English Literature GCSE anthologies (AQA, Edexcel, WJEC and IGCSE). Many students have studied Nichols’ work for GCSE English Literature. |
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Grace Nichols - 'Praise Song for My Mother' - Annotation
Annotation prompts for Grace Nichols' 'Praise Song for My Mother'. 'Praise Song for My Mother' is an autobiographical poem about Nichols' mother. Grace Nichols -- poet, teacher, journalist -- was born in Guyana 1950 and spent her first eight years living in a small coastal village, before her family moved to the capital (Georgetown), where she experienced Guyana's struggle for independence from the UK. Emigrated to England in 1977 with partner, John Agard. Nichols' mother died when she was 21 -- before she had left Guyana. Nichols said in an interview it is a "very personal poem and does capture for me something of her spirit". For her, she was "reconnecting with her memory". Praise songs are a type of poem of African origin -- to celebrate the lives of the people being described. In African Literature, praise songs would have been part of the oral tradition, handed down from generation to generation. They are an important part of African culture and often reflect the modern world as well as the traditional. The annotation prompts are a supportive tool, intended to encourage further analysis and interpretation. |
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Grace Nichols - ‘Hurricane Hits England’ - Annotation
Annotation prompts for Grace Nichols’ ‘Hurricane Hits England’. ‘Hurricane Hits England’ is about the clash of cultures between Guyana and England. Grace Nichols stated that the poem was sparked by a large storm that hit England in 1987. “Hurricane” = severe, often destructive storm, especially a tropical cyclone. Nichols – poet, teacher, journalist – born in Guyana 1950 and spent her first eight years living in a small coastal village, before her family moved to the capital (Georgetown), where she experienced Guyana’s struggle for independence from the UK. Nichols emigrated to England in 1977 with partner, and poet, John Agard. Nichols stated in a BBC interview that she feels “at home” in Guyana and England and “tend to want to embrace both worlds”. The storm made a big “psychic impression and connection”. “The sound of the wind…seemed as though the voices of the old Gods were in the winds”. “For the first time I felt very close to the English landscape…it seemed like the earth was one”. The annotation prompts are a supportive tool, intended to encourage further analysis and interpretation. |
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