Half Caste (poem)

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"Half-Caste" is a poem by Guyanese poet John Agard that looks at people's ideas and usage of the term "half-caste", a derogatory term for people of multiracial descent. The poem is included within Agard's 2005 collection of the same name, in which he explores a range of issues affecting black and mixed-race identity in the UK. The poem is written in the first-person. Agard uses phonetic spelling throughout the poem, in order to create the voice of the speaker. It was included in the AQA Anthology , [1] and is currently included in the Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1) English Literature Poetry Anthology, meaning that many British school pupils study the poem for their GCSE English Literature qualification. [2] A snippet of Agard reading the poem is included in British rapper Loyle Carner’s 2022 single Georgetown, referencing his own mixed-race identity. [3]

Notes

  1. AQA Anthology, p. 13.
  2. Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9-1) English Literature Poetry Anthology, p. 29.
  3. Interviews, Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews &; Hussain, Shahzaib (2022-08-10). "Loyle Carner Reconciles His Identity On 'Georgetown' | News". Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews. Retrieved 2022-08-10.

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