Dionna Parker
In Another Word
Resaq Malik
In another world I want to be a father without
passing through the eternal insanity of mourning
my children, without experiencing the ritual
of watching my children return home as bodies
folded like a prayer mat, without spending my
nights telling them the stories of a hometown
where natives become aliens searching for
a shelter. I want my children to spread a mat
outside my house and play without the walls
of houses ripped by rifles. I want to watch my children
grow to recite the name of their homeland like Lord’s
Prayer, to frolic in the streets without being hunted like
animals in the bush, without being mobbed to death.
In another world I want my children to tame grasshoppers
in the field, to play with their dolls in the living room,
to inhale the fragrance of flowers waving as wind blows,
to see the birds measure the sky with their wings.
passing through the eternal insanity of mourning
my children, without experiencing the ritual
of watching my children return home as bodies
folded like a prayer mat, without spending my
nights telling them the stories of a hometown
where natives become aliens searching for
a shelter. I want my children to spread a mat
outside my house and play without the walls
of houses ripped by rifles. I want to watch my children
grow to recite the name of their homeland like Lord’s
Prayer, to frolic in the streets without being hunted like
animals in the bush, without being mobbed to death.
In another world I want my children to tame grasshoppers
in the field, to play with their dolls in the living room,
to inhale the fragrance of flowers waving as wind blows,
to see the birds measure the sky with their wings.
Author Biography: Resaq Malik the African poet/dreamer from Nigeria, went to the University Of Lbaden and Poetic peregrination at the blue crescent international college. Mr.Malik once stated in an interview that " Living in Nigeria is like walking a dark path" he uses that emotion to drive him to write pieces like In Another World. He expresses that he fears death in third world counties and he wants everyone to know that it is an actual struggle in his work.
Analysis: Malik speaks on a topic about how he doesn't want to be the father that lays his children to rest. He wants them to know their roots and embrace them. The tone of the poem was serious because Resaq Mailk is adamant about his children's future. Knowing that nine times out of ten the world he dreams of isn't realistic. Towards the end of the poem, the tone takes a turn and now the author seems to feel more hopeful. In line 4 the author says "without experiencing the ritual
of watching my children return home as bodies folded like a prayer mat". He uses imagery to paint the picture of children's death in Nigeria. A comparison was made to state how much Malik wanted his offspring to know the history of there culture " I want to watch my children grow to recite the name of their homeland like the lord's prayer". This poet wants the reader to see the words as we read them. " I want my children to tame grasshoppers in the field, to play with their dolls in the living room" he intended for his audience to see a child paying with grasshoppers or a little girl playing with dolls in a living room. Resaq Mailk ends his poem with a given theme of another world can only be better than the one we are already in.
of watching my children return home as bodies folded like a prayer mat". He uses imagery to paint the picture of children's death in Nigeria. A comparison was made to state how much Malik wanted his offspring to know the history of there culture " I want to watch my children grow to recite the name of their homeland like the lord's prayer". This poet wants the reader to see the words as we read them. " I want my children to tame grasshoppers in the field, to play with their dolls in the living room" he intended for his audience to see a child paying with grasshoppers or a little girl playing with dolls in a living room. Resaq Mailk ends his poem with a given theme of another world can only be better than the one we are already in.
Biography information came from https://geosireads.wordpress.com/2017/04/24/interview-with-2017-brunel-international-african-poetry-prize-shortlisted-poet-rasaq-malik/
I agree with your analysis that the main idea of this poem is that Malik does not want to "lay his children to rest." Malik is a mourning father who is upset about his children not being able to live their lives fully. He wanted to watch them play outside of his home with happiness and is distressed because that can no longer happen. However, I would say that the theme is make sure to live in the simple and important moments because you may not be able to make more. Malik wanted to have those memories with and of his children, but his kids were taken from him before that could occur.
ReplyDeletehuh
DeleteThe speaker is upset that he could never watch his kids grow older because they have died in war. He just wanted them to live a regular, happy life free from the horrors of war. I agree with Kimberly that the main theme is enjoying the small moments because you never know when a person will be taken away from you forever. The author is also trying to express how unfair the world is that other children get to have normal lives while his children died. He is also disappointed in his country for falling apart into war and tearing the country with their violence.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with your analysis because Malik wants children to embrace who they are, and where they're from. Malik expresses the way he wants people to feel about his homeland by using the perspective of children. I also agree with your recognition of the change of vision in the story. The first section of the story talked about mourning of losing loved ones and his negative thought on his homeland. The second portion talked about his vision of children playing with dolls and enjoying life.
ReplyDelete(Jordan Baines' comment. . .) Malik is upset because his children passed away in a war and he's mourning them. The Poem seems to start out as a negative point of view but as the poem goes on it gradually goes to the past and some positivity come out of it. He seems very hurt at the fact that his children were killed and then seems too relax thinking about what they should've been doing. I think Malik is religious and wants his kids to grow up with grace and know there homeland. You did a really good job analyzing this poem.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your analysis of the poem. The speaker is upset that he did not get to enjoy the little moments with his kids before they passed. He wanted his kids to be able to explore, and be curious without worrying, and wondering if it is safe outside. "In another world" is very frequent in the poem because, in reality, the author knows none of his wants are possible but only in a different world."In another world" is the speaker imagining what he would want it to be like if he was in a different world. I agree with Kim's theme that make sure every moment is precious But also to stop fighting and creating wars because innocents children that didn't deserve to die do die between peoples negativity.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with your analysis that the speaker is upset that the speaker didn’t get to enjoy the moments with his kids and he wants to be able to teach them who they are and where they come from. The author is trying to express how this affects him and the way he would like things to turn out. I disagree with your statement that the theme is surrounded around that you must spend the little moments with a loved one. The speaker is trying to give the reader a more abstract thinking when it comes to how these events have made him change, not really trying to make spending every moment with his children. I think the point he was trying to get across was that the war is causing parents to lose there children and the world needs to come together in unity.
ReplyDelete