How Do I Love Thee (West Indian Style) written by Author Unknown is a parody to Elizabeth Barrett Brownings poem How

Do I Love Thee? This parody portrays great love and admiration for Caribbean culture. It captures the audience attention as a sense of humor and vivid imagery flows throughout the poem. Images of Caribbean landscape and its similar realities are portrayed through the effective use of poetic devices such as imagery, metaphor and simile in How Do I Love Thee (West Indian Style). Additionally, metaphor is another poetic device through which the Caribbean landscape and its similar realities are highlighted. Although the Caribbean comprises of a chain of islands, there is an interlinking common reality which was clearly highlighted by the metaphors used in this poem. The metaphors emphasize the culture and characteristics of the people that encompasses the Caribbean and defines it for its uniqueness. You are the essence in my mauby/ De fish in my fishcakes/You are the lardoil in my bakes/You are the coconut in my sweetbread/De pigtail in my rice/You are the sardine in my gravy/You are the sauce around my Cou Cou. a metaphor that a prevalent to the Caribbean. The poets use of food to describe and flatter his/her object of affection -lends insight into Caribbean peoples love relationship with food. The poet pinpoints and includes various dishes thus adding a multicultural/universal but Caribbean based approach to love; it is a love that spans across cultures, boundaries and barriers, a powerful yet light-hearted love. The use of metaphors adds a picong quality to the piece; what is considered a natural talent to Caribbean people. The use of metaphors includes Caribbean speech which allows for comic relief, which is representative of a sense of humor exclusive to the Caribbean. The literary criticism of Deconstruction by Jacques Derrida can be seen through the use of metaphors as meaning can be constructed through this literary device. This can be articulately seen in the line You are sweeter than a snowcone/You are sweeter than a hambone, as this eludes a certain meaning that only a person form the Caribbean can comprehend to the extent how sweet this woman may be that the poet is referring to.