Aaron Seepersad 4P

Miss K. Khan, Midterm Assessment (15 marks)

Test Match Sabina Park

1. How effective is the poet’s use of contrast? (4 marks)

Contrast was used effectively throughout the poem. At the beginning of the poem, the
Englishman struts “proudly” into the park ready to spectate the ongoing cricket match of England versus
the West Indies. He immediately stands out from the crowd as he is white, and the majority of the crowd
is black. The West Indies team has always been known for its outstanding performance against the
English. The West Indies was once colonized by the English, and was proud to defeat England at their
own game. Despite being black, they produced outstanding gameplay, as well as players, such as
“Lawrence Rowe.” We can learn that the colour of our skin does not define our limits or skills in the face
of life. Moreover, the Jamaicans criticized the performance of the English team for its boring
performance in the game. The poem ends with the white Englishman leaving the park, embarrassed of his
“blushing nationality.”

2. Explain the extended metaphor in the poem. (5 marks)

The extended metaphor of reverse colonialism was used strategically by the persona. Reverse
colonialism implies that the roles of the colonized and the colonizers are switched. The English were
slave masters, and colonized the West Indians. The persona employs reverse colonialism through the
performance of the English and West Indians at the cricket game. One may have expected the English to
“colonize” or dominate the cricket match, as they invented cricket, but this doesn’t seem to be the case.
The English failed to produce an exciting gameplay, as seen in the line, “the wicket slow as the batting
and the crowd restless.” The Jamaicans further ridiculed the performance of the English, evident in the
lines, “dem kaaan play cricket again.. Cho!” The colonized was beating the colonizer at his own game. As
the West Indies team was winning the cricket match, they felt a sense of pride, and power over their
previous colonizers. It shows that they have become strengthened and resistant to the forces of their
colonizers. They understand the true meaning of sport. They were the ones colonizing the English, it
seemed.

3. Why does the poet use Jamaican creole in the poem? (3 marks)
Jamaican creole was first used as a way of disregarding the Queen’s proper English and the
English team by contracting certain words, evident in the lines “Eh white bwoy, how you brudders dem
does sen we sleep so? Me a pay monies fe watch dis foolishness? Cho!” The Jamaicans assert dominance
over the persona in this manner, by showing that their language is superior. Towards the end of the poem,
the persona is “awakened” and contracts words himself, such as “’busin.” Jamaican creole was also
employed as a way of connecting with the Jamaicans, and by extension, the West Indies audience, as we
may speak in a similar manner. It makes the poem more relatable and perhaps more humorous.
Furthermore, Jamaican creole was appropriate as the game was set in a Jamaican stadium.

AARON SEEPERSAD
4P MISS K. KHAN
4. How appropriate is the title of the poem? (3 marks)
The title, “Test Match Sabina Park,” implies that there is a cricket match taking place at a park. Test
Matches were invented and played primarily by the English (white people). For this reason, the title
cleverly employs a figurative theme, racism, as Sabina Park is located in Jamaica (mostly black people).

AARON SEEPERSAD
4P MISS K. KHAN