Half-Caste - John Agard

The poem Half-Caste by Guyanese-British artist John Agard.

​Excuse me

Standing on one leg

I'm half-caste

Explain yuself

wha yu mean

When yu mean

When yu say half-caste

Yu mean when Picasso

Mix red an green

Is a half-caste canvas?

explain yuself

wha yu mean

when yu say half-caste

yu mean when light an shadow

mix in de sky

is a half-caste weather?

well in dat case

england weather

nearly always half-caste

in fact some o dem cloud

half-caste till dem overcast

so spiteful dem dont want de sun pass

Ah rass

explain yuself

wha yu mean

when yu say half-caste

yu mean Tchaikovsky

sit down at dah piano

an mix a black key

wid a white key

is a half-caste symphony?

Explain yuself

wha yu mean

Ah listening to yu wid de keen

Half of mih ear

Ah looking at u wid de keen

Half of mih eye

an when I'm introduced to yu

I'm sure you'll understand

why I offer yu half-a-hand

an when I sleep at night

I close half-a-eye

consequently when I dream

I dream half-a-dream

an when moon begin to glow

I half-caste human being

cast half-a-shadow

but yu come back tomorrow

wid de whole of yu eye

an de whole of yu ear

an de whole of yu mind

an I will tell yu

de other half

of my story

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About The Poet

John Agard is an awarded Guyanese-British playwright and poet. He was born in Guyana (at the time British Guyana) in 1949 and moved to England in the lates seventies. His poems are a unique mix of serious themes in a playful approach. Dealing with ethnicity, racial and class division with wit and humor.