The Poem

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The title / storyline

It is literal as it is exactly what happens. A grandfather is singing.

Analysis

In the 1st stanza, bhajan is a Hindu song. The father is singing a religious song to his granddaughter. Although this is a Hindu song, there is irony as the grandfather doesn't practice it anymore. But it is perhaps the only thing he remembers about his Hindu / Indian heritage. In line 2 "swept bald" is a metaphor, it allows us to see how clean the yard is. The grandfather is waling his granddaughter, it is common as a morning sun for babies are good. In line we are told that he is singing 'India' into her ear. We are justified in singing that there is an attempt by him to pass on whatever memory of his Indian heritage & identity, generation identity. The poem itself is nostalgic coming from nostalgia (longing for past), it brings both happiness & sadness. The grandfather feels a sense of lose. The poem is about change & transition. We come across the Metaphor from before. In some ways there is a past down of generation.

The passage of time is difficult & bitter process due to the amount of lose felt by the grandfather. Each new child is a generation. Carili is a herb & referred to as allusion (a hint / reference to the past). His knowledge of India is limited. With the passage of each generation there is greater & greater cultural erasure. Interestingly, we learn that he doesn't follow the religion of Hinduism anymore. In line 12, he has become a Christian in line 18 reference to the word communion unique to Christian. He places their language slowly each generation. The grandfather's singing is a passing on of some identity to his granddaughter.

This granddaughter will have a small iota, remnant of India to her. Whether you remember what was sung to you, it is still the passing on of identity. Cocoa houses is the echo done during the era of indenture ship. That wreque descent of his labor become a comparison as you are comparing the smell to work. Herdable is just as unknowing to him as the bhajan. The grandfather is alienated to his language so to as the Hindu. Her hugging him close brings attachment. Her nosiness, she is a new generation to his generation. It also shows change. Every gen change become more noticeable. Making her another race makes this hyperbole. Things have changed so much to her that it is hyperbolic. Again a reference to change. One day she will become entirely assimilated into a different cultural identity or form. He gives her the India he remembers. He compares curls of her hair to grasping onto a new cultural identity. Hair compared to tendrils (vines). There is a continued motif (literary device)

Motif - recurring symbol

Effectiveness - when used as a part of the assignment of literary devices, the word effective requires you to speak about; 1. how appropriate is the comparison, 2. how well does this comparison allow you to visualize what the poet is attempting to communicate, 3. what does the device or comparison add to the entertainment value of that particular way.

In Hindu scriptures, the god/goddesses have many arms and shows levels of gifts & blessing.