Heritage and Identity: Poems for Teens. In other words Walcott uses his genetic hybridity and cultural hybridity to express the extremity of his un-homliness. This recognition of her identity as their daughter is clear in lines “I know my parents made me by my hands” and “at least I know their marriage by my hands”. Identity: Similarly, the narrator uses the experience of family and their … Throughout the poem he continues his quest to get an identity of his own, but at the end, his endeavour remains futile as he finally confesses his love for the English language as well as for his origin. Using  “quarry” may initially seem a strange description, but can be interpreted as sounding similar to ‘quarrel’ which can in turn be understood as referencing the impact of the relationship breakdown on other people, such as their friends. It seems our genetic code resonates through time and families. Rev. How does the speaker feel when she realises she has inherited these characteristics from her parents? Because it is not broken up into stanzas, we will analyse line by line. Individualism The belief that you are an independent person who is defined by your own qualities as opposed to your memberships in groups. In this case, it could be seen as a transitional point into the second half of the poem, particularly with the idea of movement in “turn over”. She won her first award in 1990, and recently won the T.S. The poems “A Far Cry from Africa,” “The Sea is History,” and “Names” can, therefore, be effectively seen as presenting an understanding of the complexities inherent in Caribbean history and identity. My father’s in my fingers, but my mother’s in my palms. In addition, the use of “my” often precedes either “mother” or “father” which further demonstrates the way in which the narrator is bringing the two together, both in reality and also in the poem itself, with the frequently small visual space between the two words emphasising this connection. It is interesting though to see Morrissey looking at aspects of family life that are typically avoided or glossed over, perhaps recognising that such important events should be acknowledged. The shift in address to the future partner moves the poem from looking at the past as the influence on identity, to looking towards the future and how the identities of the next generation are formed. For example, the fourth stanza has a notably short second line, which is roughly half the length of the majority of others lines in the poem; this helps draw the attention of the reader. This technique also demonstrates how this connection can be seen as ‘everlasting’. Some might argue that identity is fixed by a person's genetic makeup. Eliot Prize in 2014 for her fifth collection of poetry called “Parallax”. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. One theme of this poem is the role that genetics plays in shaping our identity. Identity are the characteristics that you believe define you as an individual. Being a single word, there is only a limited amount of information that can be inferred from the title, however it is more specific than other titles within the ‘Poems of the Decade’ anthology and has a range of interesting connotations to consider, such as science and research. My father’s in my fingers, but my mother’s in my palms. This week’s poem is by the award-winning Hebrew poet, literary scholar, and visual artist Miriam Neiger-Fleischmann.. Consider the way that the use of pronouns changes. The poem also mimics a stream of consciousness in the lengthy description and structure. One generation will inevitably lead to the next. Other believe that identity is shaped by a person''s parents, environment, or peer group. find poems find poets poem-a-day library (texts, books & more) materials for teachers poetry near you Browse poems addressing different ways in which culture, family, history, and identity intersect.