Analysis

The analysis of the poem “Colonization in Reverse” by Louise Bennett-Coverley shows that the outer composition is simple and regular throughout the entire poem. The inner composition follows a linear structure. 

The speaker of the poem is a Jamaican person, likely the poet herself. The poem presents the speaker as she shares news with a person named “miss Mattie”.

The setting of the poem is Jamaica, but the poem also talks about Britain, in relation to its status as colonizer of Jamaica. The language used in the poem is informal and conversational. The poem is written in Jamaican Patois which fits with the setting and theme of the poem. 

Some of the main poetic devices used in the poem are repetition, alliteration, and antithesis. The poem also uses irony giving a twist to the ideas of colonization and immigration. 

You can read a more detailed analysis in the following pages.