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Close Reading: "This Page Is a Cloud", White Egrets - Derek Walcott

Opening of Derek Walcott's poem "This Page Is a Cloud", the final poem in his collection "White Egrets"

This page is a cloud between whose fraying edges

a headland with mountains appears brokenly

then is hidden again until what emerges

from the now cloudless blue is the grooved sea

and the whole self-naming island, its ochre verges,

its shadow-plunged valleys and a coiled road

threading the fishing villages, the white, silent surges

of combers along the coast, where a line of gulls has arrowed

into the widening harbour of a town with no noise,

its streets growing closer like print you can now read,

two cruise ships, schooners, a tug, ancestral canoes,

as a cloud slowly covers the page and it goes

white again and the book comes to a close.

Source: https://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poem/untitled-no-54/


Annotation

Line-by-Line Analysis:

Line 1: "This page is a cloud between whose fraying edges…"

Key phrase: "fraying edges"

 Literary device: Metaphor (comparing the page to a cloud)

 Meaning: The page is a portal to another reality, like a cloud obscuring the familiar. The "frayed edges" suggest the boundaries between reality and imagination are blurred.

Line 2: "…a headland with mountains appears brokenly then is hidden again…"

Key phrase: "headland with mountains"

 Literary device: Enjambment (running the sentence over to the next line)

 Meaning: The fragmented glimpses of the landscape hint at the act of reading, where we piece together details to form a whole picture.

Line 3: "…until what emerges from the now cloudless blue…"

Key phrase: "cloudless blue"

 Literary device: Shift in perspective, Imagery

 Meaning: The cloud recedes, revealing the vastness of the imagined world.

Line 4: "…is the grooved sea and the whole self-naming island…"

Key phrase: "grooved sea," "self-naming island"

 Literary device: Personification, Connotations

 Meaning: The sea is alive with movement, and the island proudly proclaims its identity, suggesting a rich and vibrant world.

Lines 5–8: "…its ochre verges, its shadow-plunged valleys and a coiled road threading the fishing villages…"

Key phrase: "ochre verges," "shadow-plunged valleys," "coiled road"

 Literary device: Sensory details, Vivid imagery

 Meaning: The poet paints a detailed picture of the island, using color, light, and shape to create a sense of place.

Lines 9–12: "…the white, silent surges of combers along the coast, where a line of gulls has arrowed into the widening harbour of a town with no noise…"

Key phrase: "silent surges," "arrowed," "widening harbour," "town with no noise"

 Literary device: Simile, Metaphor, Juxtaposition

 Meaning: The contrasting images of movement and stillness create a sense of peace and mystery. The town's silence suggests a hidden depth.

Lines 13–16: "…its streets growing closer like a print you can now read, two cruise ships, schooners, a tug, ancestral canoes…"

Key phrase: "growing closer," "cruise ships," "schooners," "tug," "ancestral canoes"

 Literary device: Simile, Historical reference

 Meaning: The town's details sharpen as we move closer, revealing both modern life and ancient connections.

Lines 17–18: "…as a cloud slowly covers the page and it goes white again and the book comes to a close."

Key phrase: "cloud slowly covers," "white again," "book comes to close"

 Literary device: Symbolism, Circularity

 Meaning: The cloud returns, symbolizing the return to reality. The poem concludes by reminding us that the journey was contained within the book's pages.

Overall, the poem uses rich imagery, vivid descriptions, and literary devices to create a multi-sensory experience of reading. It invites us to explore the imaginative landscapes hidden within the pages of a book and appreciate the power of language to transport us to new worlds.

Analysis of "This Page is a Cloud" by Derek Walcott:

Structure and Form:

The poem is a single long sentence, mirroring the continuous flow of a journey and the seamless connection between landscape and imagination.

 The lines vary in length, mimicking the shifting pace of perception as the speaker observes the island emerging from the fog of the page.

 Enjambment throughout the poem creates a sense of forward movement and suspense, as the details of the island gradually unfold.

Meaning and Imagery:

The poem is a lyrical evocation of a Caribbean island, brought to life through vivid imagery and sensory details.

 The cloud serves as a metaphor for the veil of mystery and imagination that obscures the real until perception takes hold.

 As the "page" clears, the island reveals itself: "ochre verges," "shadow-plunged valleys," "white, silent surges." Each detail paints a rich portrait of the island's natural beauty and human presence.

 The final lines, with the returning cloud and the closing of the book, suggest both the fleeting nature of experience and the power of imagination to preserve and reinterpret reality.

Literary Devices:

Metaphor: The cloud as a veil over the island, the island as a text to be read, the cruise ships and canoes as contrasting symbols of history and tradition.

 Personification: The island is described as "self-naming," granting it a sense of agency and autonomy.

 Simile: The streets "growing closer like print you can now read" compares the visual act of reading the island to the actual experience of approaching it.

 Synesthesia: The "white, silent surges" of the waves combine visual and auditory imagery, creating a richer sensory experience.

Overall:

"This Page is a Cloud" is a captivating poem that celebrates the power of imagination and the beauty of the natural world. Walcott's masterful use of language transports the reader to the heart of the Caribbean, inviting them to explore the landscape both literally and metaphorically. The poem's open-ended conclusion leaves room for contemplation, prompting us to reflect on the relationship between perception, imagination, and the act of reading itself.

Additional Notes:

The poem was published in 2007 and may hold deeper meaning within the context of Walcott's Caribbean heritage and his exploration of colonialism and identity.

 The lack of punctuation adds to the fluidity and dreamlike quality of the poem, allowing the reader to engage with the imagery on their own terms.

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