Island Man

Grace Nichols' poems often compare her Guyanese upbringing with her life in Britain. The poem 'island man' is about a man living in London who's thinking about his Caribbean home. she also loved to play tennis. Grace moved to England in 1977 aged 67 with her partner.

Island man is about a man who is dreaming of his mother land evident in the phrase steady beaking and wombing. The word wombing has connotations of feeling support, safety and motherly care. This allows us to know that he feels safe in his island home. The phrase small emerald island also allows us to know that he finds the island precious as it is referenced to being the colour of a precious stone. It also tells that he grew up in a natural place with a lot of greenery . Island man later wakes up disappointed to have to live through another london day.