Fleur Adcock‟s “Immigrant”
Summary: The poem "Immigrant" was written by the
author Fleur Adcock, focusing on her personal experience when migrating from
New Zealand to London, England sometimes during the 60s. The poem talks about
her 8th month in London on a bridge looking at the pelicans down on the surface
of the river. She watched them while describing their awkward motion of ducking
their beaks under the water. Adcock then reveals the fact that she is still
trying to practice of avoiding her New Zealand accent.
Analyzing: The poems literally talks about her personal
experience with Saint James Park's scenery when visiting the place. Adcock used
the metaphor "pelicans" with respect to immigrants because pelicans
are the "immigrant" birds on the lake trying to cope with the
environment and surrounding. This portrays the assimilation process as the
author and the pelicans both trying to adapt to the new environment. One person
trying to fix her pronunciation while the animals trying to cope with natural
environment. The tone of the poem is calm, follows by a description of the
activities of the pelicans, which stimulated the reader a sense of
peace, yet
awkward. The poem reflects the processes of immigration and assimilation.
Fleur Adcock (b.1934)
is a New Zealander by birth but spent part of her childhood in England,
returning to live in London in 1963. She worked as a librarian until 1979
before becoming a freelance writer. She is the author of ten books of poetry
and a collected edition of her work, Poems 1960-2000, was published by
Bloodaxe in 2000. Recipient of a Cholmondeley Award in 1976 and a New Zealand
National Book Award in 1984, she was awarded an OBE in 1996.
The influence of Fleur Adcock's migratory childhood can be traced in her work's exploration of identity. In her poem 'Immigrant' this is specifically an issue of voice as she practices her newly adopted English accent. Several of the poems here examine roots and rootlessness: as she puts it in 'Chippenham', a poem recalling her status as the odd one out in an English classroom, "Who did I think/I was . . .?" Identity is also an issue of gender: in 'The Russian War' a returning uncle claims he'll "be a thing called oral history" but Adcock is acutely aware of those female ancestors whose stories have disappeared, like the silent labouring woman in 'Water'. Her poems often bring to light women's lives that might otherwise be marginalised or forgotten, as in the poignant vignettes of suffering in 'The Soho Hospital for Women'. However, her poems have no air of stridency: her characteristic tone is restrained, rational, conversational. Adcock herself has talked about this poetic strategy: "The tone I feel at home in is one in which I can address people without embarrassing them; I should like them to relax and listen as if to an intimate conversation". ('Not Quite a Statement', Strong Words, Bloodaxe Books, 2000).
Certainly this quality of intimacy is to the fore in her Archive recording. Her reading voice is clear and distinct, striking the consonants with precision and just the faintest hint of her original accent. A particular pleasure are her generous explanations of the poems and the insights she gives into her creative process: apparently "the bath is a very good place for getting inspiration."
Her recording was made on 13 June 2001 at The Audio Workshop, London and was produced by Richard Carrington.
The influence of Fleur Adcock's migratory childhood can be traced in her work's exploration of identity. In her poem 'Immigrant' this is specifically an issue of voice as she practices her newly adopted English accent. Several of the poems here examine roots and rootlessness: as she puts it in 'Chippenham', a poem recalling her status as the odd one out in an English classroom, "Who did I think/I was . . .?" Identity is also an issue of gender: in 'The Russian War' a returning uncle claims he'll "be a thing called oral history" but Adcock is acutely aware of those female ancestors whose stories have disappeared, like the silent labouring woman in 'Water'. Her poems often bring to light women's lives that might otherwise be marginalised or forgotten, as in the poignant vignettes of suffering in 'The Soho Hospital for Women'. However, her poems have no air of stridency: her characteristic tone is restrained, rational, conversational. Adcock herself has talked about this poetic strategy: "The tone I feel at home in is one in which I can address people without embarrassing them; I should like them to relax and listen as if to an intimate conversation". ('Not Quite a Statement', Strong Words, Bloodaxe Books, 2000).
Certainly this quality of intimacy is to the fore in her Archive recording. Her reading voice is clear and distinct, striking the consonants with precision and just the faintest hint of her original accent. A particular pleasure are her generous explanations of the poems and the insights she gives into her creative process: apparently "the bath is a very good place for getting inspiration."
Her recording was made on 13 June 2001 at The Audio Workshop, London and was produced by Richard Carrington.
