John Agard reads his poem, Half-Caste

[@Some1_n1ce]

Im studying half caste in English and honestly this is my favourite poem by far 🎉🎉❤❤❤

[@Some1_n1ce]

Omg Ty

[@flarethefox9836]

omg same! Are you in South Africa?

[@Some1_n1ce]

No

[@flarethefox9836]

@@Some1_n1ce that’s crazy that it’s so well known everywhere

[@Some1_n1ce]

Fr

[@porkwoofles3909]

I was introduced to John Agard 18 years ago in English class, and I've never forgotten this poem. It's quite amazing how poetry sticks with you over much else.

[@quit626]

I just got introduced to him in English class today, we have to watch this video for class.

[@missgxrl]

@@quit626 same :

[@fannymuncher69]

Isn't it so wierd that this video was made 10 yrs later?

[@BrxEditx]

SAMEEEEE

[@plutominecraft7240]

Listening to this on repeat as English revision :)

[@thistrackisabop578]

I feel like high school ruined this poem for me now I'm 18 and I listen again I can't help but realise how amazing this poem truly is

[@lipuz6026]

yessssss! fortunately, I was introduced to it in uni only and I was able to appreciate it from the start.

[@nickarmitt4722]

That is called maturing. It's not school, it was you being immature. When I was at school I understood but that is because I am half. I am half one thing and half another. neither here nor there. So I guess with me I understand. Only being half English in a FULLY English school.

[@manlike09]

Well I can’t stop laughing sadly lmao

[@달빛을]

I was introduced in 6th grade but as a mature student who loved poetry and finding out meanings of poems, I fell in love with this.

[@UnbakedBeans]

@@manlike09 laughing?? huh?? why on earth would you be laughing?

[@stephen3487]

I might point out that this man does not blink.

[@shook_man_18]

he only ever blinks with one eye. that's commitment

[@Blossom9188]

He blinked exactly when I read this comment

[@temmieeee6913]

He blinks when he shakes

[@thatwriterguy9912]

I can't look at this the same. I hope you're happy

[@BloxzyGamer]

he only winked

[@MiniFunk22]

HALF CASTE SYMPHONY!!!!

[@c.s.4428]

+Minifunk22 Half Caaaaaaste Symphoneeeeeee!

[@segavxa8948]

As I read this he started saying it xD

[@teaminstinct478]

Mix the BLACK KEY, with a WHITE KEY, is a HAAAAAAAAAAAALF CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAST

[@tomhowe8468]

Team Instinct SYMPHONYYYY

[@abss541]

Symphonyyyyyyyyy

[@fredmason5325]

Team instinct for life. Mystic doodoo

[@adz88]

No shit sherlock

[@merleneannamarie4253]

Lol

[@Zoe-ke9ez]

This guy is a genius. If you can only find it funny then you’re missing the whole point of the poem. This is a masterpiece !

[@quentinsummers2531]

Its pretty hard to miss the point on this one.

[@reitheartist]

@@Shahed_377 it’s about the racism Agard experienced when he moved to England, he literally confirmed it. I don’t think it’s funny in a good way

[@alfiericketts932]

I’ve been told he used to be more sinister and now makes it more humorous because the problem of racism isn’t as big anymore. So it’s meant to be funny.

[@cesarflores474]

Mix the Black Key with a White Key is a HAAAAAAAAAALLF CASSSSSSSTEEEEE SYMPHONYYYYYYYY

[@shemarbean1515]

Honestly i don't understand why people can't look past the accent and speech pattern. It's spoken word poetry, if you ever went to a poetry jam, you'd understand it's showmanship and if you paid attention to the words, you'll realise they carry a heavy weight behind them.

[@isaachill3458]

I think people are just having a laugh mate as it was unexpected. I'm sure the same might happen in a poetry jam. No one means any offense.

[@lalodo6837]

It’s called performance poetry

[@patrickachille3529]

Its called a bad fucking reading of a beautiful piece of poetry... Slam Poetry as a whole is trash because it is all over exaggerated & overdone, the beauty in the emotion & double meaning behind a piece is its subtlety

[@nickarmitt4722]

@@patrickachille3529 the person reading it wrote it and it's written phonetically and not in RP for a reason, you fucktard.

[@darakenny5408]

You’re preaching on the deaf ears of teenagers my g what do you expect

[@MsLucyTt]

Brilliant poet and poem, so ironic, If you don't get it, you just don't but that's your problem not his.He knows exactly what he's talking about and how he wants to deliver his message.Loved it.

[@aaravbhatt760]

I only got HALF of his point using the KEEN HALF of mih ear. Agard is the best.

[@달빛을]

I know I’m late but…🖤

[@samcarruthers6053]

I died at "HALF... CAST... SYMPHONEE!" I love the way he sings it 😂

[@UsedToBeSpedUpSongs]

Omg same 😂

[@superanimator399]

Studying 'Half-Caste' in English.

[@ChetsyWetsy]

Same

[@georgeboon7035]

same

[@picojay9554]

same

[@YohannDrego14]

Agreed BlindedNinja28

[@Chewitts11s1a2s3a]

yup

[@thewatcheronthewall85]

I covered john agard in school 17 years ago, then met him when I was 17 on a train in 2002. really nice man he wished me well in my studies and had allot of time to discuss poetry with me great man.

[@nite9k676]

I had to watch in English I was bloody dieing

[@matthewkuht9907]

Same :0

[@yousseftarek9964]

Same

[@Levnt]

@Gollum wow that's quite racist

[@quit626]

I’m watching this in English too. :O

[@daviddaranijio7167]

Shut up u fat meek

[@craigmcnelis6535]

This man is superbly wise

[@proyousif641]

ur the first commrnt, how do u feel?

[@diyapatel-264]

wow after analysing this poem in detail during my English literature classes I am in absolute awe of his fantastic poem!!

[@LebronJenkins107]

We watched this is English. Now every time someone wants to say ‘excuse me’ they say ‘EXCUUUUUUSSSEEEE MEEEEE STANDING ON ONE LEEG’. It’s amazing

[@sirplantain]

John Agard is an inspiration to me, he is on a par with the likes of Martin Luther King. Mr Agard shows how racism is wrong in a simple but touching poem - you can't have a piano without 'black' and 'white' keys. You need to have the intellectual ability to read (listen) deep into his poems.

[@reitheartist]

I think it’s quite accessible, students study it for gcses

[@sirplantain]

@@reitheartist Yeah, I think we studied his poem in GCSE English (back in 2000-2001). I wasn't aware that it was still part of the curriculum.

[@Jetnine2PlaysMC]

he is very intuitve and i for one enjoy listening to his insights

[@kieran5261]

lol had to watch it in english I was dieing

[@jonytm4228]

KZR same lol

[@jacobmercer1701]

KZR same :) year 9?

[@yvettetrankile3962]

Yr 7

[@StercoreOfficial]

Same

[@CaJoel]

jansjo from ikea Same we did it yesterday

[@HeeeeeearMeNow]

He used to come to our primary school and read us his poems and tell us stories of Anancy. Such a legend.

[@XTraqd]

Was introduced to this poem by an amazing English teacher called Mr. Chandler in Bridgwater in the late '90s. I am glad, looking at these responses, it is still being introduced to schools.

[@dejavouludejareve4105]

Half my life ago, when I was at school, I caught you doing this live in Portsmouth. It changed the WHOLE of my world. Thank you

[@emmagallardo]

He is amazing!

[@zxomb]

who else watched this in english? my class died of laughter

[@nikemonster7855]

same

[@71Splinter]

same

[@TheShahk]

yep

[@henryfraser6781]

i couldn't tell if it was

[@TheShahk]

How

[@easterbunnii1093]

We did this in English and not trying to sound "babyish" but it's not funny, it's a good way to say "Nearly every day something of two colours mix, human or not, and sometimes we only focus on the "half caste" part when it comes to humans, like seriously!! Racism shouldn't be an issue on the board right now! There are too many smart people like John agard who can make what I said simple, in a poem" !! Thanks for reading SOS THAT WAS RLLY LONG PARAGRAPH

[@mqlu1449]

We had to watch a different one named Checkin Out Me History in English and we all couldnt stop laughing for some reason and cuz our teacher is strict we had to stay back at the end of the day

[@manlike09]

Wow that comment is longer than my English assignment on this poem due tomorrow lmao

[@sanford7933]

This poem is one of the most extraordinary poems I have ever read and listened to. The way he reads it is so intriguing that I keep listening over it.

[@bazniff2146]

Teacher: "What was your favourite part of the poem?" Me: "A HAAAAAAAAAALF CAAAAAAAAST SYMPHONY YYYYYYYYYYYY"

[@ishikaarora3831]

Hahahaha ikrrrr

[@moasicsCupra]

Love you grandad Forever in my heart. Thank you for my Guyanese blood.

[@kellyjohnson5365]

This is my favourite poem because its stuck in my head and I remember how I felt at the time I read it and how it impacted me. But this is the first time I've ever heard it be read out loud, its always been in my head. And despite this being read by the poet himself, so obviously that's how he intended it to be read. Just when i read it, i find it as a calm quiet peaceful poem, the kind where you realise the meaning as you read it and say it. Perhaps we all take away our own meaning or feeling from this. But I'm glad I read it first on my own. I'm not sure it would have had the same impact on my life as it did if I'd have watched this first.

[@aNoobAllDay]

That wasn't 'half' bad :P

[@unknownlolz3330]

Tuhrell yes in fact it was half caste

[@rgqwerty63]

This man seems really nice and has some powerful poetry.... but man whenever I see his face all I can think of is the boring days of year 9 going though the anthology annotating some bullsh*t poems. The worst memories are associated with this guy

[@benknight7270]

very true

[@yorkshiresifc6604]

What you mean when you say bullshit in that case school must be a bullshit! 😋

[@michcode4870]

rgqwerty63 the year 9 part is me currently

[@victoriaroskilly]

rgqwerty63 omg I'm in yr 9 doing it right now ahahh

[@michcode4870]

Victoria Roskilly good luck with your GCSEs

[@JackRyanFox]

wagwarn, my teachers just walked out of class and someone said comment on the video so here I am like a badass. Sick poem btw man but shame we got to study it fam ;)

[@JackRyanFox]

J. S lmao 😂😂

[@shook_man_18]

wot a lad

[@darakenny5408]

Was gowarnen my g

[@erizorico]

Every one here is doing this poem for English

[@maxmetodiev641]

Mine too

[@IGCSESUCCESS]

Fond memories of reading this poem in 2006 when I was doing GCSE Lit. I am now teaching this poem to my own students :)

[@user-i4b]

My class couldn't stop laughing ☆Hallllffffeeeee caassssteee ssssssssyyyyymmfffonnnnnnyyy!☆

[@EllaBoadu]

I taught an English lesson today and was introduced to Agard's poetry, which surprisingly I haven't read much of. Specifically the poem 'Checking out me history'. I really enjoy his exploration of cultural themes and backgrounds. Its nice reading playful words and imagery. A very captivating storyteller!

[@lipuz6026]

This is amazing. The first time I listened to it I was like... hm, this is weird. But as I listened to it a few more times, I just can't stop listening to it. It's just so expressive, so emotional, so... ok I have no idea why I like it, I just do.

[@NerdAdventurer85]

I studied this in secondary school, and we watched this. I find it as amazing as i did back then 20 years ago. 😂 Brilliant!

[@Shirley8]

Still Wonderful. He did a reading of The Devils Pulpit almost 2 decades ago at uni and it was equally sublime.

[@bufflowsouljah2256]

Very nice man. His daughter stays in a home below me. He came to see her and I met him . He stood right in my room and conversed with me..Amazing

[@stdylxn]

EXPLAIN YOSELF WAA YOO MEAN

[@OsofoGriot]

Back here after Loyle just released his track featuring this audio.

[@berniceyapjiaxuan5409]

He is enjoying life ☺️ so happily

[@CherylBarnes-q1h]

I love this poem so much its so funny and I couldn't say relatable but I feel bad for him because loads of this like a black key with a white key I do that and its normal to do that but not normal to be half-caste.

[@Juicebarltd]

Went cardinal pole school I'm hackney and they played this in one of our lessons

[@KingJuulien261]

The way the way he said the entire Tchaikovsky section killed me, even the pause for "sit down at da, piano"

[@abdul22r]

Our hole class was dying of laughter from watching this

[@Guernsey576]

Whole

[@raza9536]

Excuse me Standing on one leg I'm half-caste Explain yuself Wha yu mean When yu say half-caste Yu mean when picasso Mix red an green Is a half-caste canvas? Explain yuself Wha u mean When yu say half-caste Yu mean when light an shadow Mix in de sky Is a half-caste weather?? Well in dat case England weather Nearly always half-caste In fact some o dem cloud Half-caste till dem overcast So spiteful dem dont want de sun pass Ah rass Explain yuself Wha yu mean When yu say half-caste? Yu mean tchaikovsky Sit down at dah piano An mix a black key Wid a white key Is a half-caste symphony? Explain yuself Wha yu mean Ah listening to yu wid de keen Half of mih ear Ah looking at u wid de keen Half of mih eye And when I'm introduced to yu I'm sure you'll understand Why I offer yu half-a-hand An when I sleep at night I close half-a-eye Consequently when I dream I dream half-a-dream An when moon begin to glow I half-caste human being Cast half-a-shadow But yu come back tomorrow Wid de whole of yu eye An de whole of yu ear And de whole of yu mind An I will tell yu De other half Of my story

[@eza7944]

a) What does the word Half- Caste mean? b) Who is the poem directed towards? c) What did Agard want the reader to think the writing the second stanza? d) What does the way it is written indicate? e) What was the purpose of Agard writing in this way? f) What is Agard expressing in line 48-50?

[@jamesc-p2970]

Thumbs up for spreading awareness about disabilities!👍

[@xPadge112x]

He was a lot younger when he recited this to me in Year 9. God I feel old.

[@canonogic]

i remember reading this for the first time in English, and it truly truly blew my mind

[@nathangorle6108]

I had English today and my teacher put him on KZbin it was so true what he was saying

[@Ed.E]

HALLLLLFFF CASTEEEE SYMPTHONYYYY

[@catshake8088]

I watched this in English Everyone was dying of laughter.

[@catshake8088]

Amazing poem tho

[@달빛을]

I learned this in English class and I’m in love😍

[@DeepDiveDiscipleship]

GCSE English at Homerton College of Technology. Just need to hear those opening lines and I'm back in Mr. Loizou's classroom.

[@supriyamingnam7555]

everyone in my class couldn't stop laughing however it actually has a lot of deeper meaning

[@archivebynima]

I remember studying this in my English class in year 8 (2016) - good times 😭

[@gracecapewell5356]

This poem is inspiring and educational so I love it

[@user-mn3sl2hh5c]

Pov: you done this in English and your class couldn’t stop laughing

[@joshcaldicott]

Yep, today actually.

[@girlonabookshelf4922]

I studied this and many other John Agard poems in English, he's quite the storyteller :)

[@Jinxx2114]

Where's the other half?

[@sarahamadasun2063]

damn, this man is good!

[@4580aidan]

Favourite poem study in in school

[@coolwhip7883]

This is just sublime

[@malachymcintosh2573]

2019 GCSE’s students who’s ready to fail

[@matankesselman456]

Me

[@faisalmustafa4767]

me

[@saidmahmoud9359]

me

[@TinPanAlleh]

Accidentally clicked on this but weren't disappointed

[@wardakhan7473]

i woudve watched this in english class but we had to watch it during online class xd

[@bigboi8743]

The whole school loves this guy

[@heyyitsmealex5965]

Wow this video is so deep i cried

[@grievous5024]

I love this video!

[@lillekins]

“Foolish people laugh at things they do not understand, producing the sound of braying donkeys.” - Wayne Gerard Trotman

[@user76296]

relax we were only 13

[@hazembog7893]

bro this stuff is fire

[@sistershookt4796]

His art in action

[@leopackham8684]

Christ. Seeing some of the responses from the pupils studying this poem as past of their exam syllabus…. I despair for the future of humanity.

[@finlaymead256]

?

[@riosbigtoe]

???

[@keh-me]

I understand exactly what John Agard is saying. No one can ever be 'half caste' . We are all 'FULL' human beings. When he says ' I half caste human being, caste half a shadow' completely backups my point when i say no one can ever be 'half caste'. Okay your mixed race but does that mean that you are a 'half' human being?. If you are 'half caste' then when don't you caste only half a shadow? why do you have a complete body and not half of it it? Think about it very well...

[@keh-me]

I agree with your point but, what Jhon agard is trying to say is calling mixed race people half caste exactly 'nice' to say to mixed race people

[@cameronpremier4549]

awhh muh feelings :'(

[@dudleycharles7640]

Either of two equal or corresponding : Half -.......BRILLIANT .....half - caste .......

[@beepb0p691]

I was studying half caste in English and we listened to this in class and every one laughed because of the way he says it...

[@strawberrycow4699]

POV: you are here from school

[@guruofeverything6379]

Loved the ending

[@jayanithantirimudali9040]

hi shiv lol

[@loser7356]

Our English class had a fit while watching this.

[@zigado5416]

I remember my white teacher reading this with a jaimacan accent and her just laughing entire time

[@thejokerchannel3384]

I watched this in class as well

[@ambreenrauf5433]

we are learning about you in school you are really funny

[@Beverley1]

Idk why but I find this so funny we had to watch it in English

[@raphael9482]

Is he high??

[@insomaniacmess]

you have a really nice pfp

[@senika6135]

Raphael New YES

[@insomaniacmess]

@@senika6135 HELLO

[@senika6135]

Cheah Wern Chien 你好👋

[@insomaniacmess]

@@senika6135 anyeong

[@killerk1015]

Truly inspiring

[@fatimahussain4526]

hiii John agard my baby brother loves this

[@josephineamadi1629]

Good video Good example interesting

[@missmochi26]

i learned this today in my literature class..!!!!

[@GMLondon]

The way he says Human Being with such emphasis hits differently

[@dreads3682]

Saw this guy read this out today LOLLL.

[@nadineshaw8762]

😄😆maaaaddddd love it 👏👏👏👏👏

[@frenchy7103]

people need to see this

[@unijaggerflax2975]

Awesome

[@alot9917]

You’re not the only one from your English class. And you know it.

[@quit626]

I’m watching this in English, the poem is really good. :)

[@sentrall6032]

O wen I sleep at night, I closa *HALFA EYEE*

[@hw0n386]

We watched This yesterday in English and everyone was laughing 😂

[@charliemayo2843]

when you realise your exam is tomorrow and you have to study this work of art

[@hw0n386]

Charlie Mayo 😂