www.carolrumens.co.uk "I hate attaching labels to myself. Am I a poet? I hope so but how can I be sure? I would rather describe myself simply as someone who loves language, and who tries to make various things with it…." Biography Carol Rumens was born in Forest Hill, South London on December 10 1947. She grew up with a large interest in grammar and literary writing, she quickly earned a scholarship for grammar and went to study philosophy at London University which she dropped out before completing. She then continued on with her studies and moved to City College Manchester where she gained a postgraduate diploma in writing. She then continued on to teach at the University of Kent at Canterbury, Queens University (Dublin), University College Cork, University of Hull, and currently at University of Wales, Bangor. She is also a member of the Royal Society of Literature. What themes will you find in Carol’s poems? Small town issues Ordinary life Loneliness Different cultures and customs Carpets for sale at the Morocco market What do carpets signify to you? Who are the people associated with it? Carpet Weavers, Morocco What do know about the way of life in Morocco? What can you imagine the life of a carpet weaver would be like? Jot down your thoughts Morocco Morocco Total Population: 33,546,150 Natural Increase: 1.3% Density: 81 Inhabitants/km² Urban Population: 62.5% Population of main cities: Casablanca (3,359,818); Fez (1,112,072); Tangier (947,952); Marrakech (928,850); Salé (890,403); Rabat (577,827); Meknes (520,428); Oujda (494,252); Kenitra (431,282); Agadir (421,844) Ethnic Origins: There are no official statistics. A large majority of the population have Amazigh (Berber) and/or Arab origins. Other ethnicities are also present in Morocco. Official Language: Arabic and Tamazight (Berber) Morocco Other Languages Spoken: 60% of the population speaks Moroccan Arabic while 30% to 40% speak Tamazight (Berber). Moreover, it is important to note that French is the second language of Morocco and occupies a very important place in public life. Finally, Spanish is also spoken in the north of the country. English is moslty used by Moroccans who have studied abroad (mainly in the United States). Business Language(s): French is used in a commercial context with Arabic for administration. Religion: Islam is the state religion, practiced by almost the entire population, but freedom of religion exists. 90% of Moroccans are Sunnis by faith, of the Malikian rite. The day is punctuated by five prayer calls. During the month of Ramadan, the Moroccans fast, do not drink and smoke from sunrise to sunset. Literacy Rate: 52.3% Carpet weaving https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdKMOJALUiw Carpet-weavers, Morocco Carol Rumens Carpet-weavers, Morocco Carol Rumens The children are at the loom of another world. Their braids are oiled and black, their dresses bright. Their assorted heights would make a melodious chime. They watch their flickering knots like television. As the garden of Islam grows, the bench will be raised. Then they will lace the dark-rose veins of the tree-tops. The carpet will travel in the merchant’s truck. It will be spread by the servants of the mosque. Deep and soft, it will give when heaped with prayer. The children are hard at work in the school of days. 10 From their fingers the colours of all-that-will-be fly and freeze into the frame of all-that-was. 5 Themes Social Injustice Exploitation of Children World of Work Appearance and Reality First Stanza 'Loom' – The loom is a machine use for weaving; 'the children are at the loom…' states that are children are at work weaving, and they are weaving carpets, which relates with the title of the poem. 'Another world' – This can mean the Third World, where the children are. Can also illustrate the fact that the children are heavily concentrated in their task and are in their own world. Also implies a separation between tourists/observers/developed countries ant the children/developing countries 'Their braids are oiled and black, their dresses bright' gives a physical description of the children. The word ‘bright’ is a contrast to the dull work they do. Also shows how the observer sees the girls, as a pretty image. Links to the theme appearance and reality 'Assorted heights' – This expresses the fact that the children are of different sizes, thus, different ages too. 'Melodious chime' – Shows us that there are children of all different ages here. The word 'melodious' states how there are no big gaps in the ages of all the children, and that the heights of the children run smoothly from the smallest to the largest. The internal rhyme in 'bright', 'heights' and 'chime' links the three words and reinforces the theme exploitation of children Second Stanza 'They watch their flickering knots like television.' -This line draws a parallel/contrast between these child labourers at work and children of westernised societies. The carpet-weavers are always hard at work with their weaving and many children of the western world are always in front of the TV. This line leaves the impression that this work is very mindless. Like sitting in front of a TV for hours on end. -'Flickering' suggests the speed of the children's fingers 'As the garden of Islam grows, the bench will be raised.' -On the surface this line seems to give the poem an upbeat and optimistic mood. This is due to a link with the ‘garden of Islam’, quite possibly a link to an idealistic world. Also ‘the bench being raised’ on first reading appears to be a phrase with positive connotations. -On the other hand, beneath the surface is a serious problem. In reality the ‘garden of Islam’ refers to the carpet which these children are working so hard to create. In addition to this the ‘bench being raised’ is due to the age and height of the children. These are young children who must stand on a raised bench to weave a carpet. Second Stanza (continued) 'Then they will lace the dark-rose veins of the tree-tops.' -This line links back with the previous line and demonstrates the extent to which the children are worked after the bench has been raised. -‘Dark-rose veins’ may be seen as a pattern on the carpet but it also makes the reader think about blood and the pain and suffering this work must be causing these children. -The ‘tree-tops’ again links with the height of the weavers and how they are being stretched in order to weave this carpet. -In saying ‘the dark-rose veins of the tree-tops’ the trees have been personified and almost brought to life. The blood in the trees can be seen to represent the life-force of the children and while these trees are being instilled with life, the life of the weavers is being taken away. Third Stanza This whole stanza depicts the journey the carpets undertake to get to their final destination, an Islamic mosque. 'Deep and soft' - these positive adjectives capture the richness and beauty of the carpet and contrasts with the next stanza. 'Heaped with prayer.' -This is ironic because of the fact that the carpets the children are being exploited to make are going to be used for religious purposes. Children are always thought of as the future and are therefore treated like treasures. These treasures are being used to make the very carpets they use in mosques. Fourth Stanza 'School of days' – This phrase informs us how this work is like school for them; they are at it all day and everyday. Fly’ – is a description of the way their fingers move when they are weaving the carpet. Flying implies speed and agility, and therefore depicts the speed in which their fingers move. The flying can also be describing the ‘colour's, which fly from the children’s fingers and ‘freeze’, become immobile into the frame of the carpet. The colours are the threads which they use to make the carpet, and this also implies that the carpets are very colourful. 'all-that-will-be' – while working, their lives go into the carpets therefore their lives are wasted making carpets Alliteration of 'f' -Links the words and illustrates how, over time, their lives will disappear into the carpets. This means that they have no future. Hyphens -Links the words. The connection between 'all-that-will-be' and 'all-that-was.' their futures become their past. Carpet-weavers, Morocco Carol Rumens The children are at the loom of another world. Why is the word ‘loom’ used ? Their braids are oiled and black, their dresses bright. Their assorted heights would make a melodious chime. What imagery is created in our minds? They watch their flickering knots like television. As the garden of Islam grows, the bench will be raised. Then they will lace the dark-rose veins of the tree-tops. What does garden of Islam symbolize? The carpet will travel in the merchant’s truck. It will be spread by the servants of the mosque. Deep and soft, it will give when heaped with prayer. Why is the word ‘heaped’ used ? The children are hard at work in the school of days. From their fingers the colours of all-that-will-be fly and freeze into the frame of all-that-was. Do you think these kids go to school? What is school’s meaning for them? Change in Tense The tense throughout the poem changes. The first four lines the tense is in the present and the poet describes what she sees. It then projects into the future – the next 5 lines are in the future The first line of the last stanza goes back to present The next one is both future and present The last line of the poem is the present and the past Figures of Speech Personification Simile Can you spot where in the text these are used? Personification "THEN THEY WILL LACE THE DARK-ROSE VEINS OF THE TREETOPS” The tree-tops have been personified The blood in the trees can be seen to represent the life force of the children and while these trees are being given life, the life of the weavers is being taken away. The 'Dark-rose veins‘ may be seen as a pattern on the carpet, however it makes the reader think about blood and the pain and suffering this work must be causing these children, with the 'tree-tops linking with the height of the weavers and how they are being stretched in order to weave this carpet. The personification helps convey the key idea of the Social Injustice as we as the readers are able to understand that these children in Morocco are going through pain while the carpet is being made, with the weavers life slowly coming to an end as they are being stretched like trees in order to weave the carpet. They have no choice but to keep working long hours with no voice as they need to help provide for their families. Simile "THEY WATCH THEIR FLICKERING TELEVISION." KNOTS LIKE The use of the words "flickering knots" illustrates both how quick and skilled the children are with their hands. This is because they have probably been working in the loom's for almost their whole lives to contribute to their families income therefore meaning that they are quick and skilled with the knots. This is a controversial simile because Rumens compares the Moroccan children working in the looms to children who are able to indulge in the pleasures of technology, such as the television, in more developed countries for example like children in the United States or Australia. This controversial simile suggests and coveys the key idea of social injustice and child labor because the children are forced to work to help their families, since they are living in a less developed country. Use of Diction The children are hard at work in the school of days. These words –hard at work- invite a response from the reader. What kind of response do you think? From their fingers the colours of all-that-was fly. The word ‘fly’ is very powerful , and suggests freedom from everything. and freeze into the frame of all-that-will-be. The diction ‘freeze…frame’ is a reminder of the television comparison from stanza 2. There is a strong contrast between freeze and fly. Other features used in the poem Imagery Symbolism Sound effects Repetition Can you identify these in the poem? Why are they used? Questions 1. Which two words or phrases from the poem created the biggest impact or strongest image in your minds? Why? 2. Which words or phrases from the poem create a feeling of contrast?
