Analyzing Merlinda Bobis 'Poem Home'

Asian-Australian immigrants have shared their experiences with moving to a different country in multiple mix-media works. A majority of the works are poems that depict the troubles and obstacles that came with their migration. This can be seen throughout the poems Home by Miriam Wei Wei Lo and This is where it begins by Merlinda Bobis, venturing to portray their personal experiences dealing with their cultural identities and difficulty connecting to their heritage. Many Asian expats are prone to face the same complications similar to the writers above as they struggle to handle the cultural differences of moving to a new location. Poems written by Asian migrants to Australia have depicted their diaspora while dealing with the connections towards

These principles are conveyed throughout the poem This is where it begins, as it visualizes the experiences of the obstacles faced by the writer whilst she uncovers her origins and struggles in giving voice to her ethnic individuality. As seen in stanza 9, verses 5 and 6 of the poem, This is where it begins, “They have never left, they who “story told” before us, they who are under our skin.” The writer utilizes this quote to convey how the tradition of storytelling grants future generations the opportunity to be educated on cultural values and heritage. The poet implements it in “as they who are under our skin,” with the use of visual imagery revealing that cultural heritage is not only intellectually bound to an individual, but can also be physically attached. The use of this phrase was reinforced using repetition and anecdotes throughout the poem to emphasize the physical embodiment of her ancestors’ past experiences being ingrained within her

The writer refers to “translating this corrupted language of my body, the dark, bitter words of my heart into the pure language of that other place.” to portray that she is invoking a change within herself as she overcomes the hurdle that came with moving to Australia. Through the use of metaphor and symbolism, the writer employed allegories to explain how the corrupted language represents her struggle to express herself in a way that others can understand. The quote symbolizes how the poet is slowly repairing herself, referring to her troubles overcoming the language barrier, associating complex emotions that demonstrate the challenges of forming a cultural identity through the use of language. The poet states that “the blue plumbago, waving definitely through the natives, the climbing white jasmine rampant over the fence, and the mulberry tree, the foreigner so completely at home, growing taller each year,” Narrating her troubles in grasping onto a new environment reveals the difficulties of creating a connection when there are issues in communication. With the aid of metaphor and visual imagery, the writer illustrates Australia as the blue plumbago and white jasmine, whilst the mulberry tree is identified as a foreigner. This depicts that the speaker is slowly