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- Once_Upon_a_Time_(poem) abstract ""Once Upon a Time" is a poem by Nigerian writer Gabriel Okara which expresses concern for the influence of the Western world on age-old African custom.The Poem is like this:Once upon a time, son,they used to laugh with their hearts,and laugh with their eyes;but now they only laugh with their teeth,while their ice block cold eyessearch behind our shadows.There was a time indeed they used to shake hands with their hearts;but that's gone, son.Now they left shake hands without hearts while their left hands searchmy empty pockets.‘Feel at home!’ ‘Come again’:they say, and when I comeagain and feelat home, once, twice,there will be no thrice-for then I find doors shut on meSo I have learned many things, son.I have learned to wear many faceslike dresses – home face,office face, street face, host face,cocktail face, with all their conforming smileslike a fixed portrait smile.And I have learned tooto laugh with only my teethand shake hands without my heart.I have also learned to say, ‘Goodbye’,when I mean ‘Good-riddance’:to say ‘Glad to meet you’,without being glad; and to say ‘It’s beennice talking to you’, after being bored.But believe me, son.I want to be what I used to bewhen I was like you. I wantto unlearn all these muting things.Most of all, I want to relearnhow to laugh, for my laugh in the mirrorshows only my teeth like a snake’s bare fangs!So show me, son,how to laugh; show me howI used to laugh and smileonce upon a time when I was like you. Overview The person is talking to his son about how life changes a person as he/she matures. The young and more unguarded and sincere: they 'laugh with there hears.'As an adult, the person admits that in the same way that people change their appearances 'like dresses,' they learn to adjust to life's experiences by adapting their attitude and behavior to suit the occasion adopting the appropriate 'home face, / office face, street face, host face,/ cocktail face.' However, the person tells his son that he wants to be free of the burden of deception and relive the time when he was young and free and innocent, just as his son is at the moment. SUBJECT 1. Appearance versus reality 2. The deceptiveness of human nature: we do not always express our true feelings 3. Innocence versus experience 4. Childhood versus adulthood".
- Once_Upon_a_Time_(poem) wikiPageID "20312279".
- Once_Upon_a_Time_(poem) wikiPageRevisionID "604888723".
- Once_Upon_a_Time_(poem) hasPhotoCollection Once_Upon_a_Time_(poem).
- Once_Upon_a_Time_(poem) subject Category:Poetry_by_Gabriel_Okara.
- Once_Upon_a_Time_(poem) subject Category:Postcolonial_literature.
- Once_Upon_a_Time_(poem) comment ""Once Upon a Time" is a poem by Nigerian writer Gabriel Okara which expresses concern for the influence of the Western world on age-old African custom.The Poem is like this:Once upon a time, son,they used to laugh with their hearts,and laugh with their eyes;but now they only laugh with their teeth,while their ice block cold eyessearch behind our shadows.There was a time indeed they used to shake hands with their hearts;but that's gone, son.Now they left shake hands without hearts while their left hands searchmy empty pockets.‘Feel at home!’ ‘Come again’:they say, and when I comeagain and feelat home, once, twice,there will be no thrice-for then I find doors shut on meSo I have learned many things, son.I have learned to wear many faceslike dresses – home face,office face, street face, host face,cocktail face, with all their conforming smileslike a fixed portrait smile.And I have learned tooto laugh with only my teethand shake hands without my heart.I have also learned to say, ‘Goodbye’,when I mean ‘Good-riddance’:to say ‘Glad to meet you’,without being glad; and to say ‘It’s beennice talking to you’, after being bored.But believe me, son.I want to be what I used to bewhen I was like you. ".
- Once_Upon_a_Time_(poem) label "Once Upon a Time (poem)".
- Once_Upon_a_Time_(poem) sameAs m.04_08d9.
- Once_Upon_a_Time_(poem) sameAs Q7091858.
- Once_Upon_a_Time_(poem) sameAs Q7091858.
- Once_Upon_a_Time_(poem) wasDerivedFrom Once_Upon_a_Time_(poem)?oldid=604888723.
- Once_Upon_a_Time_(poem) isPrimaryTopicOf Once_Upon_a_Time_(poem).