Essay Questions

What is the significance of the anthology’s title?

The title of the poem collection is self-referential to the major themes tackled in it, namely the journey of personal development that the author-poet undergoes as he migrates back and forth from his native Trinidad to England over the course of his life. Hotels on the other hand are transient homes for travelers and the author makes use of this image to describe the transitory nature of the concept of home for migrants. Putting the two ideas together therefore gives the reading audience an idea that collection of poems would largely be dealing with themes of personal growth and the impermanence of home vis-a-vis the perspective of the migrant.

How does the anthology tackle the theme of racism?

Racism is a tragic constant in the anthology. It is discussed both through the personal experiences of the author-poet as narrated in the poems and it is present in the historical references he mentions. He talks about his experience of being constantly treated as an outsider despite having been born in England and having lived there for sometime. In fact, the only time that the author-poet started to feel more “at home” in England was when he moved to Brixton, an area in London known for having the biggest Afro-Caribbean population.

How is the image of the butterfly used in the anthology?

The butterfly, specifically the Monarch Butterfly, is recurring image that is used both as a symbol and a metaphor to describe the experiences not just the author-poet but migrants in general. This particular species of butterfly is known for its epic migration, hence its use as a metaphor for himself and the immigrants with whom he shares a common and tragic set of experiences with.