The Poem of Gabriel Okaras

Once Upon a Time

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Term paper presented

To
Prof. Lourdes C. Manzano
In partial fulfillment of the requirements
In Engl. 175 (Asian Literature)

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by
Jessa Mae De Guzman

March 3, 2015

Introduction

Gabriel Okara is the first significant English-language black African poet, the
first African poet to write in a modern style, and the first Nigerian writer to
publish in and join the editorial staff of the influential literary journal Black
Orpheus (started in 1957). Gabriel Okara was born in Nigeria. In 1979, he was
awarded the Commonwealth Poetry Prize. During his life, Okara has held a
number of jobs, initially working as a book binder, journalist, radio broadcaster
and newspaper editor. He has also traveled to the USA where he helped raise
money for Nigeria by giving poetry recitals.

Okaras poems tend reflect the problems that African nations face as they are
torn between the culture of their European colonisers and their traditional
African heritage. He also looks at the traumatic effect that colonisation and decolonisation can have on the self and on ones sense of personal identity. As
such, Okara often depicts characters suffering from culture shock as they are
torn between these two irreconcilable cultures. On the one hand there

is Christianity and the definite material benefits such as classroom education

and well-paid jobs that the European way of life offers, while on the other
hand, there is the unspoken expectation that the true African owes allegiance
to his original tribal culture and should embrace these roots.

As a result of this divide, Okara seems to suggest, many Africans do not know
who they are or what they should be. His poem Once Upon a Time clearly
describes the problems that can arise when the cultures of ancient Africa and
modern Europe clash leaving people without a clear sense of how to behave
and where to look for guidance.

Okara also examines the contrast between the honest simplicities of the past
and the superficial unreliability of todays world and he seems to believe at
points that only by looking at and learning from their past can the African
people hope to have a positive future.

Once Upon A Time

By: Gabriel Okara
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 eyes
search behind my shadow.

There was a time indeed

they used to shake hands with their hearts;
but thats gone, son.
Now they shake hands without hearts
while their left hands search
my empty pockets.
Feel at home! Come again;
they say, and when I come
again and feel
at home, once, twice,
there will be no thrice
for then I find doors shut on me.
So I have learned many things, son.
I have learned to wear many faces
like dresseshomeface,
officeface, streetface, hostface,
cocktailface, with all their conforming smiles
like a fixed portrait smile.
And I have learned, too,
to laugh with only my teeth
and 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 Its been
nice talking to you, after being bored.
But believe me, son.
I want to be what I used to be
when I was like you. I want
to unlearn all these muting things.
Most of all, I want to relearn

how to laugh, for my laugh in the mirror

shows only my teeth like a snakes bare fangs!
So show me, son,
how to laugh; show me how
I used to laugh and smile
once upon a time when I was like you.
Analysis
I read this poem 4 years ago and couldnt let it off my mind, it was like yesterday. I like
Gabriel Okaras poem because his poem is advisory and speaks the truth.
This is a timeless poem in addressing the issues that face us all in this harsh world. It
confronts us with the outcomes of the daily decisions we make and their continued long
term affect on which we are. Who do we choose to be? Should we think a little more
when we conform to strictest rule of the expected social norms or do we give ourselves
some leniency and take care to be true to who we are, with some consideration to the
sensibilities of those around us.

The poem starts with the well-known words Once upon a time, suggesting that what
the speaker is going to say is a fairy tale, something so far-fetched it might not even be
believed. This makes us think that honesty in expressing emotion is so rare nowadays
that it practically is a fairy tale. The speaker tells us that he has learnt to deal with this
hard, insincere world by becoming just like all the other people; he too hides his real
emotions and speaks words he clearly does not mean.

The speaker wants to be as innocently sincere as his young son. He wants to unlearn
all these muting things; this suggests that he has learnt how to behave in a way which
mutes or silences his real emotions. He wants to get rid of his false laugh which
shows only my teeth like a snakes bare fangs the comparison with the snakes
fangs makes the false, mask-like smile seem dangerous. The speaker regrets the loss
of his innocence, but hopes his son can teach him.
The speaker showed various attitudes towards 20 th century. The speaker in this poem
reminisces about a time when people were sincere and caring in their dealings with one
another; he speaks regretfully about the present time, when people are not like before.
He seems to feel that people have lost the innocence and openness which he now sees
in his young son; he wants to regain that innocence.

Conclusion
In Conclusion the poem simply implicates that indeed time changes every
person. because as we grow up, and be everywhere we get to meet different people
and meeting different kids eventually calls for us to be appropriate in dealing the. it
seems then to be an escape from any misdealing, unlike and misunderstanding that is
why the author here is saying that he wears different masks. many are now doing this,
not only for escape but also for other things like money, favor, and name.. and what sad
here is that this act now becomes inevitable. His son holds the key to this old, forgotten
world. What a wonderful poem! It presents in such a simple manner, such a complicated
subject: the pain of growing up, and the loss of innocence.

Works Cited
Gibbs, James and Bernth Lindfors. Research on Gabriel Okara. Trenton:
Africa World Press, 1993.
Gabriel Okara.Once upon a time. 1950. Literature the Human
Experience Reading and Writing. New York: Bedford/St. Martins, 2006.