May 1954 by Edwin Thumboo analysis & themes

May 1954 by Edwin Thumboo

We do but merely ask,
No more, no less, this much:
That you white man,
Boasting of many parts,
Some talk of Alexander, some of Hercules.
Some broken not long ago
By little yellow soldiers
Out of the Rising Sun...
We ask you see
The bitter, curving tide of history,
See well enough, relinquish,
Restore this place, this sun
To us... and the waiting generations.

Depart white man.

Your minions riot among
Our young in Penang Road
Their officers, un-Britannic,
Full of service, look
Angry and short of breath.

You whored on milk and honey
Tried our spirit, spent our muscle,
Extracted from our earth;
Gave yourselves superior ways
At our expense, in our midst.

Depart:
You knew when to come;
Surely know when to go.

Do not ignore, dismiss,
Pretending we are foolish;
Harbour contempt in eloquence.
We know your language.

My father felt his master's voice,
Obeyed, but hid his grievous, wounded self.
I have learnt:
There is an Asian tide
That sings such power
Into my dreaming side:
My father's anger turns my cause.

Depart Tom, Dick and Harry.
Gently, with ceremony;
We may still be friends,
Even love you... from a distance.

May 1954 by Edwin Thumboo analysis & themes

May 1954 by Edwin Thumboo reflects emotionally on colonialism, freedom, national identity, and national identity. 

It is a poem which brings into view the painful relationship between the people who were colonized by the British and the white: hence, "Depart" and leave us alone. 

The beginning line of the poem, "May 1954" , begins with the poet making a request that "we do not merely ask no more,/ no less" from the colonial ruler. 

What the poet is directly requesting is something achievable, something which every reasonable human being seeks: freedom. 

The poem makes a direct speech to the white man, apprising the white man that he is not in any way impressed by his boasting of historical record of Alexander, Hercules. 

Even the white man military might does not move him. The poem conjures a historical image of how the British were defeated by the Japanese: "little yellow soldiers,/ out of the rising sun". 

The poet tells the white man to understandably "see/ the bitter curving tide of history". Though the white man may not understandably see the future, but to him, the poet, he sees the future of how Singapore is totally free and liberated from the colonial ruler. 

The poet refers to the historical future as the "curving tide". The poem line "Relinquish, restore this place, sun,/ to us" is extremely essential as it depicts how the white should relinquish the Singapore land to its real owners. 

"Restore this place" means that the land of Singapore should be restored originally to its freedom state and liberated from any infiltrated and external forces. 

This will make the waiting generation to see independence without fighting for it. The poem also makes use of the repeated words "Depart, white man" to demonstrate the eagerness of the poet's effort to eject the white man out of Singapore. 

The words, "Penang Road," point lucidly at the colonial authorities and the followers who got intensely involved in riot with the young people. 

This shows the struggle for independence. The poet criticizes the manner in which the British officer behaves. 

He sees it as something quite inappropriate on how British ought to be. The British officer are depicted as "hungry and short of breath". 

Also, the poet makes another powerful criticism on how the British exploit Singapore by stating that "you whored on milk and honey/ tried our spirit, spent our muscle,/ extracted from our earth." 

The poet expresses discomfort about how the British sees Singapore culture as inferior, whereas the British is highly known as superior over Singapore culture. 

The poem lines read in part: "gave yourself superior ways/ at our expense in our midst". The repeated word Depart is again uttered by the poet, who informs the colonial ruler that "you knew when to come, surely know when to go". 

There is a warning issued by the poet to the colonial ruler to see Singapore people as not foolish, because we know. 

There is a warning issued by the poet to the colonial ruler, because they see Singapore people as foolish individuals: "We know your language". 

The expression "My father felt this master voice,/ I obey, but hide grievous, wounded self," shows that the poet's father represents an old generation who, when he heard the colonial ruler's voice, "obeyed". 

However, his father was unhappy. Consequently, the poet's father hid grievous wound, though the wound really affected the whole generation. 

The poet admits that "I have learned" from the mistake of his father, therefore a change must occur. 

An "Asian tide" symbolizes the growing awareness of the negative impact of colonial ruler. If there should be any reason for liberation and independence, it is my father's anger turns my course. 

The reason for independence emanates from the family's history. The poet informs the British colonizers to leave, "Depart, Tom, Dick and Harry". 

There is a change of tone as the poet tells the colonial master to "leave gently with ceremony". The final lines in the poem reverberate with great emotion as the poet says that when the British eventually leave, we may still be friends, even love you from a distance. 

Themes in May 1954 by Edwin Thumboo are independence and exploitation. There are, however, other major themes and minor themes as well, but the theme of independence and exploitation dominate the poem.