Twist – E R Braithwaite

The poem 'twist' is a powerful expression of black consciousness, a
movement that marks the battle of the blacks for upliftment of the socially
downtrodden. The poet, E. R. Braithwaite uses no conventional poetic
features to emphatically propangadise the black culture. The poem serves as
a reminder of the vast cultural heritage of the blacks. The use of certain
adjectives implies the social status of the blacks. Hence, despite its brevity,
the poem is effective enough in capturing the spirit of the black
consciousness movement.
The poet refers to a town which is described as 'shanty', to indicate the
poverty of the blacks as opposed to their cultural affluence, which is
mentioned in the subsequent lines. The place appears to be an inn where
there is an assemblage of young girls. There is a deliberate reference to their
colour as black, brown and a mixture of black and brown. Thus the reference
to skin colour is reminiscent of the apartheid movement of South Africa.
The cultural significance of the poem surfaces through the description of the
dance 'twist'. The poet is all appreciation for the performer who arouses a
sensual thirst in her audience. The poet draws our attention to the graceful
movement of the hips of the performer to the tunes of the jukebox, which
brings in a thunder of hunger in the bellies of the audience. Thus the poem
serves as a celebration of black heritage.