The Cinnamon Peeler

The postcolonial poem "The Cinnamon Peeler" presents itself as a love poem or a poem written about a man lusting over a woman. There are, however, many other aspects and ideas that can be seen throughout the poem. These other aspects and ideas include the use of senses as a way to brand a woman instead of the use of a wedding ring, the definition of a woman by the man, belonging to the land and colonialism.

The poem begins with a hypothetical element. The poet's first line is "if I were a cinnamon peeler" (Ondaatje, 1). This line implies that he himself is not a cinnamon peeler. The fact that the poet decided to do this emphasises the importance of being a cinnamon peeler. It shows the speakers desire to be a cinnamon peeler. The reason for this is for the poet to show the significance of spice during this era. It is spices that drove colonialism. The need for spice is what lead to the discovery of new land and then the desire to conquer the land that provided the spice that was in such high demand. Another reason the speaker would desire the position of a cinnamon peeler is the fact that cinnamon peelers were known to wear the land, because of the scent that stuck with them after they were done doing their work, thus creating the idea that they belonged to the land. This idea also contributes to the idea of colonialism as it conveys the message that the speaker feels a connection with the place that he lives. Also, because of the fact that cinnamon has a distinct smell, the speaker knew that if he was a cinnamon peeler and was with the woman he describes in the poem, other people would immediately know that she belongs to him.

The speaker says that if he had to be a cinnamon peeler and be intimate with this woman, "[her] breasts and shoulders would reek [and she] could never walk through the markets without the profession of [his] fingers floating over [her]" (Ondaatje,