ADVANCED LEVEL POETRY NOTES 2021

MEANING OF POETRY

 

Poetry can be defined in different ways including the following:-

 

Poetry is a literary genre that uses more condensed and figurative language to express human feelings, ideas, emotions as well as describing human experiences.

Or

Poetry is a composition that evokes emotion and imagination by use of vivid and intense language, usually arranged in pattern of words or lines with regularly repeated accent or stress. (Coles Editorial Board)

This definition looks poetry as a literary genre in verse or line formed by using more creative and artistic language than any other literary work.

Or

Poetry is a composition that is characterized by special use of language and rhythm, rhyme, metaphor, symbol, onomatopoeia and repetition.(Jacobus,1996)

 This definition implies that poetry is a literary genre that uses language in very special way by using a lot of figures of speech which add aesthetics or beauty in the work of art.

Or

Poetry is the way of expressing the feelings, emotions, ideas and other things or issues that we experience or ideas with special reference to emotional significance using language characterized by imagery and rhythmical sounds. Poetry deals with human problems. It portrays realized tension concerning a certain society.

Or

Poetry is is the rhythmical composition of words expressing an altitude, designed to surprise and delight, to arouse an emotional response (Kennedy,1978: v) this definition centres on the musical nature of poetry and emotional arousing property poetry has.

 

Therefore, in short and in summary we can say that, Poetry is a literary genre that is in line and metrical form which is sharper in figurative language use and very economical in the number of words used compared to the other genres like plays and novels.

 

Poetry differs from other literary genres because it is often in form of verses and stanzas and it uses more condensed and figurative language.

Condensed language is the language that is more economy that is the language in which only few words are used to express many and complete ideas something that is used in poetry but not in novel and plays.

Figurative language is the language that uses or employs more figures of speech, such as simile, metaphor, personification, irony, hyperbole and others.

 

The following are the texts or books which are examples of poetry

1.  Song of Lawino and Song of Ocol by Okot P’Bitek

2.  The Wonderful Surgeon and the other poems By Charles Mloka

3.  Songs of Malaya and Prisoner by Okot P’Bitek

4.  Diwani ya Mloka by Charles Mloka

5.  Malenga Wapya by Institute of Kiswahili and Foreign languages- Zanzibar.

6.  Kichomi by E. Kezilahabi.

Characteristics or features of poetry

·         Poetry is imaginative.

·         Poetry is rhythmical- is arranged in pattern of verses which form stanzas.

·         Poetry reflect experiences or ideas of people.

·         Poetry is rich in figures of speech.

·         Poetry arouses emotions.

Characteristics of a poet or poetess

·         He or she must have great knowledge of human nature.

·         He or she must know the problems of his or her society.

·         He or she must present strong feelings.

·         He or she must educate his or her society.

·         He or she must have ideas concerning poetry.

 

TERMS OR CONCEPTS USED IN POETRY

i.         Poem

A poem is a piece of creative work of art often in form of verses and stanzas describing human feelings, ideas, emotions and experiences.

Or is a metrical composition characterized by strong imagination, emotion, significant meaning and appropriate language. When it is written is in form of line or verses which combine to form stanzas which are block paragraph like units

Or is a piece of writing in verses form especially expressing deep feelings in beautiful language.

 

ii.        Poetic diction

Refers to the choice and arrangement of words in a poem. Poets are very careful in their words choice during the poem composition and its because of this words in the poetry are very effective  in the message presentation.

 

iii.       Persona

The person who speaks in the poem, technically is called persona. There fore we can say that persona is the character of the poem.

Sometimes, readers of the poem are confused by the use of the personal pronoun “I”, where they think that poet refers to himself or herself. However, this is not the case. Instead the poet puts himself or herself on the shoes of another person. That means the poet speaks for someone else.

For example, the poet may be healthy and yet may write and speak as if he were sick.

iv.       Tone

This is the altitude of the poet. In other words, tone refers to the poet’s state of mind in relation to what is being talked about in the poem. The tone may be angry, happy, lovely or friendly, sad, furious, fearful or ironic.

Sometimes the poem many have more than one mood, where the poet may reveal different mood or tone in different stanzas of the same or one poem. For example the poem may have happy mood at the beginning and later changing to angry mood.

v.         poet

A poet is a male person who composes poem(s). It can be in written or oral form

vi.       Poetess

A poetess is a female person who composes poem(s)

 

vii.      Verse

A verse is a single line in a poem. Therefore, this is the unit in the poem which consists of a line in the poem. Normally a stanza is made up of a number of verses that combine to form a block like paragraph.

viii.     Stanza

A stanza is a collection and arrangement of verses comprising complete idea(s) in the poem.

ix.       Poetic license

Poetic license is a freedom of a poet or poetess to break the rules of grammar of language in poetry for a certain reason or purpose. For example in the poem SUNRISE by Jwani Mwaikusa in verse number four there is poetic license when the persona says

“Forward they go” instead of “they go forward” here the poet started with the word forward instead of they for the aim of probably insisting and encouraging the son of the land to continue with the struggle without being discouraged or giving up.

 

TYPES OF POEMS

We have different types of poems, and these types of poems are according to two criteria which are

a)    According to form only

b)   According to both form and content.

 

TYPES OF POEMS ACCORDING TO FORM ONLY

According to form only there are two types of poems which are

i.         Closed form or traditional poems or rhythmic poems

These are the poems that strictly follow or observe old or conventional or traditional rules of writing poems such as rhyme pattern, equal number of syllables in each stanza, equal number of verses in each stanza and equal length of verse in the poem.

ii.        Open form or modern poems or free verse poems

 

These are the poems that do not strictly follow or observe old or conventional or traditional rules of writing poems such as rhyme pattern, equal number of verses in each stanza and equal length of verse in the poem.

 

TYPES OF POEMS ACCORDING TO BOTH FORM AND CONTENT

According to both form and content there are several types of poems including the following:-

a)    Narrative poetry

The word narrative comes from the word narrate which means to tell a story.

Therefore, narrative poems are the poems which tell stories.

Ø  These kinds of poems are always long than other types of poems such as SONG OF LAWINO by Okot P’Bitek

Ø  They are simple and easy to recognize the subject matter of the poet for example in the poem SONG OF LAWINO the intention is to present the coming of western culture and its effect in Africa by using Ocol and Lawino.

b)   Reflective poems

These are the poems that debate on a certain issue or idea and come to conclusion.

 

Ø  They reflect or debate or takes an issue and discuss it in details.

Ø  At the end of the poem the conclusion or way of solving the problems is provided.

c)    Lyric poems

These are the poems that express personal emotions and feelings of the writer or persona. It concentrates on poet’s internal word(s) that is they express individual feelings about something.

Or

This is one of the most common types of poem. These are kind of poem which are usually short and express very strong feelings or mood about the universal issues such as hate of something or issues and death. These poems comprise the strong feelings of the speaking voice in the poem about a certain issue in the poem.

This kind of poetry deal with poet’s internal world, and the poems about love are said to fall under this category of lyric poetry.

Example of lyric poem is EAT MORE by Joe Corie.

d)   Descriptive poetry

These are the poems that concentrate on description of people, objects, experiences and places. In these poems places or people are described critically by basing on facts and experiences.

e)   Sonnet

These are the poems with fourteen verses that follow the pattern of rhyme.

Sonnet is divided into two parts

OCTET is the first part of sonnet type of poem which consists of first eight verses of the poem.

SESTET is the second part of the sonnet type of poem that is made up of last six verses.

Example of sonnet type of poem is If We Must Die by Claude McKay)

f)    Ballad poetry

This is the kind of poem that is simple constructed that tell a story, many of the ballads are of love travel and adventures. Ballad are direct, fast moving and contain a lot of details or issues.

Example of Ballad is Ballad of Land Lord

In ballad kind of poem, there are two or more people speaking in exchange or in turn, so it is dramatic kind of poem as it is presented like drama.

g)   Ode

Ode is the kind of poem that addresses a person or thing or celebrates an event.

Example a poem composed one one’s birthday party.

h)   Epic is the kind of poem that presents heroic characters.

Or

Is the long poem that deals with the actions of great of great men and women or history of a nation or a society.

Example the poem composed praising the deeds of the soldiers who went to the war and brought home a victory, this one will be epic.

.

i)     Elegy is a lyric poem that expresses sadness about someone who has died. When someone dies, people mourn, therefore poem composed for mourning or praising someone who has died is the one that is called elegy

j)    Didactic poetry

This is the type of poem which is designed to give instructions to the readers. This kind of poem tells the readers what to do.

These kinds of poems are mainly about political and social matter, example of this kind of poem is “Your Pain” by Armando Guebuza as it instructs the readers to take part in the struggle.

 

ANALYSING POEMS

In the process of analyzing poems there are some questions that are very important to be asked or to ask yourself as you analyze the poem including the following:-

1.     What is the poem about?

Here you have to talk or explain about the content of the poem, that is what is presented or described in the poem. It may be about poor leadership, poverty or any other issue.

2.    What are the other possible themes presented in the poem?

Here the one analyzing the poem has to give our the themes presented in the poem.

3.    What is the type of poem?

Here you are required to give out the type of the poem, either is modern or traditional, narrative or lyric as it shown and explained in the types of poems.

4.    What are the figures of speech used in the poem?

Here mention and explain the figures of speech used in the poem  by giving examples from the poem.

5.    What is your comment on the language used in the poem?

Language use or diction is the choice and arrangement of words or language in the work of art.

Here you can ask yourself if

Ø  The language used is simple or complex and this is according to the level of the reader.

Ø  The language used is mixed language, grammatical or ungrammatical language.

6.    What is the tone or mood of the speaker?

7.    Is the poem relevant to your society? Why?

Here you say if the poem is relevant or not and you give out the reason(s) for why the poem is relevant or irrelevant.

8.    Is there the use of important sound effect in the poem?

Important sound effects (MUSICAL FEATURES OF THE POEMS) are following

a)    Rhyme

Rhyme is the repetition of similar sound in the poem.

Or

Rhyme refers to similarity or identity in sound at the end of consecutive lines or at the similar interval in a stanza or poem. The similarity of the sound is normally centred in vowels

Example

“Dear John I say

On this nice day

I’ve seen the way

Indeed is a salvation day”

From the above example, the stanza has rhyme as each line ends with _”ay” sound to give /ei/ sound

 

 

See the other example bellow

 

“Be hold dear friend

Salvation is coming

The Earth has come to end

Jesus is coming”

 

The above stanza has similarity in sound, which means has rhyme, however the rhyme is

“ab  ab” but in the first stanza the rhyme is “aa    aa”

 

What is the role of rhyme in poetry?

The following are some roles of rhyme in poetry

i)     It is used when the poet want to avoid the boredom. This is because the use of the similar sound attracts reader’s attention, hence avoiding boredom.

ii)   It also decorates the poem as it adds music.

 

b)   Rhythm

Rhythm is the regular beats in the poem that is the falling and rising of sound in the poem basing on stressed and unstressed syllable.

Or rhythm is a pattern of stress in the poem. Rhythm can be regular or irregular.

It is regular when stress occurs at the regular interval.

 And it is irregular when stress does not occur at regular interval

NOTE:

When stress is regular we get METER, which refers to the rhythm formed by regular pattern of stressed and unstressed syllable. The stressed and unstressed syllable together form FOOT, here also you have to understand that the major words are one which are stressed and the minor ones are the ones which are not stressed(unstressed). The mark for stressed syllable is (-) and for unstressed syllable is (v)

c)    Refrain

Refrain is a word or line that is repeated at the end of each stanza. It adds music and emphasizes a point in the poem.

d)   Alliteration is the use of the same sound(s) at the beginning of consecutive words in a line.

For example

“Feel free friend Fredy”

In that above example, the same sound /f/ begins in every word in the line and that is what is called alliteration.

 

 

 

HOW TO ANALYSE A POEM

In analyzing the poem you do the following

i.             Read the poem for the first time, this may be done quickly, then read for the second time, as you read for the second time look on the language used in the poem and the meaning of the words used in the poem and then read for the third time.

ii.            After reading the poem, ask yourself those questions mentioned above which are very important in the process of analyzing the poem.

 

PROCEDURES IN ANALYSING THE POEM

i.             Look on the title of the poem

The title of the poem may give clue or way of what is the poem about, therefore it makes the reader to be able to recognize the content of the poem.

For example if the title of the poem is YOUR PAIN may make the reader predict that suffering is the focusing or main issue in that poem.

NOTE:

The caution or the issue to  note here is that the reader should not analyse the poem by basing only to the title, this is because the title may be ironical means opposite of what they say. That is what is presented in the poem may be contrary ( not related) to the title of the poem)

ii.            Consider the type of poem.

Here you have to consider the type of poem according to form only and according to both form and content.

iii.          Consider the tone or mood or altitude of the poet.

It is at this stage where the reader determines whether the poet or persona is happy, angry or sad or serious according to the issue presented in the poem.

iv.           Think about the themes of the poem.

These are the central ideas in the poem. Themes are what the poet or poetess has presented in the poem.

v.            Consider the message of the poem.

Message is what we learn from the poem, that is it refers to the suggestions given by the poet or poetess as the lesson to the readers of the poem. In this case the poet raises an issue or problem in work of art, such issue or problem needs a solution, and therefore the solution provided by the poet or poetess is what we call message.

vi.           Consider the relevance of the poem.

In this aspect the reader should see if the issues presented in the poem are related to issues done in his or her society that he or she is living.

vii.         Consider the language use.

In this stage we look on the choice and arrangement of words, symbols and symbolism as well as the use of figures of speech. The language used may be simple or complex, mixed, formal or informal. The figures of speech are used to add aesthetics or beauty in the work of art, hence making the poems interesting and entertaining.

viii.       Comment on the success and failure of the poet.

This is judged through the way the message has been presented in the work of art as well as the general creativity used in the poem. When making this judgement we put ourselves on the position of the poet, hence we suggest what the poet or poetess could have done to make his or her poem clearly presented to the readers.

 

The poems analysed in this part are from the following

 

1.     Selected Poems                                  - Tanzania Institute of Education

2.    The Wonderful Surgeon and  other Poems     - Charles Mloka     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE DYING CHILD (FREEMAN PETER LWAMBA)

 

Thin and red,

Skinny and balb,

The boy groans on the ground.

 

Swollen stomach

Full of waste,

Thin legs,

Thin arms,

Twitch

As the boy fights with flies

Over the empty place.

 

Ten years old,

He looks older than ten,

And the younger than young,

And so small

As he wriggles,

Prisoner

Of his unproportional body.

 

“Mother” shouts the boy

“When I grow up

I will carry a gun,

And not a pen.”

 

“My son”, shouts the mother

“My son” cries the mother

“You will never live to carry a gun

There is no meat for us”

 

 

 

 

ANALYSIS OF THE POEM

 

1.     What is the poem about?

The poem is about a boy and his mother who are experiencing hardship of life. This hardship has been caused by the ruling system, in the poem the boy is expecting to revenge for all those who have caused that kind of poor and miserable life.

2.    What is the type of poem?

This is free verse or modern type of poem, because there is variation in the number of syllables in the verses, variation of verses in each stanza and there is variation in the length of verses in the stanzas.

3.    What is the form of the poem?

i.             Structure of the poem

The poem has five stanzas, whereby the first stanza has three verses, the second has eight verses, the fourth has four verses and the fifth has four verses.

ii.            Language used or diction

The language used in the poem is simple, clear and straight forward. However the choice of the words by the poet help the readers to reflect  poverty, miserable life, hardship of life and anger of the persona towards those causing such kind of poor life.

iii.          Figures of speech used in the poem

a)    Hyperbole

Is shown in stanza 2, when the persona says

“…. As the boy fight with flies

Over the empty plate”

 

The boy cannot fight with flies over the empty plate, it is possible that the plate had little food

b)   Personification

Personification is shown when the persona says that

“…..as the boy fights with flies

Over the empty plate”

Here the flies have been given human qualities. It is obvious that the flies cannot fight with human being.

iv.           Tone or voice

The tone of the persona is that of anger, sad, unhappy and seriousness.

4.    What is the main theme of the poem?

The main theme of the poem is poverty in the society.

5.    What are the possible themes found in the poem?

a)    Poverty

In the poem it is shown that people in the society are poor to the extent that they cannot afford to eat sufficient and balanced diet and because of this, people are likely to have poor health.

This is shown when the persona says

“Swollen stomach

Full of waste,

Thin legs,

Thin arms

As the boy fights with flies

Over empty plates”

b)   Poor diet

This theme is well explained by the boy who has not been taking balanced diet as a result he became thin, red, skinny and bald. Also he has swollen stomach because not having balanced diet.

c)    Social stratification or classes in the society

In the poem is shown that there are two classes existing in the society, the class of the poor people who cannot afford having balanced diet and live very poor and miserable life and the class of the rich people or ruling class who eat balanced diet and enjoy all the sorts of luxurious life.

d)   Vengeance

In the poem the boy has promised to revenge to all those who have caused poor and miserable life to him and his mother. He wants to revenge to the exploiters and oppressors that is the ruling class.

This is shown when the persona says:

““Mother” shouts the boy

“When I grow up I will carry a gun

And not a pen”

e)   Illusionment

The boy has illusion to fight against all people who have caused poor and miserable life. He believes that he will be able to carry a gun and fight for the revenge, but in the reality he is very thin, skinny and always groans on the ground, hence if his mother’s life will not change, he will not be able to carry a gun and fight.

f)    Awareness and consciousness

The boy is aware that poverty of the family and the society in general has been caused by the ruling class and that why the boy has promised to revenge against the ruling class.

 

 

 

MESSAGE OR LESSONS FORM THE POEM.

i.             The excessive poverty caused by the ruling class in the society cannot be tolerated, otherwise people will revenge or fight against it.

ii.            Awareness among the people in the society is very important because will make those people to be in position of understanding the sources of the problems existing in the society and how to deal with such kind of problems.

iii.          Poverty in the society should be eradicated because it causes many problems such as poor health to children as shown in the poem.

iv.           The ruling class in the society should help all the people to solve all the problems such poverty in the socity instead of exploiting and oppressing them.

 

Relevance of the poem to the society

The poem is relevant to many African societies as it reflects the social realities of those societies through themes presented in the poem such as poverty which is found in many African societies.

 

EAT MORE (JOE CORRIE)

Eat more fruit!

The slogan says,

More fish, more beef, more bread!

But I’m on uemployment-pay

My third year now and wed.

 

And also I wonder when I’ll see

The slogan when I pass

The only one that would suit me

Eat more bloody grass!

 

ANALYSIS OF THE POEM

1.     What is the poem about?

The poem is about personal or individual feelings towards a slogan that insists people to eat balance diet while he is poor and unemployed, hence cannot afford to have balanced diet.

2.    In the first stanza what is the general altitude of the poet towards the slogan?

The altitude of the poet towards the slogan is negative; he is angry and is blaming the slogan for insisting people to eat balance diet while those people are poor and unemployed.

3.    What is the intention of the poet in the last verse, when the persona says

“…Eat more bloody grass!”

The intention of the poet is to show the dissatisfaction towards the slogan or idea of eating more food or balanced diet while people are poor and unemployed.

4.    What is the tone of the poet?

The tone of the poet is sad, satirical and angry.

The tone of the persona is sad at the beginning, this is shown when the persona says

“…But I’m on unemployment-pay” this shows that the persona is sad because of the existing situation.

In the second stanza the tone of the persona become serious as the persona decides to protest against the slogan.

5.    What are the two points or reasons to make the poet or persona angry in thepoem?

The two pints to make the persona or poet angry in the poem are

a)    The idea or slogan that insists people to eat balanced diet while people are poor and are not employed.

b)   The state of unemployment and poverty.

6.    What are the possible themes portrayed in the poem?

a)    Hypocrisy

The existing system or leaders is hypocrite, this is because they set and implement the slogan without considering the real situation, this is because people are insisted to eat balanced diet or more food while people are poor and are not employed.

b)   Classes in society

In the poem there are two classes shown, that is the class of poor and unemployed people who cannot afford having balanced diet and the class of the ruling and rich people who can afford to have balanced diet.

c)    Exploitation

In the society expressed in this poem, there is exploitation. And this is caused by the existing of two classes, the class of leaders and rich people who exploit and oppress the class of poor and unemployed people. Therefore the poor people are exploited by the rich people.

d)   Awareness and consciousness

In the poem the persona is aware that the ruling class in exploitative, where by it is exploiting the poor people and also is aware that the ruling is hypocrite because is setting and implementing the decisions and slogans without considering the real situation of the people, where by the ruling class insists people to eat balance diet while those people are poor and not employed.

e)   Protest

In the poem protest is the other theme shown, whereby the persona protest against the slogan which insists people to eat balance diet while those people are poor and not employed.

 

DEVELOPMENT (KUNDI FARAJA)

A man of the people

Enters his office

To sit on the throne

Of party and state

His stick of power

Across the table.

 

He looks into the files

To see the demands

Of the millions of people

Who for years since Uhuru

Have just managed to survive

They ring out one message

Man of the people

You have always been telling us

What we need…

Health centres,

More school,

Clean water,

Better transport facilities,

Better living conditions.

 

Do you plead incapable

To bring about development?

 

I declare running

Better than walking

For a young and poor country;

I plead fighting  undervelopment

Tougher than fighting

A wounded buffalo

With a pocket knife;

I plead underdevelopment

Stronger than the blows of the sea

When the hurricane is at its height,

 

I plead fighting underdevelopment

Tougher than combating colonialism;

I see that its more difficult

To maintain peace

Than to stop a coup d’etat

 

 

I plead the cry

Of the nation

More painful than the yell

Of a woman

As her husband dies of sickness;

Its more painful than screams

Of a man

Dying in agony

In the coils of the greater python

Found in the African forest

 

How is development

To be brought brother

When the people to whom

We have entrusted power

Are corrupt?

 

I plead the stomachs

Of the privileged few

Greater than the Rift Valley;

They cannot be satisfied

With a normal share.

 

I plead the thirst

Of the  minority

Greater than that of Sahara;

No rain can quench it

 

I reckon the minority

More sensitive to egoism

Than to National Development;

Nothing that is not theirs

Is of any interest.

 

Their response to egoism,

Is faster than camera film to light

But as slow as tropism

To nation-building.

 

The majority plead

Exploited

Cheated

Disregarded

But brother

How is development to come?

 

GUIDING QUESTIONS

1.     What is the poem about?

The poem is about development in developing society or country. The poet argues that whenever there is selfishness, corruption, exploitation and oppression there will be no development and this is revealed in the last stanza, when the persona says;

“..The majority plead

Exploited

Cheated

Disregarded

But brother

How is development to come?”

2.    Is the persona happy in this poem? Why?

The persona is not happy in this poem. This is because he is complaining about the behavior of some leaders who are corrupt, selfish and irresponsible; such leaders cause the country not to develop.

3.    What does the term “Egoism” mean in this poem?

Egoism means selfishness. It is thinking of one’s own interest or needs without thinking about others. It means not sharing what one has with others.

4.    What are the possible themes portrayed in this poem?

The following are the possible themes portrayed in the poem:-

i.             Selfishness

It is thinking of one’s own interest or needs without thinking about others. It means not sharing what one has with other. In the poem, the poet has depicted selfishness of some leaders who consider only their needs and interests not considering the interests and needs of the others (majority). Selfishness is shown to be an obstacle towards the attainment of development in a society. In the poem its shown that the leaders are sensitive to selfishness than building the nation. The persona says

 

“…I reckon the minority

More sensitive to egoism

Than to National Development;

Nothing that is not theirs

Is of any interest..”

ii.            Corruption

It is the immoral action where one gains his favour by giving bribes. Corruption can be  in terms of sex or materials. In the poem its shown that some leaders are corrupt and its also shown that it is very difficult for a nation to develop when corruption dominates the society. We cannot get development with corruption. The persona says

“…How is development

To be brought brother

When the people to whom

We have entrusted power

Are corrupt?..”

iii.          Classes in the society

In the poem there are two classes presented, that is the upper class and the lower class. The persona seems to dislike the upper class and to him this class includes the minority in the society. They are selfish and corrupt.

 

According to the persona, this class is the class of people who are privileged. This is shown when the persona says

“…I plead the stomachs

Of the privileged few

Greater than the Rift Valley;

They cannot be satisfied

With a normal share…”

Also the people in this class are more sensitive to egoism than to the National Development. On this the persona says:-

 

“…I reckon the minority

More sensitive to egoism

Than to National Development;

Nothing that is not theirs

Is of any interest….”

The other class is the lower class; this is the class of majority who are exploited, cheated and disregarded. This is justified in the last stanza when the persona says:

“….The majority plead

Exploited

Cheated

Disregarded

But brother

How is development to come?...”

iv.           Exploitation

Exploitation is the use of materials or manpower selfishly or unfairly. In the poem the minority are selfish and not satisfied with what they have. He says

“..The majority plead

Exploited

Cheated

Disregarded

But brother

How is development to come?..”

The lower class is complaining that the upper class is exploiting them. So with these evils, there will be no development.

v.            Poor social services.

In the poem the persona has discussed the issue of social services in the  society. Since independence people are demanding better living conditions and improvement of social services.

But all these years of Uhuru have proved failure and leaders are proved incapable of bringing development. In the poem its shown that people are in need of health centre, more schools, clean water, better transport facilities and better living conditions. This one is shown in the second stanza when the persona says;-

 

“…He looks into the files

To see the demands

Of the millions of people

Who for years since Uhuru

Have just managed to survive

They ring out one message

Man of the people

You have always been telling us

What we need…

Health centres,

More school,

Clean water,

Better transport facilities,

Better living conditions….”

5.    What is the form of this poem?

a)    Type of the poem.

It open form type of poem. The poem’s length varies syntactically in the length of verses, and in the number of verses in each stanza.

b)   Structure of the poem.

The poem has twelve stanzas. The first stanza has six verses, the second has fourteen verses, the third stanza has two verses, the fourth stanza has ten verses, the fifth stanza has five verses, the sixth stanza has ten verses, the seventh stanza has five verses, the eighth stanza has five verses, ninth stanza has four verses, tenth stanza has five verses but the eleventh stanza has four verses and the twelfth stanza has six verses.

c)    Language use or diction.

The language used in the poem is simple, ordinary, clear and straight forward. In the poem some words are repeated for emphasis such words are “plead” , “development” and A man of people”

In the poem there are some figures of speech used including the following

i.             Exaggeration

In the poem this one is used to magnify the idea, example

The stomachs of the privileged few greater than the Rift Valley likewise….. the thirsty of the minority greater than that of Sahara”

ii.            The poem is use of personification when the persona says

I declare running

Better than walking

For a young and poor country

d)   Tone or voice

The altitude of the poet is ironic, symptithetic or satirical. The persona is in very deep feeling specifically about the development of his society as the leaders are corrupt and selfish.

e)   The mood

The state of mind of the poet is ironic, serious and angry. This is due to exploitation, selfishness and corruption. The persona hates the leaders who are selfish and corrupt.

f)    Rhyme scheme.

In the poem, there is no regular rhyme scheme or pattern, its because of different sounds used in the poem.

6.    Is the poem relevant to your society? Why?

The poem is relevant to my society, especially to the developing country like Tanzania and the other African countries where corruption is rampant. This is shown when the persona says

How is development

To be brought brother

When the people to whom

We have entrusted power

Are corrupt?

 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1.     “It is believed that poor leadership in most of the developing countries has acted as an obstacle to development” With reference to the poem DEVELOPMENT discuss this statement.

2.    “Egoism is not a problem in the process of developing the developing countries.” Discuss.

 

 

 

Read the following poem and answer the questions which follow

 

YOUR PAIN ( ORMANDO GUEBUZA)

Your pain.

Yet more my pain,

Shall suffocate oppression.

 

Your eyes,

Yet more my eyes,

Shall be speaking of revolt.

 

Your scars,

Yet more my scars,

Will be remembering the whip.

 

My hands,

Yet more your hands,

Will be lifted fully armed.

 

My strength,

Yet more your strength

Shall overcome imperialism

 

My blood,

Yet more your blood.

Shall irrigate our victory.

 

GUIDING QUESTIONS

1.     What is the poem about?

The poem is about people or members of a certain society who are being oppressed, tortured, humiliated, exploited and experiencing many other sufferings.

In the poem its shown that these people are under foreign domination (colonialism) and the persona as one of the member of the society  is affected by colonialism. Hence the persona talks to the other members of the society to be united and to fight against the oppressors in the society.

In the poem the persona is sure that will be winning the struggle or fight

 

2.    What is the main theme of the poem?

The main theme of this poem is building the future or building the new society, that is the society with no oppression, humiliation, torturement and other evils.

 

3.    Is the poet happy? Why?

The poet is not happy, Because of the existence of oppression, humiliation and exploitation in the society.

 

4.    What does, blood, whip, eyes symbolize?

Whip symbolizes all features of humiliation and torture

Blood stands for sacrifice

Eyes symbolizes the means or way of getting freedom

5.    Comment on the language used in the poem.

The language used in the poem is ordinary, simple, clear and understandable as someone reading the poem can understanding easily what is presented in the poem. In the poem repetition is used for emphasis, Example “My” and Your” is repeated to emphasis people to be united in the society.

The poet has chosen words very carefully to support what is presented in the poem, eg use of “scars, “strength”, blood” so as to express the intended message

 

6.    With examples identify and explain the figures of speech used in the poem.

In the poem there are some figures of speech used including the following

i.             Personification

Examples

Pain to suffocate oppression.

Eyes to speak abour revolt.

Scars to remember the whip.

Blood to irrigate victory.

 

ii.            Symbolism

Whip symbolizes all features of humiliation and torture

Blood stands for sacrifice

Eyes symbolizes the means or way of getting freedom

7.    Briefly, explain four possible themes of this poem.

a)    Sacrifice

In the poem sacrifice is clearly shown in the stanza six, the persona believes that it is only through armed struggle that the victory will be attained and all the sufferings will be taken away. Therefore people should be ready to shed blood that is to sacrifice their life.

 

b)   Unity

In the poem its shown that for the people in that society to solve their problems unity is very important. Therefore the persona in the poem insists them to unite and fight their enemies through armed struggle.

 

c)    Consciousness

In the poem, the persona is aware of the existence of various problems such is oppression and humiliation.

Also person is aware that for people to fight against the enemies they must be united that why the persona is insisting all the people to fight.

d)   Colonialism or foreign domination.

In the poem its shown that the people are under foreign rule or domination. This themes is well presented in the fifth stanza when the persona says;-

 

 

My strength,

Yet more your strength

Shall overcome imperialism

 

8.    Is the poem relevant to your society? Why?

The poem is relevant to my society because even is my society there are people who are oppressed and humiliated and some are finding on how to take away all the problems such as by the means of army. (Armed struggle)

Also, the poem is relevant to our societies particularly when we were fighting for independence through armed struggle

9.    What do you learn from the poem?

i.             Imperialism or colonialism is bad and its roots should be uprooted by any means possible including armed struggle.

ii.            Unity is essential or important thing in any revolution or struggle.

iii.          People should sacrifice their life so as to take away all the problems they experience.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BOY ON A SWING (OSWALD MBUYISENI MTSHALI

 

Slowly he moves

To and fro, to and fro

Then faster and faster

He swishes up and down

 

His blue shirt

Billows in the breeze

Like a tattered kete.

 

The world whirls by:

East become west

North turns to south

The four cardinal points meet his head

 

Mother!

Where did I come from?

When will I wear long trousers?

Why was father jailed?

 

ANALYSIS OF THE POEM

1)    The title of the poem.

The title of the poem “Boy on a Swing” may be said to mean the boy’s life experience. This is because the poem talks about moving from one side to another.  At the end the boy asks his mother some questions, such as why his father jailed?, this shows that he has acquired enough experience in his life where he discovers that there are things which are wrong in his family and society in general.

2)   The type of the poem

The type of the poem is modern narrative because is telling the story about the boy/s life. The speaker of the poem is someone out of the poem and it seems that the speaker or persona has been observing the boy/s life since his birth.

3)   The language used in the poem.

The language used in the poem is simple and appropriate according to the subject matter of the poem. The words have been carefully chosen and well ordered.

Also, in the poem there are some figures of speech used as follows:-

 

Imagery

The poem has got images including the image of moving that is the movement of the boy from one side to the other side and also there is image of hearing.

 In the poem the image of sight is presented through the colour the shirt won by the boy which is blue.

The image of movement can be perceived through the use of the words or expressions   “….to and fro, to and fro……” where by these expressions are related to movement.

 

Symbols

In the poem there are some symbols that have been used as follows

 

Boy’s movement

This can symbolize the experience the boy get as he grows up, including different life experiences and later becoming conscious of different things which are wrong in the human society.

 

The billowing of a shirt

This may be symbol of sufferings that the boy experience in his life, as the shirt is compared with something tattered symbolizing something bad or the suffering.

 

The meeting of the cardinal points

The meeting of he cardinal points in the boy’s mind may mean or symbolize understanding the world. This is because after meeting those cardinal points the boy started asking the mother some questions which shows that the boy has the clear understanding of the world.

 

Wearing of long trousers

This may mean having access to good or quality life.

 

 

4)   The tone of the poet

In this poem the mood of the poet has been the changing one. At the first the poet looks at the boy’s life as happy one, as the boy is said to be swinging that’s in the first and second stanza. In the third stanza the mood changes, here the boy has understood the world, this is shown when the four cardinal points meet in the boy’s mind where it means understanding the world. Here the mood of the poet becomes angry as the boy asks the mother why his father was jailed.

 

5)   The possible themes in the poem

i)     Life experience

The theme has been presented by the boy who at first is said to be swimming and this can be interpreted as normal life experience. Meaning different life stages the boy is undergoing as he grows up. The boy swing until when the four cardinal points are met in his head which symbolically may means having new life experience which mean understanding the world well and becoming conscious as he starts asking the questions to the mother which shows that he has understood what is wrong in the society.

ii)   The denial of the basic rights

In the poem it is shown that the boy is denied the access to some rights in his life, for example in the poem the boy wonders when he will be wearing the long trousers. Therefore the boy is denied the right to dress properly. Therefore this means that in the society there are people who enjoy all the basic rights but some do not enjoy those rights.

iii) Awareness

In the poem its shown that the boy is aware of the different issues particularly which are wrong in the world or  community as the boy asks his mother the reason for his father to be jailed and when he will be wearing the long trousers.

iv)  Unequal distribution of the resources

In the poem is shown that there is no equal distribution of resources and this is shown when the boy asks the mother about the time he will be able to wear the long trousers in his life. Therefore he we can get a conception that some people have high access to the resources in the community and these people can dress the long trousers but some like the boy have no access to the resources hence cannot have the access of buying the decent clothes like long trousers.

 

 

BUILDING THE NATION

 

By Christopher H. M. Barlow (Uganda)

Today I did my share

In building the nation.

I drove the permanent secretary

To an important urgent function

In fact to a luncheon at the Vic.

 

The menu reflected its importance

Cold Bell beer with small talk,

Then fried chicken with niceties

Wine to fill the hollowness of the laughs

Ice-ream to cover the stereotype jokes

Coffee to keep the PS awake on return journey.

 

I drove the permanent secretary back.

He yawned many times in the back of the car

Then to keep awake, he suddenly asked,

Did you have any lunch friend?

I replied looking straight ahead

And secretly smiling at his belated concern

That I had not, but was sliming!

 

Upon which he said with a seriousness

That amused more than annoyed me,

Mwananchi, I too had none!

 I attended to matters of state.

Highly delicate diplomatic duties you know,

And friend, it goes against my grain,

Causes me stomach ulcers and wind.

Ah, he continued, yawning again,

The pains we suffer in building the nation!

So the PS had ulcers too!

My ulcers I think are equally painful

Only they are caused by hunger,

No sumptuous lunches!

                             

So two nation builders

Arrived home this evening

With terrible stomach pains

The result of building the nation –

   -Different ways.

 

INTRODUCTION

 

Building the nation is a poem by a Ugandan poet Christopher Henry Muwanga Barlow that principally explores the lifestyle of African bourgeoisie who came to power after colonialism and ideally, simply replaced the coloniser. There is a need for African leaders to create hope for those they lead but they are caught up in the same evil lifestyle of their colonial predecessors. The aspects of nation building which were supposed to dominate public and political policies have been thrust to the periphery of human thought. In a way, the persona calls for a reaction towards the ruling class’s hypocritical nation building where they pretend to have welfare of the masses at heart while in real sense they just want to capitalize on their efforts.

 

THEMATIC ANALYSIS

 

DISILLUSIONMENT/DISAPPOINTMENT

The kind of disillusionment portrayed in the poem is that which Africans have towards their leaders who have adopted the very tenets of the colonisers from whom they got power. Essentially, the idea of nation building turns out to be a very complicated phenomenon where those who are central to the process have their efforts wasted by leaders who can implement policies.

 

The persona shows more disillusionment by stating that at the meeting “the menu reflected its importance/ Cold Bell beer with small talks/ Then fried chicken with niceties/ wine…/ ice cream …/coffee… (lines 6-11). This reflects the triviality of a meeting where serious issues were supposed to be discussed.

 

 LIES AND HYPOCRISY

 

This has been a vital tool for most politicians when they want to win more votes from the ignorant masses. They make heaps of lies on the optimistic crowds but eventually everything turns out only a nightmare. The PS lies to the driver that he did not have any meal just as did the driver yet you and I know that he had a very heavy and sumptuous lunch.  He even shows his hypocrisy more clearly when he asks this question. “then to keep awake he suddenly asked/Did you have any lunch friend?”. It is rather sad to note that he does not ask whether the driver has eaten anything because he is concerned about his welfare, but it is simply to keep himself awake throughout the journey.

 

CLASSES/MARGINALIZATION

In a broader way the poem thoroughly depicts two classes in one society. There is high class and lower class. Both of them are supposed to mutually benefit from the national resources, yet the high class that is represented by the PS exploits the lower class that more often than not comprises those who are involved in the modes of production. For example the chauffeur drives the PS to the place where there is feasting (eating) while the driver does not take part in the feasting. The persona himself comes from the marginalized class. The role of both classes is building the nation, but the high class has just become the parasites who feed on the national resources at the expense of the masses. They are not building the nation at all but building their stomachs.

 

EXPLOITATION

Furthermore in the poem, the two parties represent the two strands of nation builders that are in most African states. On one side there are those represented by the driver (the local masses) while on the other hand we have high class being represented by the PS. The later is very busy squandering the public funds which can be used to rebuild the nations. The masses are the hardworking people whose benevolence is easily taken for granted by those in power. There are those who eat extravagantly and those who work on empty stomachs. The persona knows about this exploitation done by African leaders and informs his fellow countrymen what is actually happening.

 

 AWARENESS

The poem paints a picture of awareness that those who are oppressed, exploited and marginalised are now aware of what is happening. This is an important step as long as the liberation of the oppressed is concerned. It is also a significant step if the nation is to realise sustainable development where the national resources will be mutually utilized for the benefit of not only the ruling class but the masses as well.

 

If we examine the end of the poem, it seems to induce a kind of anger that should lead to vengeance (revenge). The persona is appealing to the oppressed to rise to the occasion and deal with the ruling class. 

 

The fact that “two nation builders/ arrived home this evening/with terrible stomach pain/the result of building the nation/different ways” is more like an appeal to emotions where the persona seeks actions from the masses.

 

 

MISUSE OF PUBLIC RESOURCES

The persona shows that the PS goes to the meeting where important matters were supposed to be discussed. Instead the PS meets his friends and all they do is eating, cracking jokes and laughing. If we need to do well at nation building we must respect everything that belongs to the state. We must not misuse the public funds, the working hours and the state properties like cars for our own interests. The PS goes to feast using the government car, and after the feast he is driven back home. So he wastes not only the public resources but also the working hours.

 

REPERCUSSION OF OUR LIFE STYLE

Nevertheless, the persona seems to have hopes in some facts that both the African bourgeoisie and the proletariats have their points of vulnerability. They both suffer in one way or another because of their own actions and lifestyles. For instance the driver becomes sick because of lack of food while the PS becomes sick for eating too much.

So Ps has ulcers too!

My ulcers I think are equally painful

Only they are caused by hunger,

No sumptuous lunches!

 

MESSAGES

      If we wish to do well in nation building we must as public servants respect everything that belongs to the state; money, property, working hours etc.

       If the high class is not careful with nation building one day the oppressed may revolt.

       Hypocrisy, classes, and exploitation should be discouraged.

      Awareness is very important in the liberation of the oppressed.

       All human beings have their points of vulnerability. They both suffer in one way or another because of their own actions and lifestyles

 

RELEVANCE

      The poem is relevant in our country in a number of ways.

       Today we have a lot of leaders who misuse the public funds while those who are involved in the means of production live in dire poverty.

      Hypocrisy, Classes, exploitation and marginalization are also major issues in our society.

 

GUIDING QUESTIONS

a.    What is the poem about?

The poem is about the concept of nation building as taken by African bourgeoisie class who came to power after colonialism. The poet shows that independence was just the change in colour but the leaders adopted the very tenets of their predecessors.

 

b.    Who is the persona? How do you know?

The persona is a driver (chauffeur) who represents the low class.

In line 3 he says “I drove the permanent secretary”

 

c.    Suggest some literary and poetic devices used in the poem.

         i.        Alliteration

Highly delicate diplomatic duties..

And secretly smiling…

Cold Bell beer

       ii.        Barbarism

Mwananchi, I too had none!

      iii.        Onomatopoeia

Ah, he continued yawning again.

This is the sound of yawning

      iv.        Satire

To an important urgent function

In fact to a luncheon at the Vic.

Lunch is called an important urgent function, this is very satirical

        v.        Irony.

The title of the poem ‘Building the Nation” is ironical because the guys in the poem were not building the nation.

 

d.    Why did the PS ask the question “Did you have any lunch friend?”

It was just to keep himself awake throughout the journey and not because he is concerned about the welfare of the driver.

 

e.    What is the tone and mood of the poem?

The tone is both sad and ironical/satirical and the mood is angry and hatred towards the ruling class.

 

f.        What type of the poem is this?

It is a lyric poem as it expresses the strong feelings of the chauffeur but it can also be a narrative poem as it tells the story about the PS.

 

g.      The poet says in the last stanza ‘so two nation builders arrived home this evening’ were the two people building the nation?

Not really. The poet uses this as a satire to criticise the idea that people always claim to build the nation but they end up building their stomachs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AFRICA

 

BY David Diop (Senegal)

 

Africa my Africa

Africa of proud warriors in the ancestral savannahs

Africa of whom my grandmother sings

On the banks of the distant river

I have never known you

But your blood flows in my veins

 

Your beautiful black blood that irrigates the fields

The blood of your sweat

The sweat of your work

The work of your slavery

The slavery of your children

Africa tell me Africa

 

Is this you this back that is bent

This back that breaks under the weight of humiliation

This back trembling with red scars

And saying yes to the whip under the midday sun

But a grave voice answers me

Impetuous son that tree young and strong

That tree there

In splendid loneliness amidst white and faded flowers

That is Africa your Africa

That grows again patiently obstinately

And its fruit gradually acquires

The bitter taste of liberty.

 

INTRODUCTION

This poem is written by David Diop - A Black African who was born in France in 1927. His father was from Senegal and his mother from Cameroon and he grew up in France and West Africa aware of both cultures and traditions. He was deeply concerned by the question of independence from colonial rule.

This poem is a dramatic monologue where the speaker seems to be in conversation with Africa. The poem can be thematically divided into three parts; pre colonial Africa, colonial Africa and post colonial Africa.

 

THEMATIC ANALYSIS

 

COLONIAL TORTURE AND EXPLOITATION

There are evidences of torture and exploitation in the poem due to the fact that the poet expresses how the sweat of Africans was lost in vain.

The blood of your sweat

He sweat of your work

All this was done at a time when Africans were turned into slaves and worked for their masters without any benefit.

The work of your slavery

The slavery of your children

 

OPPRESSION AND HUMILIATION

Oppression and humiliation were common practices in colonial time. They were used to force Africans work for colonisers without objection. This has left scars to Africa that we still depend on them even when they seem to mistreat us.

 

“This back that breaks under the weight of humiliation

This back trembling with red scars

And saying yes to the whip under the midday sun”

 

IDENTITY AND AWARENESS

The poet however seems to be aware of his identity as black African. Although he grew up in France he shows that black blood flows in his veins, which is to say he is still an African regardless of where he grew up.

 

“I have never known you

But your blood flows in my veins

The voice that answers Diop sums up his African identity.

Impetuous son that tree young and strong

That tree there

In splendid loneliness amidst white and faded flowers

That is Africa your Africa.”

 

EFFECTS OF COLONIALISM

The poet concludes his poem by showing the effects that colonialism had on African continent. Nevertheless, he seems to be optimistic that at least Africa is growing up again just like a young tree.

“That is Africa your Africa

That grows again patiently obstinately”

 

GUIDING QUESTIONS

 

a)    What is the poem about?

The poem is about the effects colonialism has had on Africa. It traces the history of pre-colonial Africa, then shows the torture that Africans underwent in colonialism and how Africa is starting afresh like a young tree.

 

b)   What type of the poem is this?

It is a free verse/modern poem as it doesn’t follow all the strict rules for writing poems. There are variations in the length of verses in the poem.

 

c)    What does the symbol ‘that tree young and strong” suggest?

First of all the symbol refers to Africa. It suggests that after colonialism Africa began to grow up again just as a young tree.

 

d)   Why do the fruits acquire a bitter taste of liberty? Why does liberty taste bitter?

The fruits acquire a bitter taste because liberation of the oppressed is not a simple thing. It needs sacrifice and determination. Some people lose their lives in the process. So in such a case liberty is never sweet but bitter memories.

 

e)      What is the tone of the poem? The tone changes from the beginning it is happy in the middle it becomes sad. This makes the tone nostalgic and the mood becomes optimistic.

 

f)    Why does the poet say that “black blood flows in his veins”?

Black blood in this poem symbolises African nature as there is no blood that is black in colour. So he shows that although he grew up in France he is still aware of his African identity.

 

g)   How have the past effects of colonialism shaped the Africa’s present?

The socio-political and economic state of Africa today was seriously affected during colonial time. So Africa was paralysed and is just starting afresh as a young tree while the colonisers are well off.

 

g)   Comment on the figures of speech and poetic devices.

 

a.       Anadiplosis; the repetition in which the last expression of one statement becomes the first expression in the following statement.

 “The blood of your sweat

The sweat of your work

The work of your slavery

The slavery of your children”

 

b.      Rhetorical question a question that does not need a reply.

           “Is that you this back that is bent”

c.    Symbolism

      Scars’, ‘whip’ and ‘blood’. They stand for the torture that Africans went through in colonial time.

      Black blood- symbolises African identity

d.    Imagery.

      Gustatory image. Image of taste. Bitter taste of liberty

      Thermo image: image of heat; The sweat of your work

e.    Personification.

The poet addresses Africa as though it is a human being and has blood that flows, and can sweat etc.

      But a grave voice answers me.

       Your beautiful black blood

      The sweat of your work

       Is this you this back that is bent

f.        Alliteration- repetition of similar consonant sounds at the beginning of consecutive words.

      You beautiful black blood

 

g.      Reiteration (for emphasis)

       The word Africa is repeated 7 times throughout the poem

E.g. Africa my Africa

 

b)   Exaggeration.

      Your beautiful black blood

      This is under exaggeration because there is no black blood in colour.

      Your beautiful black blood that irrigates the fields. There is no blood enough to irrigate the fields.

c)    Anaphora

“Africa my Africa

Africa of proud warriors in the ancestral savannahs

Africa of whom my grandmother sings”

 

MESSAGE

      Colonialism paralysed Africa so it is up to us to build again.

      We must know our identity as Africans, where we come from, where we are and what we need to do to get where we are going.

      We have to work hard to bring about development in Africa

      We must fight against the oppression of the proletariat class.

 

RELEVANCE

      The poem is relevant as it discusses the issues facing the post colonial Africa. The current economic status of the present Africa was badly damaged during colonialism.

      There are many economic policies adopted in an attempt to recover the economy of African countries.

      Oppression and humiliation are still common in Post colonial Africa.

 

 

IF WE MUST DIE

Claude McKay

 

If we must die, let it not be like hogs

Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot.

While round us bark the mad and angry dogs

Making their mock at our accursed lot

If we must die, o let us nobly die

So that our precious blood may not be shed

In vain; then the monsters we defy

Shall be constrained to honor us though dead.

O kinsmen! We must meet our common foe

Though far outnumbered. Let us show us brave

And for their thousand blows, deal one death blow

What though before us lies the open grave?

Like men we’ll face the murderous cowardly pack

Pressed to the wall dying but fighting back.

 

INTRODUCTION

Claude McKay was born in 1890 in Jamaica. He went to Kansas to study agriculture at the time when Ku Klux Klan was highly active. He was therefore forced to move to New York in 1914. In 1919 Washington DC newspaper gave stories of an alleged (suspected) sexual assault that was said to be committed by an African American. The stories sparked (caused) a series of twenty riots during the summer of 1919, beginning with white lynch mob (murderous group) that targeted blacks in Washington. There were 28 public lynching (killings) in the first half of the year and the following summer and fall came to be known as “The Red Summer” of 1919. This was the motivation behind McKay’s “If We Must Die”

He wrote the poem amid the violence and bloodshed of 1919, and in this poem he encourages his community to take action and fight back.

 

THEMATIC ANALYSIS

 

SACRIFICE

In the fight against oppression, sacrifice is a valuable commodity. Few People need to sacrifice their lives so that the majority may live in peace. In this poem the poet (McKay) calls for actions against the enemy (foe). However, he shows that the struggle may mean death. But if they must die, it is better to die fighting so that they may be honoured later than dying while doing nothing.

He says

“If we must die, o let us nobly die

So that our precious blood may not be shed

In vain! …”

 

HUMILIATION/TORTURE/OPPRESSION

The poet and his fellow kinsmen go through a series of torture and mistreatment from their enemy. They are arrested with no reason, jailed and killed like pigs. This is a situation which affected most African Americans in the time of racial injustice in America and when “Jim Crow laws” were in effect. The poet shows the experience they are going through by saying;

“If we must die, let it not be like hogs

Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot.

While round us bark the mad and angry dogs”

 

MOTALITY (DEATH)

Due to this politically charged situation death at least seems the best thing to help a person sort out what is important in life. The speaker speaks about death in a more practical sense - he is actually facing it. It is not the question of whether he will die or what will happen when he dies it is about how he will meet death. To him death is an opportunity to show strength, nobility and purpose.

“If we must die, o let us nobly die

So that our precious blood may not be shed

In vain; then the monsters we defy

Shall be constrained to honor us though dead.”

 

AWARENESS

The persona is aware that they are oppressed by their whites counterparts. He is also aware that whether they fight or not they are bound to die one day. So it is noble to die fighting than to die doing nothing. For him if they die fighting, their enemies will honour them although they are dead.

What though before us lies the open grave?

Like men we’ll face the murderous cowardly pack

Pressed to the wall dying but fighting back

 

GUIDING QUESTIONS

a)    What is the poem about?

The poem is about the torture, humiliation and oppression the people of African origin were suffering in America and their determination to fight back. The poet shows that it is noble to die fighting against your enemy than to die doing nothing because after all we are bound to die someday whether we fight or not.

 

b)   What type of the poem is this?

It is a sonnet. It is made up of only one stanza with 14 verses.

 

c)    Comment on the rhyming scheme.

The poem has a regular rhyming scheme that goes;

 

ABAB CDCD EFEF GG

 

d)   What is the tone and mood of the poem/poet?

The tone is serious and angry and it creates the hatred mood towards the oppressor.

 

e)    Who is the persona? How do you know?

The persona is a black American who is oppressed, humiliated and persecuted. We know this from the history of the poet and the fact that blacks were hunted, penned (locked in small cells) and killed like hogs (pigs) in America.

“If we must die, let it not be like hogs

Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot.

While round us bark the mad and angry dogs”

 

f)    What sufferings does the person experience?

They are hunted (arrested), penned (locked in small cells) with angry and mad dogs guarding them, and they were killed without fair trial.

 

g)   Is the persona afraid of death? Give reasons to justify your answer.

The persona is surely not afraid of death. The reasons for this are;

      When you die fighting people will honour you. i.e. it is noble to die fighting. “let us nobly die”

       Whether he fights or not, he is bound to die someday. “What though before us lies an open grave?”

h)   Comment on the figures of speech and poetic devices

           i.    Rhetorical question

      What though before us lies an open grave?”

 

           ii.      Metaphor. 

   He compares the enemy/oppressors with the monsters. ‘The monsters we defy’ and “murderous cowardly pack”

        iii.    Images

 

The poet paints the pictures of;

Visual image. Hogs (pigs) = pigs are killed mercilessly so they should not die the same death.

Barking Mad and angry dogs = this is the picture of the oppressor who guards the Blacks not to escape from punishment.

 

        iv.    Symbolism

“An Open grave” this symbolizes death. Which is to say whether we fight or not death is there waiting for us. Death is the ultimate finality of human life.

‘Blood” is a symbol for sacrifice

          v.    Repetition

The phrase “if we must die” is repeated for emphasis

      vi.      Hyperbole. “For their thousand blows”

     vii.            Simile. If we must die let it not be like hogs

     viii.    Satire/Irony

The poet mocks both the enemy and himself.

“Like men we’ll face the murderous cowardly pack.” He mocks the oppressor that he is coward like a group of wolves. But how can someone coward press you to the wall dying. He shows that he is himself weak/inferior to the enemy. Also shows that the enemy is capable of dealing a thousand death blows but he can deal only one.

 

i)     The poet calls his enemy “the murderous cowardly pack” what does that mean?

A pack is a group of dogs or wolves hunting together. He compares the oppressors as a cowardly pack because the Whites were hunting Africans in notorious mobs and not individually. This shows that they were coward as well.

 

j)     To whom is the speaker talking?

The speaker calls for action from his fellow kinsmen (the oppressed) or more specifically Black-Americans.

“Oh Kinsmen! We must meet our common foe”

 

k)   Is the poem relevant today?

      The poem is still relevant because oppression, injustice and racial prejudice are still prevalent in different parts of the world. Awareness, sacrifice and determination are still needed when it comes to fighting for our rights.

      Also it is very true that those who died fighting during this period of racial injustice in America are honoured until now in the history of America. Think of Martin Luther King Jr, and Malcolm X.

 

 

THE AWFUL DENTIST

Jwani Mwaikusa

 

He read medicine

Specializing in the tooth,

And graduated with honours

With new thesis

To cure the aching malady.

 

“Our teeth shall be alright!”

People chanted, welcoming his services.

And he started work, prompt and immediate.

 

They brought him all the teeth they had –

Decaying teeth, aching teeth, strong teeth.

And he started working on their jaws

Diligently pulling out every tooth

From the jaws of every mouth,

And they paid him with meat

Which now they could not eat.

 

And so went on the dentist

Making heaps and heaps of teeth

Useless! Laying them waste

Without fear that soon,

Very soon indeed

He would have no teeth to attend to,

No tooth for which to call himself a dentist.

 

INTRODUCTION

The word awful means something terrible, dreadful, horrendous or extremely unpleasant. So “The Awful dentist” is a poem by Professor Mwaikusa that depicts a terrible and incompetent dentist who studies medicine specialising in dentistry. People raise their hopes welcoming his service believing that at last their teeth will be taken care of because they now have a specialist in dentistry. As he begins his job they bring to him all the dental problems they have. Some have severe cases, some have mild cases and others just need dental services. Finally they get disappointed because the supposed saviour has turned out to be a disaster. Regardless of the status of the teeth he pulls all of them out.

 

THEMATIC ANALYSIS

DISAPPOINTMENT

The poem is generally about hopes raised and disappointed. The poet shows a society that is suffering from dental maladies. Finally they get a dentist who has graduated fresh from college hoping that their dental problems will no longer be a problem.  They chant welcoming him in great joy hoping for a better future. As he begins working they get disappointed because his mind is focused on pulling out every tooth brought to him. Even those with teeth that needed only some cure were pulled out. Many people remained toothless. This is the greatest disappointment. The poet says:

“They brought him all the teeth they had –

Decaying teeth, aching teeth, strong teeth.

And he started working on their jaws

Diligently pulling out every tooth

From the jaws of every mouth”

In a way the dentist represents those leaders who ask for votes and create greats hopes to the citizens but when they get into the offices, the common people get disappointed.

 

EXPLOITATION/SELFISHNESS

The dentist is selfish and uses his education to exploit the common people, instead of using his education to bring about a better life for them. As he started working he began pulling out their teeth and made them incapable of eating meat. As a result they had to bring him all the meat which they now could not eat.

“Diligently pulling out every tooth

From the jaws of every mouth,

And they paid him with meat

Which now they could not eat”

 

This represents leaders who create worse conditions to the citizens so that they may exploit them in one way or another. The citizens keep on paying taxes, fees and fines but the services offered to them remain poor.

 

BETRAYAL

The dentist has betrayed the people. Instead of using his education to help them cure their illness he uses his education to exploit his clients. Many professionals and educated elites have betrayed the common people who had waited for their services for so long. Nonetheless, the poet shows that one day they will suffer from their own actions. This is also a wakeup call for the leaders who exploit the national resources not knowing that the natural resources are extinct. They can be used up and they will no longer have anything to exploit anymore. The poet says.

“Without fear that soon,

Very soon indeed

He would have no teeth to attend to,

No tooth for which to call himself a dentist”

 

REPERCUSSION OF FORMAL EDUCATION

One of the main characteristics of African indigenous education is that it was community oriented, geared to solving the problems of the community. The instructional activities were therefore directed towards the social life of the community so as to prepare the learners to fit in their community. Western Formal education on the other hand has been preparing graduates with paper qualifications, high grades and exceptional performance but they fail to transfer their knowledge to solve societal problems. The dentist in the poem falls under this class of professionals. He has good college grades but he cannot use his education pragmatically to solve people’s problems in his community.

 

“He read medicine

Specializing in the tooth,

And graduated with honours”

The society is disappointed because they don’t see the relationship between his college performance and the service he offers.

 

 

GUIDING QUESTIONS

a)    What is the poem about?

The poem is about an awful dentist who studies medicine specialising in dentistry and the society raises hopes that at last their teeth will be taken care of by this dentist. The clients are finally disappointed because instead of helping them cure the malady he began pulling out their teeth and laying them useless.

 

b)   What type of a poem is this?

It is a freeverse/modern poem as it does not follow all the strict rules for composing poems. It can also be termed as a Lyric poem as it expresses the feelings of this citizen towards the awful dentist.

 

c)    Describe the form/structure of this poem.

The poem is made up of three stanzas with considerable variations in the number and length of verses in every stanza.

      Stanza one has 5 verses/lines of uneven length.

      Stanza two has 10 verses of uneven length.

      Stanza three has 7 verses of unequal length.

 

d)   Comment on the rhyming scheme.

The poem has irregular rhyming scheme with exception of the 4^th and 5^th couplets in the second stanza that have a regular rhyme;

“Diligently pulling out every tooth

From the jaws of every mouth,

And they paid him with meat

Which now they could not eat.”

 

e)    What is the tone and mood of the poet?

Both the tone and mood of the poet are sad and disappointed. The poet shows the disappointment the citizens have when the dentist performs contrary to their expectations.

 

f)    Who is the persona? How do you know?

The persona is an observer who reports about the service rendered by the dentist to the optimistic society but he ends up disappointing them. “They brought him all the teeth they had”. This line shows that the persona is not one of them but he observes as a third part.

 

g)   Comment on the language use.

The language used is simple and easy to understand. The selection of words is also carefully done to pass the message across. The words “graduated with honours” suggest that this dentist is expected to be competent in his area of specialization. As a result people “chanted welcoming his services” showing the hopes they have for him. The words “decaying teeth, aching, teeth and strong teeth” are included to show the diversity and intensity of their maladies. Some are very severe, some are mild, and yet some are still strong. The word “useless!” is postponed until the last stanza not only to show how he turned their teeth useless but also to show that the people discovered rather later than sooner that his service was also useless.

 

Figures of speech and musical devices

 

The poem has the following figures of speech and poetic devices.

      Irony- the poem shows a situational irony since what happens is not what was expected. The irony appears in the following phrases.

·         “And graduated with honours” - someone who graduates with honours is expected to be competent in his area not like the dentist depicted in the poem who makes heaps and heaps of teeth useless.

·          “Diligently pulling out every tooth” in its strictest sense the word diligence means showing care and effort in your work or duties. The poet shows that this dentist was diligently pulling out every tooth. This is an irony because the dentist was not diligent in his work. Instead of curing the aching malady he was pulling out the teeth and making them useless regardless of whether they are severely affected or not.

      Poetic license.

              “And so went on the dentist” for “And so the dentist went on...”

      Reiteration...

Making heaps and heaps of teeth (the word heaps is repeated for emphasis)

Without fear that soon/Very soon indeed (the word soon is repeated for emphasis)

 

      There is internal rhyme and end-rhyme in some verses.

·         Internal rhyme is shown in this verse. “Decaying teeth, aching teeth, strong teeth” (the sounds in these letters “ng” and “th” in this line bring about music in the poem.

·         End rhyme is shown in the 4^th and 5^th couplets of the second stanza in which the words “tooth” and “mouth” rhyme, but also “meat” and “eat” do rhyme.

      Consonance. There is repetition of the final consonants in the following line;

               Decaying teeth, aching teeth, strong teeth

 

h)   What are the messages we get from the poem?

      Don’t trust someone because of his certificates. Paper qualification may be irrelevant in solving the immediate problems of the people.

      We need to check our curriculum content for the purpose of modifying it or else we will be producing useless graduates.

      Exploitation and betrayal are not good in our society. This dentist was creating a mechanism for the people to give him meat (resources) because they could no longer eat it as they were toothless.

i)     Is the poem relevant to our society?

      The poem is relevant to Tanzania today since we have many graduates who have graduated with honours from colleges, and universities but fail to apply their knowledge in their working fields.

 

      Many professionals have acquired irrelevant education by cramming the theories of western philosophers but they cannot be implemented in our societies to solve our problems.

 

      Also some professionals create mechanisms for poor people to give them money by setting almost impossible conditions for getting the services unless you have offered something (corruption). Many people are disappointed by the educated elites we have since their education is not used to create solutions but they use their education to create more problems and turn them into opportunities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AN ABANDONED BUNDLE

Oswald Mbuyiseni Mtshali

 

The morning mist

and chimney smoke

of White City Jabavu

flowed thick yellow

as pus oozing

from a gigantic sore.

 

It smothered our little houses

like fish caught in a net.

 

Scavenging dogs

draped in red bandanas of blood

fought fiercely

for a squirming bundle.

 

I threw a brick;

they bared fangs

flicked velvet tongues of scarlet

and scurried away,

leaving a mutilated corpseㅡ

an infant dumped on a rubbish heapㅡ

‘Oh! Baby in the Manger

sleep well

on human dung.’

 

Its mother

had melted into the rays of the rising sun,

her face glittering with innocence

her heart pure as untrampled dew.

 

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

This poem was written by Oswald M Mtshali a South African poet born in 1940 and it criticises a morally decayed society living at the Withe City Jabavu – a black suburb of Johannesburg. The poet shows a mother who gives birth but drapes the infant in red bandanas (neckerchiefs/scarves) and throws it in the rubbish heap (an abandoned bundle). Taking advantage of the morning mist and smoke the mother leaves the scene feeling innocent. The dogs start eating the baby as the persona finds them and feeling sorry for the baby he throws a stone to scare the dogs.

 

 

 

THEMATIC ANALYSIS

 

MORAL DECAY

The poet pictures a society in which there is no sense of humanity. The mother in the poem has lost her sense of humanity and she dares drape her own baby inside the bandanas making a bundle that she throws in the rubbish heap. The moral decay is shown by the irony that the poet postpones until the last stanza so that it may come as a surprise to us. It is insensible to think that a woman who has thrown her baby to be eaten by the scavenging dogs would leave the spot with;

her face glittering with innocence

her heart pure as untrampled dew

This shows how rotten the society is and perhaps she is used of doing this that is why it comes as no surprise to her. While the readers and the persona feel sympathetic of the whole issue it is surprising to note that the mother has no that feeling.

 

IRRESPONSIBILITY

Many women are irresponsible nowadays when it comes to motherhood and the responsibilities attached to it. They either abort the foetus or abandon the babies in plastic bags and in the hospitals. This is highest level of irresponsibility to think that a woman who waited for nine months to deliver her baby would be so strange o throw the baby and leave it to be eaten by the scavenging dogs. Surprisingly still she goes away registering innocence in her face.

“Its mother

had melted into the rays of the rising sun,

her face glittering with innocence

What they do not know is that abortion does not make them remain maidens but mothers of the dead baby.”

 

SYMPATHY

The persona feels sympathetic towards the baby and throws a brick to scare the dogs. The persona shows that the baby was being consumed while alive with the sensibilities of knowing what was going on for he says the bundle was “squirming” (twisting its body perhaps because of pains). But since the dogs had mutilated the baby badly, its body remained there as a “mutilated corpse.” He remained hopeless and had nothing to do as he saw the baby lying hopeless like Jesus was in the manger. All he had to say was;

‘Oh! Baby in the Manger

sleep well

on human dung.’

 

HYPOCRISY

Many people are hypocrites in our societies. They commit severe crimes but as long as they go unnoticed they pretend to be innocent in the eyes of the people. The mother in the poem is a hypocrite because she has murdered her own child but she leaves the scene putting on her face a glittering innocence to hide her guiltiness.

 

“Its mother

had melted into the rays of the rising sun,

her face glittering with innocence

her heart pure as untrampled dew.

With hypocrites of this nature in the society we cannot create an ideal society we aspire for. These are wolves in a sheep’s clothing.”

 

 

 

 

GUIDING QUESTIONS

 

i.                    What is the poem about?

The title of this poem “an abandoned bundle” summarises the meaning of the poem as it points out the issue of moral decay in the society. It shows a woman who draped the newly born baby in form of a bundle using the bandanas and abandons it on a rubbish heap to be eaten by dogs.

 

ii.                  Who is the persona? How do you know?

The persona is a passer-by who lives at White City Jabavu who witnesses the abandoned baby being consumed by the dogs. This is revealed by the way he says;

I threw a brick;

they bared fangs”

iii.                What is the tone of the poem?

The tone is sympathetic to the child but it turns out to be ironical towards the end of the poem as the mother moves away feeling innocent instead of guilty. The mood is also sympathetic.

iv.                 What type of poem is this? Give reason(s).

It is a free-verse/modern poem of Lyric type as it expresses the strong feelings of sympathy of a passer-by towards the baby.

v.                   Comment on language use in this poem.

The language used is simple and easy to understand and the choice of vocabulary is done well. There are words that make us visualise how corrupt the society is. The poet has also made use of figures of speech to carry the message across. 

a.      Irony

The poet uses the words below to express the irony because the mother who has abandoned her baby to be eaten by the dogs is expected to feel guilty and full of remorse. This is not what happens as the poet says;

“her face glittering with innocence

her heart pure as untrampled dew.”

b.      Simile

      “Chimney smoke of White city Jabavu flowed thick yellow as pus oozing from a gigantic sore”

      It smothered our little houses like fish caught in a net.

      Her heart as pure as untrampled dew

c.       Allusion

The words “Oh! Baby in the Manger” refer to the biblical rendition of Jesus Christ who slept in the Bethlehem Manger.

d.      Imagery

The poet creates visual images of poverty as he describes the White City Jabavu as a place full of “chimney smoke” resembling “pus oozing from a gigantic sore” and the “rubbish heap”. These portray an area where poor people live.

“The mutilated corpse” and “bare fangs” of the dogs portray cruelty to a child and loss of humanity.

e.       Symbolism

      “An abandoned bundle” this represents the babies who are aborted or thrown away everyday by their mothers and they die miserably.

      “The White city Jabavu” this symbolises any society in Africa where women re morally corrupt. They commit crimes but go away feeling innocent without any sense of guilt.

      “The Baby in the Manger” this symbolises the innocence of the child whose life is shortened by the mother.

      “The mother” she represents women who are morally corrupt and have no sense of guilt.

 

vi.                 What message do we get from this poem?

      Women should take the responsibility of taking care of their children.

      Abortion should be discouraged at all costs.

      The government should take stern measures against those who abandon their children (babies)

vii.               Briefly comment on the relevance of this poem to your society today.

The poem is very relevant to our society today as there are many women who abort their unborn children or abandon them in the hospitals, roads, rubbish pits, others throw them in the latrine pits.