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.
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