2 It is a beauteous evening, calm and free by William Wordsworth

2.1 Background to poet and poem

William Wordsworth was one of the founders of the Romantic Movement in poetry.
Romantic poetry was a backlash against the changes made by the Industrial
Revolution. The romantic poets revered nature.
Wordsworth developed a love of nature as a youth, and he settled in the Lake District
which is an area of great natural beauty in the United Kingdom. He believed that
poetry should be created from the scenes of everyday life and the speech of everyday
people.
“It is a Beauteous Evening, Calm and Free”, expresses Wordsworth's reverence for
natural beauty while also hinting at his belief that children have a special relationship
and faith in God. This belief has ancient roots in Christianity and other traditions. The
Bible, for example, says that "strength" and "praise" come "from the mouths of babes”.
Wordsworth wrote ‘It is a Beauteous Evening, Calm and Free’ not long after the end of the French
Revolution, which he witnessed while living in France from 1791-1793. During those years, he met and fell
in love with Annette Vallon, and in 1792, she gave birth to their daughter Caroline. Soon afterwards,
wartime upheaval and money problems forced Wordsworth to return to England. In 1802, during a break in
political tensions between England and France, he journeyed to Calais, France to visit Caroline (whom he
had never met) and inform Annette of his plans to marry another woman.

In ‘It is a Beauteous Evening, Calm and Free’, the speaker (a stand-in for the poet) describes walking on
the shore with a ‘dear Girl’ at sunset. The poem implies that the child is his, but leaves some ambiguity on
this point. In 18th and 19th-century England, having a child out of wedlock was considered scandalous, so
Wordsworth concealed this element of his personal history from the public.
Wordsworth died in 1850.
It is a beauteous evening, calm and free
1 It is a beauteous evening, calm and free;
2 The holy time is quiet as a nun
3 Breathless with adoration; the broad sun
Octave 4 Is sinking down in its tranquillity;
5 The gentleness of heaven is on the sea:
6 Listen! the mighty Being is awake,
7 And doth with his eternal motion make
8 A sound like thunder—everlastingly.
9 Dear child! dear girl! that walkest with me here,
10 If thou appear untouched by solemn thought
Sestet 11 Thy nature is not therefore less divine:
12 Thou liest in Abraham's bosom all the year,
13 And worshipp'st at the Temple's inner shrine,
14 God being with thee when we know it not.

2.2 Glossary

LINE WORD MEANING

3 adoration deep love and respect
4 tranquillity calmness, peacefulness
7 doth does
7 eternal lasting or existing forever
10 solemn serious
11 Thy Your
12 Abraham’s bosom place of comfort with God
13 shrine place of worship

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2.3 Themes

 Beauty - The poet describes and expresses his appreciation for the beauty of God’s creation in the
natural world, particularly, the tranquillity of the sea and the setting sun.

 Relationships – the relationship between father and daughter /between man and God /between man
and nature.

 Childhood and faith – the poet states that children are innocent and have a special connection with
God.

 The power of nature and God

2.4 Type and form

William Wordsworth's "It is a beauteous evening, calm and free" is an Italian (Petrarchan) sonnet.
The lines are divided into an eight-line subsection (called an octave) followed by a six-line subsection
(called a sestet). The octave follows a rhyme scheme of ABBA ABBA. This means the first, fourth, fifth, and
eighth lines all rhyme with one another. The second, third, sixth, and seventh lines similarly rhyme with one
another. The rhyme scheme in the sestet is CDECED.
In the octave, the poet describes the peaceful atmosphere of the countryside. The poem then switches
from a description of nature to the speaker directly addressing his daughter in the sestet. This switch is
referred to as a Volta or turn in a Petrarchan sonnet.
An Italian Sonnet has 14 lines and a set rhyme scheme…
1 It is a beauteous evening, calm and free, A
2 The holy time is quiet as a nun B
3 Breathless with adoration; the broad sun B
4 Is sinking down in its tranquillity; A
Octave 5 The gentleness of heaven is on the sea: A
6 Listen! the mighty Being is awake, B
7 And doth with his eternal motion make B
8 A sound like thunder—everlastingly. A
9 Dear child! dear girl! that walkest with me here, C
10 If thou appear untouched by solemn thought D
Sestet 11 Thy nature is not therefore less divine: E
12 Thou liest in Abraham's bosom all the year, C
13 And worshipp'st at the Temple's inner shrine, E
14 God being with thee when we know it not. D

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 2.5 Analysis Time of day -
It is a beauteous evening, calm and free; sunset
Simile: comparing the
quietness and respect for Time of worship or prayer
nature, (a sacred time Peaceful and quiet
when nature is The holy time is quiet as a nun atmosphere
“worshipped”) to a Nun
worshipping her God Admiring
Wide, far reaching
Breathless with adoration; the broad sun
So beautiful that it is almost Alliteration- repeating “s” Peaceful and calm
impossible to breathe emphasizes the serene atmosphere at the end of the
day
Is sinking down in its tranquility;

The sun is setting at the end of the day

The sky seems to
be joined to the
Personification: giving The gentleness of heaven is on the sea: sea
the inanimate “heaven” a
human characteristic of Capital letter signifies God
being gentle
A powerful God
Image of God calmly Listen! the mighty Being is awake, who controls the
watching over the world. waves
Does
He is seen as a gentle,
calm God. This line marks
the beginning of the link of And doth with his eternal motion make
God and nature in the
poem. Without end Constant movement of the waves

A sound like thunder—everlastingly.

Simile: the crashing
sound of the waves Volta: the poet is changing perspective and tone Repetition of “dear”
sounds like highlighting his love for
thunderclaps ______________________________________ his daughter. The
Dear child! dear girl! that walkest with me here, exclamation marks
show the tone and
You Walking beside him depth of his love
Repetition of “dear” to
focus the reader on the If thou appear untouched by solemn thought
subject: His daughter. Just because she is not
Serious showing her feelings
towards the scenery
His daughter seems and seemingly is not
Thy nature is not therefore less divine: verbalising her wonder
uninterested and
seems to show a In God’s presence. for the Creator, does
Close to/ lay upon
lack of reverence for Metaphor not mean that she has
the beauty of God’s lost her reverence for
creations. Thou liest in Abraham's bosom all the year, God.

Praying A holy place. Nature A place of

worship.
And worshipp'st at the Temple's inner shrine, Symbolises
purity and
We are often not innocence
Is with you Adults
aware of God’s
connection with
God being with thee when we know it not. His children

Abraham’s bosom – Is a biblical term that refers to the place of comfort where the
righteous dead await judgement day. In saying this he is highlighting the trust and
innocence of his daughter, Caroline.

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 Tone, mood and intention

i Tone
 Reverent/ Respectful
 Affectionate
ii Mood
 Meditative
 Calm/serene
iii Intention
 To celebrate the beauty of the natural world
 To appreciate the beauty of nature

These points are not the only definitions of the above points. When you are looking at specific lines or
phrases the adjectives describing tone, mood and intention may differ.

Summary
 In the octave, the speaker describes a beautiful, peaceful, leisurely night.
o He compares the hour of evening prayer services as being silent as a nun whose love of
God leaves her breathless.
o The giant sun is setting calmly. Heaven (the sky or God) watches lovingly over the
ocean.
o There is a command to pay attention to God’s magnificent work in making an endless,
thundering sound (the sound of the sea).
 The speaker addresses his daughter in the sestet.
o He tells her that if she does not seem captivated by this beautiful setting, it is not
because she is less spiritual by nature: it is because, unlike adults, she feels divine
comfort and God’s presence all the time.

2.6 Activities

Activity A

1 What type of sonnet is ‘It is a beauteous evening, calm and free’? Justify your
response. (3)

2 Who is being addressed in this sonnet? (1)

3 What does the phrase "holy time" refer to? (2)

4. Why is the nun "breathless"? (2)

5 What does the phrase "Abraham's bosom" refer to? (2)

Total [10]
Suggested answers to activity A

1 Italian/ Petrarchan sonnet. It has an octave and a sestet, with a volta at line 9. (3)

2 Caroline, the illegitimate child of Wordsworth, is addressed. (1)

3 It refers to the evening - the time of prayer. (2)

4 She is "breathless" because she is completely absorbed in her prayer to God. (2)

5 It refers to the place of comfort in the Bible where the righteous dead await Judgement Day.
(2)
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Activity B

In the poem ‘It is a beauteous evening, calm and free’, William Wordsworth is inspired
by a seaside walk he took with his daughter Caroline in Calais, France.

In an essay describe how the speaker feels about the natural world and his daughter’s
relationship with it.

Your response should take the form of a well-constructed essay of 250–300 words
(about ONE page).
Total [25]
Suggested Answer: Activity B

Use the following points, among others, as a guideline to answering this question.
 The speaker appreciates the serene beauty of a coastal sunset while on a walk with the "Dear
Child" who is his daughter.
 It is a beautiful, peaceful, leisurely night. The speaker feels God’s presence in everything around
him.
 The speaker’s descriptions of nature are filled with religious imagery that links the beauty of the
evening, and of nature more generally, to God. The night is “beauteous” and “calm,” the sun
“sinking down” over the horizon in utter “tranquillity” as the sky hangs gently over the ocean.
The religious imagery links the beauty of the evening, and of nature more generally, to God (and
thus presents this beauty as worthy of reverence).
 The speaker compares this "holy time" of day (a reference to evening prayers) to "a nun /
Breathless with adoration." In other words, it’s so quiet, it’s as though the world itself is holding
its breath out of respect for nature’s beauty, just as a nun is made breathless by her love for
God.
 The poem urges an appreciation for the beauty and power of nature, and for the divine "Being"
that makes such beauty possible. The speaker also encourages greater awareness of both
nature and the divine spirit.
 The girl does not seem awestruck by the majestic scenery. The speaker states that this is
because, for children, feeling close to God is an everyday occurrence.
The girl may not seem especially full of faith and wonder now, but that's only because she's full
of faith and wonder all the time—including in moments when it's much harder for adults to feel
these things.
 The child's innocence is inspirational: even though she is not actively considering the power of
the nature that surrounds them, she is a part of it nevertheless.

2.7 Examination Questions:

A. ESSAY QUESTION

With close reference to diction, imagery and tone used in this poem, discuss how the speaker
expresses his appreciation for the beauty of God’s creation in the natural world.

Your response should take the form of a well-constructed essay of 250 – 300 words (about
ONE page).
(10)

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 Suggested Answer for Question A: Essay

Use the following points, among others, as a guideline to answering this question.
 The speaker of the poem celebrates the majestic beauty of the natural world on a leisurely
night while on a walk with a "Dear Child" who is his daughter.
 The speaker is entranced by the calm and beautiful evening comparing its peace and quiet
to that of an awestruck "nun" and sensing the presence of "the mighty Being”, that is, God.
 The main technique of the sonnet is to combine imagery depicting the natural scene with
explicitly religious imagery. The octave of the sonnet makes the first metaphorical
comparisons, stating that the evening is a “holy time,” and “quiet as a nun / Breathless with
adoration.” (DICTION)
 It’s as if the whole world is hushed with admiration for the beauty of nature, much as a nun
is rendered breathless and speechless with her admiration for God. The speaker feels
God’s presence all around him.
 The speaker’s descriptions of nature are filled with religious imagery that links the beauty
of the evening, and of nature more generally, to God (IMAGERY) the night is “beauteous”
and “calm,” the sun “sinking down” over the horizon in utter “tranquillity” as the sky hangs
gently over the ocean. (DICTION)
 The speaker compares this "holy time" of day (a reference to evening prayers) to "a nun /
Breathless with adoration." This implies that it’s so quiet, it’s as though the world itself is
holding its breath out of respect for nature’s beauty, just as the nun is made breathless by
her love for God. Wordsworth praises the beauty of the evening by suggesting that heaven
has nested on the sea. It implies that heaven is hovering over the sea currently, thinking
(IMAGERY)
 The speaker’s descriptions of nature are filled with religious imagery that links the beauty
of the evening, and of nature more generally, to God and thus presents this beauty as
worthy of reverence (TONE). For example, the speaker calls the sky above the ocean the
“gentleness of heaven," suggesting that it's the place where God calmly watches over the
world.
 In the sestet, the speaker turns to the young girl, his daughter, walking with him, and
observes that unlike him, she is not touched by “solemn thought” (DICTION)
 The girl doesn't seem awestruck by the majestic scenery. The speaker states that this is
because, for children, feeling close to God is an everyday occurrence.
 The girl may not seem especially full of faith and wonder now, but that's only because
she's full of faith and wonder all the time—including in moments when it's much harder for
adults to feel these things.
 The child's innocence is inspirational: even though she is not actively considering the
power of the nature that surrounds them, she is a part of it nevertheless.
B. CONTEXTUAL QUESTIONS

1 The poem is an Italian (Petrachan) sonnet. Provide the general theme in the octave and the sestet
as set out by the poet. (2)

2 Explain the mood or atmosphere that is depicted in line 1. (2)

3 Refer to, ‘The holy time is quiet as a nun’ (line 2).

Account for the speaker’s use of the image in this line. (3)

4 In line 6, the speaker uses the word ‘Listen!’ to …

A reprimand his daughter.

B command the reader to pay attention.
C listen to the silence of the surrounds.
D assert his authority on his daughter. (1)

5 Comment on the impact of the simile in line 8. (2)

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6 Account for the repetition of the word ‘Dear’ in line 9. (2)

7 Refer to lines 12 – 14: ‘Thou liest in … know it not’

Critically discuss how the diction in these lines conveys the speaker's view about
his daughter. (3)

Suggested Answer for Question B: Contextual

1 In the octave, the speaker (poet) expresses his strong belief in the natural God- made beauty of life.
In the sestet, the poet addresses his daughter and tells us about the special relationship that
children have with God and their faith.
(2)

2 The words ‘beauteous’, ‘calm’ and ‘free’ create a beautiful, peaceful

and leisurely atmosphere. (2)

3. The speaker uses the simile to compare the evening, which is prayer time, to a nun
who is silent or breathless as she is completely absorbed in her prayer to God. This comparison
emphasises the silence and tranquillity of the evening.
(3)

4. B (1)

5. The sound of the ‘sea’ is compared to that of the thunder, highlighting its power. The speaker
commands his daughter to listen to this sound, which emphasises the power of God and Nature.
(2)

6. The Dear child’ or ‘dear girl’ is Caroline, the illegitimate child of Wordsworth. The
word ‘Dear’ indicates the speaker’s deep affection for his daughter. (2)

7. The speaker views his daughter as pure, innocent and closely connected to God and
nature. ‘Abraham's bosom’ refers to a place of comfort in the afterlife. ‘The Temple's inner shrine’
suggests that she has the highest and closest possible connection with God. He further states ‘God
being with thee when we know it not’ meaning his daughter experiences the presence of the ‘divine’
even when adult (‘we’)do not feel it at all.
(3)

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 A child shot dead by soldiers in Nyanga by Ingrid Jonker
3.1 Background to poet and poem

Ingrid Jonker (19 September 1933 – 19 July 1965), was

a Bilingual South African poet and political dissident who wrote and
published in both Afrikaans and in South African English. Her poems,
however, have been widely translated into other languages. Jonker
chose to affiliate herself with Cape Town's racially mixed and denounced
the ruling National Party's racial policies and the increasing censorship of
literature and the media. This brought her into open conflict with her
father, a widely respected Member of Parliament for the ruling Party.
Jonker’s turbulent led her to depression and in 1965 she committed
suicide by drowning
“The child who was shot dead by soldiers at Nyanga” is a poem of
protest, written by the South African poet Ingrid Jonker.
Jonker wrote this piece in response to the Sharpeville massacre of 21
March 1960. The poem was written in the Afrikaans language (all her
poems were written in this language). It was known by the title Die kind which means “The child”. This
piece speaks on the brutal massacres which occurred across South Africa during the Apartheid regime.
It was a system of institutionalized racial segregation that existed from 1948 to the early 1990s. Jonker
witnessed a black child that was shot by a white soldier and died in his mother’s arms. This shattering
event made her write the poem Die kind (wat doodgeskiet is deur soldate by Nyanga) also known as “The
child (who was shot dead by soldiers at Nyanga)”.

The child who was shot dead by soldiers at Nyanga

The child is not dead

the child raises his fists against his mother
Stanza 1 who screams Africa screams the smell
of freedom and heather
in the locations of the heart under siege

The child raises his fists against his father

in the march of the generations
Stanza 2 who scream Africa scream the smell
of justice and blood
in the streets of his armed pride

The child is not dead

neither at Langa nor at Nyanga
Stanza 3 nor at Orlando nor at Sharpeville
nor at the police station in Philippi
where he lies with a bullet in his head

The child is the shadow of the soldiers

on guard with guns saracens and batons
the child is present at all meetings and legislations
Stanza 4 the child peeps through the windows of houses and into the hearts of mothers
the child who just wanted to play in the sun at Nyanga is everywhere
the child who became a man treks through all of Africa
the child who became a giant travels through the whole world

Stanza 5 Without a pass

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3.2 Glossary

Line Word Definition in context of the poem

A plant that grows wild and abundantly. In the poem it gives the idea
4 heather
of an abundantly growing sense of freedom in everyone’s heart.

5 siege Forced to surrender

17 saracens An armoured vehicle troop carrier

17 baton A club used for beating people

18 legislations Apartheid Laws of segregation

21 treks Travels
A document that was used to control the movement of black people
23 pass
during the Apartheid era.

3.3 Themes
Overall theme
 Protest and Resistance

Sub themes
 Sense of nationalism
 Cry for freedom
 Brutality and horrors of apartheid

3.4 Type and form

 Five stanzas of differing length
 The first four stanzas take on a chant like form.
 The words ‘the child’ has been repeated. (anaphora)
 The fifth Stanza is known as a coda (it is an epilogue that concludes a story/ a finale of a story)
 Free verse (no definite rhyme scheme)
 Resistance poem
o Politically motivated
o Speaks out against the ruling government
o Highlights injustices
o

47
 The child is dead because
of the riots, but not dead
in the hearts of the people

3.5 Analysis
The “fist” is a symbol of resistance and
The child is not dead revolution. The poet uses this image to
seek out a revolution that can end the
the child raises his fists against his mother pain caused by the Apartheid Regime.

who screams Africa screams the smell The people who are being addressed

of freedom and heather The fight for freedom is more

important than even the closest
Repetition in the locations of the heart under siege family relationships
highlighting
the fact that Those being oppressed
the child’s He also shouts the “smell of freedom” and
memory and the “heather”. His scream echo the sense
The child raises his fists against his father of freedom in everyone’s heart.. His voice
fight is
ongoing. resonates with the demand of those who
in the march of the generations reside in the heather or veld.

who scream Africa scream the smell the child’s

The idea scream depicts
of his people his desire for
being
Those who justice
have “armed” and proud of who “blood”
and blood. The term
of justice and blood symbolizes bloodshedItand the anger
therepresent.
they are and
marched
against the
ofcould
all those
also refer to the armed
pass laws in in the streets of his armed pride who
forces were
who are oppressed
the pride of and denied
the past their rights.
the government

The child is not dead

These are the places where
neither at Langa nor at Nyanga there were large anti-pass
law demonstrations
nor at Orlando nor at Sharpeville
The police and the army
nor at the police station in Philippi reacted with violence,
thus many unarmed
All the lines of the where he lies with a bullet in his head demonstrators were shot
fourth stanza and killed
begin with the
phrase “The
“He” follows the soldiers as
child”. This The child is the shadow of the soldiers they enforce the oppressive
emphasises that
laws
the spirit of the on guard with guns saracens and batons
“child” is
everywhere “He” is at all the meetings
the child is present at all meetings and legislations
This “child” who the child peeps through the windows of houses and into the hearts of mother
just wanted to play
outside and be a
child. Is now the the child who just wanted to play in the sun at Nyanga is everywhere
symbol of freedom “He” is in the hearts
throughout the the child who became a man treks through all of Africa and homes of those
continent and the who are oppressed
world the child who became a giant travels through the whole world

Without a pass He is no longer restricted by the “man” and “giant” emphasise

oppressive pass laws (ironic) how the freedom movement
has grown to reach everyone

48
 Tone, mood and intention

i Tone
 Throughout the poem the tone is bold and expresses firm determination.

ii Mood
 The mood of the poem is angry, protesting, and unrelenting.

iii Intention
 A call to end suffering by standing together for the sake of saving other children.
 The injustices perpetrated by the government at the time needed to be vocalized and
made known to all.

3.7 Summary

‘The child who was shot dead by soldiers in Nyanga’ centres on a child who was killed by the police
during the anti-pass-laws protests across South Africa. This poem describes how the child who was
killed during the protest is still alive in the memories of the people. He raises his fists against the
injustice happening in his country. His scream resembles the tone of freedom, identity, and protest.
According to the speaker, the metaphorical child has grown bigger than the oppressors ever thought
of. The spirit of the child is present everywhere, regulating the unequal terms that caused South
Africans pain. Ironically, now the spirit of the child does not need a ‘pass’ to roam in his own land.

3.8 Activity

Complete the SIFT table for ‘The child shot dead by soldiers in Nyanga’.

As shown in the table you are about to work on; remember that the S.I.F.T
method of analysing a poem awards you the opportunity to do so focusing on
most (if not all) of the elements of a poem.
For your examination, examiners focus on some of these elements. Making it a
regular practice to ‘SIFT’ through all your poems (seen and unseen) will help
you to prepare for the essay question in the exam.
Start practicing now.

S Structure

Subject

I Imagery

Intention

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F Feeling (Mood)

T Tone

Themes

Suggested answers to activity

S Structure
This poem consists of four stanzas and ends with a one-line coda that concludes the
poem (‘without a pass’). The first three stanzas contain five lines each and the fourth
stanza has seven lines. It is written in free verse, meaning it does not have a regular
rhyme scheme or meter. This poem is written from the third-person point of view.
Subject
‘The child who was shot dead by soldiers in Nyanga’ is about a child who was killed by
the police during the anti-pass-laws protests across South Africa. The spiritual child
raises his fists against the injustice happening in his country. It was the death of this
child that sparked country wide protests about the unequal terms that caused South
Africans intense pain. Ironically, now the child’s spirit does not need a pass to roam in
his own land.
I Imagery
 Visual Imagery: In the first two stanzas, the poet uses the image of a child who
raises his fists in order to show his resistance towards apartheid. The line “in the
march of generations” depicts a group of protesters’ marching. In this line “on
guard with guns saracens and batons” the poet presents an image of armed
soldiers with guns, batons, and tanks.
 Auditory Imagery: In line 3 and 8 “who scream/s Africa screams the smell”
resonates with the screaming of a child demanding freedom and revenge.
 Organic Imagery: (this pertains to a personal experience of the poet, this
experience could be an experience of pain or joy). Throughout this poem, the
poet uses this imagery to infuse her anger in readers’ minds. After reading the
lines such as ‘where he lies with a bullet in his head’, readers feel angry and at
the same time sorry for the innocent child.

Intention
To convey the message of the struggle against the apartheid regime, in which innocent
people lost their lives, as symbolized by ‘the child’. The loss of the innocent child has
given

F Feeling (Mood)
The mood of the poem is hostile.
T Tone
The tone is bold and expresses a firm form of determination against the Apartheid
regime.
50
 Themes
The theme of protest and resistance.

3.8 Examination Questions:

A. ESSAY QUESTION

The title of Jonker’s poem creates an expectation of a dead child. However, the contents of the
poem contradict the title.

In an essay of 250-300 words, discuss how this is done paying special attention to diction, tone and
imagery

Suggested Answer for Question A: Essay

Diction
 The title of the poem states that ‘the child is dead’
o The first line of the poem contradicts this by stating that ‘the child is not dead’, this
contains litotes.
o It portrays that the child is still alive by using double negatives. This line also contains a
metaphor.
o The sense of freedom is compared to a “child”, growing inside one’s mind.
o Terms such as “fists”, “freedom”, “blood” and “scream” are meant for infusing the spirit of
nationalism.
 In this poem “The child who was shot dead by soldiers in Nyanga” begins with an allusion.
o The first line “The child is not dead” alludes to the fact that the poet refutes the death of
the child.
o According to the poet, their children cannot die.
o They are still alive in their hearts an in the fight for justice and freedom.
 “The child is not dead”: Firstly, the child is a symbol of the growing sense of freedom in the
South African’s hearts against the Apartheid system.
o The comparison is made between a ‘child’ to a thought of freedom.
 The poet tries to convey that the child died physically, but he is still alive in her heart and the
hearts of the Africans.
 The third stanza begins with a repetition of the first line that acts as a refrain. It is meant for the
sake of emphasizing the idea concerning the child’s death.
o He is not dead.
o The armed forces cannot kill him or others like him present in the coloured townships
such as Langa, Nyanga, Orlando, and Philippi, fighting against injustice

Imagery
 Visual Imagery: In the first two stanzas, the poet uses the image of a child who raises his fists
to show his resistance towards apartheid.
 Organic Imagery: Throughout this poem, the poet uses this imagery to infuse her anger in
readers’ minds. After reading the lines such as “where he lies with a bullet in his head” readers
feel angry and at the same time sorry for the innocent child.

Tone
 In the first three stanzas of the poem, the tone is firm, and it highlights the fact that even an
innocent child understood the value of freedom and equality.
 Hence, through the poet’s voice, the spirit of the child screams out to his countrymen to end
their suffering by standing together for the sake of saving other children like him.

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 B. CONTEXTUAL QUESTION

1. What is the poet’s message in the poem “The child who was shot dead by soldiers in Nyanga”?
(2)

2. Identify an example synecdoche in line 10 and explain it effectiveness? (3)

3. Explain the visual imagery depicted in the first two stanzas? (3)

4. Discuss the tone in the last stanza? (2)

Suggested Answer for Question B: Contextual

1. The poet portrays the harsh realities and brutalities of the Apartheid era. Through this piece, she
delivers an important message to readers. It concerns how the growing sense of freedom
cannot be killed using barbaric means. The child is a symbolic representation of this idea.
(2)

2. The term “armed pride” is to depict the boldness and pride of the soldiers, on both sides of the
conflict (3)

3. In the first two stanzas, the poet uses the image of a child who raises his fists to show his
resistance towards apartheid. The line “in the march of generations” depicts a group of
protesters’ march. By this line “on guard with guns saracens and barons” The poet presents an
image of armed soldiers with guns, batons, and tanks.
(3)

4. The tone changes to an ironic one in the last line of the poem “Without a pass”. This refers to
the child that does not require any pass (a form of internal passport for the black people) to
travel. However, in the country at the time, black people were required such a pass needed for
employment and living. (2)

52
 4 Solitude by Ella Wheeler Wilcox

4.1 Background to poet and poem

Ella Wheeler Wilcox, an American author and poet, was born in 1850 on a farm
in Johnstown, Wisconsin, east of Janesville. She was the youngest of four
children.
Around the age of 8, Wilcox turned to writing poetry as an outlet. When she was
13 years old, her first poem was published. Her poems reflect her belief that the
world needs more kindness.
The inspiration for the poem, ‘Solitude’ came as she was travelling to attend the
Governor's inaugural ball in Madison, Wisconsin. On her way to the celebration,
there was a young woman dressed in black sitting across the aisle from her.
The woman was crying. Miss Wilcox sat next to her and sought to comfort her
for the rest of the journey. When they arrived, the poet was so depressed that
she could barely attend the scheduled festivities. As she looked at her own
radiant face in the mirror, she suddenly recalled the sorrowful widow. It was at that moment that she wrote the
opening lines of ‘Solitude’.

The poem ‘Solitude’ is about the relationship between the individual and the outside world.
The context of the poem suggests that life is made up of a series of choices. If you laugh, sing, rejoice, or
feast, the world will be drawn to you. If you weep, sigh, fast, or grieve, the world will abandon you.

Laugh, and the world laughs with you;

Weep, and you weep alone;
For the sad old earth must borrow its mirth,
But has trouble enough of its own.
Stanza 1 Sing, and the hills will answer;
Sigh, it is lost on the air;
The echoes bound to a joyful sound,
But shrink from voicing care.

Rejoice, and men will seek you;

Grieve, and they turn and go;
They want full measure of all your pleasure,
But they do not need your woe.
Stanza 2 Be glad, and your friends are many;
Be sad, and you lose them all,—
There are none to decline your nectared wine,
But alone you must drink life’s gall.

Feast, and your halls are crowded;

Fast, and the world goes by.
Succeed and give, and it helps you live,
But no man can help you die.
Stanza 3 There is room in the halls of pleasure
For a large and lordly train,
But one by one we must all file on
Through the narrow aisles of pain.

53
4.2 Glossary

LINE WORD MEANING

title Solitude the state or situation of being alone
line 2 weep to cry
line 3 mirth Happiness
line 7 echoes a sound reflected from a surface back to the listener
line 9 Rejoice feel or show great joy or delight
line 9 men People
line 12 woe great sorrow sadness or distress
line 15 decline to refuse
line 15 nectared sweet, enjoyable, delicious.
line 24 aisles passage, passageway

4.3 Themes

o The tension between a positive and a negative attitude

o How people react to positivity and negativity
o Generosity to others will bring happiness and a good life to you.
o Prosperity brings friends but adversity separates them from us.
o Poetry offers solace for the lonely and a positive perspective on being alone.

4.4 Type and form

‘Solitude’ by Ella Wheeler Wilcox is a three-stanza poem that is separated into sets of eight lines or
octaves. Each of these octaves follows a consistent rhyme scheme of ABCBDEFE.
The author structures the poem by stanzas. Each stanza begins with two lines that compare positive
and negative emotions. The next two lines provide a commentary. The second half of each stanza then
repeats this pattern.
1 Laugh, and the world laughs with you; A
Opposites: 2 Weep, and you weep alone; B
Positive and 3 For the sad old earth must borrow its mirth, C
negative 4 But has trouble enough of its own. B
connotations/ 5 Sing, and the hills will answer; D
images
6 Sigh, it is lost on the air; E
7 The echoes bound to a joyful sound, F
8 But shrink from voicing care. E

54
 When times are
tough, friends are
Being alone/ a sense of loneliness. few
4.5 Analysis Solitude Sadness breeds solitude

Opposite images Laugh, and the world laughs with you;

Synecdoche: “the world =
happiness vs. crying. people
This is emphasised by Weep, and you weep alone;
stating that joy is a People shy away from negativity
shared experience,
For the sad old earth must borrow its mirth,
sorrow is experienced The world is not a happy
alone. But has trouble enough of its own. place. ‘mirth’ = happiness
Personification Opposites:
Sing, and the hills will answer; Joy/ Sadness
Personification and hyperbole.
There is enough sorrow Sigh, it is lost on the air; Hyperbole because she is
and sadness around us. Sorrow is
ignored or is exaggerating the impact.
No one really wants the The echoes bound to a joyful sound,
burden of another’s pain seen as
if it can be avoided. insignificant
But shrink from voicing care.
The sounds of joy spread,
Move away from Showing concern reverberate around the
world.
Opposite images: Rejoice, and men will seek you;
celebrate and People want to be with
mourn Grieve, and they turn and go; you in good times, but
People associate with they do not want to be
you when there are They want full measure of all your pleasure, around you in the bad
joyful events. They times.
turn away when there But they do not need your woe.
is sorrow or pain.
Be glad, and your friends are many; Lots of friends around in the good times.
When things get tough friends desert
Opposite emotions: Be sad, and you lose them all,— you.
happiness and
Sweet, delicious wine drunk at a
sadness There are none to decline your nectared wine, celebration
Refuse
But alone you must drink life’s gall.
Gall is a bitter tasting extract. Metaphor:
Many people come when there is food provided No one is around during the sad trying,
Opposite actions:
negative times.
eating/ banquet and
abstaining from food/ Feast, and your halls are crowded;
there is no food When there is nothing provided no one is
available or provided. Fast, and the world goes by. bothered. There is a sense of alienation/ being
Alliteration: repetition excluded
of “f” sound Succeed and give, and it helps you live,
Death is a solitary experience/ no one
But no man can help you die. can help. Failure is associated with
Success and sharing the death.
fruits of success gives There is room in the halls of pleasure
purpose to life. There is always room when celebrations
For a large and lordly train, occur. Prosperity brings friends. An image of
Alliteration: Repetition a large gathering of selected people (lordly).
of the “L” sound. Train in this sense implies a lot of people
But one by one we must all file on
following.
Individually Through the narrow aisles of pain.
Go alone in single file, in an orderly manner,
moving through the pain that makes up our life’s
experiences.

55
 4.6 Tone, mood, and intention

i Tone
 Cynical (mock-serious)
 satirical
 sarcastic

ii Mood
 indifferent(apathetic)
 reflective
 melancholic

iii Intention
 To advise the reader to be positive and attract good company.
 To stop being critical and negative as it alienates people (makes people feel lonely).

4.7 Summary

 This poem is about the relationship between the individual and the outside world.
 It is built on a series of contrasting conditions: ‘Laugh, and the world laughs with you; /Weep and
you weep alone.’
 The poem follows the idea that the world is after pleasure and joy and it does not want to listen
to sad stories.
 The poet says that men will seek us if we rejoice but they will turn us down if we grieve or feel
sorrow.
o A happy man will have many friends but a man who is not happy and has lost hope will
not have any friends at all.
 Ours is a world that goes after happiness, not after the misery.
o In simple words, the poet repeats the idea that happiness will attract more happiness
and sorrow will take us away from enjoying happy moments. This will make us lonely
and we will have to enjoy our own company.
o A complaining man or sad person will be forced to live his life in loneliness.
o There will not be anyone to share his sorrow.
 Towards the end of the poem, the poet magnifies the idea of solitude by saying that we all go
alone to face death which is the saddest thing that can happen to a person.
 The poem asks us to be positive and attract good company.

4.8 Activities

Activity A

The poem essentially declares that while a negative attitude repulses people, a positive one attracts
them.
In an essay describe how the speaker reinforces the above message in the poem. Your response
should take the form of a well-constructed essay of 250–300 words (about ONE page).
(10)

56
Suggested answers to activity A

Use the following points, among others, as a guideline to answering this question.
 In 'Solitude' by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, the speaker describes the connection between one's outlook
on life and the friends and community one attracts. The speaker describes how people like to seek
happiness through other people rather than facing their problems alone.
 The title of the poem ‘Solitude’ refers to the mental and physical state of humans who distance
themselves from those who seek happiness instead of being morose (‘voicing care’). The idea that
human beings are not attracted to negativity is reiterated in the poem.
 In the first stanza, Wilcox compares happiness (and how the world will rejoice with you) and
sadness (and how sometimes you must face this alone).
 The speaker emphasises the point that people seek pleasure and joy and they do not want to be
burdened by the suffering of others. The idea that happiness will attract more happiness and sorrow
will take us away from enjoying happy moments is introduced in line 1 (‘Laugh and the world laughs
with you’). This idea is repeated throughout the poem e.g. ‘Rejoice, and men will seek you’ (line 9).
 The contradictory reactions of people to both positive actions and negative reactions are
highlighted. There is a distinct pattern that emerges in the poem.
 The speaker indicates that the world does not have a well of happiness to draw from (‘sad old
earth’). The personification of the earth as being sad effectively sums up the plight of people who
are burdened by issues that make them sad and lonely.
 The use of hyperbole (‘Sing, and the hills will answer’) emphasises the idea if you express
happiness it will be reciprocated (returned) to you. This is in direct contrast to the sadness (‘sigh’)
that is ‘lost in the air’ or repels others.
 The theme that one cannot run from one’s problems forever and seek happiness through others is
highlighted.
 The poem is abundant in contrasting ideas. If you laugh, sing, rejoice, or feast, the world will be
drawn to you. If you weep, sigh, fast, or grieve, the world will abandon you. After all, in the end, “one
by one we must all file on.” The poet repeats the idea that happiness will attract more happiness
and sorrow will take us away from enjoying happy moments. Finally, it will make us lonely where we
will have to enjoy our own company. A complaining man or sad person will be forced to live his life
in loneliness. There will not be anyone to share his sorrow. Wilcox clarifies this idea by saying that
many will come to drink from our “nectared” wine while no one will show his willingness to share the
bitter taste of our life.
 “Solitude” suggests that although we must bear our hardships alone, we should understand that
happiness and grief are part of the human condition and we should remain resilient.
Activity B

1 Describe the structure of the poem, ‘Solitude’ (2)

2 Using your own words, explain the point that the speaker makes in lines 1 – 2. (2)

3 Discuss the relevance of the title, ‘Solitude’. (3)

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 Suggested Answers: Activity B

1 The poem is separated into three stanzas. Each stanza comprises of eight
lines. Each stanza (octave) follows a consistent rhyme scheme of ABCBDEFE. (2)

2 If you are happy and positive, you will attract many people. However, if you are sad
or negative then you will be lonely. (2)

3 Solitude means loneliness and the harsh reality of life is that a man has to
suffer alone and die alone. In this poem, the speaker reveals that when one is happy
and having pleasure, one is surrounded by many people. However, one is alone
(in solitude) when one is sad, sick or is facing death. (3)

4.9 Examination Questions:

B. ESSAY QUESTION

In the poem ‘Solitude’, the poet does not give a very encouraging picture of the nature of
humans in general.
With close reference to diction, imagery and tone, critically discuss the validity of this statement.
Your response should take the form of a well-constructed essay of 250–300 words (about ONE
page). (10)

Suggested Answer for Question A: Essay

Use the following points, among others, as a guideline to answering this question.
 In 'Solitude' by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, the speaker describes how people react differently to both joy
and sorrow. In this poem, Wilcox employs contrasts between the positive and the negative
experiences in human beings to depict the nature of people in general. For instance, happiness is
observed and celebrated, whereas sadness and grief are largely ignored by others.
 The contradictory reactions of people to both positive actions and negative reactions are
highlighted. There is a distinct pattern that emerges in the poem. At the outset, the speaker realizes
that happiness and joy attract the company of others, but sadness seems to push people away
(‘Laugh, and the world laughs with you, Weep and you weep alone’). The poet juxtaposes positive
and negative emotions and behaviours and shows how those behaviours either attract people or
alienate them. The speaker emphasises that positive behaviours, like singing (‘sing’), laughing
(‘mirth’), and rejoicing are infectious and attract the company of others. On the other hand, negative
behaviours like weeping, sighing(‘sigh’), grieving, and sadness(‘woe’) drive people away and leave
you alone to suffer.
 The poet explores the general trend that when individuals are happy they will find themselves
surrounded by company looking to share in their happiness, however, when an individual is sad or
depressed that companionship dissipates because people do not want to be brought down by an
individual’s grieving. This once more elucidates the human trait that people do not care about the
plight of others, although this is a generalised perception of human behaviour and may not
necessarily be true in all cases. This emphasises the tone of the poem, which is mock-
serious(‘Grieve, and they turn and go’) and somewhat satirical(‘But no man can help you die’).
 The title of the poem ‘Solitude’ refers to those humans who are distanced from those who seek
happiness. The idea that human beings are not attracted to negativity is reiterated in the poem. The
poet stresses that although we must bear our hardships alone, we should understand that
happiness and grief are part of the human condition and we should remain resilient.

 Stanza one depicts a personified earth (‘world laughs’) and introduces the poem’s main theme of
the inevitable isolation that humanity faces when experiencing hardship and death. This is indicative
of the nature of human beings which does not inspire much hope.

58
 Throughout the poem, the poet focuses on other humans’ reactions to an individual’s sadness. This
is contained in the image of the ‘nectar’d wine’. The speaker here attaches heavenliness, or divinity,
to happiness. The speaker suggests that people will want to share in the heavenly essence of
happiness, but they will not want to “drink life’s gall,” or life's negative aspects, with others.
Furthermore, the use of hyperbole (‘Sing, and the hills will answer’) emphasises the extreme joy that
spreads when people display happiness. This is in direct contrast to the sadness (‘sigh’) that is ‘lost
in the air’ or ignored by others.
 On the one hand, the speaker describes the happy and enjoyable aspects of life as the “halls of
pleasure.” and, on the other hand, “the narrow aisles of pain.” is alluded to. Pleasure is experienced
in a “hall” which is generally a large space where many can congregate; meanwhile, pain takes
place in a “narrow aisle,” which denotes the forced smallness and confinement to such feelings.
 This sense of isolation again reflects the poem’s main theme and argument that everyone must
experience life’s hardships, including death, in solitude. The speaker is realistic in realising
that although we must bear our hardships alone, we should understand that happiness and grief are
part of the human condition.

B. CONTEXTUAL QUESTIONS

1 The figure of speech used in ‘the world laughs with you’ (line 1) is …

A metaphor
B alliteration
C synecdoche
D assonance (1)

2 Explain how line 2 is a contrast to line 1. (2)

3 Refer to lines 3 – 4 (‘For the sad … of its own’).

3.1 Identify the figure of speech used in line 3. (1)
3.2 Discuss the effectiveness of the image used in lines 3 – 4. (3)

4 Account for the poet’s reference to ‘nectared wine’ (line 15) and ‘life’s gall’
(line 16). (2)

5 Explain how the poet makes effective use of diction in lines 21 – 24

(‘There is room … aisles of pain’) to reinforce the main idea of the poem. (3)

6 Discuss whether the title ‘Solitude’ is appropriate. Justify your response (3)

Suggested Answer for Question B: Contextual

1 C / synecdoche (1)

2 In line 2 the poet refers to weeping which indicates sadness. In line 1

the speaker refers to laughter which suggests happiness. Line 2 suggests that
people are not attracted to sadness or negativity whereas line 1 suggests that
happiness within oneself is attractive and it creates happiness in others. (2)

3.1 Personification (1)

3.2 The earth is described as sad and old. It also seeks happiness elsewhere
as it does not have a pool of happiness to draw from. This image of the earth
reinforces the message that no one wants the burden of another person’s
unhappiness. (3)

4 The words ‘nectared wine’ which have connotations of celebrations, heavenliness

and divinity are used as a metaphor for happiness. The words ‘life’s gall’ is a
59
 metaphor for life’s struggles. The speaker suggests that people will want to
share in the heavenly essence of happiness, but they will not want to share in
other’s negative aspects. (2)

5 The words ‘room’, ‘halls of pleasure’, ‘large and lordly train’ emphasise the point
that there are larger numbers of people where there is pleasure or happiness.
The poet uses the words ‘one by one’, ‘file on’ and ‘narrow aisles of pain’ to
reinforce the point that one is alone in moments of suffering or death. (3)

6 No. Solitude refers to being alone or loneliness, but the poem explores both
sides of the argument of being alone, or being part of a larger group, namely
rejoicing. The speaker also refers to a crowded hall.
(Consider both sides of the argument.) (3)

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5 Poem of Return by Jofre Rocha

5.1 Background to poet and poem

The poet’s name of birth is Roberto Antonio Victor Francisco de Almeida.

He the pseudonym (also known as a ‘war name’ in Angola), ‘Jofre Rocha’.
He was born in 1941 in the village of Caxicane, Angola. He is a qualified
Social Scientist, Lawyer, short story writer and poet.

Because of political unrest in rural Angola, where guerilla warfare was

taking place, his family moved to Luanda, the capital city of Angola. It is
here where he became a political activist.

As a political activist, he participated in the guerilla warfare for the liberation

of his country.
Between 1961 and 1968, Jofre Rocha was a political prisoner. It is at this
time that he achieved some of his academic qualifications.

After the independence of Angola in 1975, Jofre Rocha, as an active member of the ruling party,
MPLA (Popular Movement for Liberation of Angola), he held several government positions.

He is the founding member of the Union of Angolan Writers. He has written twenty-two works in
seventy-three publications and three-hundred-and-ten library holdings.
‘Poem of Return’ is one of his poems inspired by his days in exiled from his land of birth, when he
was a liberation fighter.

Stanza 1
1 When I return from the land of exile and silence,
2 do not bring me flowers.

3 Bring me rather all the dews,

4 tears of dawns which witnessed dramas.
Stanza 2 5 Bring me the immense hunger for love
6 and the plaint of tumid sexes in star-studded night.
7 Bring me the long night of sleeplessness
8 with mothers mourning, their arms bereft of sons.

9 When I return from the land of exile and silence,

10 no, do not bring me flowers…
Stanza 3
11 Bring me only, just this
12 the last wish of heroes fallen at day-break
13 with a wingless stone in hand
14 and a thread of anger snaking from their eyes.

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5.2 Glossary

LINE WORD/ PHRASE MEANING

Land of exile and foreign place where one feels restricted socially,
1.
silence economically, politically, etc.

water droplets forming on surfaces early in the

2. dews
morning

the historic scenes of war, torture, protests, riots,

3. dramas
bloodshed etc.

5. immense Great

6. plaint of tumid sexes arguments between lovers

6. star-studded night A night
their arms bereft of With no sons to hug because they died in the
8.
sons liberation struggle
A stone not yet thrown but still in one’s hand/ a
13. Wingless stone in hand
weapon that is not being used

5.3 Themes

5.3.1 Overall Themes

 The theme of alienation/ estrangement prevails throughout the poem as the speaker
yearns to be updated about what happened at home when he was in exile.
 The theme of exile is another important theme in this poem.

5.3.2 Sub-themes
 Nostalgia
 unfulfilled dreams of victory
 admiration
 sorrow
 homecoming
 anticipation
 patriotism and sacrifice

5.4 Type and form

Type:
 This is a poem is a typical example of exile/ resistance poetry that is characterised by
the theme of estrangement/ alienation.
o Jofre Rocha wrote this poem when he was in exile as result of fear of
imprisonment by the Portuguese regime during the liberation struggle in Angola.
o A key point to note about this type of poem is the use of a pseudonym by the
poet as a way of protecting his identity whilst in exile.
o The pseudonym was also used because the poet was under intense censorship.
It offered the poet a means to express his ideas discretely.

62
 Form
 Note that even though this poem has 14 lines, it is NOT a sonnet.
 There is enjambment present (where one line runs onto the next to complete the
thought. There is no punctuation at the end of the line.
o Refer to lines 5-6, 7-8, lines 11-14
 It has the qualities of a song as reflected in the refrain ‘do not bring me flowers.
 The poem is divided into THREE stanzas of unequal length.
o In each one of them the speaker is expressing a different idea/s about what he
anticipates when he get home from exile.

Stanza 1
1 When I return from the land of exile and silence,
2 do not bring me flowers.

3 Bring me rather all the dews,

4 tears of dawns which witnessed dramas.
Stanza 2 5 Bring me the immense hunger for love
Enjambment
6 and the plaint of tumid sexes in star-studded night.
7 Bring me the long night of sleeplessness
Enjambment
8 with mothers mourning, their arms bereft of sons.

9 When I return from the land of exile and silence,

10 no, do not bring me flowers…
Stanza 3
11 Bring me only, just this
12 the last wish of heroes fallen at day-break
Enjambment
13 with a wingless stone in hand

63
 A sense of home coming, with connotations of
5.5 Analysis excitement and celebration
Poem of Return
An expectation of He has left his home, either by
returning to his homelandWhen I return from the land of exile and silence, choice or forced. As an exile he has
not heard or spoken to his “people”.
This may have been forced on him
do not bring me flowers. Events of
He does not want the or he has done this for protection of
great
traditional tributes given to himself or others
significance
returning heroes (see below)

These two lines highlight the fact that he

Bring me rather all the dews, wants to know about the atrocities/ terrible
Personification things that people saw that caused pain,
anger, heartache, and tears as they
tears of dawns which witnessed dramas. stayed and suffered
The speaker demands that
he would rather know how, Bring me the immense hunger for love
the people of his land were An image of romance, peace,
and beauty. The opposite of
deprived of physical
connection and may have
and the plaint of tumid sexes in star-studded night. fighting, bloodshed, and tears
lost the overwhelming love
for each other, because of Bring me the long night of sleeplessness
the fighting. We see the The speaker needs to know
devastating effects of war what happened at home
on human relations. In this when he was in exile. This
with mothers mourning, their arms bereft of sons.
case, couples were time he demands to be told
separated; wives were left about the losses mothers
Mothers unable to sleep because the are mourning for their experienced as their sons
husbandless and
sons who have left and may or may not be dead died fighting for the
husbands wifeless due to
the need to join the liberation
freedom fighters.
When I return from the land of exile and silence,

no, do not bring me flowers… These lines are a refrain. They emphasize on
the speaker’s need not to be given flowers,
as stated in lines 1-2.
Above everything else, the Bring me only, just this
speaker demands to know what
the actual dreams of those were
who died in the war of liberation, the last wish of heroes fallen at day-break
just before independence were. These two lines continue the idea of
This is what matters to the the fallen ‘heroes’ whose lives ended
speaker and not the flowers. with a wingless stone in hand prematurely ‘with wingless stone in
hand’
and a thread of anger snaking from their eyes.
Those who died fighting, died angry.
Note: that even those women who did not have Those who were not able to fight had This image shows that these
sons are known as ‘mothers of the nation’ and all the anger against the oppressors. men and women were still
the males who fought in the liberation struggle Even though they do not fight, they still eager to fight for their country
are known as ‘sons’ of the soil. carry the anger in their hearts and it is but did not get to do so right up
seen in their eyes. to the end. It also hints at the
fact that they died before using
their weapons against the
Note: Upon returning home, political activists who were in exile were
oppressors,
received with a bouquet of Gladiolus flowers; a symbol of their
strength, victory, and the pride the nation has for them. The speaker
does not want such a heroic welcome. He feels unworthy of it.

64
5.6 Tone, mood and intention

i Tone
 Earnest tone:
o To express feelings of alienation/estrangement when talking about what should happen
when he returns home ‘from the land of exile and silence’.

 Nostalgic tone:
o When he talks about those at home what he would like to hear from them instead of
being given flowers.

 Humble tone:
o When the speaker expresses the fact that he does not want a heroic welcome but needs
information on the realities of what happened during his absence.

ii Mood
 Pensive:
o Engaging in, or reflecting on (thinking about) serious issues

iii Intention
 To highlight the fact that the true heroes in a war of liberation are those who remained in their
land of birth and not those who left and sought refuge in foreign lands.
o Hence, he insists on not being given a heroic welcome.

5.7 Summary

 In ‘Poem of Return’ the speaker, who has been in exile is visualising his return at the end of the
political unrest in his place of birth

 Stanza One:
o No flowers
o He does not want the symbols of a returning hero
o He believes that those who carry the physical, emotional, and mental scars of the war of
liberation against the oppressors are the true heroes.
 Stanza Two:
o An update on what happened when he was away
o He wants to be updated on ‘dramas witnessed’ by those who stayed at home
o He needs to feel the pains that these people endured.
 Stanza Three:
o The focus is on those who died fighting in the war of liberation/ those who did not live to
see Independence Day.

5.8 Activities

For a better understanding of the context of this poem, research on/knowledge of the Biography of
Jofre Rocha (Roberto de Almeida) and the political history of his country, Angola, is essential.
Here are a few questions to guide you in understanding and the reasons why Jofre Rocha
wrote this poem.

Activity A

1 Why is this poem classified as an exile poem? (2)

2 What role was played by exile poetry during the liberation struggle in Angola?
(2)
3 List three points you know about the history of Angola between 1961 and
1975. (3)
65
4 Why did Roberto de Almeida use the pseudonym ‘Jofre Rocha’ (2)

5 How did Jofre feel when he was in exile? (3)

Suggested answers to activity A

1  Written by a poet who left his land of birth due to political unrest (2)
 It is characterised by the theme of homecoming
2  As a means of expressing the poet’s feelings of nostalgia
 As means of letting the outside world know about the internal affairs in (2)
the land of conflict.

3  War of Independence against the Portuguese colonisers

 Detention of political activist without trial (3)
 Bloodshed, when a lot of the Angolan freedom fighters died

4  To protect his actual identity from the Portuguese’s government as a (2)

political activist
 To evade censorship and have his work published without raising any
suspicion.

5  Home sick (3)

 Alienated
 Unsafe

Activity B

You have just come back from exile, and you receive a heroic welcome. You feel you do not
deserve this kind of welcome because the people who deserve it are those who remained at home.
Write a speech you would give to the crowd as your first speech to them.
Use the poem as the source of your points. (10)
A speech to the people who have come to welcome you (Audience)
Register: formal
Purpose: To humbly let them know not to give you flowers as they are the true heroes.
Content: You may include the following points:
 Remind them they are real heroes
 They endured ‘dramas’ (torture, riots etc.)
 They carry the physical, emotional and mental scars of the war of liberation (these include the
mothers who lost their sons, lovers who lost partners and those who died just before liberation
‘day-break’.
(Remember in the literature exam (Paper 2) you will not be expected to write a speech. This
activity helps you to master the content of the poem)
Suggested Answer: Activity B

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5.9 Examination Questions:

C. ESSAY QUESTION

In the poem ‘Poem of Return’ the speaker believes that the people who were not in exile suffered a
great deal’

With reference to diction, tone and imagery discuss to what extent do you agree with the above
statement. Your response should be in the form of a well- constructed essay of 250-300 words
(about ONE page). (10)

Suggested Answer for Question A: Essay

The following are points that could be included in your essay:

 People who were not in exile suffered a great deal
 They were subjected to (police brutality, torture, riots etc. ‘dramas’
 The poet uses personification to show that even nature was distressed by the suffering it
witnessed …. ‘tears of dawn…’
 People were deprived of physical connection and overwhelming need for love ‘bring me the
immense hunger for love’ for each other. Families and couples were separated.
 Mothers are having ‘long nights of sleeplessness’ and mourning for the absence of their
husbands /sons, who have died fighting for liberation. The mothers’ arms are said to be ‘bereft
of sons’
 Some of them died just before freedom was achieved ‘day-break’ and never got to witness the
new dawn. They died thinking that their attempts were futile. They were only disgruntled,
powerless as they were equipped only with anger ‘thread of anger snaking from their eyes’ and
‘wingless stone in hand’
 The speaker uses an earnest tone to express feelings of alienation/ estrangement.

B. CONTEXTUAL QUESTIONS

1 Refer to line 1 ‘when I return … and silence’

What does the word ‘silence’ suggest about the speakers’ feelings
whilst he is in land of exile? (2)

2 Refer to line 4 ‘tears of dawns which witnessed dramas’

Identify and explain the figure of speech used in this line. (2)

3 Discuss the mood created in lines 7 and 8 ‘Bring me the long …bereft of
sons.’ (3)

4 Refer to stanza 3
Critically comment on appropriateness of the imagery used in this stanza as
a conclusion for this poem. (3)

Total (10)

Suggested Answer for Question B: Contextual

1 He has kept quiet whilst in exile, he has not received news, he has felt alone and alienated (2

2 Refer to line 4 ‘tears of dawns which witnessed dramas’

Identify and explain the figure of speech used in this line. (2

3 Discuss the mood created in lines 7 and 8 ‘Bring me the long …bereft of sons.’
(3
4 Refer to stanza 3
Critically comment on appropriateness of the imagery used in this stanza as a conclusion for this
poem. ((3)
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6

6.1 Background to poet and poem

At A Funeral by Dennis Brutus

Dennis Vincent Brutus was born on 28 November 1924 in Harare, Zimbabwe

which was then known as Southern Rhodesia. Both his parents, who were
teachers, were South African ‘Coloureds’. Dennis was raised in Port
Elizabeth. He obtained a bachelor's degree in English at Fort Hare University
College in 1946. Brutus taught South African high schools for 14 years. He
became involved in a series of anti-apartheid related activities, including
efforts to end discrimination in sports. The government subsequently banned
him from teaching, writing, publishing, attending social or political meetings.
In 1963 he was given an 18-month prison term for his refusal to abide by the
ban.
Dennis Brutus left South Africa in 1966 and lived in England. He taught at the University of Denver
in Colorado. In 1971 he became professor of African literature at North-Western University, Illinois.
Brutus accepted a position teaching African literature at the University of Pittsburgh in 1986.
He returned to South Africa and was based at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, where he often
contributed to the annual Poetry Africa Festival hosted by the university. Dennis Brutus’ poems
depict his love and struggles as well as his desires for the freedom of his beloved country, South
Africa from the apartheid rule and incessant oppression by the structures of apartheid.
This poem also operates on a political level. Dennis Brutus sees the late female doctor as a symbol
of the predicament of the Blacks in South Africa. Eighty percent of the people were voiceless,
voteless, and generally deprived of education.
He died in Cape Town, on 26 December 2009.

Black, green and gold at sunset: pageantry

And stubbled graves: Expectant, of eternity,
Stanza 1
In bride’s-white, nun’s-white veils the nurses gush their bounty
Of red-wine cloaks, frothing the bugled dirging slopes
Salute! "Then ponder all this hollow panoply
For one whose gifts the mud devours, with our hopes

Oh all you frustrate ones, powers tombed in dirt,

Aborted, not by Death but carrion books of birth
Stanza 2 Arise! The brassy shout of Freedom stirs our earth;
Not Death but death’s-head tyranny scythes our ground
And plots our narrow cells of pain defeat and dearth:
Better that we should die, than that we should lie down

6.2 Glossary

LINE WORD MEANING

1 pageantry Elaborate display or ceremony
2 stubbled Small, sticking out, protruding, rough
2 expectant Expecting, rising up
2 eternity Timeless, infinite or unending in time
3 gush Fast flowing
3 bounty Generosity

68
 Froth from the mouth because of illness or excitement or
4 frothing
anger

Played on a bugle - trumpet like musical instrument usually

4 bugled
played at funerals
4 dirging Playing like a funeral song
5 ponder Think about something carefully
5 hollow Empty or meaningless
5 panoply An impressive display or collection
6 devours Swallows or completely destroys
8 carrion Rotting flesh of a dead animal
9 brassy A brass musical instrument like a trumpet
10 Death’s head Human skull, symbol of mortality or death
10 tyranny Cruel or oppressive government or use of power.
10 scythes Cuts down
11 dearth A scarcity or lack of something

6.3 Themes

 Years of sacrifice that end in nothing.

 Aborted hopes
 The fight against injustice
 Desire for freedom
 Human sacrifice for a cause

6.4 Type and form

There are two stanzas of equal length and the rhyme scheme is as follows: a-a-a-b-a-b; c-c-c-d-c-d.
Black, green and gold at sunset: pageantry A
And stubbled graves: Expectant, of eternity, A
In bride’s-white, nun’s-white veils the nurses gush their bounty A
Stanza 1
Of red-wine cloaks, frothing the bugled dirging slopes B
Salute! "Then ponder all this hollow panoply A
For one whose gifts the mud devours, with our hopes B

Oh all you frustrate ones, powers tombed in dirt, C

Aborted, not by Death but carrion books of birth C
Stanza 2 Arise! The brassy shout of Freedom stirs our earth; C
Not Death but death’s-head tyranny scythes our ground D
And plots our narrow cells of pain defeat and dearth: C
Better that we should die, than that we should lie down D

69
 6.5 Analysis
The poet attended the funeral of
Victoria Majombozi, who was
Colours of a liberation At A Funeral
killed, shortly after qualifying as a
movement, the ANC medical doctor. The perpetrators
was banned at the and were never found and convicted.
as such were not
recognised by the Black, green and gold at sunset: pageantry
government. Symbolic of death, Elaborate display or
Personification a solemn occasion ceremony.
The surface was And stubbled graves: Expectant, of eternity,
rough, unkept, even in The grave is personified
death the was not The dead live forever and made to seem as if it
much respect shown is an expectant mother
by the government to In bride’s-white, nun’s-white veils the nurses gush their bounty waiting for a child.
the final resting Symbolising purity Highlighting the number of nurses However, it is for the dead
places of the
oppressed Of red-wine cloaks, frothing the bugled dirging slopes The nurses at the hospital
The colour of the lining of the nurses’ cloaks are willingly giving
everything they must save
Innocent victim of the
Salute! "Then ponder all this hollow panoply the lives of those hurt in the
brutality of the
system. fight for liberation
Gesture of respect in the military Think about
For one whose gifts the mud devours, with our hopes
The deceased Dirge = a song/ piece
As a doctor her train and skills would have been a contribution to played at a funeral. In this
the society. Theis is seen as a waste and is being thrown into the case played on a bugle,
ground, along with the hopes they had for her usually associated with
military funerals
Those whose potential, goals or dreams have not Shift in perspective from
been able to be fulfilled because of the oppressive the girl to all the youth The meaningless ceremony with the flags
laws, which denied them opportunities and speeches. Meaningless because it will
change nothing
Oh all you frustrate ones, powers tombed in dirt,
Stanza 2 shifts
Their potential is buried
focus to the Ending of a life before it has begun Rotten flesh because of their deaths
meaningless
deaths of the Aborted, not by Death but carrion books of birth
youth in general Reference to the pass books all
Personification, because of the use of the capital “D”
black/ coloured people had to
Arise! The brassy shout of Freedom stirs our earth; carry. People were categorised
Call to arms by “what race” they were born. It
Loud is seen as a “decaying” system
Not Death but death’s-head tyranny scythes our ground that stopped livelihoods before
A human skull. This they begun
was the insignia of the A tool uses to harvest crops.
German SS, who were
responsible for many And plots our narrow cells of pain defeat and dearth: The rallying call to freedom is
of the atrocities in heard by all
As in planning, this term is usually associated with evil plans, or burial ground
World War 2, including
those in the Better that we should die, than that we should lie down
concentration camps. Alluding to the Grim Reaper,
In doing this he likens The poet ends with the ominous statement that it is better to die in who wears a hood, carries a
the forces of the scythe, which he uses to
the fight against oppression, than to accept it without a struggle to
government to the harvest the souls of the dead
bring down the oppressors
German SS Their
badge was like the The poet refers to the fact that many people were tortured, pain inflicted,
pirate’s skull and whilst in prison. For many it destroyed their spirit, and they left the cause.
cross bones “dearth” is a lack of something, here there is a lack of protective legislation
for those who were part of the struggle

70
6.6 Tone, mood, and intention

i Tone
 Stanza 1
o Calm
o Reverent
 Stanza 2
o Angry
o Contemptuous
ii Mood

 Stanza 1
o Melancholic
 Stanza 2
o Vengeful

iii Intention

 To highlight the plight of the oppressed

 To make a strong political statement, that is, to voice his opposition to the apartheid
regime

6.7 Summary

The poet describes the dignified funeral ceremony of a fallen hero who was killed while fighting
for her freedom. He mourns the loss of this young person who had enormous talent and
potential which has now gone to waste. She has become a symbol of resistance to the harsh
apartheid laws that restricted the freedom of black people in South Africa.
The poet makes a strong political statement and renews his commitment to the fight for freedom
in South Africa.
6.8 Activities

Activity A

In the poem ‘At a Funeral”, the poet laments the death of a young black woman,
Valencia Majombozi.
In an essay show how the speaker describes the funeral ceremony in the first stanza and
expresses his feelings about the destruction of human life in the second stanza.
Your response should take the form of a well-constructed essay of 250–300 words (about
ONE page).
Suggested answers to activity A
Use the following points, among others, as a guideline to answering this question.
 The poet depicts the funeral ceremony of Valencia Majombozi who qualified as a doctor
after enormous hardship and sacrifice by her parents. Valencia obtained her medical
degree and then, by an incredible irony, just after she had completed her internship, she
was killed during the Sharpeville protests.
 In stanza1, there is a rich medley of colour from the ‘black, green and gold’ which
represents the flag of the resistance movement to the colleagues of this doctor who
attended her funeral wearing their university robes "In bride'-white, nun 's-white veils."
 The nurses wore cloaks which are lined with bright red (the "red-wine."). Other nurses at
the funeral wore white, which echo the nuns in their habits
 The poet depicts the dignified funeral ceremony, with an elaborate display of
colour(‘pageantry’), of a fallen hero who was killed while fighting for her freedom.

71
  The poet mourns the loss of a young person who had enormous talent and potential
which has now gone to waste. She has become a symbol of resistance to the harsh
apartheid laws that restricted the freedom of black people in South Africa.
 In stanza 2, there is a huge shift in tone as the poet makes a strong political statement
and renews his commitment to the fight for freedom in South Africa.
 He makes reference to the ‘carrion books of death’, i.e. the Pass laws which dictated the
lives of black people and restricted their freedom of movement. The poet stresses that
humans were reduced to dead flesh (‘carrion). From the moment of birth, a black person
was given this Passbook, so that they would cease to be human beings from the point of
birth. Thus, they would become ‘carrion’ or dead flesh. This ties in with the notion of
abortion.
 The symbolism of "death's-head tyranny" is reminiscent of the power of the Nazis in
Germany who were extremely powerful in destroying their opposition. Their army tanks
that rolled through the streets of Berlin with the insignia of skull and crossbones was
cheered wildly by their supporters. The poet suggests that similar methods were
employed by the apartheid regime to suppress opposition to their policies.
Activity B

1 Why does the poet begin the poem with the words, ‘Black, green and gold’
(line 1)? (2)

2 What does the word ‘stubble’ (line 2) suggest? (3)

3 Discuss the impact that the young girl’s death has on the poet. (3)

Suggested Answer: Activity B

1 These are the colours which represent the flag of the resistance movement. These
words are used to make a bold statement that the death of the young female will
motivate the oppressed to strengthen their resistance towards the apartheid
government. (2)

2 It suggests that the graves are not clean but have grass growing on them.
This implies that even in death, Blacks are not given respect. (3)

3 He is devastated and angered by her senseless killing and the fact

that years of sacrifice have ended in futility. He sees the late female
doctor as a symbol of the predicament of Blacks in South Africa.
Her death inspires him to renew his commitment to fight for
freedom in South Africa. (3)
6.9 Examination Questions:

D. ESSAY QUESTION

In the poem ‘At a Funeral”, the poet depicts his desire to honour the legacy of those who have
sacrificed their lives in their fight for freedom and calls for decisive action against the incessant
oppression by the structures of apartheid.
With close reference to diction, imagery and tone, critically discuss the validity of this
statement.
Your response should take the form of a well-constructed essay of 250–300 words
(about ONE page).

Suggested Answer for Question A: Essay

Use the following points, among others, as a guideline to answering this question.
 In this poem, the poet pays tribute to a young lady, Valencia Majombozi, who was killed by
apartheid forces during the Sharpeville massacre while protesting against the oppressive
Pass Laws.

72
  The poet depicts the rich array of colour that adorned the funeral ceremony. The funeral
ceremony is dignified with an elaborate display of colour(‘pageantry’), of a fallen hero who
was killed while fighting for her freedom. This bears testimony to the poet’s respect for the
deceased who symbolises the powerful resilient spirit of young people who stood firm in their
opposition to oppressive laws during the apartheid regime.
 In stanza1, there is a rich medley of colour from the ‘black, green and gold’ which represents
the flag of the resistance movement to the colleagues of this doctor who attended her funeral
wearing their university robes "In bride'-white, nun 's-white veils."
 Also, the nurses wore cloaks which are lined with bright red (the "red-wine."). Other nurses at
the funeral wore white, which echo the nuns in their habits "In bride'-white, nun 's-white veils."
 The poet mourns the loss of a young person who had enormous talent and potential which
have now gone to waste. She has become a symbol of resistance to the harsh apartheid
laws that restricted the freedom of black people in South Africa. Throughout stanza 1, there is
a melancholic mood as the poet joins the other mourners in paying their respects to the
deceased.
 The tone in stanza 1 is calm and reverent which is in keeping with the poet’s admiration for
the deceased.
 However, in stanza 2, there is a huge shift in tone as the poet makes a strong political
statement and renews his commitment to the fight for freedom in South Africa. His tone is
commanding(‘Arise’), angry (‘enraged’) and contemptuous (‘carrion books of death’) i.e. the
Pass laws which dictated the lives of black people and restricted their freedom of movement.
The poet stresses that humans were reduced to dead flesh (‘carrion). From the moment of
birth, a black person was given this Pass Book, so that they would cease to be human beings
from the point of birth. Thus, they would become ‘carrion’ or dead flesh. This ties in with the
notion of abortion.
 The symbolism of "death's-head tyranny" is reminiscent of the power of the Nazis in Germany
who were extremely powerful in destroying their opposition. Their army tanks that rolled
through the streets of Berlin with the insignia of skull and crossbones was cheered wildly by
their supporters. The poet suggests that similar methods were employed by the apartheid
regime to suppress opposition to their policies. The poet’s experience of political repression
and his opposition to apartheid impart force and breadth to his poetry.
 The final line of the poem “Better that we should die, than we should lie down” is ominous as
the poet is motivated by the deaths of all those who have sacrificed their lives in the struggle
against apartheid. He honours the bravery of those who have fought selflessly against the
injustices perpetrated by the apartheid regime which was responsible for the destruction of
people who protested their unfair laws.

E. CONTEXTUAL QUESTIONS

1 Explain the contrast in colours in line 1 to the more mundane reality of the mud in
line 6. (3)

2 Why is the ‘pageantry’ (line 1) and the ‘panoply’ (line 5) regarded by the speaker as being
‘hollow’ (line 5) (2)

3 Refer to line 9.
3.1 Who is the speaker addressing when he says ‘Arise!’? (2)
3.2 Why is he commanding them to ‘Arise!’ (2)

4 Explain the personification in line 2. (2)

5 Explain the ambiguity in the word ‘plots’ (line 11) (2)

6 Comment on the diction used in line 10. (3)

7 Account for the poet’s reference to ‘narrow cells of pain’ (line 11). (3)

73
 8 Refer to line 12 (‘Better that we … should lie down’).
Critically discuss whether this line effectively reinforces the poet’s
message in this poem. (3)

Suggested Answer for Question B: Contextual

1 The bright vibrant colours of the black, green and gold which could represent a happy
occasion (pageantry), are in stark contrast to the ‘mud’ which is representing a hole in the
ground where the coffin has to enter, which is now representing a more sombre occasion.
(3)

2 The speaker is at a funeral of a well-educated black young lady who was killed in the prime of
her life. He therefore sees and feels no joy about celebrating her life when the apartheid
forces have prematurely ended a life that showed so much promise. (2)

3.1 He is addressing the disadvantaged oppressed masses of South Africa during the apartheid
years. (2)
3.2 He is encouraging them to stand up for their rights and freedom, so that they must
fight back against an oppressive regime. (2)
4 The poet refers to the graves, which are stubbled, as expecting, like a woman would. The
graves are given a human quality, expecting the body of the dead woman. (2)

5 Plots refer to the plots of ground the people need in death, when they are buried, while it also
refers to the plans that are being made by the apartheid regime to capture, kill or arrest
people who came up in resistance against them. (2)

6 It is not the physical event of Death which destroys the disadvantaged people of South Africa,
their destruction does not come from Death only, but from a tyranny which is associated with
the death's-head (an evil sign). It's the brutal system in South Africa which destroyed people.
People were destroyed even before they died because their basic human rights were taken
from them. (3)

7 The speaker feels that if they get caught for protesting and showing resistance against the
apartheid regime, they will be arrested, detained, and imprisoned in small police cells where
they and their families will suffer much pain and torture during this period in captivity.
(3)

8 Yes. This line reinforces the strong point made in line 9 that the oppressed people will have
to fight for freedom in South Africa. They should not be complacent. (3)

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7 The Shipwreck by Emily Dickinson

7.1 Background to poet and poem

Emily Elizabeth Dickinson was born into a prominent family in Amherst,

Massachusetts. Her parents were Edward and Emily Dickinson. Her
father was a lawyer, a politician, and a trustee of Amherst College. The
Dickinson’s had three children. Emily Dickinson was the second child and
elder daughter - and she had an older brother, William Austin and a
younger sister, Lavinia.
Because Dickinson’s father was adamant that his children be well-
educated, she received a more rigorous and more classical education
than many other girls of her era.
Dickinson’s preoccupation with death began at a young age. At the age of
fourteen, she suffered her first major loss when her friend and cousin Sophia Holland died of typhus.
Holland’s death sent her into such a melancholy spiral that she was sent away to Boston to recover.
Emily Dickinson left school as a teenager, eventually living a reclusive life on the family homestead.
There, she secretly created bundles of poetry and wrote hundreds of letters.
Dickinson died of heart failure in Amherst, Massachusetts, on May 15, 1886, at the age of 55. Due to
a discovery by sister Lavinia, Dickinson's remarkable work was published after her death, and she is
now considered one of the towering figures of American literature.
During Emily Dickinson’s time ships were not sturdy and they did not have storm warning devices.
Shipwrecks were therefore common in those days.
The Shipwreck is a poem about a shipwreck that had killed 40 people. When the 4 survivors
returned, the town was full of celebration until children asked about the dead 40. This loss becomes
the point of focus in the remaining two stanzas.
Glee! The great storm is over!
Four have recovered the land;
Stanza 1
Forty gone down together
Into the boiling sand.

Ring, for the scant salvation!

Toll, for the bonnie souls, -
Stanza 2
Neighbor and friend and bridegroom,
Spinning upon the shoals!

How they will tell the shipwreck

When winter shakes the door,
Stanza 3 Till the children ask, ‘But the forty?
Did they come back no more?’

Then a silence suffuses the story,

And a softness the teller’s eye;
Stanza 4
And the children no further question,
And only the waves reply.
7.2 Glossary

LINE WORD MEANING

1 Glee delight, happiness

5 scant limited, barely sufficient
5 salvation saving or protecting from harm
6 toll slow ring of the bell
6 bonnie good, beautiful

75
 8 shoals places where the water is shallow
13 suffuses gradually spread through or over

7.3 Themes

 Death and mortality.

 Mourning the loss of loved ones
 Survival in the face of disaster

7.4 Type and form

 Written in short stanzas, mostly quatrains

o (a stanza with 4 lines, not to be confused with a sonnet quatrain),
 With short lines, usually rhyming only on the second and fourth lines.

Glee! The great storm is over! A

Four have recovered the land; B
Stanza 1
Forty gone down together C
Into the boiling sand. B

Ring, for the scant salvation! D

Stanza 2 Toll, for the bonnie souls, - E
Neighbor and friend and bridegroom, F
Spinning upon the shoals! E

How they will tell the shipwreck G

Stanza 3 When winter shakes the door, H
Till the children ask, ‘But the forty? I
Did they come back no more?’ H

Then a silence suffuses the story, J

And a softness the teller’s eye; K
Stanza 4
And the children no further question, L
And only the waves reply. K

76
 The storm was violent and caused many
shipwrecks, death, and destruction

Happiness, Emphasis on joy Hugh relief that the

7.5 Analysis showing and celebration storm is over, and
great delight they have survived

Four people have Glee! The great storm is over!

made it to shore and
survived the sinking of Forty did not survive and
Four have recovered the land; were drowned by the
their ship.
ferocity of the storm

Euphemism for drowning

Forty gone down together
Metaphor: The sand on the seabed has been
Into the boiling sand. churned up by the waves of the storm, the result of
this is it seems as if the sand is moving in circular
Ringing of the town bell in motion in the sea, and it looks like a boiling kettle
celebration for those who survived Limited/ few in number

Opposite image “Ring” = joy The few survivors whose lives have
“Toll”= mourn Ring, for the scant salvation! been saved by the grace of God

Alliteration of the “s” sound A pause, indicated by the dash, as the speaker tries
Toll, for the bonnie souls, - to recall the names of the deceased

Slow, repetitive ring The beloved, good people who

Neighbor and friend and bridegroom,
of the bell for the have died
souls of the dead
Spinning upon the shoals! The people who drowned, they were close to the
The bodies of the drowned are controlled poet as is highlighted in the relationships she
An area of shallow speaks about.
by the movement of the sea’s currents
dangerous sea

The survivors or others giving How they will tell the shipwreck Personification: “Winter” is
Cold
their account as to what shaking the door to get inside
happened. They will tell the
stories on cold winter nights. It When winter shakes the door,
becomes a time of introspection Curiosity of the children
Till the children ask, ‘But the forty?
The children are asking about those
that died. Where are they? Will they
Did they come back no more?’ return? These are innocent questions
Nothing is said by the which bring our attention to the dead
adults, there is an Alliteration: Repetition of the “s” sound,
awkward silence this creates a quite melancholic mood
The story tellers cannot answer the
Then a silence suffuses the story, questions being posed by the children
Spreads slowly
And a softness the teller’s eye;
The narrator or storyteller
the storyteller’s eyes fill with tears of
compassion for those who will not And the children no further question,
be coming back The children stop asking
questions when they get no reply
And only the waves reply.
Only the sea knows what has Personification: The waves
really happened in the storm are answering the questions

77
7.6 Tone, mood and intention

i Tone
Stanzas 1 and 2
 celebratory
 euphoric (intense excitement and happiness)
 ecstatic (overwhelming joy)
Stanzas 3 and 4
 sorrowful
 mournful (expressing grief and sorrow)

ii Mood
Stanzas 1 and 2
 cheerful
 jubilant (happiness and triumph)
Stanzas 3 and 4
 brooding (in deep thought about something that makes one sad)
 gloomy (dark)
 sombre (serious and sad)

iii Intention
 To highlight the impact of the tragic loss of life due to a natural disaster that cannot be
controlled.

7.7 Summary

 This poem is about a shipwreck during a severe storm.

 It describes the joy experienced when the storm is over and it is discovered that there
are four survivors from the shipwreck.
 However, there is also great sorrow and mourning for the forty people who have lost
their lives.
 The poet makes a comment about the fame and glory survivors receive after a
disaster,
 And how we often overlook the great tragedy of the loss of lives.
 We often focus so much on the people who survive these tragedies without paying
tribute to the people who died.
 The poem then goes on to the children who ask about the people that died
 There is a silence in the speaker.
 At the end, only nature still speaks (through the waves),
 This evokes this sense that nature has the final word, and that nature is the ultimate
strength.

7.8 Activities

Activity A
Give a brief account of the poem, “Shipwreck” indicating the reactions of the community
to the tragic loss of the sailors as well as towards those who had survived.
Your response should take the form of a well-constructed essay of 250–300
words(about ONE page).

78
Suggested answers to activity A
Use the following points, among others, as a guideline to answering this question.
 The poem is about the arrival of four survivors from a shipwreck. They are received by
the community with extreme joy and delight (Glee! the great storm is over!). The ‘great
storm’ (line 1) can be attributed to the cause of the shipwreck in which forty sailors had
died.
 The poem consists of four stanzas. The first two stanzas deal with the euphoria
surrounding the arrival of the four survivors who had ‘recovered the land’ (line 2), i.e.
survived the shipwreck. However, the poet also highlights the tragic loss of the lives of
forty sailors. The euphemism ‘gone down’ (line 3) downplays the stark reality of the huge
loss of human lives. The sailors were mercilessly destroyed by strong winds, rain, thunder
and lightning which they succumbed to. They were also victims of the ‘boiling sand’ (line
4) which is a reference to earthquakes that cause tsunamis and makes it virtually
impossible to survive at sea.
 The ringing of bells in line 5 symbolises the celebration of the survival of the four sailors,
however, there is a contrast in line 6. The word ‘toll’ refers to a mournful sound which is
reminiscent of the forty sailors whose lives perished at sea.
 There are still many unanswered questions concerning the demise of the forty sailors
(‘But the forty?’). There is a distinct change in tone in stanza 3. The tone is now sorrowful
and mournful. Furthermore, the alliteration in the line ‘Then a silence suffuses the story’
(line 13) is quite effective in context. The slow pace created by the repetition of the ‘s’
sound induces a melancholic mood. The absence of a response to the question posed in
the previous stanza ‘But the forty? Did they come back no more is indicative of the
innocence of children. The adults find it difficult to explain to the children that the men
have drowned at sea. The sound of the waves in the background seems to fill the void of
the uncomfortable silence of the adults.
Activity B
1 Refer to stanza 1.
Give TWO reasons why the people of the town are happy? (2)

2 Explain how the poet contrasts the emotions of joy and sorrow in the poem. (3)

3 Refer to line 7.
Account for the poet’s reference to ‘Neighbor and friend and bridegroom’. (2)

4 Discuss whether you find this poem to be of any relevance today. (3)

Suggested Answer: Activity B

1 The violent destructive storm which was responsible for the death of 40 people has
subsided and is over, and 4 people on the ship, survived and returned to their
families. (2)
2 The poet makes use of the word ‘Glee’ to create a joyful mood. She uses
Exclamation marks in line 1 to convey a celebratory tone. The use of the words
‘Ring’ and ‘Toll’ in stanza 2 indicate the contrast of joy and sorrow as the bell is
rung to celebrate the survivors and then the slow ringing of the bell (toll) is used to
express sorrow for the loss of forty good souls. The silence or loss
of words in the final stanza describes the reality of the tragedy. (3

3 The poet makes the poem personal, highlighting the fact that these people who
survived or perished were normal members of the community. (2)

4 NOTE: This is an opinion-based question. Your answer must be anchored in the

poem and it must be well-substantiated. (3)

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7.9 Examination Questions:

F. ESSAY QUESTION
In the poem ‘Shipwreck’, the poet contrasts the joy of the survival of four people with the sorrow
of the loss of the lives of the other forty.
With close reference to diction, imagery and tone, critically discuss the validity of this
statement. Your response should take the form of a well-constructed essay of 250–300
words (about ONE page).

Suggested Answer for Question A: Essay

Use the following points, among others, as a guideline to answering this question.
 The poem is based on the arrival of the sailors who survived a shipwreck. The poet
depicts the expression of joy and delight on the faces of the community (Glee! the great
storm is over!). The ‘great storm’ (line 1) can be attributed to the cause of the shipwreck
in which forty sailors had died.
 The poem consists of four stanzas. The first two stanzas deal with the euphoria
surrounding the arrival of the four survivors who had ‘recovered the land’ (line 2), i.e.
survived the shipwreck. However, the poet also highlights the tragic loss of the lives of
forty sailors. This elucidates the contrast that exists in the poem between joy on seeing
the sailors who survived the shipwreck and the sombre mood that exists with the
revelation that forty sailors had drowned. The euphemism ‘gone down’ (line 3) downplays
the stark reality of the huge loss of human lives. The sailors were mercilessly destroyed
by strong winds, rain, thunder and lightning which they succumbed to. They were also
victims of the ‘boiling sand’ (line 4) which is a reference to earthquakes that cause
tsunamis and makes it virtually impossible to survive at sea.
 The ringing of bells in line 5 symbolises the celebration of the survival of the four sailors,
however, there is a contrast in line 6. The word ‘toll’ refers to a mournful sound which is
reminiscent of the forty sailors whose lives perished at sea.
 There are still many unanswered questions concerning the demise of the forty sailors
(‘But the forty?’). There is a distinct change in tone in stanza 3. The tone is now sorrowful
and mournful. Furthermore, the alliteration in the line ‘Then a silence suffuses the story’
(line 13) is quite effective in context. The slow pace created by the repetition of the ‘s’
sound induces a melancholic mood. The absence of a response to the question posed in
the previous stanza ‘But the forty? Did they come back no more is indicative of the
innocence of children. The adults find it difficult to explain to the children that the men
have drowned at sea. The sound of the waves in the background seems to fill the void of
the uncomfortable silence of the adults

B. CONTEXTUAL QUESTIONS
1 Explain the image ‘Into the boiling sand’ (line 4), in your own words. (2)

2 Comment on the contrasting views in lines 5-6. (3)

3 Account for the personification in ‘When winter shakes the door’ (line 10) (2)

4 Refer to ‘silence suffuses the story’ (line 13).

4.1 Comment on the tone in ‘silence suffuses the story’ (3)
4.2 Account for the use of alliteration in line 13. (2)

5 Critically discuss how the final stanza conveys the poet’s message about the
impact of the shipwreck. (3)

80
Suggested Answer for Question B: Contextual

1 The violent storm has caused the water to twirl and bubble, like hot water in a
kettle would. The ship is sinking into this whirlpool of water with the sand being
churned up with the sea and salt water. (2)

2 The town bells are ringing in a joyous celebration of welcoming home the survivors
of the shipwreck, while the bell tolls for the fallen 40 citizens who lost their lives in
the shipwreck. There is a happiness for the salvation of the surviving 4 but a
mourning at the loss of the 40 beloved souls who perished in the storm. (3)

3 On cold winter nights, when the wind is blowing fiercely and rattling the doors of
houses, parents will be telling their children about the story of the sailors who died
in the shipwreck. (2)

4.1 The tone is sombre. The storyteller is feeling sad when they relive the events of
the story of the death of the 40 people who died in the shipwreck and the
sadness of them having lost loved ones. (3)
4.2 The repetition of the ‘s’ sound alerts the reader to the sorrow of the story
teller as she remembers the dead. (2)

5 The poet shows that there are no words to explain why the forty did not
survive the storm. The words ‘softness the teller’s eye’ emphasise the emotional
impact this tragedy has on the storyteller. The children also find the tragedy a
difficult topic to discuss or talk about. (3)

81
8 This Winter Coming by Karen Press

8.1 Background to poet and poem

Karen Press is a South African writer and freelance editor. She

initiated the project to advise and support South African writers. Her
support service is known as ‘The Writer’s Network’. She is the co-
founder of Buchu Books. She was born in Cape Town in 1956. She
lives in Sea Point. She has worked as a teacher of mathematics and
English. She has published seven collections of poetry and has
written textbooks and other education materials in the fields of
mathematics, science, economics, and English, as well as children’s
stories. Karen Press wrote the poem ‘This Winter Coming’ in 1986.
1986 is a significant year in the history of South Africa. This is the
year in which the in which the white political leaders imposed a
nationwide State of Emergency to stop the 10th anniversary commemorations of the Soweto
Uprisings of 1976. During the State of Emergency, the state police arrested and detained people
without any charge. This created widespread violence in the country leading to many black
political activists going into exile. There were daily protests, leading to many lives lost. The army
and the police had the power to use any kind of force as they arrested the protestors.
walking in the thick rain
Stanza 1 of this winter we have only just entered,
who is not frightened?
the sea is swollen, churning in broken waves
around the rocks, the sand is sinking away
Stanza 2 the seagulls will not land
under this sky, this shroud falling
who is not frightened?
in every part of the city, sad women climbing buses,
dogs barking in the street, and the children
in every doorway crying,
the world is so hungry, madam’s house is clean
Stanza 3 and the women return with slow steps
to the children, the street, the sky is tolling like a black bell;
these women are a tide of sadness
they will drown the world,
who is not frightened?
on every corner men standing
old stumps in the rain, tombstones
engraved with open eyes
Stanza 4
watching the bright cars full of sated faces
pass them, pass them, pass them,
who is not frightened?
into the rain the children are running
thin as the barest twigs they kindle a fire
to fight the winter, their bare bodies
Stanza 5 a raging fire of dead children
and the sky collapsing under centuries of rain
the wind like a mountain crying,
who is not frightened of this winter
coming upon us now?

82
8.2 Glossary

LINE WORD/ PHRASE MEANING/ EXPAINATION

3. Frightened terrified/scared
the waves are of an enormous height, and the
4. the sea is swollen
sea is very rough
4. churning in broken waves waves that are in a violent continual motion
6. Seagulls These are sea birds. Also known as gulls

Cloth used to cover dead bodies. Usually white

7. Shroud
in colour.

ringing solemnly, in a haunting manner

14. tolling like a black bell resembling the church bells announcing the
death of a member of the congregation.

8.3 Themes

 Suffering
 Oppression
 Exploitation
 Deprivation
 Death
 Resistance
 Hope

8.4 Type and form

 This poem is an example of protest poetry:

o Due to the fear of arrest by the state police for this ‘political poem’, the poet writes
it as a “nature poem.”
 The poet breaks the usual writing convention mainly by the lack of capital letters and use
of minimal punctuation:
o This is known as stream of consciousness writing.
o It illustrates the way the speaker is thinking.
o What matters is getting the message across and not how.
 There is no rhyme scheme.
 All five stanzas differ in length. (See above)
 There is enjambment throughout the poem
o The lines run into each other mimicking how our thoughts run into each other.
 The rhetorical question at the end of each stanza forces the reader to interact with the
poem’s subject matter.

83
 No protection
from the elements Winter is usually associated with death Due to the impending state of
emergency and the restrictions it
8.5 Analysis This Winter Coming would bring the poet sees it as a
The “hard times” are just time of hardship and death
beginning, and no one will walking in the thick rain
escape the hardships of this winter we have only just entered, The winter rain is heavy. This
weather serves to create a mood
who is not frightened? of foreboding and gloom
The rhetorical question,
highlighting the fact that Shift from land to sea
these are frightening times Moving roughly
the sea is swollen, churning in broken waves

Rough and stormy sea, around the rocks, the sand is sinking away The waves crash
usually brought on by the seagulls will not land against the rocks
weather conditions
under this sky, this shroud falling The land is not safe to
There is so much chaos and who is not frightened? stand on as it is unstable
confusion that even the seagulls
will not land. Nature is in turmoil Repeat of the question emphasising the fear all feel
Metaphor: The clouds
in every part of the city, sad women climbing buses, are likened to shroud
There is feeling of used for covering
tiredness, unrest, dogs barking in the street, and the children dead bodies.
hunger and sadness in every doorway crying, Hyperbole Emphasising the
sense of impending
Stanza 3: Shift to the urban and the world is so hungry, madam’s house is clean doom
focusing on the people there and the women return with slow steps
Working for a
The women return home to the children, the street, the sky is tolling like a black bell; pittance, whilst
disillusioned and exhausted. these women are a tide of sadness neglecting their own
Their shacks and little houses Metaphor: the homes and families
they will drown the world, sounds of the
storm are likened
Metaphor: the women are who is not frightened? to a bell ringing for There so many they will
moving to and from home
to work like a sea moving Repeat of the question emphasising the fear all feel the dead overwhelm everyone
with the tides. Their mood
matches the weather
on every corner men standing
The men have no feelings, they are emotionally
old stumps in the rain, tombstones dead. They “see” but do not feel anything. “Zombie
Stanza 4 focusing like”
engraved with open eyes
on the men
watching the bright cars full of sated faces The rich in their fancy cars,
Metaphor: The men having everything they want
pass them, pass them, pass them,
stand and do nothing;
they are stumps of trees who is not frightened? The children are not afraid of the “storm”,
no use Repeat of the question emphasising the fear all feel they are running into it.

Simile: Comparing into the rain the children are running

The children are making a
the children to twigs thin as the barest twigs they kindle a fire fire to fight the winter/ the
oppressive regime
to fight the winter, their bare bodies

The sky will be seen after a raging fire of dead children The children will sacrifice themselves
centuries of domination and and will provide the fuel to fend off the
and the sky collapsing under centuries of rain “winter”. Metaphor and personification.
oppression
the wind like a mountain crying,
The mountain is the giant that represents
The children are seen the wind who is not frightened of this winter the children pressing for change
of change that will change the
society coming upon us now?
Seeing that the children are the future and will fight for freedom
that will ultimately end the “winter” is there a need to be afraid?

84
8.6 Tone, mood and intention

i Tone
 somber
 solemn

ii Mood
 anxious
 restless and
 frightened

iii Intention
 to reflect the social, political, and economic oppression
 to reveal the hardships faced by the people during the State of Emergency.

8.7 Summary
 Stanza 1:
o The fear is brought by the fact that ‘winter’ brings thick rain, (not a drizzle).
o This indicates the harsh times ahead because of the State of Emergency. In this
stanza
o The weather condition is used to create the mood for the impending danger in the
poem.
 Stanza 2:
o Shift from land to sea.
o There is impending danger.
o No place is safe.
o There are hints again at the fear in everyone
 Stanza 3:
o Here, there is a shift from the natural elements to the people (the actual subjects
of the poem.)
o The misery of the people (women and the children) is made explicit
 Stanza 4:
o Focus turns to the men.
o These men are meant to be the providers for their families.
o They are presented as ghosts of their former selves.
o The poet also creates a contract between the haves and have-nots.
 Stanza 5:
o The children, despite being ‘thin’ (fragile/vulnerable) are not scared of the ‘rain’
o They are confronting it.
o They are going to see to the sky finally collapsing under centuries of rain.
o The children are going to defeat the apartheid regime which had dominated them
and subjected them to suffering for so many centuries.

8.8 Activities

Activity A
The poem “This Winter Coming” deals with many of the issues that the oppressed citizens
endured during apartheid.
Summarise these issues.

Suggested answers to activity A

You may include some or all the following points:
 The women gathering after cleaning madam’s house
 Their anger/sadness/disgruntlement
 The atmosphere created by this gathering
 The reasons for getting together in such huge numbers
85
  The whereabouts of their children and husbands
 The state of their homes
 The feelings of their husbands and their state of unemployment
 What the children do as a means of fighting for a better life
Activity B
1 In the context of this poem, what does winter symbolise? (2)

What is the poet’s intention in describing the weather in Stanza’s 1 and (2)
2
2?

3 From Stanzas 3
(3)
Why are the children crying?
4 Discus the significance of ending every stanza with the refrain, ‘who is
not afraid?’ (3)

[10]
Suggested Answer: Activity

1 Hardships/the harsh political atmosphere of 1986/the political unrest which saw

many people lose their lives/suffering (2)
2 To set the mood/atmosphere for the hardships the people will undergo in the
rest of the poem (2)
3 They are alone at home. Their mothers have gone to work at ‘madam’s house’.
They are hungry
They are scared (3)
4 To emphasize the prevailing fear characteristic of the State of Emergency in
1986 in South Africa
To create a sense of urgency
To draw the reader’s attention to causes of the fear in each stanza (3)
[10]
8.9 Examination Questions:

A. ESSAY QUESTION

In the poem ‘This Winter Coming’ the themes of suffering and deprivation are
evident.
By close reference to diction, tone and imagery discuss to what extent
you agree with the above statement. Your response should be in the
form of a well-constructed essay of 250-300 words (about ONE page) [10]

Suggested Answer for Question A: Essay

The following are the points that could be included in your essay:

 Women are deprived of spending quality time with their families (children) .
 There are sad as they go to work ‘sad women climbing onto buses’
 Their own children are hungry whilst they (women) are taking care of ‘madam’s house’
 They steps are described as ‘slow steps’ (indicating exhaustion perhaps overworked) as
they return home
 The children left behind are also deprived of their quality time with their parent ‘ and the
children in every doorway crying’
 The sadness of women is overwhelming ‘ these women are a tide of sadness they will
drown the world’
 The men, who are under normal circumstances the protectors and providers of their
families are standing in the in the corners in search of job opportunities. They are
86
 described as ghosts of their former selves ‘tombstones engraved with open eyes. Whilst
they stand in the corners looking for job opportunities, ‘bright cars full of sate faces pass
them.
 Tone: Somber and solemn

B. CONTEXTUAL QUESTIONS

1 Refer to line 1 ‘walking in the thick rain’

Comment on how mood is conveyed in this imagery. (2)

2 Refer line 5 ‘who is not afraid?’

Explain the effect of the repletion of this rhetorical question in this poem. (2)

3 What mood is created in lines 4-7 ‘the sea is swollen…this shroud falling’?
Substantiate your response by referring directly to the diction used. (3)

4 Identify and explain the figure of speech used in lines 15-16 ‘these women are a
tide of …the world’ (2)

5 Comment on appropriateness of stanza 5 as a conclusion for this poem (3)

Suggested Answer for Question B: Contextual

1 This line introduces impending fear and hardships as Winter brings ‘thick rain’.
This suggests the hard times ahead. This line creates the mood of imminent
danger. (2)

2 A rhetorical question is usually asked to make a point rather that to get an

answer. In this poem the repetition of ‘who is not afraid’ acts as refrain. It
emphasises the constant fear that everyone is subjected to. (2)

3 The reference to ‘swollen sea’, ‘churning in broken waves’, ‘sinking of sand’

and ‘seagulls’ unable to land suggests destruction and nature’s hostility. This
again paints a picture of impending danger, restlessness or discomfort. The
speaker wants us to note that when the atmosphere is like this, there is
nowhere to run. No place is safe. (3)

4 Metaphor: The overwhelming sadness of women is compared to ‘tide’. It is so

visible that if it were liquid form it would make up a sea, as a wave of the sea
moves to the shore, it will overwhelm and ‘drown’ anything that comes its way. (2)

5 This stanza brings the theme of hope and resistance. Although there is still rain
but children are running ‘into the rain the children are running’. In spite of
children being fragile and vulnerable ‘barest twigs’ but they are not intimated,
they have a potential to ‘kindle a fire’ and fight ‘Winter’. (3)

87
9 Prayer to Masks by Léopold Sédar Senghor

9.1 Background to poet and poem

Léopold Sédar Senghor was born in 1906 in Senegal. His father was a
successful merchant and businessman, and his mother was a devout
Christian.
He won a scholarship to study in Paris, where he studied French
grammar and later obtained a teaching position. While living in Europe,
Senghor and other Black intellectuals struggled with racism, inspiring
them to begin a new artistic and social movement, Négritude, which
aimed to promote pride in one’s African culture, history, and identity.
Senghor fought for the French army in World War II. He was taken
prisoner during Germany’s invasion of France and was held captive for
approximately two years, during which time he wrote many poems which he later published in his first
collection, Chants d’ombre.
He became progressively involved in politics. He was elected to numerous political positions in
Senegal as his home country sought to gain independence from France. Senghor maintained a close
relationship with France and the West, believing there was a peaceful and cohesive way to live with
his country’s former colonizers. In 1960, he became the first elected president of the newly
independent Republic of Senegal. He held this position until 1980. Senghor is regarded as one of the
most significant African figureheads in modern history.
His poetry offers critiques of colonization whilst maintaining an optimistic tone, always hopeful for a
brighter future and acknowledging the richness of African history. He died in 2001 at the age of 95.
In the poem “Prayer to the Masks,” Senghor reflects on the history of his people and its troubled state.
Although parts of the poem focus on turmoil and exploitation, the poet ends with an optimistic
message - despite hardship and the prejudices to which his people are subjected, they are resilient
and can create new beauty and prosperity.

Black mask, red mask, you black and white masks,

Rectangular masks through whom the spirit breathes,
I greet you in silence!
And you too, my lionheaded ancestor.
You guard this place, that is closed to any feminine laughter, to any mortal smile.
You purify the air of eternity, here where I breathe the air of my fathers.
Masks of markless faces, free from dimples and wrinkles,
You have composed this image, this my face that bends
over the altar of white paper.
In the name of your image, listen to me!
Now while the Africa of despotism is dying – it is the agony of a pitiable princess,
Like that of Europe to whom she is connected through the
naval -
Now fix your immobile eyes upon your children who
have been called
And who sacrifice their lives like the poor man his last garment
So that hereafter we may cry ‘here’ at the rebirth of the world being the leaven that the white flour
needs.
For who else would teach rhythm to the world that has
died of machines and cannons?
For who else should ejaculate the cry of joy, that arouses the dead and the wise in a new dawn?
Say, who else could return the memory of life to men with a torn hope?
They call us cotton heads, and coffee men, and oily men,
They call us men of death.
But we are the men of the dance whose feet only gain
power when they beat the hard soil.

88
 9.2 Glossary

LINE WORD MEANING

4 ancestor a person from whom one has descended
5 feminine having qualities or appearance of a woman

5 mortal certain to die

10 despotism absolute power in a cruel or oppressive way

10 pitiable deserving or arousing pity

12 immobile not moving, motionless

13 garment an item of clothing

14 leaven a substance, usually yeast, that makes bread rise

16 ejaculate to say something quickly or suddenly

9.3 Themes
 Respect for the eternal greatness of the spirits
 The ancestral past is in danger of being lost to the forces of modernity
 Africans’ closeness to nature and the land
 Praise of ancestors
9.4 Type and form
 “Prayer to the Masks” doesn’t adhere to a strict rhyme scheme
o It still achieves a distinct rhythm through line breaks at the end of sentences onto the
next line and punctuation.
 The poem is composed in a single stanza.
o the line breaks and punctuation allow sections to feel distinct and rhythmic.
o Long lines contrast with short ones, sometimes only one or two words,
o This encourages moments of pause and reflection while reading the poem.
Punctuation
helps in Black mask, red mask, you black and white masks,
creating Rectangular masks through whom the spirit breathes, No rhyme scheme
meaning I greet you in silence! Long line. Short line
and And you too, my lionheaded ancestor.
separating You guard this place, that is closed to any feminine laughter, to any mortal smile.
ideas
You purify the air of eternity, here where I breathe the air of my fathers.

89
 An address to the spirits
9.5 Analysis via the masks. The is
how the poets is talking
to the ancestors.

Different colour of mask represent

different rituals, ceremonies, gods Prayer to Masks Could be addressing the
ancestors or the various
races in the country
Shape of the Black mask, red mask, you black and white masks,
masks, not
The spirits breath through the masks,
resembling
thus it is the masks that give them life
human Rectangular masks through whom the spirit breathes,
characteristics
He is filled with awe and respect for the spirits and
I greet you in silence! because of this he cannot address them directly

And you too, my lionheaded ancestor. The lion is the family guardian or totem. It is the symbol of aristocratic
Protect the virtues and courage. It could be the mask that represents the family
place of worship
You guard this place, that is closed to any feminine laughter, to any mortal smile.
The Women not allowed to
ancestors make
You purify the air of eternity, here where I breathe the air of my fathers. participate in the rituals or
the eternal
resting place a wear the masks. Male
pure place dominated society
Masks of markless faces, free from dimples and wrinkles,
Through the
Flawless / perfect Imperfections Solemn rituals not to be
masks and the
rituals, the You have composed this image, this my face that bends due to age. taken lightly. No laughter
eternities are Reflecting
The poet is a result of his past
brought to agelessness The reading and
mortality. This
over the altar of white paper. writing of prayers. The
happens in the Place of worship poet sees his writing
same place In the name of your image, listen to me! about his culture as
through the Alliteration: Repetition of “p" sacred
same rituals
that
Theancestors
poet is Now while the Africa of despotism is dying – it is the agony of a pitiable princess,
didreferring to Needs help urgently This is a direct reference to the
himself Like that of Europe to whom she is connected through the colonising powers. Who ruled
through force and intimidation.

naval – The princess is Africa – the exploitation of the

continent, its resources and people have now made The international movement of
He is pleading to his ancestors the once proud continent a place where people take the colonial powers to
for guidance. He is desperate for pity on its inhabitants dispossess their colonies from
some help. Tone of desperation the late 1950’s onward

Metaphor: The continent is unable to be self sufficient and

is connected to reliant upon the colonial powers and this is
being compared to an embryo that cannot survive and is
fed through the umbilical cord attached to its navel

90
 Now fix your immobile eyes upon your children who

have been called Chosen above others Fought and died for freedom and
independence from colonialism

And who sacrifice their lives like the poor man his last garment

So that hereafter we may cry ‘here’ at the rebirth of the world being the leaven that the white

Revival of the nation. Happening now Leaven: yeast it used to activate the
flour needs. Hyperbole: when he refers to it as the dough and to make it rise when
Allusion to the “world” making bread. Those that seek
white people freedom are seen as the yeast in the
For who else would teach rhythm to the world that has
society that will force it to grow and
War and violence has transform
These are
they who will died of machines and cannons? not achieved lasting
teach the peace
songs and
For who else should ejaculate the cry of joy, that arouses the dead and the wise in a new dawn?
dances of
peace to the Exclamations: shouts of joy, Waking up the ancestors who Lost dreams
world Say, who else couldexcitement,
return the andmemory are all-knowing
jubilation of life to men with a tornand all-seeing.
hope?
Rhetorical
question. or
Derogatory They call us cotton heads, and coffee men, and oily men, It is only the freedom
insulting fighters who are able to
names the Men who killed for freedom and restore the dignity, pride
colonialists They call us men of death. were not afraid to die for freedom and purpose to those who
used when have been downtrodden
referring the for centuries.
But we are the men of the dance whose feet only gain
natives of Those who express themselves,
Africa who, express their emotions
The people power when they beat the hard soil. through action
of Africa
The “new” Africans will absorb power through the land, through their culture and their ancestors,
and through the rhythms of Africa. The music and dance will symbolise the hope and dreams of
a better future for all who have suffered oppression.

9.6 Tone, mood and intention

i Tone
 praise
 respect
 reverent
ii Mood
 hopeful
 meditative

iii Intention
 To create an awareness of the effects of colonialism in Africa
 To explore the culture of West Africa
 To build a sense of pride in one’s African heritage and identity
o The appeal to the ancestral spirits to help the oppressed Africans overcome the present
state of subjugation and hopelessness.

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9.7 Summary
 In the poem “Prayer to Masks”, the poet appeals to his ancestors for guidance and inspiration in
re-establishing African culture and proud traditions after a lengthy period of colonisation by.
 He addresses the masks directly as they represent the ancestors.
o He refers to the glorious past of Africa when countries were ruled with pride by Africans.
o The process of invasion and colonialisation changed the past.
o The image of Africa compared to a princess symbolises the nobility of traditional Africa
o Her death represents decline of traditional African culture and the loss of political power
of blacks to rule themselves.
 The poet prays to the spirits of the masks to help speed the rebirth suggested by the image of
the umbilical cord connecting Africa to Europe.
 The poem ends on a note of optimism.
o The African of the future will have a different relationship to the soil.
o These new Africans will absorb the powers of the natural spirits through the rhythm of
dance, music, and poetry.
9.8 Activities

Activity A
In the poem ‘Prayer to Masks’, the speaker addresses the masks before moving on to expand the
message of the poem.
Give a brief account of the way the speaker addresses the masks and how the message of the
poem is highlighted. Your response should take the form of a well-constructed essay of 250–300
words (about ONE page).
Suggested answers to activity A
Use the following points, among others, as a guideline to answering this question.
 In the poem “Prayer to Masks”, the poet appeals to his ancestors for guidance and inspiration in
re-establishing African culture and proud traditions after a lengthy period of colonisation by
European powers. The speaker addresses the masks directly as they represent the ancestors.
 Rather than reject African history and mix with Western culture, the speaker yearns for the past
in finding his ancestral connection through the masks.
 The narrator addresses the spirits of the dead directly, keeping their memories alive and
emphasising that honouring the past is crucial and beneficial as it connects them to their
ancestors.
 The speaker greets the ancestors with silence which shows his deep respect and admiration
towards them.
 The speaker then refers to his family's guardian animal, the lion, which is a symbol of power and
courage.
 Senghor reinforces the implications of male domination in African society in which the lion
guards the ground that is forbidden to women as being a part of African culture.
 The speaker refers to the glorious past of Africa, countries were ruled with pride by Africans.
This has now changed due to the invasion of the European countries who colonised large parts
of Africa and conquered and oppressed African people. The image of Africa compared to a
princess symbolises the nobility of traditional Africa, and her death represents decline of
traditional African culture and the loss of political power of blacks to rule themselves.
 The image of the umbilical cord suggests that the European conquest has nourished a new
Africa soon to be born, but one that will eventually have to sever its ties with its European
"mother" if it is to live and grow.
 The poet prays to the magic spirits of the masks to help speed the rebirth suggested by the
image of the umbilical cord connecting Africa to Europe.
 It is the rhythm of African music and dance that can change the thud of machines into something
better. A reborn Africa will lend its youthful energy to an ageing Europe, bringing joy and hope
where there has been isolation, exhaustion, despair, and death.
 Senghor refers to the exploitation of Africa for its raw materials and to European conceptions of
black Africans as merely a source of cheap labour and economic profit.

92
  The poem ends on a note of optimism. Africans will gain their freedom and be able to express
themselves freely through song and dance which is close to their hearts.
Activity B
1 Explain what the masks represent in the poem. (2)

2 What is the speaker’s attitude to the masks he addresses? (2)

3 Discuss how the speaker creates hope towards the end of the poem. (3)

Suggested Answer: Activity B

1 They represent the history, culture and the spirits of the dead. (2)

2 He is reverent as he accords the masks much respect and describes

them as powerful and important in guiding the people of Africa. (2)

3 He creates the optimism by referring to the rhythm of African music and dance
that can change the thud of machines into something better. He states a reborn
Africa will lend its youthful energy to an ageing Europe, bringing joy and hope
where there has been isolation, exhaustion, despair, and death. (3)

9.9 Examination Questions:

G. ESSAY QUESTION

The poem, ‘Prayer to Masks’ grapples with the question of whether the appeal to the ancestral spirits
will be able to help the African overcome the present state of subjugation and hopelessness.
With close reference to diction, imagery, and tone, critically discuss the validity of this statement.
Your response should take the form of a well-constructed essay of 250–300 words (about ONE
page).
Suggested Answer for Question A: Essay
Use the following points, among others, as a guideline to answering this question.
 In the poem “Prayer to Masks”, the poet makes a passionate plea to his ancestors for guidance
and inspiration in restoring African culture and African pride after a tumultuous period of
colonisation by European powers. The speaker addresses the masks directly as they represent
the ancestors.
 Rather than reject African history and assimilate with Western culture, the speaker embraces
the past, finding his ancestral connection through the masks.
 Throughout the poem, the narrator addresses the spirits of the dead directly, keeping their
memories alive and emphasising that honouring the past is crucial and beneficial.
 The speaker greets the ancestors with silence which shows his deep respect and admiration
towards them(‘greet you in silence!)
 The speaker then alludes to his family's guardian animal, the lion, which is a symbol of
aristocratic virtue, power and courage. Lions were thought to be the first ancestor and the
protector of the family line.
 Senghor reinforces the implications of patriarchal power in which the lion guards the ground that
is forbidden to women as being a part of African culture.
 The masks give shape to the face of the speaker in the poem. He appeals to them to listen to
him, for he is the living image of those masks to whom he is writing a prayer.
 The speaker refers to the glorious past of Africa, countries were ruled with pride by Africans.
This has now changed due to the invasion of the European countries who colonised large parts
of Africa and subjugated and oppressed African people (‘the Africa of Despotism’). The image of
Africa compared to a princess ("pitiable princess") symbolises the nobility of traditional Africa,
and her death represents decline of traditional African culture and the loss of political power of
blacks to rule themselves.
 The image of the umbilical cord (‘connected through the naval’) suggests that the European
conquest has nourished a new Africa soon to be born, but one that will eventually have to sever
its ties with its European "mother" if it is to live and grow.

93
  The poet prays to the magic spirits of the masks to help speed the rebirth suggested by the
image of the umbilical cord connecting Africa to Europe.
 It is the rhythm of African music and dance that can change the thud of machines into something
better. A reborn Africa will lend its youthful energy to an ageing Europe, bringing joy and hope
where there has been isolation, exhaustion, despair, and death.
 In the imagery of "men of cotton, of coffee, of oil," Senghor refers to the exploitation of Africa for
its raw materials and to European conceptions of black Africans as merely a source of cheap
labour and economic profit.
 The poem ends on a note of optimism. The African of the future will have a different relationship
to the soil. These new Africans will absorb the powers of the natural spirits through the rhythm of
dance, music, and poetry.

H. CONTEXTUAL QUESTIONS

1. Comment on the fact that the speaker greets the ancestors in

‘silence’ (line 3) (2)

2 Refer to line 5.
“closed to any feminine laughter’ means all women …”
A are not allowed to laugh in this place.
B must close their faces when laughing.
C are banned from this place.
D should wear masks. (1)

3 Refer to line 8.
“You have composed this image, this my face that bends over the altar of white paper.;”
3.1 To whom does ‘this’ refer? (1)
3.2 Explain the meaning of, ‘bending over the altar of white paper’ (1)

4 Comment on the tone being used by the speaker when he says

“In the name of your image, listen to me!” (line 9) (2)

5 What is the effect of linking the ‘despotism’ of line 10 to ‘Europe’ in line 11? (2)

6 Refer to line 15.

“For who else would teach rhythm to the world that has died of machines and cannons”
Identify and explain the contrast in the line. (4)

7 Explain the reference to ‘cotton heads, and coffee men and oily men’ (3)

Suggested Answer for Question B: Contextual

1 The "silence" in which the speaker needs to greet the ancestors is to emphasise
the attention he shows when greeting them and the respect and awe he has for them.
(2)
2 C / are banned from this place. (1)
3.1 The poet / speaker (1)
3.2 He is busy writing poetry / busy with documents /writing a prayer. (1)
4 He is pleading, imploring with them, showing strong emotions with the
ancestors/spirits. (2)
5 The French colonial despotic rulers of France, a country in Europe, controlled
the colony (country) of Senegal, home of the speaker. Africa was therefore
connected to Europe through its colonial past. (2)
5 The speaker mentions ‘rhythm’ in Africa, which is associated with song and dance, and this
brings exciting happy moments, while Europe has been engaged in a world war using
“machines and cannons’ which has brought about death, sadness and destruction. (4)
6 The speaker suggests that Africa is rich in raw materials, and that the people of
Africa are hard-working, trying to refine these raw materials for economic growth
and prosperity. (3)
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 10 Fern Hill by Dylan Thomas

10.1 Background to poet and poem

Dylan Thomas, in full Dylan Marlais Thomas, (born October 27,

1914, in Swansea, Glamorgan. A Welsh poet and prose writer whose
work is known for its comic exuberance, musical quality, and often
sadness. He died November 9, 1953, New York.

Thomas spent his childhood in southwestern Wales. His father taught

English at the Swansea grammar school, which in due course the boy
attended. Dylan’s mother was a farmer’s daughter, he had a country
home he could go to when on holiday. It is set on Fern Hill, just outside
Llangain in Carmarthenshire, the farm owned by Dylan Thomas' aunt,
Annie. His poem “Fern Hill” (1946) describes its joys. In it, he
reminisces about his joyful childhood and reflects upon the inevitability of aging. “Fern Hill” is an arcadian
poem, meaning that it describes the beauty of the countryside in an idyllic way

Fern Hill

Now as I was young and easy under the apple boughs

About the lilting house and happy as the grass was green,
The night above the dingle starry,
Time let me hail and climb
Golden in the heydays of his eyes,
And honoured among wagons I was prince of the apple towns
And once below a time I lordly had the trees and leaves
Trail with daisies and barley
Down the rivers of the windfall light.

And as I was green and carefree, famous among the barns

About the happy yard and singing as the farm was home,
In the sun that is young once only,
Time let me play and be
Golden in the mercy of his means,
And green and golden I was huntsman and herdsman, the calves
Sang to my horn, the foxes on the hills barked clear and cold,
And the sabbath rang slowly
In the pebbles of the holy streams.

All the sun long it was running, it was lovely, the hay
Fields high as the house, the tunes from the chimneys, it was air
And playing, lovely and watery
And fire green as grass.
And nightly under the simple stars
As I rode to sleep the owls were bearing the farm away,
All the moon long I heard, blessed among stables, the nightjars
Flying with the ricks, and the horses
Flashing into the dark.

And then to awake, and the farm, like a wanderer white

With the dew, come back, the cock on his shoulder: it was all
Shining, it was Adam and maiden,
The sky gathered again
And the sun grew round that very day.
So it must have been after the birth of the simple light
In the first, spinning place, the spellbound horses walking warm
Out of the whinnying green stable
On to the fields of praise.
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 And honoured among foxes and pheasants by the gay house
Under the new made clouds and happy as the heart was long,
In the sun born over and over,
I ran my heedless ways,
My wishes raced through the house high hay
And nothing I cared, at my sky blue trades, that time allows
In all his tuneful turning so few and such morning songs
Before the children green and golden
Follow him out of grace,

Nothing I cared, in the lamb white days, that time would take me
Up to the swallow thronged loft by the shadow of my hand,
In the moon that is always rising,
Nor that riding to sleep
I should hear him fly with the high fields
And wake to the farm forever fled from the childless land.
Oh as I was young and easy in the mercy of his means,
Time held me green and dying
Though I sang in my chains like the sea.

10.2 Glossary

Line: Word: Meaning:

1 Easy Relaxed; easygoing;
It can mean both singing and a certain quality of accents that
seem to go up and down in a songlike manner. In this poem
2 Lilting
the speaker suggests that there's something songlike about
the house.
3 Dingle A forested valley
Hail is an old-fashioned word that can mean to call out to
4 Hail
someone in greeting or refer to where someone comes from.
5 Heydays The best days of someone's life
6 Honoured revered, celebrated, popular
7 Lordly Like a lord—that is, a king or ruler, or even a god.
8 Barley A type of edible grain
9 Windfall a stroke of luck.
The holy day in Christianity and Judaism, commemorating
17 Sabbath
God’s Day of rest after creating the world.
24 Bearing Carrying
25 Nightjars Nocturnal (night) birds that feed on insects.
26 Ricks Stacks of hay
29 Cock A rooster or a male chicken

God's creation of light, which seemed simpler at the beginning

33 Simple light
of the world
Spinning
34 the speaker may be referring to the Garden of Eden
place
35 Whinnying Neighing. (Sound made by a horse)
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 37 Pheasants A colourful ground bird, like a guinea fowl or turkey
37 Gay Happy.
40 Heedless Not paying attention
42 Trades Skilled work, such as carpentry or mechanics

45 Grace A state of being close to God's love.

47 Swallow A type of small bird
47 Thronged Filled with crowds

10.3 Themes
Childhood joy and innocence:
 celebration of childhood.
 The poem centres around the happiness of childhood innocence.
The harmony and wonder of nature:
 The beauty of nature
 The sense of being connected to and “at” one with nature
The power of time:
 The presence of time is evident
 Time grants short periods of happiness
 Nothing lasts forever and that all pleasures come to an end.
The end of childhood innocence:
 Children grow up, and lose the “innocence” of childhood

10.4 Type and form

The poem Fern Hill has six stanzas containing nine lines each. The structure of the poem relies on
half-rhymes as well as internal rhymes, as opposed to the more traditional full rhymes at the
end of each line. The lack of structure is used to great effect, as it evokes and mimics the way
memory wanders and recalls the past in small pieces at a time.

97
 Speaking in the
present tense but Describing his
is reflecting on surroundings on a typical
10.5 Analysis the past No cares day at his Aunt’s farm

Speaking in a Now as I was young and easy under the apple boughs Lying under the
sing-song way branches/ “boughs” of
About the lilting house and happy as the grass was green,the apple tree
The house is personified and given A forested valley
Simile: used to
emotions. Reflecting the house had The night above the dingle starry, highlight that just as it
magical qualities
is a fact grass is green.
Time of day These It’s a fact the house
Time let me hail and climb
were the
“Time” personified as a was “alive”
best times
powerful almost godlike person
he is addressing Golden in the heydays of his eyes, A time when all was
perfect and good
Special,
In his childlike imaginings
And honoured among wagons I was prince of the apple towns
chosen above
he sees himself as a king
others
over all he sees
Similar to once upon a time And once below a time I lordly had the trees and leaves

Giving the illusion of

Trail with daisies and barley Adam in the Garden of
Eden, an idyllic time
Down the rivers of the windfall light.
Continuing with the
He was young, inexperienced and had no real problems or concerns. imagery of the poet as
Building on the association or link between childhood and nature “ruler over all he sees”.
Keeping in the
framework of the farm.
And as I was green and carefree, famous among the barns
Place and time of
overwhelming happiness
in the poet’s life About the happy yard and singing as the farm was home,
We are young only once.
Adulthood never ends.
In the sun that is young once only, This time of innocence
and joy, when the sun
Speaking to “Time” personified to be
shines and all is perfect
allowed to continue to live like this and
not be disturbed by the “real world”
Time let me play and be
“Time” only allows people as much
Innocent and perfect
Golden in the mercy of his means, childhood as their lives allow.
Hunter Looked after the cattle
And green and golden I was huntsman and herdsman, the calvesIn his mind all
the creatures
Alliteration
obeyed or were
Sang to my horn, the foxes on the hills barked clear and cold, subject to him
Metaphor: compares
the ringing of the bells And the sabbath rang slowlyFern Hill is not only seen as a place
to the sound of the of childhood adventure, but as a
water running across sacred place
the stones in the stream In the pebbles of the holy streams.

98
 Everything is so magically perfect that
Long summer days that were Remembering the past even the chimneys sing. The smoke puffs
beautiful and seemed to never end seem to be beating time as in music

All the sun long it was running, it was lovely, the hay

Fields high as the house, the tunes from the chimneys, it was air

Simile: comparing the height

of the hay to the height of the And playing, lovely and watery
house. This is also hyperbole
The speaker states that the fire itself
And fire green as grass. is as green as the grass. This simile
These words make the air Clear, beautiful, pure captures how vivid childhood and his
seems like a kind of water - full memories of childhood.
of wonderful things. It also And nightly under the simple stars
suggest that the child's play is
The farm “disappears” when he
flowing and fluid; something that
sleeps, this adds to the dreamlike
As I rode to sleep the owls were bearing the farm away,
feels easy and endless
quality of his memories

All the moon long I heard, blessed among stables, the nightjars
Fall asleep The whole night long
Night long the speakers hears
Flying with the ricks, and the horses night. He hears (‘Night
The piles of cut hay that jars’), as well as
are stacked in the barns horses in the stables.
Flashing into the dark.
The use of the word
The horses move around in the stables, in the dark and "blessed", subtly hints
the shadows it looks like they are flashes of light or colour at a religious
undertone. The
Signs of the early morning nightjars are "blessed"
And then to awake, and the farm, like a wanderer white by God as he looks
after them.

With the dew, come back, the cock on his shoulder: it was all

Roosters are the birds that crow in The farm awakens as light shines on it.
Shining, it was Adam and maiden,
The speaker personifies the farm as "a
the early morning, usually at sunrise
wanderer white. Here the farm is
personified as a traveller returning with
The sky gathered again
the dew and a rooster
The speaker creates a
biblical allusion. The
And the sun grew round that very day. Watching the sunrise and
speaker says, "it was
Adam and maiden." the day being “created”
This refers to the story So it must have been after the birth of the simple light
of Adam and Eve in the Alluding to the
Bible. By using this creation story: The
allusion, the speaker In the first, spinning place, the spellbound horses walking warmseparation of light and
implies that Fern Hill is darkness
like the Garden of Eden, The Garden
a paradise where a child of Eden Out of the whinnying green stable
feels at one with the
Referring to the horses of the
natural surroundings.
On to the fields of praise. previous stanza. Representing
the freedom of childhood
The fields are seen as a form of praise to the
beauty and perfection of Fern Hill as he remembers
it. Comparing it again to the Garden of Eden

99
 It is a happy place, and he feels
like the boy oversees all he
sees, this includes the wildlife

And honoured among foxes and pheasants by the gay house

A heart filled with joy and happiness
Clouds of the new day. Not to
seen as ominous in any way Under the new made clouds and happy as the heart was long,
Dawn

Endless days that In the sun born over and over, Running free without any concerns or
seemed to carry on worries about his life
throughout the summer
I ran my heedless ways,
Alliteration of “h” sound, helps to
emphasise the breathlessness
Dreams and imaginations My wishes raced through the house high excitement
hay the poet feels
are running wild

This happy situation will not

And nothing I cared, at my sky blue trades, that time allows
There were no worries
continue indefinitely, and he
or concerns in his
did not reals how few days
dreams and imaginings, In all his tuneful turning so few and such morning songs
he would actually have
that he saw as real in
his playing state
Before the children green and golden
We grow older and as such lose the
wonder and innocence of childhood
Follow him out of grace, and the ability to feel the excitement
that children feel

Nothing I cared, in the lamb white days, that time would take me

Up to the swallow thronged loft by the shadow of my hand,

Lambs, and their white wool,
symbolize innocence.
In the moon that is always rising, Meanwhile, the speaker's trip
The speaker wakes up one to the "swallow throng loft"
morning and all the joy has (i.e., an attic full of birds),
been sucked out of the Nor that riding to sleep suggests initiation/ transition
world. Looking back on that leads the speaker into
one's life, it can feel like the world of adulthood. The
childhood suddenly ended, I should hear him fly with the high fields swallows could symbolize
especially if adult life seems any number of experiences
especially miserable. That's
how the speaker feels. For And wake to the farm forever fled from the childless [Link] begin to alter a child's
innocence. Thus,
this speaker, there's a huge emphasizing being led not by
difference between being a
child and being an adult, all Oh as I was young and easy in the mercy of his means,the hand, but by "the shadow
… hand".
the magic of childhood is
gone. Time held me green and dying
The poet mourning for the end
of childhood, it was wonderful
Though I sang in my chains like the sea. but short. The speaker is still
The poet struggles against adulthood, "green,” inexperienced, this
but he fails. Represent adulthood suggests that people do not
necessarily become wiser even
though they grow older.

100
10.6 Tone, mood and intention

i Tone
o The tone in the first five stanzas illustrate joy and happiness
o In the last stanza it shifts dramatically from joy to lamentation.

ii Mood
 The mood of the poem creates a nostalgic, almost wistful (a feeling of vague or regretful
longing).
 The poem was written by someone older who understands that childhood does not last forever
("In the sun that is young once only").

iii Intention
 The speaker’s intention is to tell us about the joys of childhood and the confinements of
adulthood.

10.7 Summary

 Stanza One:
o The poem begins with the speaker happily reminiscing spending time on Fern Hill
 Stanza Two:
o He elaborates on his adventures as a "green and carefree" boy, his greenness (or youth)
matching that of the landscape.
o
o He repeats the phrases "time let me ___" and "golden in the ___ of his ___," beginning
lines with them just as he did in the first stanza.
 Stanza Three:
o He continues his detailed elaboration on the landscape, getting caught up in his
descriptions as he lists thing after magical thing
 Stanza Four:
o He compares witnessing the coming of the day to Adam and Eve in Eden and God
creating the universe.
 Stanzas Five and Six:
o The poet begins the poem’s ending tone of regret, as the speaker begins, with the
phrase "nothing I cared," to describe himself as "heedless," indicating his later regret.
o The poem lamenting his carelessness and mourning the loss of his childhood and
innocence

10.8 Activities

Activity A
Dylan Thomas has share with us his childhood days in Fern Hill.
Describe in context of the poem his childhood and how does it end?

Suggested answers to activity A

 In the poem, Dylan Thomas tells about his childhood that is happy and fresh as the line that said
himself being green and carefree.
 Its also represents the passage of one mans life from boyhood to adulthood and the realization
of his mortality.
 The poem takes a dramatic turn when he describes "fire as green as grass".
o Fire or burning paired with grass means that something destructive has occurred in the
speaker's young life that has changed or altered the course of his natural growth.
 He is an adult when he looks back and says, "before the children green".
 He had gained an understanding that his life is running out and says time held me "green and
dying".
o He is seeing his "green “life turning brown and wilting. He is staring in the face of

101
 mortality.
 In the last Stanza "And wake to the farm forever fled from the childless land. Oh as I was young
and easy in the mercy of his means, Time held me green and dying Though I sang in my chains
like the sea"
 The poet says that now he already not a child and will never have the chance to set foot on to
his carefree life once again.
o He's already old and his brief happiness in childhood has been taken away by time. The
time for his death is already near.

Activity B
In this poem Dylan Thomas paints a picture of Fern Hill with his words. Look at the poem again and
analyse its language. Find words associated with:
Colour
Natural landscape
Animals
Farm life
Passing time
Spiritual life/religious
connotations

Suggested Answer: Activity B

Colour green, golden, blue, white
Natural landscape apple boughs, dingle, tress, leaves, daises, barley, rivers,
windfall, sun, hills, pebbles, streams, grass, stars, moon, dew,
sky, fields, land, sea
Animals calves, owls, nightjars, horses, cock, foxes, pheasants, lamb
Farm life apples, barley, wagons, barns, farm, huntsman, herdsman,
fields, chimneys, stables, hay, ricks
Passing time young, time, green, sabbath, nightly, day, awake, born, grew,
birth, first, morning, dying
Spiritual life/religious lordly, light, mercy, sabbath, holy, dark, Adam, maiden, praise,
connotations grace, shadow

10.9 Examination Questions:

I. ESSAY QUESTION
In the poem Fern Hill colour is symbolic in the childhood of the speaker.
In an essay of 250-300 words, discuss the symbolism of ‘colour’ in the poem
[10]
Suggested Answer for Question A: Essay

 Colour pays an important role in "Fern Hill,"

o The three most important symbols of colour are green, gold and white.
 The colour white:
o The color white often represents innocence, and here it captures the role the farm played

in the young speaker's innocent perception of the world .

oAt the beginning of the last stanza, the speaker uses white in a more overtly symbolic
manner: ‘in the lamb white days’,A lamb is white and in Christianity symbolizes
innocence.
o The reference to the innocence of Jesus, whose innocence is ultimately sacrificed.
o This sacrifice made by Jesus is related to the speaker’s innocence which is eventually
sacrificed to make way for adulthood.
 The Colour Green
o Green symbolizes youthful inexperience.
o Green is often used as an idiom to mean inexperienced, comparing a child to a green
sapling.
o In the poem, "green" captures how in experienced children really are like sprouts.
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 o The speaker was "happy as the grass was green," this is comparing a child's happiness
to the green of grass.
o At the end of the poem, the speaker says, "Time held me green and dying," which
suggests that people begin to sense their own mortality while they're still kids—that, as
the speaker implies throughout the poem, being a child is over much too soon.
 The Colour Gold
o Gold symbolizes the joy and magic of childhood.
o "Golden”, meanwhile, captures the majesty of childhood.
o It first appears in the first stanza: The phrase "prince of the apple towns" gives a sense of how
the speaker means for "golden" to be taken. Echoing the majestically wonders of childhood.
o It captures the specialness the speaker felt being out in the world as a young child, of feeling like
royalty amongst humble things.
o Golden also suggests the joy and magic of childhood.
 The colours "green white and golden" symbolise how inexperienced, innocent and youthful
imagination intertwine together to create childhood's best memories. [10]

B. CONTEXTUAL QUESTIONS
1. How does the poet depict childhood in "Fern Hill?" (2)
2. What, according to Dylan Thomas, held him "green and dying" in "Fern Hill?" (2)
3. Identify the figure of speech in line 22 and explain its effectiveness? (3)
4. Discuss how time is personified in the last two lines of the poem? (3)

Suggested Answer for Question B: Contextual

1. The poet depicts childhood as an idyllic and happy time in his life. Thomas explores
the innocent and happy days of his childhood on his aunt's farm in the poem. (2)
2. In "Fern Hill," Dylan Thomas says that time held him "green and dying." This line
Indicates that even though the child is young or "green," meaning innocent and naïve, he will
succumb to the ravages of time and will eventually die. (2)
3. It is a simile. The speaker says that the fire is green, just like grass. It might imply
that the grass is like a green flame, evoking the intense beauty and magic that children are capable of
perceiving in the natural world. (3)
4. This image suggests that even though time forced the speaker to grow up, the speaker's free and
"lilting" spirit never fully let go of childhood. (3)

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11 The Morning Sun is Shining by Olive Schreiner

11.1 Background to poet and poem

Olive Emily Albertina Shreiner (pseudonym-Ralp Iron) was born in

Wittebergen Mission Station, in Basotoland (Lesotho)1855 . She died in
Wynberg, Cape Town, in 1920. She was the ninth of twelve children in
her family. Her father and mother were missionaries who could not afford
to send all their children school. Her childhood was characterised by
hardships and movement from one mission post to another. At 11 she
moved to Cradock where her older brother was a school principal. She
suffered bouts of depression as a result of the death of one her
brothers.

Olive Screiner was home-schooled. Because of the poverty in her family,

at the age of 19 she had to work as a governness and during her free
time she wrote. All her love affairs failed because she felt oppressed by the men in her life.

When she left South Africa for England in 1881, she had dreams of becoming a nurse, but because
of ill-health, she focused on her writing. Her fist autobiographical novel, The Story of an African
Farm was published in 1882. The subject of her book was influenced by the South African rural
scenery and natural environment. It is after the publication of this novel that her relationship with the
novelist-poet Amy Levy ended tragically when Levy committed suicide.

In 1895 another tragic incident took place in her life. She lost her daughter who lived only for sixteen
hours, as a result of a cot death. Between 1899-1902, her support for the Afrikanner cause lended
her in prison by the British. These are some of the tragic events in her life that she alludes to in The
Morning Sun is Shinning.

The morning sun is shining on

The green, green willow tree,
And sends a golden sunbeam
To dance upon my knee.
Stanza 1 The fountain bubbles merrily,
The yellow locusts spring,
Of life and light and sunshine
The happy brown birds sing.

The earth is clothed with beauty,

The air is filled with song,
The yellow thorn trees load the wind
With odours sweet and strong.
Stanza 2 There is a hand I never touch
And a face I never see;
Now what is sunshine, what is song,
Now what is light to me?

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11.2 Glossary

LINE WORD/ PHRASE MEANING

2. willow tree Also known as the weeping willow. It is a tree
with long, thin, flowing branches that thrives
well next to a water point. It symbolises
hope, a sense of belonging, and safety.

3. sunbeams Rays of the sun. In the poem, they infiltrate

through the branches to dance on the
speaker’s knee.

5. merrily Happily
12. odours Scents

11.3 Themes
 Permanence of nature
 Despair
 Loneliness
 Futility of human relations
 The transience (brief) nature of human life

11.4 Type and form

 This is a Romantic poem (contrasts the permanence and beauty of nature)
o This creates a rhythm, which captures the attention of the reader. It is written in lyric
form.
o This creates a musical quality, evident in the rhyme scheme (Stanza 1-abcbdefe,
Stanza 2- ghihjkhk).
 The use of anaphora (use of the same word at the beginning of a line referring to the lines
above), in lines 1,2,5,6,8,9,10, and 11 illustrates the speaker’s admiration of nature. ‘
The morning sun is shining on A
The green, green willow tree, B
And sends a golden sunbeam C
Stanza 1 To dance upon my knee. B
The fountain bubbles merrily, D
The yellow locusts spring, E
Of life and light and sunshine F
The happy brown birds sing. E

The earth is clothed with beauty, G

The air is filled with song, H
Stanza 2 The yellow thorn trees load the wind I
With odours sweet and strong. H
There is a hand I never touch J
And a face I never see; K
Now what is sunshine, what is song, H
Now what is light to me? K

105
 The sun rises and gives
11.5 Analysis life and colour to nature
The morning sun is shining on
Setting: The poet is sitting
in the early morning sun Repeating the colour emphases
enjoying the sight of the The green, green willow tree, how vibrant the colour is is
“world” awakening.

And sends a golden sunbeam Could be an allusion

Is she referring to her child to an affectionate term
that died in infancy? of endearment for a
To dance upon my knee. child

A spring of water or stream Connotations of life and joy

perhaps a water feature Onomatopoeia is used to describe
The fountain bubbles merrily, the action of the fountain as the
water spurts out of it. Creates a
carefree mood
Likening the locusts to the The yellow locusts spring,
movement of the light through the
Jump, connotation of excitement
trees. They are the same colour
as the sunbeams Of life and light and sunshine
Another indication of joy and
Alliteration of “L” sound, happiness, this time in the
The happy brown birds sing. birds
emphasising movement

Personification: highlighting the

Stanza 2 continues to fact that the earth is dressed in
engage our sense of sight, beautiful finery.
The earth is clothed with beauty,
hearing and smell as the
speaker describes how
nature compliments itself Sounds of the birds
The air is filled with song,
to create its beauty; all
initiated by the ‘morning
sun’ as it shines. The usually barren thorn trees
The yellow thorn trees load the wind are in full bloom and the wind
has strain to drive through them
Alliteration of the “S” sound
emphasising how smooth and With odours sweet and strong.
wonderful the morning smells
Smells
There is a hand I never touch
A change in perceptive which
results in a change in tone. Someone she loves is not with
her and will never be with her
And a face I never see; because of death. Here we can
assume this is her child.

A tone of bitterness creeps in as Now what is sunshine, what is song,

she questions the purpose and
meaning of this beauty if she Of what use
cannot share it with her loved one. Now what is light to me?

The poem ends with the speaker questioning all she has praised and the
value of it. She “forces” the reader to do the same using a rhetorical
question at the end of the poem. No sense of resolution or closure

106
11.6 Tone, mood and intention

i Tone
 In the first 12 lines, the tone is joyous/cheerful and peaceful when the speaker describes
nature.
 In the last 4 lines the tone changes to a sorrowful one as the speaker expresses a sense of
loss in ‘a hand I never touch’ (line 13) and ‘…a face I never see’ (line14).

ii Mood
 The joyous/cheerful tone (lines 1-12) creates a celebratory mood as the speaker admires the
bustling beauty of nature in the morning.
 In lines 13-16, the mood changes to a sombre one as the speaker expresses the loss
associated with human experiences.

iii Intention
 The main intention of the speaker in presenting the poem in lyric form is to express private
and personal emotions.
o In the last four lines, it becomes clear that the main intention is to contrast the beauty
of nature with the actual suffering of human beings.
o The poet presents nature as forever in sync while humans experience loss and
loneliness.
11.7 Summary
 Stanza 1:
o Lines 1-4: set the scene
o Lines 5-8: expand on the beauty of nature
 Stanza 2:
o Lines 9-12: continues with the descriptions of nature
o Lines 13-16: change in perspective and tone as the poet realises that this beauty is
meaningless and barren when loved ones cannot share or be a part of it
11.8 Activities

Activity A

1 The speaker uses sensory imagery to capture the paint a vivid

picture on nature bustling in the morning sun. Give two examples
of this (4)

2 Identify the tone in the first twelve lines of the poem and suggest
why it changes in the last four lines. (3)

3 In lines 13-14, the speaker talks about the hand never to be

touched and the face never to be seen. From your understanding
of the poet’s biography, whose hand and whose face do you think
the speaker is alluding to? (3)

Suggested answers to activity A

1  Sense of sight-‘golden sunbeam/clothed with beauty

 Sense of hearing- ‘the fountain bubbles merrily (4)

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 2  The first twelve lines are cheerful as they focus on the
beauty and harmony of nature.
 The last four lines are sombre as the speaker questions the
value of this beauty when there is no hand touch and no
face to see. (i.e. The absence of human company to share
this beauty of nature with). (3)

3  The hand of her daughter who died from a cot death before
the poet had the chance to hold her hand and see her
grow.
 The face of her lover who committed suicide early in their (3)
relationship/ the face of her brother

Activity B

In your own words, state what the poem is about. (10)

Suggested Answer: Activity B

In your response, you may include some/ all the following points:
 It early in the morning and the sun is bright
 The rays infiltrate through the willow tree
 The rays land on the speaker’s knee as she is seated under
the willow tree, and the sunbeams move as if dancing on her
knee
 The speaker observes the way water spurts from the fountain,
how the locusts jump around, how the brown birds sing
happily as if they are enjoying the sunshine and life
 The environment is so beautiful as if in its best attire
 There is music everywhere
 The thorn tree creates a cool breeze as it sways
 There are various strong smells
 The speaker is all alone in all this
 There is no one to enjoy all this with
 Then what is the value of all this beauty when you are just by
yourself? That is the biggest question.

11.9 Examination Questions:

J. ESSAY QUESTION
In a carefully planned essay, discuss how the poet uses form, imagery
and tone to convey the message of the poem.
Your response should be in the form of a well-constructed essay
of 250-300 words (about ONE page)
[10]

Suggested Answer for Question A: Essay

In your response, you may include some/ all the following points:
 Line structure and its effects
 The use of anaphora and its overall impact on the poem
 The two stanzas and the manner they are structured
 The rhyme scheme and its effect on the poem
 For the various forms of imagery, state clearly the effect of each
one of them on our senses
 The effects of alliteration on the overall message
 The cheerful tone in the first 12 lines and the change in the last 4
lines
 The reasons for the change in tone
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 K. CONTEXTUAL QUESTIONS
Activity B:
1 Refer to lines 3-4
Identify and explain the figure of speech used here. (2)
2 Refer to Stanza 1
By referring to the diction used in this Stanza, what mood does the pot
create? (3)

3 Discuss the relationship of the wind and the trees in line 11,
‘…the yellow thorn trees load the wind’. (3)

Comment
4 on the use of ‘now’ and the beginning of the last two lines. (2)

Suggested Answer for Question B: Contextual

1 o Personification: the motion of the sunbeams infiltrating the willow tree and
landing on the speaker’s knee is given human qualities of performing a dance
of some sort. (2)
2 o The poet creates a cheerful mood to illustrate the beauty of the morning.
o The sunbeams are ‘golden’,
o the willow tree is ‘green, green’,
o the fountain ‘bubbles’,
o the locusts are full of life and ‘spring’,
o ‘life and light’- the alliteration creates a vibrant mood; (3)
o the brown birds are ‘happy’.
3  This is an unusual relationship because it is usual the wind that sets the
trees in motion but in this case, the trees are loading the wind.
 What the speaker is saying is that the natural elements complement each
other.
 As the trees sway, they create a breeze which in turn strengthens the wind. (3)

4  The poet uses anaphora to emphasize the immediacy of the speaker’s

yearning for company at that moment, leading to the questioning of the
value of this spectacular scenery when there is no one to share it. (2)

109
12 Talk to the Peach Tree by Sipho Sepamla

12.1 Background to poet and poem

Sipho Sydney James Sepamla was born in Mohale City (West of

Johannesburg) in 1932. He lived most of his life in Soweto, where he
wrote most of his poetry and became a member of a group of poets
known as the Soweto Poets. The Soweto poets were a group of
political activists, and it is through their poetry that they expressed their
disgruntlement and views of the oppressive apartheid system.
Sepamla and his group saw the pen as ‘the bomb’ which could be
‘used to fight against apartheid and social injustice.

He became an active member of the Black Consciousness; a group

whose main aim was to restore the dignity, self-awareness, and self-value of black people in South
Africa. This group believed that black people had the power to free themselves from the apartheid
system, which thrived on dehumanizing black people. It was through their poetry and other writings
that they revealed the social injustices of Apartheid South Africa.

Sipho Sepamla passed away in 2007. He believed in peaceful solutions. This is clear in his poem,
Talk to the Peach Tree. In this poem, he highlights the cruelty of the apartheid system and the
necessity to fight it peacefully, through negotiation

Let’s talk to the swallows visiting us in summer Couplet: two-

Stanza 1 line Stanza
ask how it is in other countries
Let’s talk to the afternoon shadow
Stanza 2
ask how the day has been so far
Let’s raise our pets to our level
Stanza 3
ask them what they don’t know of us
words have lost meaning
Stanza 4
like all notations they’ve been misused

Stanza 5
most people will admit
a whining woman can overstate her case

Stanza 6
Talk to the paralysing heat in the air
inquire how long the mercilessness will last
Let’s pick out items from the rubbish heap
Stanza 7
ask how the stench is like down there
Let’s talk to the peach tree
Stanza 8
find out how it feels to be in the ground

Stanza 9
Let’s talk to the moon going down
ask if it isn’t enough eyeing what’s been going on
come on Three-line
Stanza 10 let’s talk to the devil himself Stanza
it’s about time

110
12.2 Glossary

LINE: WORD/ PHRASE: MEANING:

long distance migrant birds found almost
1. swallows
worldwide
2. countries nations
3. pets domestic animals kept for companionship
8. notations Representations/codes (symbols words phrases?)
Misrepresented (not used for the reason they
8. misused
were created?)
9. admit Agree
10. a whining woman A woman who complains non-stop
10. overstate her case exaggerate her situation

Extreme heat that hinders you from doing

11. paralysing heat
anything

12. mercilessness cruelty

13-14 rubbish heap dump site
18. eyeing Observing/ looking at

12.3 Themes

Overall theme:
 Open channels of communication is the overall theme in this poem.
o The speaker encourages the oppressed people to exhaust all peaceful forms of
communication for them to address apartheid.
o Please note that the freedom of expression and association for black people at
the time was restricted, hence ‘talking to the peach tree’ first, not the government
of the time.
o The speaker is of the view that ideas from all sorts of people should be
accommodated or considered.
Sub Themes
 Emancipation of the oppressed.
 Patriotism
 Freedom of speech
 Rebellion

111
12.4 Type and form
 The poem consists of twenty-one lines.
 There is no rhyme scheme, it would be described as “free verse”.
 It is a poem of protest against the Apartheid Government in South Africa.
 The first three stanzas and the last three stanzas follow the same pattern:
o There is a similar pattern of diction and the arrangement of stanzas one to nine.
o In stanza ten there are three lines:
 This is done to make it to stand out from the rest of the This is done to
draw attention to the poet’s message.
 The repetition of the word ‘talk’ six times highlights the need for dialogue between the
oppressor and the oppressed.
 There is an indent in the last stanza this serves to visually highlight the message of the
poem.

Let’s talk to the moon going down

Stanza 9
ask if it isn’t enough eyeing what’s been going on Couplet: two-
line Stanza
come on
Three-line
Stanza 10 let’s talk to the devil himself
Stanza
it’s about time

112
 Refers to the people The significance of the
who visit South Africa. ‘peach tree’ is that it was a
place of gathering for
12.5 Analysis: people in the township
where much discussion,
Talk to the Peach Tree
Look at how the poet is drawing sharing of opinions and
attention to the fact that there is Let’s talk to the swallows visiting us in summer information took place.
a lot of talking, some of it This is also an example of
valuable and necessary, but are personification
the right people being spoken to ask how it is in other countries
Understand how people live in other countries
Personification: giving
Let’s talk to the afternoon shadow objects/ concepts/ animals
human characteristics
Refers to the people
Apostrophe: Speaking to
who visit South Africa. ask how the day has been so far
objects that cannot answer
Reflect on the “state of affairs” in the community/ country

Let’s raise our pets to our level Refers to young people

Explain backgrounds, who might have radical
perspectives, history that may ask them what they don’t know of us ideas. He is asking that
not be known or understood they should be included
or listened to.

Due to censorship, words have lost meaning

propaganda and the
political climate many like all notations they’ve been misused
words have lost their Words, symbols
“true” meaning
most people will admit Alliteration of the “w” sound,
emphasising a droning background
When people complain a whining woman can overstate her case noise that is ignored
about the same thing in the
same way, their plight is
often ignored. This is being likened to the
Talk to the paralysing heat in the air government who had laws that were
very restrictive with harsh penalties if
Personification: giving inquire how long the mercilessness will last they were broken
objects/ concepts/ animals
human characteristics
Apostrophe: Speaking to Economic oppression has resulted in
Let’s pick out items from the rubbish heap people being “forced” to live in
objects that cannot answer
inhuman conditions, and there seems
ask how the stench is like down there no ways to break out
Symbolises the people on
the ground that had to Effects of a “rotten” system/ environment
Personification: giving
suffer the oppression Let’s talk to the peach tree objects/ concepts/ animals
imposed on them during human characteristics
the Apartheid regime. find out how it feels to be in the ground Apostrophe: Speaking to
objects that cannot answer
This may well refer to the Those who are living in these conditions
fact that seeing things Let’s talk to the moon going down
clearly in the half light of Asking the question:
the moon is very difficult “We need to stop
and objects cannot be
ask if it isn’t enough eyeing what’s been going on looking (eyeing) at
clearly identified things in the gloom of
come on moonlight.

The poem focuses on “talking” let’s talk to the devil himself

versus actions. Talk to those “Devil” is the Apartheid
who can effect change. Stop Government
it’s about time There is no time to waste.
talking around issues. Confront
Action is necessary
them and enter dialogue
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12.6 Tone, mood and intention

i Tone
 conversational
 cynical
ii Mood
 apprehensive
 anxious
iii Intention
 To create an awareness of the harsh realities of life in South Africa under apartheid rule.
 To highlight some of the unconventional ways in which politics was discussed during the
apartheid era.

12.7 Summary
 The poem “Talk to a Peach Tree” is a witty poem that makes subtle yet vital suggestions about
the system of Apartheid.
 The poet addresses inanimate objects addressing or discussing politics.
 He addresses these objects because due to restrictions on non-whites in the country; he cannot
address the relevant people yet.
 He talks to these objects which symbolise different parties of people gathering information on a
way out of this oppression.
 The poet suggests that communication is the key to resolving the issues rather than using
violence.
 In the last three lines of the poem:
o The poet starts that after all the talks with the different parties that it is now time to stop
talking to each other and take a stand together.
o Speak to ‘the Devil himself’, the Apartheid Government, without resorting to violence

12.8 Activities

Activity A

In the poem “Talk to the Peach Tree”, the speaker reflects on the predicament facing
people who are subjected to the harsh realities of life in South Africa during apartheid.
With close reference to diction, imagery and tone, critically discuss the validity of this statement.
Your response should take the form of a well-constructed essay of 250–300 words (about ONE
page). (10)
Suggested answers to activity A
Use the following points, among others, as a guideline to answering this question.
 In this poem, the speaker reflects on the harsh realities of life in South Africa under apartheid
rule.
 The oppressive laws of the apartheid government restricted the freedom of movement and
speech – there was a restriction on the number of people who could gather at any specific time.
This hindered communication amongst those who opposed the apartheid regime.
 Since the oppressed were not permitted to express their feelings and opinions freely, they had
to find other ways to do so.
 Throughout the poem, the speaker alludes to various ways in which politics was discussed,
thereby highlighting the irrational laws that suppressed all those who opposed apartheid.
 The speaker uses personification in stating that there should be talks with the ‘swallows’,
‘shadow’ etc. to highlight his message on the different ways of communication during apartheid.
 The speaker refers to the ‘swallows’ that fly in from other countries. The swallows represent the
people who visited South Africa from the outside world. They symbolise freedom of movement
which is in direct contrast to the lack of freedom of the majority of South Africans who were not
exposed to the outside world. The government’s propaganda machine and censorship also
114
 controlled the narrative of the regime that wanted to curtail the actions of the ‘terrorists’ and
‘communists.
 The word ‘summer’ symbolises optimism, positivity and hope for the future.
 In stanza 2, the poet reflects on the time of day (‘afternoon shadow’) when people gather to
discuss their progress, however, they do not discuss their ideas for change.
 The theme of talk versus action is highlighted in the poem. There seems to be very little
progress in finding a resolution to the crisis in South Africa. It is a country in which animals
(‘pets’) seem to have more freedom than humans.
 Due to censorship of the media, there are mixed messages being sent to the citizens of South
Africa as well as to the outside world. Hence, ‘words have lost meaning’.
 People tend to ignore what is being said when there is constant ‘whining’ as these complaints
fall on deaf ears. There is no progress in addressing the plight of South Africans who are victims
of oppressive laws. The speaker uses alliteration in ‘whining woman’ to highlight this point.
 The ‘paralysing heat’ is a reference to the harsh laws that subjugate the majority of South
Africans. It highlights the brutality(‘mercilessness’) of the forces that protected the apartheid
regime.
 The ‘rubbish heap’ reflects the futility of economic disempowerment that has been orchestrated
by the apartheid government . The oppressed have to resort to surviving on hand-me-downs.
 The peach tree is a symbol of communication and stability. It is ever-present and people are free
to express themselves. It is a place of safety and confession where their secrets were safe.
 The moon (‘moon going down’) is a sign of constant change. It symbolizes nature and the
passing and return of its seasons. This image pinpoints moral instability, the changing heart, the
gullible mind, and our frequently vacillating resolve. It shows how people have lost faith in their
ability to voice their opposition to the unjust laws in the country and to passively accept their
fate.
 There is a dramatic shift in tone in the final three lines of the poem when the speaker resolves to
address the ‘devil’ which is the personification of evil. It is seen as a hostile, cruel and
destructive force. The speaker alludes to the apartheid government as forces of evil as they
were responsible for the atrocities and suppression of all those who opposed its policies.
 It is a show of bravado in confronting the apartheid regime head on to reach a negotiated
settlement and, thereby, eventually freeing themselves from the yolk of subjugation. This direct
approach to taking decisive action in resolving the human rights abuses in South Africa is in
stark contrast to the actions of the ‘whining woman

Activity B

1 Discuss the central message of the poem? (2)

2 Explain the meaning of the title of the poem. (2)

3 Who is the ‘devil himself’ referring to? (1)

4 Refer to line10
4.1 Identify the figure of speech. (1)
4.2 Explain the effectiveness of this figure of speech. (2)

5 Refer to ‘come on let’s …it’s about time’ (lines 19-21).

Account for the tone used in these lines. (2)

Suggested Answer: Activity B

1. The speaker is suggesting that people should stop merely talking and start acting
decisively and have constructive dialogue with the government. (2)

2 The significance of the ‘peach tree’ is that it was a place of gathering for people in
the township where much discussion, sharing of opinions and information took
place. (2)
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 3 The apartheid government (1)

4.1 alliteration (1)

4.2 The speaker suggests that the ‘whining women’ complain regularly and
exaggerate the things they talk about. (2)

5 The speaker uses an encouraging, hopeful and positive tone. The tone
highlights his willingness to engage with the government. (2)

12.9 Examination Questions:

L. ESSAY QUESTION

In the poem ‘Talk to the Peach Tree’, the speaker makes suggestions on how to discuss politics in
South Africa whilst under apartheid rule.
In an essay of 250-300 words, discuss how the speaker uses these conversations to
highlight his message in the poem. (10)
Suggested Answer for Question A: Essay
Use the following points, among others, as a guideline to answering this question.
 In this poem, the speaker depicts the harsh realities of life in South Africa under apartheid rule.
 The oppressive laws of the apartheid government restricted the freedom of movement and
limited the number of people who could gather at any specific time. This hindered
communication amongst those who opposed the apartheid regime.
 Throughout the poem, the speaker alludes to fruitless ways in which politics was discussed,
thereby highlighting the irrational laws that suppressed all those who opposed apartheid.
 Personification is prevalent throughout the poem. In stanza 1, for example, the speaker refers to
the ‘swallows’ that fly in from other countries. The swallows represent the people who visited
South Africa from the outside world. The swallows symbolise freedom of movement which is in
direct contrast to the lack of freedom of the majority of South Africans who were not exposed to
the outside world. The government’s propaganda machine also controlled the narrative of the
regime that wanted to curtail the actions of the ‘terrorists’ and ‘communists’. A false picture of
South Africa was presented to the outside world or the ‘swallows’ who could now engage with
South Africans and impart that message in their countries.
 The word ‘summer’ symbolises optimism, positivity and hope for the future.
 In stanza 2, the poet reflects on the time of day (‘afternoon shadow’) when people gather to
discuss their plan of action.
 The theme of talk versus action is highlighted in the poem. There seems to be very little
progress in finding a resolution to the crisis in South Africa. It is a country in which animals
(‘pets’) seem to have more freedom than humans.
 Due to censorship of the media, there are mixed messages being sent to the citizens of South
Africa as well as to the outside world. Hence, ‘words have lost meaning’.
 People tend to ignore what is being said when there is constant ‘whining’ as these complaints
fall on deaf ears. There is no progress in addressing the plight of South Africans who are victims
of oppressive laws.
 The ‘paralysing heat’ is a reference to the harsh laws that subjugate the majority of South
Africans. It highlights the brutality(‘mercilessness’) of the forces that protected the apartheid
regime.
 The ‘rubbish heap’ reflects the futility of economic disempowerment. It is symbolic of ‘hand-me-
downs’ to people who are unable to afford expensive items.
 The peach tree is a symbol of communication and stability. It is ever-present and people are free
to express themselves. It is a place of safety and confession where their secrets were safe.
 The moon (‘moon going down’) is a sign of constant change. It symbolizes nature and the
passing and return of its seasons. This image pinpoints moral instability, the changing heart, the
gullible mind, and our frequently vacillating resolve. It shows how people have lost faith in their

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 ability to voice their opposition to the unjust laws in the country and to passively accept their
fate.
 There is a dramatic shift in tone in the final three lines of the poem when the speaker resolves to
address the ‘devil’ which is the personification of evil. It is seen as a hostile, cruel and
destructive force. The speaker alludes to the apartheid government as forces of evil as they
were responsible for the atrocities and suppression of all those who opposed its policies.
 It is a show of bravado in confronting the apartheid regime head on in order to reach a
negotiated settlement and, thereby, eventually freeing themselves from the yolk of subjugation.
This direct approach to taking decisive action in resolving the human rights abuses in South
Africa is in stark contrast to the actions of the ‘whining woman’ who achieved very little.

M. CONTEXTUAL QUESTIONS

1 How important is it for the speaker to talk to the ‘swallows’ (line 1) (2)

2 Explain the effectiveness of the personification in lines 3-4 (2)

3 Explain what the speaker means by ‘words have lost meaning’ (line 7) (3)

4 Discuss whether the title ‘Talk to the Peach Tree’ is effective in the context of this poem. (3)

5 How do the words ‘paralysing heat’ (line 11) reinforce the speaker’s message overall?
(3)

6 Explore the form and content of the final stanza. (3)

Suggested Answer for Question B: Contextual

1 The ‘swallows’ represent/symbolise the visitors that come into the country, bringing news
and information about South Africa, as this will assist the speaker to know what the
sentiment is from people living outside of the country.
(2)

2 The speaker continuously has to reflect on how things are by spending time talking,
especially until late into the afternoon. These conversations are aimed at getting to know
what progress has been made in finding new ideas for change in the country.

(2)
3 Due to censorship and propaganda, a new discourse has been created which obscures the
truth and brings about discord and misunderstanding. This was purposefully done by the
government to cause confusion.
(3)
4 The title is effective as the speaker has suggested having a conversation with many
various things or creatures to bring his message across. The peach tree is therefore
symbolic of communicating with something that is stable and being grounded
(3)
5 The line is personification. The speaker is reiterating the fact that the government of the day
was very oppressive (paralysing heat). The people continue to complain about the heat and
the ‘mercilessness’ of it but do very little to rectify the problem.

(3)

7 The form of the final stanza is slightly different from the rest of the poem except stanza’s 4
and 5.
It is to draw attention to the concept of ‘talking’ to the government. The indent of the stanza
also creates an aside, a separate thought. The speaker is now, in a very conversational and
positive tone highlighting the fact that it’s time to talk and find a negotiated settlement in the
country . (3)

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