A Guie To Poetry 2024 GRADE 12 POETRY NOTES - GUIDE

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Grade 12 Poetry
A Teacher’s
Guide
Compiled by Umlazi District
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CONTENTS
No.
Aspect Page
I
Introduction to Poetry 3-4
ii
Figures of Speech 5
iii
Useful Terminology 6-7
iv
Sound devices 8
v
How to analyse a poem 9
vi
Ten steps to analyse a poem 10-11
vii
Four Square Poetry Analysis 12 - 13
Title

Poet

Page

1.
My Mistress Eyes (Sonnet 130) William Shakespeare 14
–
18
2.
The child who was shot dead by soldiers in Nyanga Ingrid Jonker 19
–
23
3.
At a Funeral Dennis Brutus 24- 28
4.
Poem of Return Jofre Rocha 29
–
32
5.
Talk to the Peach Tree Sipho Sepamla 33
–
36
6.
Prayer to Masks Léopold Sédar Senghor 37
–
40
7.
This Winter Coming Karen Press 41
–
43
8.
Solitude Ella Wheeler Wilcox 44
–
52
9.
The Morning Sun is Shining Olive Schreiner 53
–
56
10.
It is a beauteous evening, calm and free William Wordsworth 57
–
61
11.
Fern Hill Dylan Thomas 62
–
72
12.
The Shipwreck Emily Dickinson 73 - 76
13
Setting the poetry Contextual 77
14
Setting the Unseen poem 78
15
Setting the Poetry essay 79
16
Acknowledgment of sources 80
Compiled by D.Moodley
Savannah Park Secondary
R.Gowthum-Seebadri
Westville Boys High School
S.D.Daniels
Durban High School
S.Sunker
New West Secondary
K.Pillai
Umbilo High School
Edited by Ms R.S.Hassan ( Wingen Heights Secondary)

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
Terms you must be familiar with:


Theme


Intention


Style


Diction


Tone


Mood


Form


Rhythm


Rhyme


Imagery


Symbolism

Theme:
It is the topic, main concept, or underlying idea. It is also occasionally used interchangeably with a piece of writing's meaning or sense.

Intention:
The reason or motive the poet had for writing his poem. The poet may want: to persuade , to defend, to express hatred / scorn, to protest, to praise, to argue, to express love, to flatter, to warn, to criticise, to evoke sympathy, to enrage, to mock, to incite, etc.

Style:
It is the way a poet or writer represents himself, his defining characteristics, or the unique way in which he employs the available language. It has many components, but sometimes it's useful to consider the time the poem or piece was written to identify the poet's writing style. Sometimes it is useful to sum up
a poet’s
style in a word or two:
Colloquial, conversational, emotive, factual, humorous, idiomatic, sensational, succinct, terse, technical, clichéd, etc
.

Diction:
This speaks to the poet's word choice or language

The poet intentionally chose the words and the sequence of those words to achieve his goals..Keep in mind that not all words have a set meaning; rather, the precise meaning of a word depends on its context. Word sounds could also be significant. Every phrase a poet uses should be viewed as a tool to further his meaning.
Tone:
It is the
poet’s attitude towards his subject and towards his readers.
The tone can only be determined once one has examined the poem thoroughly. The tone may also vary within a poem. Examples of tone: * sincere,* humorous,* forceful *critical,* sarcastic,* ironical,* loving,* sentimental, * joyful,* melancholy, *bitter,** mocking, etc.
Mood:
This refers to the poet's diction or word choice. To accomplish his objectives, the poet purposefully selected the words and their placement in the text. Remember that not every word has the same meaning; rather, a word's exact meaning relies on its context. The sounds of words may also be important. Every word a poet chooses should be seen as a tool to help him express his ideas more fully.

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FORM:
or structure and it may be rigid and prescribed or loose and undefined.

BALLAD
:
Most ballads started as songs passed on from one generation to the next. Characteristics: * fast moving story, * rhythm is pronounced * rhyme pattern (usually rhyming couplets or alternate rhymes) and * metre is usually iambic. Poems in short stanzas narrating popular story without rhyme pattern or unpronounced rhythm, is narrative poetry. Entertains the readers by telling a dramatic story.

METRE:
Poetic rhythm determined by character and number of feet.
IAMBIC
: unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. TROCHIAC: stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable.

ODE
:
Poem often in the form of an address and in exalted style, in praise of something/one. It is exalted in both feelings and expression, written in rhymed stanzas. Expresses the
speaker’s
admiration
.
ELEGY
:
Song of lamentation or morning that honours someone/thing that has died. Subject matter is treated in a suitable serious fashion. The tone is sad and mournful with a slow rhythm. Expresses the
speaker’s
sorrow.
LYRICPOETRY
:
Originates also in songs. It is much more emotive that usually conveys feelings. It is typically a short poem that deals with a single theme or idea. Expresses the
speaker’s
feelings.

ANALLEGORY
It is the representation of abstract ideas or principles by characters. Once again the allegory makes use of the story form, and it is long, but it either has a religious theme or it contains a moral warning, or offers advice to the reader, e.g.
“Animal

Farm”


Rhythm:
Rhythm is the follow of words or
‘beat’
in a poem. It is the repetition or recurrence of stress. Metre is the term used to describe the measurement of regular rhythm. The function of rhythm is to emphasise or endorse the meaning of the words in a poem. It can also help create a particular mood or atmosphere, convey a particular theme or set a particular pace.

Rhyme:
It is the repetition of similar sounds.
a)

End rhyme: rhyme occurs at the end of lines of verse. (
time; crime
)
b)

Half rhyme: words do not fully rhyme but there is a similarity in sound. (
work; pitchfork
)
c)

Internal rhyme: a word in the middle of the verse line, rhymes with the word at the end of the verse line. (
“
In mist or
cloud,
on mast or
shroud
,)

Imagery:
It is the use of word pictures or images that usually appeal to our senses but they may also appeal to the heart or the mind.
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
Figures of speech:
Words, phrases or expressions used in a manner other than their literal meaning in order to produce a special effect. It is important to know how figures of speech work.

POETIC DEVICES & FIGURES OF SPEECH FUNCTION / EFFECT (N.B.)

Figures of speech based on associated ideas

METONYMY

Substitution of the name of something for that of the thing meant, e.g.
“And
ploughs down palaces, and thrones, and
towers.”


SYNE DO HE

A part is named but the whole is meant/ understood, OR the whole is named but only part is meant/understood, e.g.
“

…
his back to the five thin healthy head
grazing.”


HYPER OLE

Exaggerated statement. Not meant to be taken literally.

EUPHEMISM

Substitution of vague or mild expression for harsh or direct one, e.g.
“He
passed
away”
is a euphemism for
“He

died”.

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Other useful terminology
RHETORICAL QUESTION
:
Asked not for information but to produce effect. It emphasizes the fact stated. It draws attention to the statement and makes the reader stop and think.
APOSTROPHE
:
The poet addresses an inanimate object, or an absent person. It creates a sense of immediacy; it makes the person or object addressed seem closer and more real. When an inanimate object is addressed it is, of course, personified.
PATHOS
:
Quality in writing that excites pity or sadness. Excites pity or sadness.
ENJAMBMENT
:
Continuation of sentence beyond end of line, e.g.
“His
state Is kingly; thousands at his bidding speed And post
o’er
land and ocean without
rest:”
It suggests continuation, so strengthens the meaning of lines which state that something is going on without stopping; it creates a fluent movement or helps create a restful mood; Sometimes it emphasizes the last word of one line and the first word of the next line if the end of the first line occurs at an unusual position.
INVERSION
:
Reversal of normal, grammatical order of words, e.g.
“How with this rage shall beauty hold a plea
Whose action is no stronger than a flower,
…”
It may create a jerky rhythm suggesting restlessness, intense emotion, etc; it often serves to lift out certain words by placing them at the beginning or end of a line, or sentence, in an unusual position.
SATIRE
:
Ridiculing prevalent vices or follies e.g.
“Tis with our judgments as our watches, none
Go just alike, yet each believes his
own.”
Causes amusement/makes fun of people/ shows things or people up as fools/influences the
reader’s
response.
DRAMATIC IRONY:
The audience/reader is aware of a fact which the speaker is unaware of.
This gives the speaker’s
words a double meaning. It creates tension and links characters, events or themes.
UNDERSTATEMENT
:
Represents something as less than it really is: After the floods, when things were carried away by the water, we say
“We’ve
had some
rain.”

CLIMAX
:
Event or point of greatest intensity or interest.
ANTI-CLIMAX
:
Ineffective end to anything that has a suggested climax. Creates a let-down feeling, suggests a feeling of disappointment / dissatisfaction.
ALLUSION
:
Reference to a specific person, place, event or literary work in the course of a poem.
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Figures of speech based on comparison or resemblance.
PERSONIFICATION
: Attribute human qualities to thing or quality. It makes the scene more vivid or the action more forceful.
SIMILE:
Comparison between two things, using
like
or
as
. Makes the picture more vivid and helps to convey more accurately how the writer experienced a sensation.
METAPHOR:
Calling something by a name to an object/person which is not literally applicable to it. Makes the
writer’s
experience clearer and more vivid and conveys a depth of meaning by calling up numerous associations in the mind of the reader. Makes the description more compact.
Figures of speech based on contrast or differences
PUN
: Uses the double meaning of a word or phrase for suggestive and humorous purposes.
PARADOX:
A statement which is self-contradictory but which contains some truth.
“One
has to be cruel to be
kind.”
Punishing a child who plays with the electric socket may seem cruel, but is kind, because if you
don’t
he/she may be electrocuted.
OXYMORON:
A paradox contained in two words:
“rotten beauty”.
A beautiful girl with low morals is outwardly beautiful, but inside she is rotten.
ANTITHESIS:
Opposites are contrasted or balanced in two clauses or phrases.
“The
years to come seemed waste of breath A waste of breath the years
beyond.”
(N.B. Antithesis contains no contradiction or seeming contradiction, it is merely opposites/ contrasts)
SARCASM:
Bitter or wounding remark, ironically worded taunt. Expresses feelings, serves to reveal the
speaker’s
attitudes or feelings towards the person meant/addressed.
IRONY:
Expression of meaning by language of opposite or different tendency. It expresses the
speaker’s
feelings and attitude towards the person/thing he is discussing. It is usually used to create humour.
INNUENDO:
When something is hinted at without actually saying it.
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Sound devices:
The following are not strictly figures of speech, although they are often classified as such. It is where the sound of words is just as significant as the meaning of the words.

ALLITERATION:
Repetition of beginning consonant sounds, at short intervals, of different words, e.g.
“

…

my dongas
and my ever-whirling dust, My death
…”
Links important words and emphasizes them. Imitates sounds mentioned in the poem. Influences the rhythm, either slowing down the tempo, or increasing it, depending on whether the words are long or short and whether the sounds are clipped or drawn-out.
ASSONANCE:
Repetition of vowel sounds in two or more words, without the repetition of the same consonant, e.g.
“And all is s
eared with trade, bleared, smeared with toil.
…”
Creates vivid aural images by imitating the sounds of objects mentioned in the poem.
ONOMATOPOEIA:
Forming words from sounds that resemble those associated with the object or suggestive of its qualities,
e.g.“The buzz saw
snarled and rattled in the yard
…..”
Imitates the sounds referred to.help to create a vivid aural picture and make the scene more immediate and real to the reader.
Symbolism:
A symbol is any word or object which represents or suggests an idea.
Tone
: quality or timbre of the voice that conveys the emotional message of a text. In a written text, it is achieved through words.
Mood
:
atmosphere or emotion in written texts; shows the feeling or the frame of mind of the characters; it also refers to the atmosphere produced by visual, audio or multi-media texts.
Theme
:
the central idea or ideas in text; a text may contain several themes and these may not be explicit or obvious.

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METHODS TO ANALYSE A POEM :


Treat each poem as a work of art! Instead of pointing out flaws, consider the advantages.


Maintain an open attitude and give the poet's voice some room to impact you.


Before doing a thorough analysis of a poem, read it at least three times.


The ENTIRE poem must be considered. Start with the complete poem, then go on to its component portions, and finally come back to the whole poem.
METHOD



If you can, read the poem aloud several times.


Consider what the poet is trying to convey to the reader.


Consider identifying the topic and the subject.


Take into account the poet's motivations for creating the specific poem.


Examine the poet's diction in detail.


Consider the language and writing style that were employed.


Any words you do not understand or know, look them up.


Establish the emotions the poet wants the reader to experience before evaluating the poem's atmosphere.


Examine the poem's structure to see how the poet used it to convey his ideas.


Check out the poet's use of rhyme, rhythm, figures of speech, and sound effects.


Examine each one separately to determine how it affects the poem's overall success.


List any more remarkable or peculiar characteristics.


Determine whether the poet's intention was successful.
Poetry literary essay:
This essay will be a shorter version. The structure of this literary essay is exactly the same as a prose literary essay.
REMEMBER:


Write in the third person (objective).


Use the present tense while writing.


Every point MUST be backed by evidence from the poem (you are analyzing the assigned assignment today).


An introduction and a summary


Question is quickly rephrased in the text to demonstrate your viewpoint. (Are you in agreement?


Make a mental map of the question's important components.


Find instances from the poem to substantiate each component under that aspect.


Don't provide criticism on a poem's quality (excellent or terrible); only say whether the author was successful in achieving the stated goals.


Do not just reiterate the subject matter of the poem or its historical context; instead, focus on the issue.


Include your understanding of poetic devices.


(Learn them and master them immediately!)


Stick to the word count by writing coherently in paragraphs and avoiding repetition and pointless instances.


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TEN STEPS TO ANALYSE A POEM
When reading a new poem, it is important to identify the main ideas and the techniques used to present them. The diagram below shows the ten steps that take a reader to comprehend and explore the stylistic features of a poem.

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Four Square Poetry Analysis:

Imagery and Sound devices:
(Figurative language is language that uses words or expressions with a meaning that is different from the literal interpretation. When a writer uses literal language, he or she is simply stating the facts as they are.)


Describing words?


Alliteration


Onomatopoeia


Metaphors


Similes


Vivid Language


Word Choice


Alliteration, assonance, onomatopoeia


Why does the poet choose these words?


What effect do they have on the overall poem?
Tone, Attitude:


Words that give the feeling and emotion that the poet wants to express.


Which words are chosen to create a mood/ feeling?


Does the tone change in the poem?


Is the poem satirical, ironic, thoughtful, sad, painful, happy, celebratory, funny?


Word choice:


Connotations- emotions attached


Denotation- actual meanings of words.


Why does the writer use the tone or feeling in the poem?
Style/Structure/Form:


What type of poem is this? Eg. Lyric, epic, narrative, haiku, free verse, prose, ekphrasis


How many stanzas? Are they a particular type? Eg. Couplets, quatrains et al.


Other considerations: Line length, line groupings, are there metric patterns.


Is there rhyme? A rhyme scheme?


Note the unusual use of punctuation, or absence of it


Why does the writer use these devices or forms?
Interpretation/Theme/Message:


What is the poet trying to say (message)?


Who or what is the poem for?


Is it about a historical event?


An important event in the life of a person (birth, death, love, mental illness, change of heart, upheaval in their life)?


Who is the narrator? Who is speaking and to whom? Under what circumstances is the narrator speaking?


What does the poem mean to you? Can you relate to the feeling or to the events in the poem? What message, or feeling do you pull from the story/words/form of the poem?


What themes can you identify in the poem?
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KEY ASPECTS AND GUIDING QUESTIONS FOR POETRY ANALYSIS
After forming a general impression of the poem, it is necessary to progress from the comprehension to the appreciation level. For a more in-depth analysis of a poem, you should examine the following seven aspects in greater detail. Some guiding questions are provided below to guide you to notice and identify the features under each aspect.
1.

Content/Subject and Theme(s)


Does the title give you an idea of what the poem may be about?


What is the poem about? What concept and ideas is the poem exploring? What is the
writer’s view on
this subject?


Can you summarise the main idea of the poem or paraphrase it in a few sentences?


Are there messages or ideas that are repeatedly stated in the poem to draw the
reader’s
attention?


Are the themes and messages implicitly or explicitly stated in the poem?


How are the ideas organised in the poem? Are they developed in a straightforward manner to a conclusion? Is there a shift or turning point in its development? If yes, when and why does the shift take place?
2.

Speaker, Tone and Voice


Who is the speaker of the poem?


Is the speaker the poet or a character/persona the poet takes on?


Who is the speaker speaking to?


What is the tone of voice adopted?


What is the
speaker’s
attitude towards the subject in the poem?


Does the poem sound happy or sad when you read it aloud?


Can any of the adjectives of feelings and emotions listed below describe the tone and voice of the speaker?
3.

Setting and Atmosphere


Where and when is the poem set? Does the setting create any prevailing feeling in the poem?


Does the setting affect the mood of the speaker?


Can any of the adjectives listed below describe the mood and atmosphere of the poem?
Form and Structure


Does the poem follow a regular poetic form (e.g. sonnets, ballads, haiku) or stanza form (e.g. quatrains)?


Is the regularity in the form and structure broken in any part of the poem? How and why?


Do the lines end with a completion of a thought or closed punctuation (i.e. end-stopped lines) or flow without pause from one to the next (i.e. enjambment, run-on lines)?


How do the form and structure contribute to the development of ideas and themes in the poem?

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4.

Sound Effects


What sounds are frequently used in the poem?


Is there a rhyming pattern/rhyme scheme in the poem? Are there any examples of internal rhymes?


What is the rhythm of the poem? Can you identify the metre of the poem or a pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables?


Does the poet use any sound devices (e.g. alliteration, assonance, consonance, onomatopoeia)?


What effects do the devices create and how do they help to present the themes of the poem?
5.

Poetic Devices


Does the poet use imagery in the poem? What senses (i.e. sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch) are appealed to?


Does the poet use poetic techniques such as similes, metaphors, personification, metonymy or other figurative language such as symbolism in the poem?


What effects do the devices create and how do they help to present the themes of the poem?

6.

Diction/Word Choice/Use of language


How would you characterize the language and diction in the poem? Is there a tendency to use a particular kind of language (e.g. colloquial/formal/slangy/archaic expressions, polysyllabic/mono-syllabic words, foreign terms or indigenised varieties of English)?


Is there any unusual use of language (e.g. inverted order of words, coined words) that breaks the conventions and rules?


Is there any significance to the capitalisation and spelling of words?


What effects does the choice of language create?

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SONNET 130
–
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
1 My
mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun;
2 Coral is far more red, than her lips red: 3 If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun; 4 If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head. 5 I have seen roses damasked, red and white, 6 But no such roses see I in her cheeks; 7 And in some perfumes is there more delight 8 Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks. 9 I love to hear her speak, yet well I know 10 That music hath a far more pleasing sound: 11 I grant I never saw a goddess go, 12 My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground: 13 And yet by heaven, I think my love as rare, 14 As any she belied with false compare.
Glossary:
Coral: a hard stony substance, typically forming large reefs in warm seas. Known for its bright red or pink colour. Dun: a dull, greyish-brown colour Damasked: patterned in pinks and red Grant: admit Rare: precious, unique Belied: falsely portrayed

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SUMMARY
Shakespeare deals with the conventional way of glorifying his beloved. Their love exists on a plane. This sonnet taps on the themes of love and perception vs reality.

* The primary purpose of "Sonnet 130" is to criticize poets who overuse hyperbole to describe their romantic relationships. The speaker believes that his love is not as beautiful as natural objects and makes

comparisons between the lover and several other attractive women, never in her favour. This sonnet's main topics are

admiration, love, and outward appearances. The poet's definition of beauty and the accepted standard of beauty are both presented in the poem. He makes reference to his mistress's physical characteristics throughout the poem, which is why he does not judge his love according to external criteria of beauty. William Shakespeare introduces the reader to a person who is being described as the key of one's heart, in a criticizing society. Shakespeare's Sonnet 130 conveys a need to revolt against society beauty norms in order to free oneself from pressuring traditional views of attractiveness. Like many other sonnets from the same period, Shakespeare's poem wrestles with beauty, love, and desire. He tries to find a more authentic, realistic way to talk about these things in the sonnet, and gleefully dismisses the highly artificial poems of praise his peers were writing. Shakespeare's poem also departs from his contemporaries in terms of formal structure
—
it is a new kind of sonnet
—
the "Shakespearean" sonnet.


Here we are introduced for the first time to the main character in this poem, the speaker's "mistress."


Today, when we use the word "mistress," it's usually to refer to a woman who is dating a married man. In Shakespeare, though, it was more general, like "my love" or "my darling."


The speaker jumps right into his anti-love poem, letting us know that this lady's eyes aren't like the sun. Well, so what? We wouldn't really expect them to be, would we?


As we read the next few lines though, we see that the comparison is a standard way of praising a beautiful woman in a poem. It's like saying, "her eyes are like sapphires."


Our speaker is refusing to fall back on clichés though, instead telling us that this simile doesn't apply at all.
LINE BY LINE ANALYSIS AND EXPLANATION
Line 1
My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun;
Mistress

–
This was not how we would use the phrase today; rather, it was a more broad allusion that meant "my love" or "my sweetheart." .

When we say a woman is a mistress, we often mean that she is dating a married man. Shakespeare thoroughly refutes the popular comparison of a lover's eyes to the sun and sunlight in this sonnet by emphasizing that this woman's eyes are not brilliant and utilizing the words "nothing like" to do so. The mistress's eyes are being compared to the sun in this metaphor. The sun gives off the impression of something sparkling and brilliant. The mistress's eyes, on the other hand, are the antithesis of brilliant and bright since they are "nothing" like the sun. The comparison used by the speaker suggests that the woman's eyes are nothing exceptional or out of the norm.

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Line 2
Coral is far more red than her lips' red;



If you imagined a stereotypically beautiful woman, like a model in a magazine, she'd probably have red lips, right?


Certain kinds of very red coral are polished and used to make jewelry so if you compared lips to coral, you'd be thinking of the most beautiful, shiny red thing you could imagine.


Nope, says the speaker, that doesn't sound like my girlfriend's lips at all.
Line 3
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;



Next come the mistress's breasts.


They get pretty much the same treatment as her lips.


If the reddest red is like coral, then the whitest white is the colour of snow. A poet could praise a woman for having skin as white as snow.


Not here, though. This woman's skin isn't white, or even cream coloured. Instead, the speaker calls it "dun," a sort of grayish-brown colour.


Be sure to notice the little changes here. In the first two lines, we hear only that the woman isn't like these other things (the sun, coral).


Now we get an actual description, an adjective ("dun") that applies to her. Unfortunately, it just makes her sound uglier. Dun is a word often used to describe the colour of a horse, and definitely not the kind of thing a woman would be thrilled to hear about her breasts.
Line 4
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.



Now things just get worse.


If a poet wanted to be sentimental and sweet, he might compare his lover's hair to something soft, smooth, and shiny, like silk. Here though, the mistress's hair is compared to black wires sticking out of the top of her head.


Keep in mind that the whole point of this poem is to push back against standard ways of talking about women in poems. So it's not necessarily bad that she has frizzy black hair.
Lines 5-6
I have seen roses damasked, red and white, But no such roses see I in her cheeks;



There's a tricky word here: damasked. Basically it just means a pattern of mixed colours woven into expensive fabric.


So imagine a rose with a white and red pattern on it, or maybe a bouquet of red and white roses. Our speaker has seen beautiful roses like that, but his mistress's cheeks don't remind him of them at all.


Maybe some perfectly beautiful woman has cheeks that are white with just a little blush of red, but that's not the woman he's talking about.
Lines 7-8
And in some perfumes is there more delight Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.



By now we've got the idea, right?


The speaker tells us that some perfumes smell better (give more "delight") than this woman's lover's breath.


Apparently she stinks, too.


Let's recap quickly: so far the speaker said that his mistress's eyes aren't that great, that her lips aren't that red, that her skin is yellowish, that her hair is like wires, that her cheeks are nothing like roses, and that her breath reeks.


What a way to start a love poem.
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Line 9-10

I love to hear her speak, yet well I know That music hath a far more pleasing sound;



Now, after all of that criticism, the speaker starts to get a little bit nicer.


He admits that he really does "love to hear her speak." Seems like she was due for a compliment, doesn't it?


The speaker can't just let it go at that, though, and immediately he starts to back up a little.


Basically, that "yet" in the middle of line 9 gets us ready for a negative comparison. It's like saying, "You're really
great, but…"



Then, in line 10, we get the negative half of that thought: he thinks that music is "more pleasing" than the sound of her voice.


Well, maybe that's not so bad after all. If your boyfriend or girlfriend said, "I like music more than the sound of your voice," you might not exactly be thrilled, but it sure beats having him or her tell you that your breath stinks.


Maybe the speaker is softening up a little bit.
Line 11-12
I grant I never saw a goddess go; My mistress when she walks treads on the ground.



Here's another thought that is split over two lines. In line 11, the speaker essentially tells us that he's willing to admit that he's never seen a goddess move. (See why Shakespeare's the poet and not us? Listen to how smoothly those
words flow together: grant…goddess…go. Nice, huh?)



Now, when the speaker finishes his thought on line 12, he's not actually being mean at all, just stating the facts. His mistress isn't a goddess, she doesn't fly or soar or float along. She just walks (treads) like a normal person, on the ground.


A pretentious poet might say: "My love walks like a goddess," but we would know that it isn't true. Has he ever seen a goddess? Maybe the best way to tell someone you love him or her in a poem is to be simple, honest and straightforward.
Lines 13-14
And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare

As any she belied with false compare.



Now, at long last, we get to the sweet part, but it might take a little bit of translating.


Here are two lines in plain English: the speaker thinks that his lover is as wonderful ("rare") as any woman ("any she") who was ever misrepresented ("belied") by an exaggerated comparison ("false compare").


These last two lines are the payoff for the whole poem. They serve as the punch-line for the joke. They drive home the speaker's main point, that unlike other people who write sonnets, he doesn't need flowery terms or fancy comparisons. He can just tell his mistress, plainly and simply, that he loves her for who she is. "Sonnet 130" opens with a
simile
—
or, at least, something like a simile. The speaker uses the word "like" to compare two unlike things: his mistress' eyes and the sun. But he says that her eyes are
nothing
like the sun, blocking the connection between the two things at the same moment he suggests it. This sets up a pattern that applies to both
metaphor
and simile

throughout the poem. The speaker is not interested in finding clever ways of saying what his mistress looks like. Rather, he insists, repeatedly, that certain metaphors and similes do
not
capture his mistress' appearance. The poem, then, can be read as a rejection of simile. The speaker loves his mistress for herself, for being "rare," and the entire poem stands against all forms of "false compare"
—
essentially the speaker is insisting that similes are lies that do a disservice when used to describe people.

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TONE AND MOOD
The difference between the Fair Youth and the Dark Lady sonnets is not merely in address, but also in tone and mood: while the Fair Youth sequence use mostly romantic and tender words, the Dark Lady sonnets are characterized by their overt references to sex and bawdiness. Scholars have attempted to illustrate the difference of tone and mood between them by stating that the Fair Youth sequence refers to spiritual love, while the Dark Lady sequence refers to sexual passion. There have been a number of attempts to identify the Dark Lady, however, none have come to fruition.
What is the parody
in Shakespeare’s

‘Sonnet 130’
?

In this sonnet, Shakespeare parodies the convention of contemporary sonnets and satirizes the attempt of glorifying one’s
beloved to an unrealistic height.
What is unusual about the mistress in
‘Sonnet 130’
?

In this sonnet, the mistress’ description is unusual in respect to the convention of flowery, courtly sonnets. Her eyes are u
nlike the sun and she does not have red lips. Besides, her skin is dun and her hairs are like black wires. According to Shakespeare, her mistress reeks and she has a dull voice. When she walks, her footfall makes sounds.
THEMES
The main theme of this piece deals with the conventional way of glorifying a speaker’s beloved and how Shakespeare looks at
her lady love. It is a matter of
seeing a human by her worth in one’s life. Using far
-fetched comparisons to elevate a lady actually elongates the distance between two souls. Shakespeare says they are at a similar level. Their love exists on this plane. He loves the lady as she already is. She does not have anything sparkling or glorious in her looks, yet the speaker treats his relationship as rare. This sonnet also taps on the themes of love and perception vs reality.

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THE CHILD WHO WAS SHOT DEAD BY SOLDIERS AT NYANGA
–
INGRID JONKER
1 The child is not dead 2 the child raises his fists against his mother 3 who screams Africa screams the smell 4 of freedom and heather 5 in the locations of the heart under siege 6 The child raises his fists against his father 7 in the march of the generations 8 who scream Africa scream the smell 9 of justice and blood 10 in the streets of his armed pride 11 The child is not dead 12 neither at Langa nor at Nyanga 13 nor at Orlando nor at Sharpeville 14 nor at the police station in Philippi 15 where he lies with a bullet in his head 16 The child is the shadow of the soldiers 17 on guard with guns saracens and batons 18 the child is present at all meetings and legislations 19 the child peeps through the windows of houses and into the hearts of mothers 20 the child who just wanted to play in the sun at Nyanga is everywhere 21 the child who became a man treks through all of Africa 22 the child who became a giant travels through the whole world 23 Without a pass
Glossary
*cordoned
–
enclosed, closed off as if with a line of police or soldiers, or with fences *saracens
–
armoured military vehicles *pass
–
permit for moving around (as a non-white person) during Apartheid *heather - flowers

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BACKGROUND:
Written in around 1933
–
1965 in South Africa
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 Afrikaans - by the title
Die kind

(“The child”). This piece speaks on the brutal massacres o
ccurring across South Africa during the Apartheid

regime - system of institutionalized racial segregation that existed from 1948 to the early 1990s.
SUMMARY :
The poem centres on a child who was killed by the police during the anti-pass-laws protests across South Africa. Especially, the Sharpeville massacre stirred Ingrid Jonker to pen down this poem in resistance of the blatant brutality and barbarism against the innocents. This piece describes how the child who was killed during the protest is still alive. 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. He is present everywhere,
regulating the unequal terms that cause South African’s pain. Ironically, now he does not need a pass to roam in his own land
.
POETIC DEVICES AND FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE:
Repetition
* repetition of the line “The child is not dead” at the beginn
ing of the first and third stanzas.
*In the first two stanzas, “the child raises his fists against” and “who screams Africa screams the smell” are repeated.
The poet creates a resonance of ideas and emphasizes her idea present in the quoted lines. Anaphora: The consecutive lines that begin with similar words - used for emphasis - found in: Lines 1-
2 (beginning with “The child”)
Lines 13-
14 (beginning with “nor at”)

Last stanza (all the lines begin with the phrase “The child”)
Metaphor:
“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. Here, the comparison is made between a “child” to a thought of freedom.

“the smell/ of freedom and heather”: It metaphor
ically hints at the feeling associated with freedom. Jonker connects it with the
“smell” of “heather”.

“the locations of the heart under siege”: In this phrase, individual confinement or segregation is described as the “heart un
der
siege”.

“the

smell/ of justice and blood”: Like the phrase “the smell/ of freedom and heather”, here the comparison is made between the “smell” of blood and the feeling associated with freedom.

“the shadow of the soldiers”: Here, Jonker refers to the child as a soldie
r. He follows a similar path of violence shown by the brutal soldiers.
“a giant travels through the whole world”: Jonker compares the child to a “giant” in order to portray the growing sense of
freedom, justice, and resistance among the Africans. Allusion: In the third stanza, Jonker alludes to the massacre at Sharpeville. She protests against the brutality of the armed forces on the peaceful protestors who were demonstrating against the draconian pass laws. Besides, the poet alludes to the protests that

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occurred in other townships including Langa, Nyanga, Orlando, and Philippi. She describes how innocent children were killed across her country. Irony:
The last line of the poem “Without a pass” contains irony. Refers to the child that does not require any
pass (a form of internal passport for the coloured citizen) to travel in his own country. However, in reality, natives required such a pass needed for employment and living.
In this line “the child who just wanted to play in the sun at Nyanga is everywhere”, the speaker ironically talks about the fate of
children living in the Apartheid regime. If they were alive, they could play in their own land. But, the white minorities made their families leave their own land and live elsewhere. If they protested, they were brutally oppressed or killed. Paradox:
Stanza 3 line 1 “The child is not dead”. While, in the last line, the speaker remarks, “where he lies with a bullet in his head”. It
is a use of paradox where two ideas are in conflict. Using this device, Jonker tries to convey that the child died physically, but he is still alive in her heart and the hearts of the Africans. Poetic Diction:
Diction is that of an enraged protestor who adamantly wants an answer for the child’s death. Specific terms, poetic devic
es,
and tone cumulatively make this piece a manifesto of protest. For example, in line 1 “The child is not dead” contains litotes
. It portrays that the child is still alive by using double negatives. Besides, this line contains a metaphor. Here, the sense of
freedom is compared to a “child”, growing inside one’s mind. Besides, the terms such as “fists”, “freedom”, “blood” and “scream” are meant for infusing the spirit of nationalism.
Structure:

four stanzas and ends with a one-line coda (concluding remark). 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. Jonker specifically uses the iambic rhythm (daa-dum) that resonates with the

footsteps of protest. Each line contains this rising rhythm that depicts the anger in the child’s heart as well as of those w
ho were oppressed. Apart from that, there are repetitions of similar sounds that create internal rhymings.
Lines 1-2
allusion - their children cannot die. They are still alive in their hearts
The child raises both his fists against his mother. It shows this innocent kid’s keen desire for
freedom and justice. Besides, the
“fist” is a symbol of resistance and revolution. So, through this image, the poet seeks a revolution that can end the pain of
Africans.
Lines 3-5
The child screams Africa. He shouts the “smell of freedom” and the “heather”. It means one can sense the growing sense of freedom in everyone’s heart from his
scream. His voice resonates with the demand of those who reside in the heather or veld. His shrill voice demanding freedom reaches the nooks and corners of the continent. It breaks through the fences set up
against his fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters. The “heart under siege” is a reference to a person who is oppressed or segregated from the mainstream. Here, Jonker uses synecdoche in the usage of the word “heart”.

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Lines 6-10
The second stanza begins with a repetition of the second line of the poem. This time, the child raises his fists against his
father. His father is present in the march of generations. It portrays the march of South Africans against the “pass laws”. In one
of these demonstrations at Sharpeville, several children were killed. The incident moved Jonker to pen down this piece.
There is another repetition in the third line. Here, the poetic persona talks about the child’s scream that depicts his de
sire for
justice and blood. The term “blood” symbolizes the anger of all those who were oppressed and denied their rights. It is also
a reference to the bloodshed of the demonstrators.
In the last line, Jonker uses another synecdoche. Here, the term “armed

pride” is an abstract idea that depicts the concrete term “proud soldiers”. Besides, it is also a personal metaphor. Through this line, the speaker talks about the streets where
the proud soldiers were armed against the peacefully protesting Africans. According to Jonker, the child is also there and he
voices his people’s demands.

Lines 11-12
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. He
is not dead. The brutal forces cannot kill him or others like him present in the coloured townships such as Langa, Nyanga, Orlando, and Philippi. Langa township is located in Cape Town, South Africa. On 21 March 1960, several anti-pass protestors were killed there, the same day as the Sharpeville massacre. Nyanga is a township in the Western Cape, South Africa. The residents of Nyanga also joined the national call to protest against the Apartheid laws passed in 1960. The title of the poem refers to a child of Nyanga who was killed by the soldiers. Langa township is located in Cape Town, South Africa. On 21 March 1960, several anti-pass protestors were killed there, the same day as the Sharpeville massacre. Nyanga is a township in the Western Cape, South Africa. The residents of Nyanga also joined the national call to protest against the Apartheid laws passed in 1960. The title of the poem refers to a child of

Nyanga who was killed by the soldiers.
Lines 13-15
In the third line, Jonker refers to Orlando, which is a township in the urban area of Soweto, South Africa. Some of the most important events of the fight against the apartheid system occurred there. Sharpeville is a township in Transvaal, today part of Gauteng. On 21 March 1960, South African police opened fire on the protestors, killing 69 people, including 8 women and 10 children, and injuring 180, including 31 women and 19 children. In the following line, Jonker says that the children who were killed at the police station in Philippi were not dead. Philippi is one of the larger townships of Cape Town. In the Apartheid era, it was designated for Coloureds, Black Africans, and whites. The last line tells readers that the child lies with a bullet in his head at the Philippi police station. This image depicts the horrific rule of the apartheid regime. They were so heartless that they killed innocent children who could not even understand what Apartheid really meant!
Lines 16-19
All the lines of the fourth stanza begin with the phrase “The child”. Jonker u
ses this device for the sake of emphasizing her
ideas. According to her, the dead child is now the “shadow of soldiers”. It means he is walking the same brutal path to aveng
e the deaths of others like him. Enjambment - first two lines. These lines are joined together by using this device. In the second line, the poet shows readers
the image of soldiers on guard with guns, Saracen tanks, and batons. It depicts the soldiers’ preparedness in stopping the
anti-pass protests. After reading this line, it seems as if they were preparing for war. Ironically, they used these instruments against thousands of peaceful protestors. According to the poet, the child is omnipresent. He can easily slip into all the meetings and legislations. It seems as if he is overseeing everything and informing his countrymen about the things they were unaware of. He peeps through the windows and into the hearts of mothers. The child does so in order to infuse the spirit of anger inside the mothers who were silent. They cannot remain silent

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Lines 20-23
The child conveys to his people that he wants nothing bigger than their demands. He just wanted to play in the sun of Nyanga, nothing else. But, after his death, the whole country has become his playground. Now, he has transformed into a man and treks through Africa. There are no forces that can stop him or demand a pass to verify his identity. This metaphorical child of anger has grown to the size of a giant. Now it can roam easily wherever he wishes to. His protest can rage through the world. The coda at the end is an important part of the poem. It refers to the pass laws which were a form of internal passport system designed to segregate the population, manage urbanization, and allocate migrant labour. According to the poet, the dead does not require a pass. Does it implicitly highlight the fact that one has to die in order to move across his own country? The irony is that the coloured population could not in the apartheid era. Only the dead could.
TONE AND MOOD:
Throughout this piece, the tone is bold and expressive of firm determination. In the first three stanzas of the poem, the tone is emotive, nationalistic, and firm. Using it, Jonker highlights the fact that even an innocent child understood the value of freedom
and equality. After his death, he realized that the long silence had to end. Hence, through the poet’s voice, he harks to his
countrymen to end their suffering by standing together for the sake of saving other kids like him. This uncompromising tone changes to an ironic one in the following lines. Here, Jonker satirically comments on the lawmakers and their apartheid maneuvers such as pass laws and Group Areas Act. The mood of the text is angry, protesting, and unrelenting.
IMAGERY: Visual Imagery:
In the first two stanzas, Jonker 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’ march. By this line “on guard with g
uns saracens and ba
rons” Jonker presents an image of armed soldiers with guns, batons, and tanks.

Auditory Imagery:
The line “who screams Africa screams the smell” resonates with the screaming of a child demanding
freedom and revenge.
Organic Imagery:
Throughout this poem, J
onker 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.

THEMES
: protest and resistance - a child who was shot dead at Nyanga during the anti-pass demonstration. Jonker was moved by the death toll at Sharpeville and Nyanga. She could imagine how several innocent children were killed at the peaceful demonstrations. In this poem, she presents one such dead child. He voices the anger and agony of his countrymen through his clenched fist. His heart-piercing scream reveals the growing sense of nationalism, freedom, and resistance in the hearts of many. Besides, this poem also showcases the themes of brutality, horrors of apartheid, and freedom.

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AT A FUNERAL
–
DENNIS BRUTUS
1 Black, green and gold at sunset: pageantry 2 And stubbled graves: expectant, of eternity,
3 In bride’s
-
white, nun’s
-white veils the nurses gush their bounty 4 Of red-wine cloaks, frothing the bugled dirging slopes 5 Salute! "hen ponder all this hollow panoply 6 For one whose gifts the mud devours, with our hopes. 7 Oh all you frustrate ones, powers tombed in dirt, 8 Aborted, not by Death but carrion books of birth 9 Arise! The brassy shout of freedom stirs our earth;
10 Not death but death’s
-head tyranny scythes our ground 11 And plots our narrow cells of pain defeat and dearth: 12 Better that we should die, than that we should lie down
GLOSSARY
1. pageantry : Display that is elaborate 2. dirging : play a funeral song 3. panoply : a collection that is impressive. 4. carrion : rotting flesh 5. scythes : to cut down 6: something that is scarce
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SUMMARY
The poet describes the funeral of Valencia Majombozi who qualified as a doctor. Her parents experienced many hardships and sacrifice to ensure she became a doctor however as soon as she completed her internship She was killed in the Sharpville protests. The poet highlights that this young person had wasted her talent. She is a symbol of resistance to apartheid. The poet then commits to fight for a free South Africa.
STANZA ONE : LINE 1
: Black, green and gold is a reference to the colours of the African National Congress party. These colours represent the ANC flag. The death of the young lady would motivate others to build their resistance to apartheid. Pageantry is a reference to the elaborate funeral given to her as she was seen as heroic. The poem also has political overtones, which I'll touch on briefly. Its colours are black, green, and gold. In South Africa, the resistance movement has its own flag in contrast to the State flag; it is black, green, and gold. It was not a mistake to use those colours for the poem's opening. Many of the doctor's co-workers who attended her funeral were dressed in their academic regalia, which typically included a black cap and gown with a gold hood signifying an arts degree and a green hood signifying a science degree. This is another example of how black, green, and gold were worn together.
LINE 2
: Stubbled refers to a surface that is unkempt, not taken care of. The government showed no respect to the resting places for the dead. The term "stubbled graves" refers to the crop stalks that are still visible after harvesting them or the facial hair that lingers after shaving. The fact that the tombs are covered with dead grass stalks suggests that they were neglected and appeared unsightly. Either the idea that the afterlife will never come to an end, or that the dead will stay in their graves for all eternity.
“expectant” is an example of personification. The grave is made to seem as if it is a mo
ther waiting for her child. The grave is actually for the dead. Expectant, because death is inescapable, the cemetery is personified as being ravenous for more corpses. This emphasizes the fact that everyone must die.
LINES 3 and 4 .
She is an innocent victim of the system. The nurses are prepared to go the extra mile to assist the number of nurses. The nurses pour out their abundance of red-wine cloaks, frothing the bugled dirging slopes, in bride's-white and nun's-white veils. The nurses shower their abundance of red-wine cloaks on the world in bride's-white and nun's-white veils. The funeral was attended by hospital nurses. The nurses in South Africa dress in vivid crimson "red-wine"-lined cloaks. At the burial, other nurses donned white, matching the nuns' attire. "In nun's-white and bride's-white veils." The vintage nurse wore a white dress with a little white veil and a crimson cloak as part of her costume. "Brides" and "nuns" have associations with innocence, purity, sanctity, and a fresh life. gush - flow quickly out A bounty is anything that is plentiful. A lot of individuals are expressing their sorrow. The nurses in the film said, "Bounty of red-wine cloaks foaming."

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Line 4 :
“red wine “ reference to the colour of the nurses clothes. The bugle is played at the funeral.
Frothing the bugled dirging slopes - A Boy Scout with a trumpet is blowing the final Post, "the bugled dirging," back behind the hill at the cemetery on the outskirts of the ghetto. This signifies that it was a funeral for a soldier. To foam is to burst into a bubble. Dirge is the name of a funeral song.

Frothing the bugled dirging slopes - A Boy Scout with a trumpet is blowing the final Post, "the bugled dirging," back behind the hill at the cemetery on the outskirts of the ghetto. This signifies that it was a funeral for a soldier.
LINE 5 :

“hallow panoply “ reference to the flags and speeches that are futile as they have no meaning . Nothing can chang
e the death of the lady.
Salute! "hen ponder all this hollow panoply Salute!

–
means to honour, or literally salute the dead, as one would a soldier.
The ‘!’ emphasises that this is a command.

Ponder

–
to think about something deeply. Also an instruction.
Hollow

–
literally empty but implies meaninglessness;
Panoply

–
a splendid display. The speaker asks the reader to contemplate the implications of this funeral, and death in general. He encourages the reader to look further than the display
(funeral ﬂowers, all the people, the sad music etc), which lacks sincerity

LINE 6 :
As a doctor her skills would have benefitted the country. Her life was wasted . With our hopes, for someone whose gifts the dirt devours. Valencia Majombozi is the "one" who has her goods devoured by the dirt. The term "gifts" alludes to her capacity as a doctor to cure and console people. Devour means to devour hastily, swiftly, or with eagerness. Graveyard mud is characterized to a ravenous mouth. The personification emphasizes how the ground has now swallowed up all of her and her people's dreams. dejected or depressed mood.
STANZA TWO : LINE 7
: There is a shift from the deceased to the youth . Their potential is buried. Oh all you irritated ones, powers tombed in dirt
—
The poet used an apostrophe (figure of speech) to address the deceased specifically.Frustrate: to stop anything from succeeding or to irritate and enrage someone by stopping things from happening. Because the dead are capable of actively frustrating the government rather than just being passively irritated, they are referred to as "powers tombed in dirt" and as "frustrate" (a verb, not an adjective).

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LINE 8 :
References to the pass that people were obligated to carry. This stopped their livelihood. I refer to "carrion books of birth," claiming that the Black people's existence actually begins as a form of death. You are granted this Pass Book upon birth, which means that at that time you stop being a human being. You are being eaten. You turn into carrion. dead tissue. And this relates to the idea of abortion. The poet sees Black people as having passed away
—
not because they have died, but because oppression and pass books have revoked their freedom. Since the passbook, often known as the "books of birth," is a metaphor for the brutal apartheid rules, rather than death itself, it is the apartheid regime that is far more cruel and murderous. Abortion is the intentional termination of a pregnancy by the death of the foetus. The deceased are said to have been "aborted," or slain before they had the chance to live, but not by Death, but rather by "books of birth" (a nod or allusion to the dompas or passbooks). Capitalizing "Death" signifies that it is personified. The poet sees Black people as having passed away
—
not because they have died, but because oppression and pass books have revoked their freedom. Since the passbook, often known as the "books of birth," is a metaphor for the brutal apartheid rules, rather than death itself, it is the apartheid regime that is far more cruel and murderous.
LINE 9
: Arise is a reference to the call for people to join the resistance against apartheid. Arise! is an order with a combative tone that literally means "stand up." It is also a reference to the phrase "rise up!" which meaning "start a revolution." Since freedom is portrayed as yelling to awaken the dead, it is capitalized to emphasize how essential it is. The bugle that was used to play the "dirge"/Last Post is referred to in line 4 when it is said that Freedom's yell was "brassy." In this case, music wakes the dead rather than sending them to their slumber.
LINE 10:
The government is compared to the soldiers of World War 2 . they carry out similar atrocities. Knowing the sign for "death's-head tyranny" is crucial. Death's-head tyranny scythes our ground, not death. In South Africa, I watched the movie "Judgement in Nuremburg." Tanks bearing the Panzer Divisions' symbol of a skull and crossbones
—
the death's head
—
roll through the streets of Berlin at the start of the film, to raucous applause from the audience. The South African government holds the Nazis in high respect and encourages people to emulate them; if you are a white person in South Africa, you should act like a Nazi.
LINE 11 :
Reference to the evil plans of the government to get rid of people who resisted apartheid. Many people were tortured whilst in prison. It destroyed their spirit. Plots is a pun that refers to a tiny area of land (such as a graveyard plot) or the verb "plot," which means to plan something, usually something bad. a cell is a little chamber used as a jail Narrow cells of pain - might refer to a graveyard, a prison cell housing former apartheid inmates, or the small homes that people of color were compelled to reside in under the Group Areas Act in underprivileged neighborhoods.

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Dearth - is a term for items that are scarce (e.g. food or basic necessities). The poet makes the implication that the apartheid administration intentionally inflicted agony, suffering, and death.
LINE 12 :
The poet states that it is better to die in the fight against apartheid than to accept it without a struggle. When someone is attacked or taken into custody, they should "lie down" to indicate that they are giving up or submitting. The poet suggests that it is preferable for those opposing apartheid to accept death rather giving up or submitting. " We should lie down" comes after no full stop. This suggests that there is no surrender and no end to struggle. This sentence also suggests that the poet has accepted the tragedy of the young doctor's passing since the poet views her death as "better" than having to "lie down" or surrender to apartheid. Because the poet refers to "we," it is clear that he or she supports the fight against apartheid.
TONE:
Stanza 1 calm tone, stanza 2 Angry, bitter tone.
MOOD:
stanza 1 sad Stanza two : vengeance
INTENTION :
to highlight the plight of the oppressed. To make readers aware of the effects of apartheid.
THEMES
: Yearning for freedom Sacrifice of human life
–
destruction of human life Harmful effects of apartheid

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POEM OF RETURN
–
JOFRE ROCHA
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. 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 ... 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.
Glossary
plaint of tumid sexes : arguments between lovers. their arms bereft of sons : no sons to hug as their sons passed in the fight for freedom

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BACKGROUND OF THE POET
Jefre Rocha was born in Caxicane , Angola. He is a Lawyer and writer. He became a political activist in Luanda where he moved to because he experienced political unrest. He was a political prisoner from 1961
–
1968.
SUMMARY
The speaker who is in exile visualises his return at the end of political unrest at the place of birth.
TYPE / FORM OF POEM
This poem is an example of an exile poem , it has theme of resistance. The poem is a 14 line poem but it is not a sonnet. The poet makes use of a pseudonym in order to protect his identity so he could express his feelings.
STANZA 1
The speaker speaks about his expectations returning home. He does not want flowers or symbols of a hero who returns home. He believes if
you carry mental, emotional , physical scars of the fight for freedom then you are a true hero. “silence “ in line 1 refers
to the fact that the speaker didn
’t
receive any news when he was in exile. He felt alone.
LINE 1 :
When - He is positive that he will travel back to his own country. Although he hasn't returned yet, it is certain that he will. He is currently in the land of exile, the nation from which he escaped the land of exile and silence. a faraway location with no means of contact . He doesn't communicate with his loved ones or pals. This highlights the anguish and pain he had to go through while in exile since he was alone.
LINE 2 :
He does not desire the traditional presents and festivities that are often linked with an exile's return. This emphasizes the speaker's sense of shame for leaving his nation while others remained to challenge the regime. He doesn't believe that he is a hero deserving of praise. He feels that this is most definitely not a time to celebrate, and as flowers are typically connected with celebrations, he ran and left the others to battle. He consequently feels bad.
STANZA 2
He wants an update of what has happened when he was away. He wants to be updated on “dramas witnesses” by those who stayed
at home. He wants
to experience the pain and hardship that the people experienced. Line 4 “tears of dawns which witnessed dramas –
figure of speech personification , reference to problems experienced when he was away.
LINES 3 AND 4 :
Bring me - in an orderly or demanding manner. This is an impossible request: all the dews. He is aware that his abandoning his people cannot be made up for. Dawn is represented as a crying witness to the tragedy that occurred as a result of colonization, exile, and loss. Dawns which saw tragedies. D-alliteration emphasizes how shocked and saddened Nature was by the subjugation of her people.

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LINES 5 AND 6
Bring me

–
Anaphora(repetition)
Immense

–
huge hunger for love
–
natural human connection that he has missed
Plaint
–
plea
Tumid
–
large / swollen
Tumid sexes in start-studded night

–
romance / intimacy In these lines, the speaker emphasises the sense of separation from loved ones and the need for companionship; the poet highlights the losses experienced due to oppression.
LINES 7 AND 8
Long
- emphasizes that their sorrow and pain persisted for a considerable amount of time. Bereft means to be deficient. Many of the sons' young men were either slain or imprisoned. Another group of young guys fled into exile. Their mothers had missed them.
Night of sleeplessness
- People were worried/concerned for the safety of their loved ones throughout the wakeful night. The loss of their kids and other family members upset mothers. They were unable to sleep as a result. He wants to share the sorrow of the moms who have lost sons in the fighting.
STANZA 3
The speaker stresses that those who passed on while fighting in the war are important however they did not live to experience Independence Day.
LINES 9 AND 10
The poem's opening two words are repeated to emphasize the idea that his homecoming should not be celebrated. He did not enjoy being exiled, but he did not suffer as much as others who were left behind. The strong tone of the double negative emphasizes that he does not see himself as a hero. "No, do not," he says. He feels bad and has to apologize for not understanding their hardship.
LINE 11
Bring me
–

another command (imperative mood) shows his insistence.
only, just this

–
the redundancy is used to emphasize that he wants just one thing. Also emphasises his insistence.
LINE 12
The last wish would have been to witness a transformed South Africa. Day-break marks the beginning of a new day. This is the change that the public want. In the political climate of the day, those who had been battling against an oppressive regime were put to death in the early hours of the morning. According to him, these warriors "fall at day-break," or at the start of their lives, and are heroes for the cause. These heroes passed away just as change was about to occur, thus they were unable to witness it.

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LINES 13 AND 14
wingless stone - a paradox. A stone cannot fly because of its weight. Rocha wishes to honor these soldiers as well as the missed possibilities of others who were sent into exile. Although these guys never had the chance to "cast their stone," they made the greatest sacrifice by dying in the struggle for independence. "Snaking" has the meaning of being toxic and harmful. This adds to the atmosphere of rage and hatred. He wants justice for all the downtrodden people, and there is a thread of rage emanating from their eyes. Their eyes - only a little portion of the rage they felt for the colonists who had taken their country is seen in their eyes. Instead of receiving flowers as a prize, he would prefer to receive what he fought for. We should never forget the sacrifice they made. The only "gift" he desires upon his return, because he is capable of returning, is that which caused them to get enraged enough to fight.
TONE :
Nostalgic tone : He wants to hear from people instead of being given flowers. Humble tone : speaker does not want to seen as hero when he returns , he wants to be updated.
MOOD
Pensive : speaker reflects about political issues.
IINTENTION:
The speaker wishes to highlight that the real heroes are the people that stayed behind and not those who went into exile
THEMES :
Theme of isolation, loneliness as the speaker wants to be updated about what happened at home when he was way in exile. Theme of patriotism and sacrifice

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TALK TO THE PEACH TREE
–
SIPHO SEPAMLA
Let's talk to the swallows visiting us in summer ask how it is in other countries Let's talk to the afternoon shadow ask how the day has been so far Let's raise our pets to our level 5 ask them what they don't know of us words have lost meaning like all notations they've been misused most people will admit a whining woman can overstate her case 10 Talk to the paralysing heat in the air inquire how long the mercilessness will last Let's pick out items from the rubbish heap ask how the stench is like down there Let's talk to the peach tree 15 find out how it feels to be in the ground Let's talk to the moon going down ask if it isn't enough eyeing what's been going on come on let's talk to the devil himself 20 it's about time
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BACKGROUND
Sydney Sipho Sepamla (22 September 1932
–
9 January 2007) was a contemporary South African poet and novelist. He was born in a township near Krugersdorp but lived most of his life in Soweto. He studied teaching. He published his first volume of poetry
Hurry Up to it!
in 1975. He was very much involved in the Black Consciousness movement. Sipho was the founder of the Federated Union of Black Artists.
THE TITLE
The peach tree is mentioned in several of his poems. It is one of his prized possessions which he bequeaths to his children in the poem
The Will.
The peach tree can symbolize the strength of a family structure
–
strong roots give rise to strong stems. The values and morals that are rooted in them should be as steadfast as the peach tree and how to uproot the peach tree is
like uprooting black people during the apartheid era. The peach tree is fixed in the ground, it has land, a place to call it’
s own unlike black people during apartheid.
FORM / STRUCTURE
The poem is written in free verse i.e no recognizable poetic form.
SUMMARY
The speaker is witty. Initially the speaker seems to be absurd by suggesting that politics should be discussed with just about anything or anyone
–
from the birds, shadows, pets, the peach tree and the air itself. Finally, the speaker reveals the serious
nature of the poem and who should be addressed about the inequalities and oppression. He refers to the ‘devil himself’ –
the apartheid government who should be confronted.
LINE BY LINE ANALYSIS AND EXPLANATION Lines 1 -6
These lines highlight the absurdity of the speaker. It is amusing to raise our pets to our cognitive level and expect them to give us a critical comment about what they know about the human race. It is also important to take note of the symbolic meaning of line 1. Why should we talk to these migratory birds who themselves have the freedom to fly wherever they want to across many lands. Even though the absurdity creates humour we must not lose sight of the serious underlying message that communication was not easy between blacks and whites during the apartheid era. Whites were the supreme race and could control the powerless black majority. Black people had no voice and had to remain silent.
Lines 7
–
10
The lines are indented to show that these stanzas
are commentaries. The casual repetitive ‘let’s talk’ has also been dropped in these lines. The focus is serious. ‘words have lost their meaning’ –
this means that talking has become useless / futile. Attempts to negotiate and address the apartheid government has failed.

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‘Misused notations’ –
a deep level of mistrust. Words have been twisted to convey propaganda and lies in other words communication tools have become so warped that their original intentions have become lost. (Language barrier / incorrect translation?) What does the word notation mean?
‘Whining’ –
has negative connotations, high
–
pitched complaining without a valid reason. The words of line 10 lends itself to
the saying ‘the lady doth protest too much’. By emotionally overdoing a statement
the real meaning and sincerity of these words are lost.
Lines 11- 12
Paralyz
ing refers to the oppression(heat) that hampers a person’s ability to act or do anything. ‘Merciless’ emphasizes the effects of apartheid –
a lack of empathy / mercy / compassion for the suffering of the oppressed. This is a reminder that the black people were prisoners in a harsh and unforgiving environment.
Lines 13
–
14
The diction in these lines lends to the imagery that black people were regarded as rubbish to the white government
–
rubbish that is unwanted and needs to be tossed aside. The stench refers to a bad smell that needs to be rid off. The tone is serious and captures the situation and treatment of black people.
Lines 15
–
16
The peach tree is rooted in a permanent place in the garden. Unlike the other items or things he proposed to have a conversation with the peach tree is the only one that is fixed. It is rooted to the ground. It belongs to the land. A place it can call its own. The tree can also symbolize growth and success. It can symbolize strength and abundance. Unlike the peach tree black people have no land or home to call their own. They were uprooted from their ancestral land( group areas act). They are not even referred to as citizens.
Lines 17
–
18
The idea of the moon going down means that light is being lost. This implies that they are losing hope. The moon is
personified. It is ‘eyeing’ the situation / witness t
o what is going on. The whole world can see what is happening but as visible as it is no person has done anything to intervene or change the situation. As the moon goes down daylight will soon be felt
–
a new day should bring new hope / new possibilities / new chances but for them it is hopeless.
Lines 19
–
21
These lines have also been indented as in lines 7 -10. This makes the lines stand out. These lines alerts the reader to the fact that they are a commentary to the overall situation.
‘come on’ he is
edging them on/ encouraging them to take action
‘devil’ this refers to the authorities / the apartheid government. ‘it’s about time’ –
(release of Nelson Mandela) the time has come to speak directly to the powers that be. There is a change in the tone in these last three lines. No more walking on egg shells and being afraid. The time is now, it has been too long. Action needs to be implemented and an end to oppression must finally happen.

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TONE :


Cynical


Absurd


Despair


Conversational


Frustration
THEMES :


Proper communication without physical injury


Harsh realities of apartheid


The burning desire for change


Walking in another person’s shoes

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PRAYER TO MASKS
–
LÉOPOLD SÉDAR SENGHOR
1 Masks! Oh Masks! 2 Black mask, red mask, you black and white masks, 3 Rectangular masks through whom the spirit breathes, 4 I greet you in silence! 5 And you too, my lionheaded ancestor. 6 You guard this place, that is closed to any feminine laughter, to any mortal smile. 7 You purify the air of eternity, here where I breathe the air of my fathers. 8 Masks of maskless faces, free from dimples and wrinkles. 9 You have composed this image, this my face that bends over the altar of white paper. 10 In the name of your image, listen to me! 11 Now while the Africa of despotism is dying
–
it is the agony of a pitiable princess, 12 Like that of Europe to whom she is connected through the navel
–
13 Now fix your immobile eyes upon your children who have been called 14 And who sacrifice their lives like the poor man his last garment
15 So that hereafter we may cry ‘here’ at the rebirth of the world being the leaven that the
white flour needs. 16 For who else would teach rhythm to the world that has died of machines and cannons? 17 For who else should ejaculate the cry of joy, that arouses the dead and the wise in a new dawn? 18 Say, who else could return the memory of life to men with a torn hope? 19 They call us cotton heads, and coffee men, and oily men. 20 They call us men of death. 21 But we are the men of the dance whose feet only gain power when they beat the hard soil.
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OVERVIEW :
Published in 1945. Senghor often used his work to illuminate African history and contemplate the consequences of colonialism. Member of political movement Négritude, which emphasized pride in African and Black identity and history, which he practiced throu
gh his poetry. With “Prayer to the Masks,” Senghor looks back on the history of his people and its
troubled state. Turmoil and exploitation dominate sections of the poem, but Senghor ends with an optimistic message. Despite hardship, and the prejudices to
which they’re subjected, his people are strong and capable, able to create new
beauty and prosperity.
SUMMARY :
A narrator calls out to various masks
—
black, red, white
—
and the rectangular masks, which spirits breathe through. The narrator is exclamatory, yelling, but also greets the masks silently. The narrator calls out to other ancestors, who stand guard, shielding the afterlife from femininity, joy, and mortality. The ancestors cleanse the eternal air, and the narrator breathes in the air of past fathers. The masks can be found on maskless faces, and the masks are free of impurities and
wrinkles. The masks have helped compose the narrator’s own face, which hovers over a page of paper, writing.

LINE BY LINE ANALYSIS
Lines 1-4
The poem begins with an "apostrophe," - an address to an object or spirit - this address is a prayer to the masks, which

appear in the poem both as works of African art and as more general spirits of African culture, society, and history. The colours of the masks here are black, red, black-and-white, = also suggesting the masks as symbols of race and skin colour. L3 these masks are also spirits of nature, linked to the winds that blow from the four directions of north, south, east, and west.

As spirits that blow, they also imply that the masks are related to the poet's breath and poetic inspiration. L4 he greets them with silence, as if listening to what the mask-spirits will whisper to him on the wind.
Lines 5-7
The poet introduces his family's guardian animal, the lion, symbol of aristocratic virtue and courage. Traditionally these animals were thought to be the first ancestor and the protector of the family line. In mentioning his lion-headed ancestor, Senghor refers to the name of his father, Diogoye, which in his native Serer language means lion. In ceremonies where masks would be used, the family might be represented by a lion mask. L6 reinforces the implications of long tradition and patriarchal power. The lion guards the ground that is forbidden to women

and to passing things, in favour of values, memories, and customs that stretch back into mythic antiquity.
Lines 8-10
These lines develop a complex relation between the faces of the ancestors, the poet's face, and the masks. L8 masks as idealized representations of previously living faces. The masks eliminate the mobile features and signs of age in the faces of the living ancestors, but in doing so outlive their death. In turn, they are able to give shape to the face of the poet writing his prayer to the masks. He appeals to them to listen to him, for he is the living image of those masks to whom he is writing a prayer.
Lines 11-12
These lines contrast the glorious past of Africa, when vast black-ruled empires spanned the continent, and the present, in which the peoples of Africa have been subjugated by the imperial conquests of European nations. The "pitiable princess" symbolizes the nobility of traditional Africa, and her death represents both the general suffering and decline of traditional

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African culture and the loss of political power of blacks to rule themselves. Yet the relation to Europe is not presented solely in a negative way. 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.
Lines 13-14
The masks are called to witness the sad history of modern Africa, and they look on, god-like with their changeless faces. Yet Senghor also suggests that the traditional customs and values have apparently not been able to respond to the great changes that history has brought about. The poem implicitly comes to a question and a turning point: do the masks represent a valuable long view from which the present can be seen in its proper perspective, or are they merely relics of a past that have nothing to say to those who are exploited and suffering in the present?
Lines 15-16
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 in line 12. Implicitly, reviving the ancestral spirits of the masks will help sever the ties of dependence. In turn, a reborn African creativity can help Europe to a more life-affirming use of its material and scientific wealth, just as the brown yeast is necessary for making bread from white flour.
Lines 17-19
These lines further develop the idea that Africa will provide the life-impulse to a Europe that is oriented toward mechanical values, materialist gain, and war. 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 a senile Europe, bringing joy and hope where there has been isolation, exhaustion, despair, and death.
Lines 20-21
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 labor and economic profit. Looking back to the figures of death and rebirth in the previous lines, he ironically notes how "they," the Europeans, view the black African as a fearful image of death, "the waking dead."
Line 22
But rather than allowing their humanity to be reduced to the economic value of the agricultural goods listed in line 20, the African of the future will have a different, creative relation to the soil and the natural world. Like the participants in a traditional ceremony in which masks are used, these new Africans absorb the powers of the natural spirits through the rhythm of dance, music, and poetry.
TONE :
“Prayer to the Masks” was published in 1945, as World War II was ending, and the narrator pities
the damaged state of the world, adding a sense of grief and melancholy to the poem's tone.
SYMBOL OF THE MASK :
The mask referred to in the poem is an actual West African style mask. In the poem the mask represents
the permanence of the past in the present.
Masks are symbols of change, Senghor seems to be speaking broadly on the mix of peoples on the earth, it does seem that cultural attributes flow from history, geography and experience and so there is a swirl of wonderful things- like currents in a sea - from African cultures mixed into the world as a whole.

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Masks usually represent
supernatural beings, ancestors, and fanciful or imagined figures
, and they can also be portraits. The localization of a particular spirit in a specific mask must be considered a highly significant reason for its existence. He also notes that the masks are the way that he can access the "breath of my fathers," that is, the living spirit of the ancestors who will inspire the poet to his song. His own face, he writes, resembles the face of the masks, because the masks bear the idealized features of the real faces of the poet's ancestors. Who is being addressed in the poem Prayer?

The poem is addressed to
Almighty Allah
. In the poem, the poet prayer to Allah to lead him on the right path and give him knowledge. He also prays to Him to save him from bad things.

THEME :
Honou
ring Our Ancestors Strengthens Us. Senghor uses “Prayer to the Masks” to look back at his ancestors and history. The
poem concludes with a renewed sense of vigour, signifying that honouring the past helps us in the present. are criticism of Western civilization and its attendant colonialism, nostalgia for and glorification of Africa, and a firm belief in a future Africa which is prosperous, united and strong is the poem of a young man seeking to connect with a past he senses will give him inspiration to struggle past the damaged life of the present to forge a better future for himself and his people.

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THIS WINTER COMING
–
KAREN PRESS
walking in the thick rain of this winter we have only just entered, who is not frightened? the sea is swollen, churning in broken waves (violent continual motion) around the rocks, the sand is sinking away 5 the seagulls will not land under this sky, this shroud falling (something that covers or conceals) who is not frightened? in every part of the city, sad women climbing onto buses, dogs barking in the street, and the children 10 in every doorway crying,
the world is so hungry, madam’s house is clean
and the women return with slow steps to the children, the street, the sky tolling like a black bell; these women are a tide of sadness 15 they will drown the world, who is not frightened? on every corner men standing old stumps in the rain, tombstones engraved with open eyes 20 watching the bright cars full of sated faces (more than satisfied) 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 25 to fight the winter, the bare bodies 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 30 coming upon us now?
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GLOSSARY
-sea is swollen - sea is rough -shroud
–
a cloth that is mainly white in colour that is used to cover dead bodies. -State of Emergency : During the era of apartheid the government had free reign to suspend any activities that were seen to be a threat to the
government. Police could detain anybody for reasons of “public safety”.

SUMMARY
The speaker in this poem is concerned about the world she occupies and believes that she is justified to feel fear for how
matters will evolve. She states that we have “only just entered”, implying that worse times are to come
.
STRUCTURE OF THE POEM
-Poem is a protest poem : a protest poem is written to make a stand at injustices that are occurring at a particular time. Lack of punctuation, capital letters and break from the conventions of writing poetry is a characteristic of protest poetry. -poem is written as a poem of nature and the effects of nature of the environment however the poet addresses the issue of the social, economic and political effects of the system of apartheid through the use of imagery of nature. -Enjambment throughout the poem. -Rhetorical question at the end of each stanza. This obligates the reader to reflect on the content / ideas of the poem.
-
“This” reference to a specific time.

“Winter” is a season that is drab, dry.
gloomy . Normally associated with death.
STANZA 1
Focus is on the weather and its effects on people.
Line 1 : “walking ” reference to lack of protection from the elements of nature. The rain is thick and heavy. The weather
creates a dull, gloomy mood.
Line 2 : “we have only just entered “ –
times ahead will be difficult and challenging, harsh times are expected and nobody will escape it. Line 3 : Rhetorical question: emphasis that everybody is fearful as there is an expectation of difficult times.
STANZA 2
Is on the sea Lines 4-6 :
“sea swollen” alliteration , reference to the rough , stormy seas.
-
“broken waves” –
waves that are crashing on the rocks. -
“sand is sinking away”
- land is unsafe/ unstable, so much of chaos. Nature is in disharmony.
“Line 7 “ shroud is falling” metapho
r. The clouds are compared to a cloth that is used to cover dead bodies. This implies possible death, harsh times ahead. Line 8 : Repetition
–
emphasis on the fear that will be felt by all people.
STANZA 3
Focus on people the women, men, children Line 9
–
11: Atmosphere of unhappiness, gloom Line 12 : Hyperbole
–

“world is hungry”
- reference to people who had to neglect their own families to take care of other reference to people.

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Lines 13
–

14 : “slow steps” –
women return to their homes exhausted, fatigued. Their children are on the streets unprotected, neglected, exposed to danger.
“sky is tolling like black bell” –
Simile. The sounds of the storm is compared to the bell that rings when a person has passed away. Lines 15
–
16 - Metaphor . the movement of the women are compared to the movement of the sea. Their mood is similar to the weather conditions. Reference to their strength, power and influence which has been underestimated. Line 17 : Repetition emphasis on all people will be fearful. A sense of no escape.
STANZA 4
Focus is on men Lines 18 -
20 : The men are devoid of feelings. They seem to be oblivious. They “see” but do not feel. Metaphor –

“stumps of trees”
Lines 21
–
23 : Reference to the cars that pass by . Some people are privileged to have luxuries as compared to others.
STANZA 5
Focus on the children Line 24
–
children are not afraid of the storm , ready to confront it. Line 25
–
Simile
–
children are thin, probably undernourished. Compared to twigs which are thin and fragile. The children start a fire , on a deeper level reference to their resistance to apartheid. Line 26 -27 : Children will sacrifice their lives in the fight against apartheid. Lines 28
–
29 : The sky will be seen after years of oppression. Children are compared to winds of change as they are seen as catalyst to changes in society. Lines 30 -31 : The children are the ones that will end the Winter meaning that they will rise up and fight for freedom. There will be now no need to be afraid.
TONE
Solemn, sad tone
MOOD
Fearful, anxious
INTENTION
To expose the difficulties experienced by people during apartheid. To expose the social, political, economic effects of apartheid.
THEMES
- The effects of the Apartheid rule on people economically, socially, politically. - Resistance to build a better society - Hope to a new, better life

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SOLITUDE
–
ELLA WHEELER WILCOX
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. Sing, and the hills will answer; 5 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. 10 They want full measure of all your pleasure, But they do not need your woe. Be glad, and your friends are many; Be sad, and you lose them all. There are none to decline your nectared wine, 15 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. 20 There is room in the halls of pleasure For a long and lordly train, But one by one we must all file on Through the narrow aisles of pain.
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ABOUT THE TITLE


Solitude means loneliness and it is the hard reality of life that a man has to live alone and die alone.


In this poem, the Poetess reveals the real face of the people.
ABOUT THE POET


Ella Wheeler Wilcox was an American author and poet. (5th November 1850 - 30th October 1919)


Ella Wheeler Wilcox was poet all her life. She started to write poems at a very young age.


Ella became a well- known poet in her state by the time she finished high school.


She is well known for her works that are full of social criticism.


In her poems she expresses sentiments of cheer and optimism in plainly written, rhyming verse.


Her popular works include Poems of Passion (1883)


Solitude (1883) is among her most famous poems
BACKGROUND
Ella Wheeler Wilcox’s “Solitude” is about the relationship between the individual and the outside
world. Wilcox describes the connection between
one’s
outlook on life and the friends and community one attracts. Wilcox wrote this poem after encountering a grieving woman on her way to Madison, Wisconsin. Despite her efforts, Wilcox was not able to comfort the woman over her loss. Distraught, Wilcox returned to her hotel and after looking at her lonely face in the mirror, began to write this poem. Even though Wilcox might have felt sympathy when she was with the women, she did not continue to share the grief.
AUTHOR’S
PURPOSE
The author’s purpose was to make people aware of how they treat people. Most of the time when a
person is feeling depressed or miserable is when they need others the most. If you push away people they will tend to shut down even more. So when someone is feeling defeated you need to be there for them and not push them away.
ABOUT THE POEM


The comparison of how society treats somebody when they are sad and when they are happy.


Describes how an individual receives a lot of support when they succeed but none when they struggle. e.g. Laugh, and the world laughs with you / Weep, and you weep alone. (Stanza 1, Line 1) This poem is a great satire on us, our thoughts, and our level of thinking. Wilcox points out a social evil. We cannot decline what she says to us in this poem. We should think deeply about this poem. It is an invitation to move through the world with practicality and self-reliance.

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SUMMARY


The poem overall describes the gain of support in times of happiness, and the loss of support in times of sorrow.


It is a view of humanity as glory-seeking and selfish, only willing to help others when there is something to gain.


The poem begins with the speaker
making five statements regarding how the “world” will react
depending on
whether you “Laugh” or “Weep.”
Someone who is happy and upbeat is going to attract friends while someone who
“Sigh[s]”
and weeps will not.


Through the next two stanzas, the speaker tries to make clear that one should do whatever possible to maintain a happy life surrounded by those who increase that happiness. Sadness will breed nothing but solitude.


The poem concludes with the speaker adding that pain and death happen to everyone, but they will always be faced alone.
LINE BY LINE
ANALYSIS
AND EXPLANATION
STANZA ONE :
Lines 1 Laugh, and the world laughs with you; 2 Weep, and you weep alone;
Wilcox begins what came to be known as her most popular poem, with two very striking lines. Her speaker is making a pronouncement about how the world either accepts or pushes away, human emotions. The first line tells a reader that if one
were to laugh then the world would “laugh with you.”
- the world is after pleasure and joy and does not want to listen to sad stories. The second line adds a more complicated dimension to the relationship between humans and society. Here she describes the opposite emotion, sadness displayed through weeping. If one were to
“Weep,” it would happen alone. People do not
flock to the side of someone who is upset, human beings are not attracted to negativity, perhaps for fear it too may be shared.
In the next set of eight lines of ‘Solitude,’ the speaker presents another five statements that outline
how the world at large reacts to positivity and negativity. The first line says that if you are to spend your days rejoicing then others will seek you out and want to spend time with you. She once again presents a contrast, that if you Grieve then the same men will turn and go.
Lines 3 For the sad old earth must borrow its mirth, 4 But has trouble enough of its own.
In the next two lines of
‘Solitude’
the speaker rearranges the two previous statements to show how the
“world,”
meaning the rest of humanity, deals with emotion. The earth is described as being
“sad

and old.” It does not have a well of happiness to draw from so it must seek “mirth” (joy) somewhere

else. This is why it “laughs with you.” In regards to
sadness, the speaker says that the earth has enough sadness without taking
in other people’s troubles. This is a very
perceptive generalized statement about how many people view the problems of others. No one wants the burden of someone
else’s
unhappiness if it can be avoided.

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Lines 5 Sing, and the hills will answer; 6 Sigh, it is lost on the air;
The following statement acts in the same way as the previous one. First, the speaker says that if you
were to “sing” then the “hills” would “answer.” One would receive a response from the world or
society, and happiness would be multiplied. In contrast
, if you were to “Sigh” it would be “lost on the

air.”

Lines 7 The echoes bound to a joyful sound, 8 But shrink from voicing care.
The first stanza concludes with the two emotions being translated into sounds. The sound of singing will
“bound” like
a joyful echo while the sigh will be ignored.
STANZA TWO :

In the next set of eight lines of
‘Solitude’
the speaker presents another five statements that outline how the world at large reacts to positivity and negativity.
Lines 9 Rejoice, and men will seek you; 10 Grieve, and they turn and go;
The first line says that if you are to spend your days “Rejoic[ing]” then others will “seek you” out and
want to spend time with
you. She once again presents a contrast, that if you “Grieve” then the same
men will
“turn
and
go.”

Lines 11 They want full measure of all your pleasure, 12 But they do not need your woe.
These people do not want
“your

woe”
but are happy to take on
“your

pleasure.”

Lines 13 Be glad, and your friends are many; 14 Be sad, and you lose them all,
—

The speaker gives the reader some advice in the next lines that if you want to have friends, then you need to be
“glad.”
If you are not, then you are going to
“lose
them
all.”
These people do not want your woe but are happy to take on your pleasure.
Lines 15 There are none to decline your nectared wine, 16 But alone you must drink
life’s
gall.
In the last two lines of this stanza, the speaker describes how if you are happy and drink
“nectared

wine” then you are never
going to be short on a friend to drink it with. Continuing the metaphor of drinking, she states that
“life’s

gall,”
must be consumed alone.

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STANZA THREE :

In the final stanza of
‘Solitude’
the speaker presents her final set of comparisons between what a happy life and a sad one are like, and the reactions they provoke
Lines 17 Feast, and your halls are crowded; 18 Fast, and the world goes by.
She begins by utilizing another comparison to the way meals can bring people together. If one was to
hold a “Feast” then their halls would be “crowded.” Just as if one “Fast[ed]” then the whole world
would pass by. These two examples are meant as metaphors f or a larger way of being in everyday life. Welcoming community, companionship, and happiness are going to inspire even more of the same.

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The following lines are different than those which proceeded them. In the last section, she makes larger statements about life and death and the way that humans deal with pain.
Lines 19 Succeed and give, and it helps you live 20 But no man can help you die.
She describes how success and a willingness to
“give”
will help one live a longer life but there will be no one there when you
“die.”
Similarly, pain has to be faced alone.
Lines 21 There is room in the halls of pleasure 22 For a large and lordly train,
No one wants to pile onto a
“train”
that is headed for that kind of unhappiness. The world would much rather gather in a
“hall…of

pleasure.”

Lines 23 But one by one we must all file on 24 Through the narrow aisles of pain.
The poem in
this connection says:” But one by one we must all file on through the narrow aisles of

pain”.
That is to say that in difficulties we have to suffer alone. Prosperity brings friends but adversity separates them from us. The author ends with summarizing the main point that during pleasurable times
there’s
room for many friends, but we must go through pain alone. One can say that the picture of human life as drawn in this poem is almost real. It may not be encouraging as there is little hope. But sorrows and sufferings are a reality in life. Pleasures are illusory. This is
everyone’s
realization. But people forget realities.
POETIC DEVICES: STRUCTURE


‘Solitude’
by Ella Wheeler Wilcox is a three-stanza poem


It is separated into sets of eight lines or octaves.


Each stanza begins with two lines that compares and contrasts positive and negative emotions. The next two lines provide a commentary. The second half of each stanza then repeats this pattern.


Each of these octaves follows a consistent rhyme scheme of ABCBDEFE.


While the scheme remains the same, the end sounds alternate.


A reader should also take note of the repeating moments in which Wilcox makes use
o

of internal rhymes. A perfect example appears in line 3, of the first stanza with the words
“earth”
and
“mirth.”



The same kind of rhyme
also appears in line 7, with “bound” and “sound.” These
rhymes can also be found in the lines 3 & 7 of Stanza 2 and in line 3 of Stanza 3.


Wilcox uses the rhymes to add emphasis on the lines that talk about loneliness and solitude. The poem is built on
PAIRS OF OPPOSITES:

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Laugh & weep / sing & sigh / mirth & trouble / joyful sound & voicing care / rejoice & grieve Pleasure & woe / glad & sad / nectared wine
& life’s gall / feast & fast / succeed & die
Halls of pleasure & narrow aisles of pain
RHYTHM & RHYME


Regular movement through constant number of lines and rhyming words


Creates a smooth and coherent poem


Short, individual sentences slow the pace of the poem which effectively leads to an atmosphere of dreariness and loneliness


Every second line rhymes with the line two before it.
o

e.g. alone, own / air, care / go, woe / all, gall


Third and seventh lines of the first two stanzas contain rhyming words
o

e.g. earth, mirth / bound, sound / measure, pleasure / decline, wine


Creates a rhythmic pattern which helps the poem flow.
MOOD


The poem has an atmosphere of sorrow and depression.


Hopelessness


Loneliness e.g. "Weep, and you weep alone" (Stanza 1, Line 2) This implies that an individual is condemned to loneliness in times of sadness. e.g. "But alone you must drink life's gall" (Stanza 3, Line 8) This describes the loneliness of a person when enduring the unpleasant things that one is forced to overcome in life. e.g. "But no man can help you die" (Stanza 3, Line 4) Implies that nobody can help a person through times of suffering and difficulty.
PERSONIFICATION
The world cannot literally laugh, experience emotions, borrow its mirth, or have trouble. The purpose is to show that the world is not always a happy place. Ella Wheeler Wilcox uses personification to show that if you are happy, you will not be alone. Personification- Hills cannot answer and echoes
can’t
bound.

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ALLITERATION
“Large
and lordly
train”
- both start with L sounds. Alludes to the view that spaces and places of pleasure attract people in numbers, whilst those who suffer and endure pain and bitterness, will do so in Solitude.
ENJAMBMENT
Creates a flow and fluidity in these lines, building momentum with a prose-like quality. Wilcox reminds us that the journey through pain must ultimately be experienced alone. L 19-20 -- Succeed and give, and it helps you live But no man can help you die. L 21-22 -- There is room in the halls of pleasure For a large and lordly train, L 23-24-- But one by one we must all file on Through the narrow aisles of pain.
METAPHOR -
e.g. "Nectared wine" means pleasant things in life, such as rewards and happiness. This is because nectar is sweet, and wine is known as an enjoyable beverage. (Stanza 2, Line 7) Comparing sweet wine to optimism. Ella uses this phrase to show that people will accept your ideas if you look at the better side of situations.
Metaphor
- e.g. "Life's gall" describes all that is unpleasant and negative in life. Gall refers to bitter things, such as bile. This also means metaphorical bitterness, such as grief and sadness. Whatever life throws at you, you take it and deal with it. (Stanza 2, Line 8) Comparing life's gall to pessimism. Wilcox is showing that if you think negatively of a situation, you will have to face it alone. Gall- bitterness
Metaphor
- Wilcox is showing that there is a lot of room for happiness in life by saying that a large and lordly train can fit into the halls of pleasure. Comparing the feeling of pleasure to halls. Ella is displaying that many people can be joyful at the same time. This connects to halls because they hold many people at a time, often for parties or meetings.
Metaphor
- in the last stanza it talks a lot about halls and rooms. The house or buildings could compare to all your feelings together and each room represents a different feeling.
Metaphor
- Ella Wheeler Wilcox is describing pain as a narrow isle which are hard to get through. Therefore, pain is difficult to overcome. Comparing pain to narrow aisles. Wilcox is using this comparison to explain how pain is a difficult and strenuous obstacle that we all must conquer.

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THEMES


The theme of “Solitude” is that no one should have to go through anything by themselves.
They should always be surrounded by people that love them. Sometimes though you have to be the
“surrounder”
to make people feel better.


Happiness & Pain


Positive actions result in positive returns / Negative actions result in negative returns.


Man vs. Society"


Pessimistic view of society


The belief that people only want to accompany somebody who has happiness or prizes to share, but avoid being impacted by others' negative situations


People only seeking self-benefit and being unsupportive towards those in need


"Having good things to share will attract many, but dealing with unpleasantness will repel those around you."


Stay positive and you will have many friends.
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THE MORNING SUN IS SHINING
–
OLIVE SCHREINER
The morning sun is shining on The green, green willow tree, And sends a golden sunbeam To dance upon my knee. The fountain bubbles merrily, 5 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, 10 The yellow thorn trees load the wind With odours sweet and strong. There is a hand I never touch And a face I never see; Now what is sunshine, what is song, 15 Now what is light to me?
GLOSSARY
1. Willow trees : a tree that grows near water , has long thin leaves 2. sunbeam : rays of the sun
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FORM/TYPE OF POEM
-Romantic poem -Focus is on the contrast between the permanence of beauty and nature.
FORM/STRUCTURE
A 16-line poem made up of 4 distinct parts. In line 1-4 she discusses the sense of sight, 5-8 hearing and 9-12 smell. All these senses enjoy the morning with the sun shining. There is a regular rhyme scheme and rhythm throughout lines 1-
12. The last four lines deviate from this pattern. This ‘break’ in pattern increases
the impact of the unexpected contents of the last four lines.
THE TITLE :
The title introduces a positive image
–
we associate a bright, sunny morning with warmth and happiness. However, there is a figurative irony: Her sun (child) is no longer shining (has died). The title and the first 12 lines, invites
the reader to see the beauty of Olive Schreiner’s Karoo, bl
essed with green willow trees, golden sunshine, bubbling fountains, springing locusts, birdsong and the scent of the
thorn trees’ yellow flowers.

We realise in line 13, however, that the speaker is mourning someone’s death: ‘There is a hand I never
touch/A
nd a face I never see’. Because of this, she writes, ‘Now what is sunshine, what is song, /Now what is light to me’. What begins as a lyrical celebration of nature ends up as a lament for the loss of a loved
one.
SUMMARY
The speaker extols the splendour of the natural world around her. To captivate the reader, she discusses many features and makes extensive use of aural "images." The natural scene is abandoned in the final four lines. Given the tone and subject of the words that came before, the melancholy in these lines (which deal with loss) is unexpected. The poet makes a statement on how lovely a morning with the sun is. She describes the numerous aspects of the morning that make it so lovely, then she abruptly changes her tone and asks, in a rhetorical manner, what good is a lovely morning if it cannot be shared with anybody. Despite highlighting her loneliness due to the fact that she is alone, a nature poetry underlines the beauty of nature.

Line 1
: The sun ri
ses and the poet is sitting in the sun during the morning and enjoys the “world awakening”.

Line 2

: Repetition of “green “ places emphasis on the colour and the purity of nature.
The opening lines establish the scene: it's a lovely morning, and the speaker muses on how lovely it is.

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The word "green" is used often to emphasize the intensity of the willow tree's colour and to further emphasize the beauty of nature. Green is a colour that represents life and is connected with health, freshness, and lush flora. The sun also represents life.
Lines 3-4
: Possibility of allusion to her child. From biographical details of the poet one learns that her child passed on a few hours after birth due to a cot death. The personification of how the sun bestows blessings on the planet and brings joy and amusement emphasizes the beauty of the morning and contributes to the development of a joyful/enjoyable/happy/cheerful attitude. It is a kind of "golden" sun that brings enjoyment and is associated with riches, money, and beauty.
Line 5
: Onomatopoeia is used to describe the action of the fountain as water splurts out
—
a carefree mood is evident. The personification in line 5 accentuates the happy/cheerful feeling by giving the fountain a human character of delight. The personification is successful in conveying a picture-perfect scene of the lovely morning that highlights the sensation of enjoyment and well-being.
Line 6
: Locust jumps , it is energetic early in the morning. The "yellow locust" continues the many shades of yellow, precisely as the "golden sun" in line 3.
Line 7 :
Movement of the locusts are compared to the movement of the light through trees. The locusts are
the same colour as the beams. Alliteration of “l” –
emphasis on movement. The word "and" is repeated in line 7, which both emphasizes the beauty of the speaker's surroundings and alludes to the speaker's impromptu emotional response. The recurrence of the letter "l" in lines 7 (life and light) creates an air of freedom and an unburdened life in the joyful dawn.
Line 8
: Birds are singing : atmosphere of joy, happiness These lines further develop the sensual beauty of nature. The term "spring" refers to the energy that permeates and gives life to natural components. The description of "brown birds" in line 8 strengthens this impression.
“
Bubbles
”
, an onomatopoeic word, has a cheery sound. The bird's joyful song may be heard. Happy brown bird singing, etc. The birds were singing incessantly about "life, light, and sunlight." This supports the notion that nature is a celebration of life. The birds, insects, and plants appear to be celebrating the early sun.
Line 9 :
Personification : The earth is dressed in all her beauty and adornments. The earth is personified and is dressed in lovely garments. Every area of the universe is "clothed" and "filled" with a beauty that the poet finds to be delightful. Fill the air with smells. Schreiner, a South African poet, framed the poem with her allusion to the "thorn trees" by describing them as "sweet and robust." In order to demonstrate how ubiquitous their scent is, the trees are also covered in blossoms. The golden thorn trees flood the breeze with sweet and potent aromas, the soil is covered with beauty, and the air is filled with melody.
Line 10
: Sounds of birds add to a cheerful atmosphere.
Line 11 :
The trees are in full bloom and the wind finds it difficult to move through it.

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Line 12

; Alliteration of “s”
- wonderful smells of the morning. The alliteration is employed to emphasize how powerful and pleasant the fragrance is. The sibilant "s" sounds in "song," "sweet," and "strong" add to the poem's lyrical charm.
Lines 13
–
14
: The speaker makes reference to someone who is not with her due to death
–
this is an assumption that it is her child who has passed on. There is a face I've never seen and a hand I've never touched. What, to me, is light right now? What is song? What is sunshine? In these lines, the poet's demeanour and tone alter. Compared to the preceding three quatrains, this one exhibits a sharp shift in tone and mood.
“
Never
”
implies that there is never a chance that she will be able to touch or see her kid. When the speaker considers the loss she has experienced, her tone becomes to one of melancholy, sadness, grief, dejection, and hopelessness. The loss of a significant person to the speaker has left her feeling hopeless. The word "touch" implies a very intimate bond with this individual. She fears she won't ever see them again.
Lines 15
–
16
Change in tone . In these lines there is a tone of bitterness/ sorrow evident. The speaker questions the meaning of this beauty I that she is unable to share it with the person she loves. What is the sense of witnessing a lovely, natural morning if there is no one to share it with? she asks rhetorically as she closes the poem. The hypothetical question challenges the reader to think about her predicament: a lovely day spent alone with no prospect of companionship. She does not find comfort in her lovely surroundings.
TONE
: lines 1 -12 : peaceful , happy tone describes nature. The last four lines of the poem changes to a
resentful, bitter tone, sorrow and regret “ a hand I never touched” (line 13 )

‘… a face I never see “ (line 14)

MOOD :
In lines 1- 12 : joyous celebratory mood, last 4 lines change in mood: sombre, solemn mood,
INTENTION :
The speaker intends to contrast the beauty of nature with the actual sufferings of human beings.
THEMES :
Permanence of nature Despair. loneliness Futility of human relations The transience (brief) nature of human life

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IT IS A BEAUTEOUS EVENING, CALM AND FREE
–
WILLIAM WORDSWORTH
It is a beauteous evening, calm and free, The holy time is quiet as a Nun Breathless with adoration; the broad sun Is sinking down in its tranquility; The gentleness of heaven broods o'er the Sea; 5 Listen! the mighty Being is awake, And doth with his eternal motion make A sound like thunder
—
everlastingly. Dear child! dear Girl! that walkest with me here, If thou appear untouched by solemn thought, 10 Thy nature is not therefore less divine: Thou liest in Abraham's bosom all the year; And worshipp'st at the Temple's inner shrine, God being with thee when we know it not. 14
GLOSSARY
Beauteous (Line 1) - Beautiful. Holy time (Line 2) - Refers to the time of evening prayer service, or vespers, in certain Christian denominations. Vespers generally occurs around sunset. Adoration (Line 3) - Profound love. Here, the word has religious connotations, as it's often associated with religious art depicting reverent love for Christ. Tranquility (Line 4) - Peacefulness; calm. Broods o'er (Line 5) - Contemplates deeply. Here used to suggest that the evening sky over the water looks solemn, and to suggest that "heaven" or God is watching over the world. O'er (Line 5) - An archaic contraction of "over." The mighty Being (Line 6) - Basically a reference to God, although Wordsworth may be using this indirect phrase to suggest a non-traditional conception of God. Doth (Line 7) - An archaic variant of the word "does." Everlastingly (Line 8) - Eternally. Liest (Line 12) - An archaic second-person form of the verb "lie." Abraham's bosom (Line 12) - The "bosom of Abraham" is a term from the Judeo-Christian tradition, usually referring to the afterlife realm where virtuous souls await the Last Judgment. (Abraham is a patriarch and prophet in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; closeness to his "bosom" or body is a metaphor for closeness to God.) Here, the phrase suggests the presence of God in life rather than the afterlife. Worshipp'st (Line 13) - An archaic second-person form of the verb "worship." The Temple (Line 13) - An allusion to the Holy of Holies: the inner sanctuary of the Tabernacle (or Temple in Jerusalem), the holiest site in Judaism. Only the High Priest was allowed to enter this sanctuary (shrine), once a year, on Yom Kippur. Here, the allusion implies that the child is a high priest of sorts, with special access to the divine.
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SETTING
The poem takes place beside (or near) the "Sea" on a beautiful "evening." The speaker remarks on the loveliness of this setting, pointing out its seemingly "Breathless" hush, tranquil "sun[set]," and gentle sky over ocean waters. The speaker also urges an accompanying "Girl" (and/or the reader) to "Listen" to a "sound like thunder"
—
probably the crashing of the ocean waves, which the speaker attributes to the "eternal motion" of God. The setting is, in fact, the inspiration for the whole poem. The scenic atmosphere stirs the speaker's reverence toward God and nature, and it also prompts the speaker's reflections about the "Girl" coming along for this evening stroll.
SUMMARY
The speaker is struck by the physical beauty of the evening and the mood it creates. The speaker views the scene through a spiritual lens and assures his young companion (believed to be his daughter, Caroline)
that God’s presence is everywhere, even if we are not fully conscious of it. Whether or not the companion
knows it, the speaker feels that God is with her.
STRUCTURE AND RHYME SCHEME Sonnet
Octave: Lines 1-8 describing how reverent the "beauteous evening" makes them feel. Sestet: Lines 9-14 the turn in line 9 (the moment in a sonnet when the speaker switches gears) seem less sharp. Now the speaker suggests that the "Girl"
—
thanks to her own personality and/or the fact that she's a child, with childlike faith and wonder
—
feels this same kind of reverence all the time, even when the world doesn't look beautiful. She may not be a poet, but her spirituality is that much more impressive. L1-8 Wordsworth's sonnet, the first eight lines rhyme ABBA ACCA, while the last six lines use an unusual DEF DFE variation. Iambic pentameter (meaning each line has five iambs, with an unstressed-stressed syllable pattern) - have an expressive effect.
ALLUSION
draws on Christian imagery, lines 12-13 make two specific allusions: the Judeo-Christian tradition, "the bosom of Abraham" refers to the home of virtuous souls in the afterlife. (Abraham is an important patriarch so closeness to Abraham is closeness to God.) Here, however, the term refers to the comforting presence of God in life, not the afterlife. The speaker is saying that the daughter ("Thou") carries a kind of heaven with her all the time ("year"-round) - praising the daughter's spirituality Wordsworth's belief that children, have a special connection to God because they've recently come from Heaven. In line 13, "the Temple's inner shrine" probably alludes to the Holy of Holies: the inner sanctuary of the Tabernacle (a.k.a. Solomon's Temple or the Temple in Jerusalem). This is considered the most sacred site

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ABOUT THE POET


Emily Dickinson was born in 1830, in the town of Amherst, Massachusetts and was one of the most prolific and inspired American poets of her time.


She was also one of the very few women poets of the 19th century.


She wrote over 1,000 poems with various themes during her lifetime.
THE TITLE
‘The’ –
denoting a particular shipwreck.
‘Shipwreck’–
a catastrophic accident at sea where a ship is destroyed by treacherous waters and either sinks to the sea bed or runs aground (is washed ashore). Such a disaster usually results in loss of lives, grief and mourning. This sets the tone for the poem.
SUMMARY
This poem is about a shipwreck that had killed 40 people. When the 4 survivors returned, the town was filled with celebration until children asked about the 40 people that had died tragically at sea. After that the story of their return no longer lasted.
FORM AND STRUCTURE


Comprises 4 stanzas


Each stanza contains 4 lines each


Rhyme scheme follows a strict pattern : abcb / defe /ghih / jklk


Characteristic of a ballad, without the refrain between stanzas


Stanza 1 & 2 focus on the optimistic response to the news of the survival of 4 people in a shipwreck


Stanzas 3 & 4 focus on grieving and mourning the loss of 40 innocent lives in the same shipwreck


Dickinson uses rhythm and rhyme (consistent use if syllables per line) to give the poem a

regular pace, lending it a somewhat lyrical style
STANZA 1 Line 1 : GLEE! the great storm is over!
‘GLEE!’–

an exclamation (!) or statement of happiness and excitement. The word “GLEE” is capitalized,
placing emphasis on a tone of rejoicing.
‘the great storm is over!’
-- an exclamation (!) / statement that the mighty, monstrous storm has ended. There is a sense of relief and a need for celebration. The Tone of joy and celebration is successfully conveyed in Line 1. Ironically, this jubilation is short-lived.
Line 2 : Four have recovered the land;
Only 4 have survived the shipwreck and made it onto the land.
Line 3 : Forty gone down together
40 have all drowned, no escape / no hope for these 40 people.
“gone down” –
euphemism for died.

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Line 4 : Into the boiling sand
‘Into’ –
swallowed up into the depths of the sea.
‘the boiling sand’.
- the sand is churning violently in the treacherous /raging, tumultuous sea. Line 4 increases the horror / tragedy of the situation, invokes intense grief and mourning for the lost ones.
STANZA 2 Line 5: Ring, for the scant salvation!
‘Ring’,
- onomatopoeia
–
sound of the local town bell announces the survivors returning home.
‘for the scant salvation!’ –
exclamation (!) of gratitude and thanks for the limited (few) survivors. Only 4
–
the minimal number of survivors bring even greater sorrow.
Line 6: Toll, for the bonnie souls,
—

‘Toll’, denotes the ringing of the church bell. However, the reference here connotes a funeral bell sounding
slow & stately. The comma causes the reader to pause at the impact of the senseless loss of lives.
‘for the bonnie souls,’—
endearing, loving souls of the departed, indicates further devastation. The dash (-) causes the reader to pause at the impact of the tragedy and provides an explanation of who
those ‘bonnie souls’ were.

Line 7 : Neighbour and friend and bridegroom
They are given titles (an identity) which personalises the dearly departed as members of the community, known to all.
‘Bridegroom’ –
denotes a newly married gentleman, evoking additional shock for his grieving widow. The anticipation of a glorious future for this newly-married couple has been short-lived.
Line 8 : Spinning upon the shoals!
‘Spinning’
- Describes how the departed were swept and tossed around mercilessly, helplessly fighting their fate in a desperate situation.
‘upon the shoals!’
- in the shallow waters. This statement heightens our awareness at the sorrowful and tragic loss of lives.
STANZA 3 Line 9 : How they will tell the shipwreck
How will the story of this shipwreck be narrated? What explanation will be given?
Line 10 : When winter shakes the door
‘Winter’ is personified.
Narrating the stories to children at night, when winter arrives
‘Shakes the door’–
conveys the harsh, cold and cruel nature of Winter.
Line 11 : Till the
children ask, “But the forty?

The children are curious and enquire what became of the 40 victims lost at sea?
Line 12 :
Did they come back no more?”

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Did they all drown? Did they never return? The shock of the tragic reality weighs down heavily upon the children. There will be no return for the 40 who drowned. Their physical presence in the town is gone forever.
STANZA 4 Line 13 : Then a silence suffuses the story,
‘Then’
-at this point
‘a silence suffuses the story’ –
implies no explanation can be given. The children are aware of the intensity of sorrow, loss and grief as depicted in these lines, as the story is recounted. The pace slows down. A disturbing, deathly silence spreads as the tale of the shipwreck is told, as listeners process such grave loss. The Mood is depressing . The Tone is mournful. Silence suffuses
–

the use of Sibilance (letter ‘S’) heightens the sadness of the loss of innocent lives

Line 14 :
And a softness the teller’s eye;

“teller’s eye” –
refers to the person narrating the story to the children.
‘softness’ –
refers to pathos (sense of pity)
The “teller” is deeply sorrowful and overcome with grief.

Effective use of Sibilance (letter ‘S’) again effectively evokes the deep despair and somber state of the ‘teller’.

Line 15 : And the children no further question,
No answers can be effectively given to the searching questions of the children. They too, understand and experience the pain and difficulty of the adults, in coming to terms with tragic loss of 40 people. Evokes a tone of mournfulness and melancholy.
Line 16 : And only the waves reply
Waves
–
are Personified. Reiterates the silence of the adults and children. No one has an explanation, nor the answers to this catastrophic occurrence.
The speaker’s sorrow is evident.
No words will suffice, not even old, empty clichés can bring comfort and solace. Anaphora --
Repetition of ‘AND’ at the beginning of lines 14,15,16 –
effectively conveys the sense of hopelessness and loss; doom and depression; gloom and grief that persists

TONE


Joyful


Celebratory


Sombre


Sad


Melancholic
MOOD
Shifts from joy (stanzas 1,2) to sorrowful and depressing (stanzas 3,4)
THEME/S


Grief & Mourning


Death & Loss


Survival


Nature Realism

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
1.

www.researchgate.net 2.

Prezi.com 3.

www.enotes.com 4.

www.press.avenues.org 5.

www.englishsummary.com 6.

Poemanalysis.com 7.

http://www.education.gov.za 8.

http://www.econupf.educ 9.

Http://www.vanschaiknet.com 10.

http://disa,ukza.ac.za 11.

http://escholarship.or 12.

http://litcharts.com 13.

Poems.org 14.

Supersummary.com 15.

Sparknotes.com 16.

Poemanalysis.com 17.

Comprehensive Guidelines for the setting of English HL P1,P2 and P2 2022 18.Final JIT P2 August 2022 -KZN

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A Guie To Poetry 2024 GRADE 12 POETRY NOTES - GUIDE

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