Department Of Education

ENGLISH FIRST ADDITIONAL

LANGUAGE (FAL)
GRADE 10 POETRY STUDY
GUIDE
 PRESCRIBED POEMS

POEM POET Date of administration

1. Cattle in the rain. Musaemura Zimunya

2. Don’t go gentle into that Dylan Thomas

good night.
3. How do I love thee? Elizabeth Barret Browning

4. How Poems are Made Alice Walker

5. No man is an island John Donne
6. The Will Sipho Sepamla

FOREWORD

This guide was developed by English Specialists with a view of improving performance in poetry. It
is dedicated to English FAL learners in the Limpopo Department of Education. The teaching of
poetry has been neglected and has resulted in learners failing to perform optimally in literature as
a whole. Teachers are encouraged to use this booklet as a guide only and not as a replacement of
the prescribed text.
The Department of Education in the Province has invested resources to ensure that this booklet is
produced and distributed electronically to all learners doing poetry.

We hope that the interest of our learners in poetry will be aroused and sharpened.

The developers.

1
 1. Cattle in the rain: Musaemura Zimunya.

Musaemura Zimunya was born in 1949 in Mutare in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). He was
educated in Rhodesia and at Kent University, UK, where he acquired an MA in literature in 1979.
After independence in 1980 he joined the University of Zimbabwe as a literature teacher. He left in
1999 for the USA and is currently Director of Black Studies at Virginia Tech University.

Cattle in the rain

1. Nothing has no end,

2. it is true.
3. This rain used to soak us in the pastures
4. and the cattle would not stop to graze,
5. they would not be driven to the kraal,
6. it made me cry and curse sometimes
7. and I used to wish I was born for the skirt.
8. Just imagine penetrating the wet bush
9. Almost doubled up
10. With heavy smelling coned up jute sack
11. As a raincoat,

2
12. Pebbles of water pounding on the head,
13. Very irritating, too.
14. Sometimes an angry wasp disturbed by the foregoing cows
15. Stabbed you on the cursing lips
16. And in the frantic stampede,
17. Wet thorns snapped at random in your benumbed feet.
18. And the rain does not cease
19. And the cows just go on.
20. Come to the kraal-
21. This ox, called Gatooma,
22. Stands still before the rest,
23. His ghost of silent disapproval shattering to your mind,
24. Listening, listening to nothing at all,
25. And I knew then that I had to call for help.
26. But people at home in warm huts
27. Could hardly hear me through the maddening rain.
28. This ox, tail high,
29. At two sniffs and a cajole,
30. All meant to humiliate
31. Would crash through the thin bush
32. Leaving me running weakly
33. Sobbing at each step
34. A bone of anger blocking my breath,
35. Chugging after the rhythmic hooves hammering the earth.
36. And still it rained
37. And the cows went skelter
38. And the rain swept the salty tears
39. And watery mucus into my lips.

3
Title of the poem:

Cattle in the rain - In this poem a herd of cattle is grazing on a day when it was raining heavily. The
herd boy who looks after the cattle is utterly affected by the rainy weather which makes it difficult
for him to do his job successfully.

Summary: The speaker says that we think terrible situations will never end when they are happening, but
they always end at some point. This poem describes the physical and emotional suffering a shepherd went
through while looking after the cows in rural Zimbabwe. The shepherd has grown up, and is now telling his
story in retrospect. The poet says “used to”. This tells us that the story happened in the past. Back then,
the boy thinks his terrible job will never be over. It has been raining for a long time, and the boy feels that
he is not properly prepared: he has no raincoat-only an old sack. The cattle do not want to obey him, and

4
their resistance to his efforts makes his job harder. He even wishes he was a girl, so he wouldn’t have to do
this kind of work.
He is exhausted by the physical effort of trying to herd the cattle that he cries. The poem shows us how
lonely the shepherd feels. The sheperd feels that the cattle are deliberately making his work harder by
refusing to co-operate. When a wasp comes, the whole herd scatters in different directions. The shepherd
realizes that he needs help to herd them again, but everyone else is sheltered in their homes, out of the
rain. Only he is there, and he has to rely on himself. He feels tense, demoralized and frightened. Even
though he controls the most difficult bull, Gatooma, at last he knows that he will have to keep doing this
very difficult job day after day.
Symbols/Imagery: Metaphor. A metaphor directly compares two things to see how they are the same.
There is usually one literal (physical, actual, real) meaning and one figurative or deeper meaning. “ a bone
of anger blocking my breath” (line 34) tells us that the speaker is so angry and frustrated with the cattle
that he feels as if he is choking. It seems as if there is a bone stuck in his throat and he cannot breathe.
“ pebbles of water” line12 tells us that the water is hard when it pelts the boy. It feels heavy and hurts him,
like real pebbles feel when someone throws stones at your head.
“ his ghost of silent disapproval shattering to your mind” (line 23) tells us that the boy feels as if the ox is
judging him negatively. You cannot touch a ghost, but it is still frightening. The boy feels threatened and
afraid when the silent ox looks at him. He feels, so anxious that his mind is shattered.
Alliteration. This is a word-sound device when words share the same hard consonant, usually at the
beginning “cry and curse” are hard/k/ sounds that help us to imagine how desperate the boy felt. “hooves
hammering” helps us to picture and hear the stampede of the cattle.
Onomatopoeia. This is a word-sound device when the word has the actual sound inside it. “hooves
hammering” The word hammering sounds like the animals running fast as they stampede. It is a heavy,
repetitive sound. It helps us to feel, see and hear how heavily and fast the cattle were moving.

Structure:

It is a narrative poem.
The language used is conversational. It is written in free-verse as it does not have a regular rhyme
scheme. It is written in the first person (“ I”)

Analysis of the poem.

Lines 1 to 5 - In the opening line the speaker confirms that whatever difficulties we face in life will
eventually come to an end. He reflects on what used to happen in the past as a herdboy herding
the cattle in the grazing area.

5
Line 4 - Shows how determined cattle were during grazing as they continued despite the pouring
rain.

Line 5 - This line clearly shows how uncooperative the cattle would become sometimes, and this
undoubtedly affected him to an extent that he would swear.

Lines 7 to 11 - He wished it could have been better, had he been born a girl as they did not have to
work very hard under difficult conditions. The idea of him getting into the bush on a rainy day
makes him frustrated. He is without a raincoat to cover himself just to show how vulnerable he is.

Lines 12 to 15 - The manner in which it rains makes him feel irritated. The pain inflicted by a wasp
is also a setback on his part.

16 to 20. The herd of cattle scatter in different directions and unfortunately for him the rain keeps
on pouring down, and this makes it difficult for him to drive the cattle home.

21 to 25 - Driving the cattle to the kraal is not an easy task to execute as the deviant bull called
Gatooma blocks the way for the throng to move freely. The boy then decided to enlist help from
the community members.

26 to 30 to His cry for help fell on deaf ears as people could not hear him due to the intensity of the
rain.
Lines 31 to 35 - The boy is trying to maintain order but fails dismally as the cattle stampede in
different directions.

Lines 36 to 39 - The rain rained incessantly and the cows were uncontrollable. The tears he had
were washed away by the rain and eventually ended into his mouth.

Themes explored in the poem: Nature versus man. The boy is struggling to control the wayward
herd in the rain. The rain makes him feel despondent and defeated.

Isolation versus community. The boy is alone in the bush whereas the community members are
enjoying the comfort of their homes.

6
Symbols/ Imagery.

The word soak in line 3 creates an image of a sponge which is saturated with water. This image
helps us understand the extent to which the boy is drenched by the rain. “Pebbles of water
pounding”. An image of stones hitting his head very hard like one would do when hitting something
with a hammer is created. The essence of this imagery is to emphasise the excruciating pain the
boy is going through.
Lines 14 to 15 - The image of a knife is created to show the nature of the pain the herd boy is
experiencing. The metaphor in line 34 creates an image of an object stuck in one’s throat to
choke the breathing process.
The herd boy himself symbolizes the majority of youth who are experiencing hardships on a daily
basis in the rural part of Zimbabwe where decent services are not provided for.
The bull: Gatooma symbolizes the people who are disobedient in any society.

Tone: Frustrated/ frightened/panicked and resigned.

Mood: Contemplative

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

1. What is a herdboy?
2. State whether the following statement is true or false and quote between lines 25 to 29 to
support your answer: At the ultimate end the people came out to help him deal with the
uncontrollable cattle.
3. The word “soak” in line 3 implies that the boy is (drenched/dry) . Choose the correct word.
4. Refer to lines 14-15. Identify the figure of speech used in these lines and also explain its
effectiveness in the context of the poem.
5. Identify the sound device used in line 24.
6. Why does the speaker think that he has been humiliated ?
7. “Cattle in the rain” is a suitable title. Discuss your view.

7
 ANSWERS:

1. A herdboy is someone who looks after cattle.

2. False, “could hadly hear me through the maddening rain”
3. Drenched.
4. Personification. To stab is a human action, and in this case is to emphasise the cruel
nature of sting suffered by the boy.
5. Alliteration.
6. The speaker has failed to control the herd of cattle as was expected of him.
7. Yes. Most of the incidents in the poem happened in the bush where the cattle were
grazing.
No. One of the themes explored in the poem is isolation which actually refers to what the
herd boy is experiencing in real life.

2. DO NOT GO GENTLE INTO THAT GOOD NIGHT - DYLAN THOMAS

8
Dylan Thomas was born in Swansea, Wales on the 27 October 1914 and died on the 9
November 1953 aged 39. He wrote ‘Do not go gentle into the night in 1947 while he visited
Florence with his family. The poem was published in 1951. He was a poet and a writer
whose texts were lyrical and emotional as well as presenting personal life. He is known for
his imaginative use of language and vivid imagery in his poems.
David John (DJ) Thomas was his father. He died of throat cancer on the 16 th of December
1952. DJ’s wife was Florence Thomas. Dylan was mournful and angry about his father’s
death. He had a great admiration for DJ and hugely respected him. He became devastated
following the death of his father. He always wrote poems when his father was alive not only
to please himself but also his father.

9
  Do not go gentle into that good night

1 Do not go gentle into that good night

Old age should burn and rave at close of day;

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

4 Though wise men at their end know dark is right,

Because their words had forked no lighting they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

7 Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright

Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

10 Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,

10
 And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

13 Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight

Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

16 And you, my father, there on the sad height,

Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

 TITLE OF THE POEM: Do not go gentle into that night

The message of the title is that human beings should resist death with all their strength before they
end. Gentle means being mild, moderate in action, not strong, not violent. The poet is encouraging
the ones aging not to be mild but violent when approaching “that night” which is death. They must
fight death as it approaches.

 SUMMARY

Do not calmly and peacefully welcome death. The elderly should aggressively fight
against death as their lives come to an end. Resist the oncoming darkness of your
death.

Smart people at the end of their lives understand that death is inevitable-but,
because they have not yet said anything startling or revolutionary, nothing powerful
enough to shock the world like a bolt of lightning, refuse to peacefully accept death.

Good people, seeing the last moments of their lives pass by like a final wave, mourn
the fact that they were not able to accomplish more, because even small actions

11
 might have moved about joyously in a ‘green bay’- that is, could have made a
difference in the world. So, they resist the oncoming darkness of their death.

Daring people who have lived in the moment and embraced life to the fullest,
metaphorically catching a joyful ride across the sky on the sun, realize too late that
the sun is leaving them behind, and that even they must die-but they refuse to
peacefully accept death.

Serious people, about to die, realise with sudden clarity that even those who have
lost their sight can, like meteors, be full of light and happiness. So, they resist, resist
the oncoming darkness of their death.

And you, dad, are close to death, as if on the peak of a mountain. Burden and gift me
with your passionate emotions. I pray to you. Do not go peacefully into the
welcoming night of death. Resist, resist the oncoming darkness of your death.

 STRUCTURE OF THE POEM

It is a Villanelle. A Villanelle is a French verse form consisting of five three-line

stanzas and a final quatrain, with the first and third lines of the stanzas repeating
alternately in the following stanzas.

A Villanelle has nineteen lines which follows a strict form that consists of five tercets
(three-line stanzas) followed by a quatrain (four-line stanza).

Villanelle uses a specific rhyme scheme of ABA for three tercets, and ABAA for the
quatrain. The poem is written in a persuasive structure.

 ANALYSIS

This poem was written for his father when his father was seriously ill. He wrote this
poem to urge his father to fight against death.

12
Stanza 1

“Old age should burn and rave at close of day” is almost the thesis of this poem.
Thomas classifies men into four categories to persuade his father to realize that no
matter his life choices, consequences, or personality, there is a reason to live. It is
possible that Thomas uses these categories to give his father no excuses, regardless
of what he did in life.

Stanza 2: Wise men.

“Wise men” are the first group that Thomas describes. “Though wise men at their end
know dark is right,” suggests that the wise men understand that death is a natural
part of life and are savvy enough to know they should accept it.
The following line reasons that they nevertheless fight against death because they
feel they have not gained nearly enough repute and notoriety in life. “Because their
words had forked no lightning” is Thomas’s way of saying that they want to hold on to
life to be able to leave their mark, thereby suggesting their places in history as great
scholars or philosophers.

Stanza 3: Good men

Thomas moves forward and describes the next group as “good men.” They too,
reflect on their lives as the end approaches. “Good men, the last wave by, crying how
bright.” This line can be broken into two parts. First “the last wave by.” Thomas is
saying good men are too few these days and that he believes his father to be a good
man and think the world would be better off with him.
“Crying how bright” refers to men telling their stories in the limelight. They proclaim
their works as good, but as Thomas goes on into the next line, “their frail deeds might
have danced in a green bay,” he laments the idea of men knowing that their deeds
will not be remembered regardless of how seemingly significant they were. “Green
bay” refers to an eternal sea that marks men’s places in history. After reflecting on
the past, they decide that they want to live for nothing more than to leave their names
written down in history.

13
Stanza 4: Wild men.

“Wild men” have learned too late that they are mortal. They have spent their lives in
action and only realize as time has caught up with them that this is the end. The line
“wild men who are caught and sang the sun in flight” exaggerates that experiences
and how they have wasted away their days chasing what they could not catch.
Even more so, “caught and send the sun,” refers to how these wild men lived. They
were daredevils who faced peril with blissful ignorance. They wasted away their lives
on adventures and excitements. The next line, “And learn, too late, they grieved it on
its way.” Refers to realization of their lives in folly. Even though the end is
approaching, they will not give in because they want more time to hold on to the
adventure of their youth and perhaps right a few wrongs that they have done.

Stanza 5: Grave men.

“Grave men” are the last group. Thomas describes “Grave men, near death, who see
with blinding sight.” In this line, his use of “grave” has a double meaning, referring
both to men who are saddened and those who are physically near death. They feel
the strains of a long life and know they are physically decaying. Their eyes are failing
along with the rest of their body, but a passion for existence is still burning within their
eyes despite their frail state. “Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay” is an
expression that represent a man’s struggle for survival.
The speaker suggests that even in this frail state, his father could be happy living
longer.

Stanza 6

Finally, in the last stanza, the speaker’s intent is presented. He claims that all men,
no matter their experiences or situations, fight for more time. He urges his father to
do the same. The line “curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray,” describes
the pain and passion he feels while begging his father not to die. The speaker
watches his father fade and begs him not to give in.

14
 Figurative language (figures of speech) in “Do not go gentle into
that good night”

 Metaphor: A figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or

action to which it is not literally applicable but helps explain an idea or make a
comparison.
“that good night” (lines 1, 6,12 and 18” which tells us that Thomas knows that death
is right.
“the dying of light” (lines 3,9,15,19) mean a peaceful surrender.
“night” and “light” are metaphors of death and life.
 Simile: It is a figure of speech that compares two unlike things using “loke” or “as”
“Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay” (line 4)
 Personification: A poetic device in which non-living things are given human traits.
“their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay” (line 8).
“wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight” (line 10)
 Alliteration: It occurs when two or more words are linked that share the same first
consonant sound.
“Rage, rage” (lines 3,9)
“Go gentle into that good night” (line 6)
 Euphemism: It is a word or phrase that softens an uncomfortable topic. It uses
figurative language to refer to a situation without having to confront it.
“good night” (line
 Assonance: A figure of speech in which the same vowel sound repeats within a
group of words.
“fierce tears” (line 17)
 Rhyme scheme
The ordered pattern of rhymes (sounds) at the ends of the lines of a poem or verse.

15
THEME

Life and Death

The poem is highlighting that life is precious and should be fought for at every turn.
The speaker in the poem offers insight into how to face death with dignity and
ferocity rather than resignation, believing that people should “burn and rave” as they
approach death.

TONE

The overall tone can be defined as a grief-stricken poem. The tone throughout the
poem is loving, sad, insistent, becoming more and more intense as the speaker
progresses to the end.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

1. What does “blind eyes could blaze like meteors” mean? (2)

That although someone may be blind (could not see because of aging) their eyes
can still glow or “blaze” (be bright) with passion and spirit.

2. What does “rage against the dying of the light “mean? (2)

The speaker is urging his father to fight death and to live his life as long and as fully
as he can.

3. What literary devices are used in “Do not go Gentle into that Good night”? (8)

16
Verse form of Villanelle, metaphor, personification, alliteration, assonance, imagery,
and simile, euphemism.

4. What effect do the repetitions create? (2)

Repetition helps to establish a tone of intimacy and urgency. The speaker is begging
his father to summon the courage and strength to continue living.

4. What does “green bay” metaphorically mean? (2)

It represents a place teeming with life, which stands in contrast to the beach, where
waves crash and life ends.

5. How are wise men described in the poem? (2)

The speaker describes them as the men who “at their end know dark is right.” They
are wise and so recognize that death is normal and natural, but “Because their words
had forked no lightning they” refuse to die without a fight.

6. What is the tone of the poem? (2)

Defiance, specifically towards death rather than accepting.

7. Describe the poet’s attitude towards death in the poem. (2)

He regards death as the common enemy of humanity, against which people should
fight and rage.

8. What does “forked no lightning” mean? (1)

One’s words, works, or ideas have failed to have a dramatic and lasting effect.

9. What should “burn and rave at close of day”? (1)

Those nearing death should defy it.

17
10. What effect is created by the repetition of the lines “Do not go gentle into that
good night” and “Rage, rage against the dying of the light”? (2)

Repetition has the effect of emphasizing the speaker’s desperation. The speaker is
desperate for his father to fight against death.

11. What does the “dying of the light” symbolize? (1)

It symbolizes death.

12. Who is the speaker addressing? (2)

He is addressing his father; however, the sentiments are universally relevant.

13. What do the words “good night” denote? (1)

It is euphemism for death. While others accept death, Thomas defies it.

14. What is the moral of the poem? (2)

It shows how life should be lived for those who have reached old age.

15. What do “night” and “light” represent in the poem? (2)

“night” represent death or dying and “light” life.

16. What are the four ways in which the poet refers to death without naming it? (4)

“that good night” (line 1)

“close of day” (line 2)
“dying of the light” (line 3)
“dark” (line 4)

18
 17. What is the theme of the poem? (1)

Fighting death.

18. find an example of a simile in the poem and explain the comparison that is being
made. Also explain its effectiveness. (4)

“Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay” (line 4).
The grave men’s eyes are said to be blind and could be gay, meaning bright like the
meteors who are streaks of light in the sky. This simile helps the reader to visualize
what is being described when those grave men are near to death, though they could
not see clearly, they still try their best to see the world

19. Write down the rhyme scheme of the poem and words which are rhyming. (12)

Stanza 1: night, day, light ABA

Stanza 2: right, they, night ABA
Stanza 3: bright, bay, light ABA
Stanza 4: flight, way, night ABA
Stanza 5: sight, gay, light ABA
Stanza 6: height, pray, night, light ABAA

20. What makes “Do not go gentle into that good night,” a Villanelle? (4)

 It is made of nineteen lines.

 The lines consist of five tercets (three-line stanzas).
 The five tercets are followed by a quatrain (four-line stanza)

19
 3. How do I Love Thee by Elizabeth Barret Browning
1. About the author
Elizabeth Barrett Browning (born Elizabe Barret) was an
English poet of the Victorian Era who was born on March 6,
1806, at Coxhoe Hall in Durham, England. She was the
eldest of 12 children. Elizabeth married Robert Browning,
himself an author. Both their courtship and the resultant
marriage happened secretly for fear of her father’s
disapproval. Once the father knew about the marriage,
Elizabet was disinherited. In the poem, ‘How do I love thee,’
she writes about her intense love for her lover.
Elizabeth suffered from health challenges from a young age.
She died on 29 June 1861 at the age of 45 in Florence.

2. How do I Love Thee by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Their love is three dimensional.

How Do I Love Thee? (Sonnet 43)
Elizabeth Barrett Browning

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace. Under candlelight
I love thee to the level of every day’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for right.
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.

20
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

3. Title analysis
The poem actually appears as sonnet 43. The worlds, ‘How do I love thee’ are the
introductory part of the poem. The title (words) gives a powerful introduction to the
poem. It draws the addressee to listen attentively as the speaker begins speak. It
is a question meant to prove how the speaker loves the addressee; it as if to say,
do you know how much I love you? The poet could have easily said, ‘this is how
much I love you’, but chose to put it in a question form, to make it more intense
and personal. The framing of the questions shows that the rest of the poem will
provide answers, to prove how much the speaker loves the addressee.

4. Summary of the Poem

In the poem, the speaker addresses the beloved person. The speaker expresses
how strong his/her love is towards the addressee. This love is so strong that it
cannot be restricted by anything, including death – it says strong at all times and
under all conditions. The speaker venerates both love and the lover. The speaker
seems to subscribe to the belief that ‘God is love’. This is seen in the use of words
like ‘ideal grace’, ‘praise’, ‘faith’ and ‘God’.
The speaker concludes by declaring that she/he loves the person dearly and that
their love will not be affected by anything and that it will still exist even much
stronger after death, when all the earthly obstacles are removed.

21
5. Structure of the Poem
The poem has 14 lines and therefore it is a sonnet. All poems have 14 lines
although their structures differ. Some follow metrical patterns while some are in
free verse. The rhyme structure is not definite but there are some rhyming words,
based on the relatedness of their sounds, for example, ’height’ and ‘sight’ (lines 2
and 3)
The poem has an introductory line, which sets the tone of the narrative, the next
12 set the tone of the argument to prove how strong the love is, and the last line
guarantees the unending love the speaker has for the love.
In lines 1 – 6, the speaker tries to show how much she/he loves the person. In
lines7 – 13, however, there is a marked personal involvement, with the use of the
first-person pronoun ‘I’

6. Poem Analysis
The poem open with a question, namely ‘How do I love thee?’. The next part of the
opening lines is an undertaking to prove how much the speaker loves the person.
In lines 2-4, the speaker declares that she/he loves the person with a love that
surpasses the depth, breadth and height of her/his soul – meaning, it is
immeasurable.
In lines 5-6, the speaker assures the lover the love is normal everyday type which
can find better expression under tranquillity (quietness) a candlelight or in a normal
daylight (‘sun’) situation.
In lines 7 – 8, the speakers says that she/he loves the person as naturally and
genuinely as when people (‘men’) do struggle to do what is right or modest. The
use of simile to compare the strife for ordinary things emphasises the need for a
space to express love to a person that one loves, in the same away that everybody
needs love.
In lines 9 – 12, the speaker introduces two strong feelings, the passion used
during the past grief and the genuine love of a child. The image of a child suggests
genuine, pure and innocent (undefiled) love. A saint is a holy person and losing
one is painful. The speaker values the love so much that she venerates it. It is
almost as if she/he worships this love.

22
In lines 12 – 14 the speaker concludes by saying that she/he loves the person with
everything and under all situations and that if God decides that they should die,
then this love will continue even better after death because there would be no
more earthly restrictions.

7. Themes
The poem explores several themes, some of which are given below.
Love: The poem shows how far one can go to expresses tyre love. / Love
conquers everything, including death.
Loyalty: Love is based on devotion to the person you love.
Reverence (of love): The speaker compares love to an object of awe and worship.
Relationship: A strong relationships cannot be destroyed if one is prepared to fight
for its preservation.
Transcendental nature of love. Love transcends all challenges, beliefs and
conditions.
Death: The speaker thinks that what we cannot conquer while we are alive can still
be gained after death.

8. Imagery
There are several images used in the poem to strengthen the argument for the
preservation and expression of one’s love. Some of the imageries are given below.
Depth/breadth/height: This visualises the idea of how expansive love is.
Sight (out of sight): Out of sight means not seeing or unseen, meaning love cannot
be conquered by sight, hence the idea that love is blind.
Sum/ candlelight: This emphasises the idea of light – love brightens one’s outlook
or heart.
Saints: emphasis on holiness; love as spiritual.
Smiles/tears: These are an expression of both feelings of joy and sadness.
Death: Paradoxically death will remove obstacles but not the love for the
addressee as this will continue beyond life.

23
 9. Tone
The overriding tone if the tone of confidence. Other examples can be revealed as
the poem goes through several stages.
Confidence: The speaker is confident that the love will stay strong despite all the
challenges thaub might be standing on the way.
Hopeful: The speaker is hopeful that their love will stay fir ever.
Excitement: The speaker is excited about the opportunity to share how strong
her/his love is to the addressee.
Thoughtful/hesitant: The speaker’s tone word change when the idea of death
comes in, hence the hesitant ‘if God choose’

10. Study the poem below and then answer the questions that follow.
How do I Love Thee? Elizabeth Barrett Browning

1 How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

2 I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
3 My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
4 For the ends of being and ideal grace.
5 I love thee to the level of every day’s
6 Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
7 I love thee freely, as men strive for right.
8 I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
9 I love thee with the passion put to use
10 In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.
11 I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
12 With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,
13 Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,
14 I shall but love thee better after death.

24
10.1. Match the words in column A with their explanation sin Column B

COLUMN A COLUMN B
(a) Ideal A complimentary expression.
(b) Strive B intense feelings.
(c) praise C mark of respect
(d) passion D perfect situation
E positive attempt

10.2. Who does the speaker address this poem to?

10.3. Refer to line 2 (‘I love thee to the depth and breadth and height’.)
What does this line mean? Explain.
10.4 What type of love is an ‘every day’s’ love (line 5)?
10.5 Which atmosphere (mood) does the ‘candle-light’ (line 6) create?
10.6 Refer to line 7 (‘I love thee freely, as men strive for right.’)
(a) Identify the figure of speech used in the above quoted line.
(b) Which two things are being compared.
(c) Provide the reason why you think it is a good comparison.
10.7 Choose the correct answer from the FOUR options given below.
The words ‘I love thee purely’ (line 8) suggests that the speaker’s love is ...
A. still childish and untested.
B. not based on material gain.
C. unrequited due to some obstacles.
D. blessed and enjoys parental approval
10.8 What do the following images symbolise?
(a) ‘childhood’s faith’ (line 10)
(b) ‘saints’
10.9 Discuss the theme of death as it is revealed in the last four lines (lines 11
– 14)
10.10 The speaker succeeds in convincing the reader that her/his love is
limitless.

25
 Responses

10.1 (a) D/ perfect situation

(b) E/ positive attempt
(c) A/ complimentary expression.
(d) B/ intense feelings.
10.2. Who does the speaker address this poem to?
To the beloved/ to a person she/he loves.
10.3. The speaker’s love for the addressee is unconditional/
intense/genuine/unrestricted.
10.4 It is an ordinary (simple/pure/real) love
10.5 Romantic/ love inspired/ charmed/serene/tranquil/exotic
10.6 (a) simile.
(b) lover and honest men
(c) Honest men do what is right without expecting reward, in the same
that a true lover does not expect material gain.
10.7 B. not based on material gain.
10.8 What do the following images symbolise?
(a) purity/ innocence
(b) purity/ blamelessness.
10.9 Lines 11 introduces the sense of ‘loss’ which is equivalent to death, since
in death something is lost (for example, human life). The loss of breath
and smile is associated with dying and crying (‘tears’). These words
prepare us for the message of the next two lines (13-14) and these,
coupled with the reluctant acknowledgement of God’s will (choice), ensure
that when the word ‘death’ closes the poem, there are no surprises
because the build-up has been appropriate.

26
10.10 Open ended response.
Yes. the speaker is able to show that her/his love is not restricted any
obstacle because it is deeper, higher and wider than any distance. Not
even death can stop it. But it is also ordinary, genuine, pure and freely
given.
No. The speaker’s love has not been tested well enough and seems to be
an infatuation rather than genuine love. The speaker is hesitant when
talking about death because she/he is not sure if there will still b love after
death. It is more of expression of emotions than genuine love.

27
4. HOW POEMS ARE MADE-A DISCREDITED VIEW
BY ALICE WALKER
 WHO IS ALICE WALKER?

Alice Walker, in full Alice Malsenior Walker, was born on 9 February 1944 at Eaton, Georgia,U.S.
She was an American writer whose novels, short stories, and poems are noted for their insightful
treatment of African American culture. Her novels, most notably The Color Purple (1982), focus
particularly on women. Her spirituality has influenced some of her best-known novels, including ‘
The color Purple’.

Walker was the eighth child of African American sharecroppers. While growing up, she was
accidentally blinded in one eye, and her mother gave her a typewriter, allowing her to write
instead of doing chores. She received a scholarship to attend Spelman College, where she studied
for two years before transferring to Sarah Lawrence College. After graduating in 1965, Walker
moved to Mississippi and became involved in the civil rights movement. She also began teaching
and publishing short stories and essays.

In 1965, Walker met Melvyn Rosenman Leventhal, a Jewish civil rights lawyer. They were married
on March 17, 1967, in New York City. Later that year, the couple relocated to Jackson, Mississippi,
becoming the first legally married interracial couple in Mississippi since miscegenation (sexual
relationships or reproduction between people of different ethnic groups, especially when one of
them is white) laws were introduced in the state. They were harassed and threatened by whites,

28
including the Ku Klux Klan. The couple had a daughter, Rebecca, in 1969. Walker and her
husband divorced in 1976.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Alice Walker is an American human rights activist, poet, and author. Her writing focuses on the
struggles of black people, especially women. Her most famous novel, The Color Purple”, is partly
about women finding their voice to express how they truly feel. This is a similar theme to this
poem, which is about how writing can help us heal ourselves.

How poems are made

A Discredited View

1 Letting go
In order to hold on
I gradually understand
How poems are made

29
2 There is a place the fear must go
There is a place the choice must go
There is a place the loss must go
The leftover love.
The love that spills out
10 of the too full cup
and runs and hides
its too full self
in shame.

I gradually comprehend
15 how poems are made.
To the upbeat flight of memories.
The flagged beats of the running
heart.

I understand how poems are made.

20 They are the tears
that season the smile.
The stiff-neck laughter
that crowds the throat.
The leftover love.

25 I know how poems are made

There is a place the loss must go
There is a place the gain must go.
The leftover love.

30
  GLOSSARY:
Flagged (adjective): figuratively, it means noticed; Literally: is putting a flag in the ground to mark
a place.
Gradually (adjective): it means slowly. It took her a long time to know how to write a truthful
poem. She had to experience joy as well as pain and loss, for herself.

Stiff-neck (adjective): To have a stiff-neck means to be proud or arrogant. When we are hurt,
sometimes we try to hide our feelings. We try to laugh off the rejection. Literally, we hold our heads
high (with stiff necks) so others cannot tell how sad we feel.

Discredited (adjective): When we discredit an idea, we reject it or don’t take it seriously. But
Waker is being ironic (saying the opposite of what she really feels) She does believe that this is
how poems are made-putting all our experiences and feelings into them. This is not a discredited
view. The title seems to say the opposite of what the poem says.

 Title of the poem

“How poems are made- A discredited View.” The poet is presenting the “How” of making
poems, that is, where poetry comes from. Walker continues to say it is “A discredited View.”
Discredited is an adjective. When we discredit an idea which is a “View”, we are saying we
reject it or don’t take it seriously. Walker is being ironic (saying the opposite of what she
really feels). She believes that this is how poems are made- by putting all our experiences
and feelings into them. So, this is not a discredited view. The title says the opposite of what
the poem says.

 SUMMARY

This poem is a possible explanation for the reason people write poems. Walker explains that a
poem is a place to express the mixed feelings that are still with us after a love affair ends. Writing a
poem can bring us relief because our true feelings are expressed. We should find a good place for
our feelings of rejection and not feel ashamed of them. We should not pretend to be happy when
we are sad. Poems are a place where we can tell the truth, remember the good as well as bad
parts of the relationship, and find some inner peace. Alice Walker is a black American activist. She
wrote from the 1960s onwards. This was a time of great change and struggle in America, which

31
had a similar system to Apartheid (the separation of races, and inequality for black people by law).
The USA called it Segregation. Walker often wrote about falling in love with people from different
communities to her own.

 STYLE, FORM AND STRUCTURE OF THE POEM

The structure and form of a poem are ways that the poem is organized, e.g., rhyme scheme,
stanza form is all part of poetic structure.

The poem is a Free verse. There is no set structure or rhyme scheme. There is some internal
rhyme. The repetition of “how poems are made” is like a chorus (repeated lines). The free-verse
style and lack of traditional structure or rhyme scheme sounds like informal, spoken English.

 ANALYSIS OF THE TEXT

1. Speaker: The speaker in the poem is not named, but we know that it is probably the poet,
Alice Walker. She uses the first-person narrative “I”.
2. Voice: The voice of the poem is a mixture of sadness and joy. The poet sounds detached
and calm.
3. Addressee: The speaker is having a conversation with herself, which is an internal
monologue. But it is also directed to the audience, the readers. Anyone who has had a
failed relationship or has been rejected will relate to the poem.
4. Themes as evident in the text:
o Internal struggle and peace
When love relationships have failed, we feel rejected and unhappy with ourselves thinking
we are at fault. We often get confused and cannot understand why the ones who said
before that they love us cannot love us anymore. We find ourselves having to deal(struggle)
with the feelings of heartbreak so that we can be able to move on. If not, we get stuck in the
internal struggle and lose our peace.
This theme is reflected in ‘Letting go/ In order to hold on’ (lines 1-2). She says in writing a
poem, we are helping ourselves to let go of the emotions that are building inside us . When
we comprehend(understand) how our relationships are, we can cope better and can ‘hold
on’ to the good things. She is teaching us to admit our true feelings and deal with our hurt.

32
 o Narrative therapy and the healing power of writing

Writing about our experiences help us to heal ourselves after terrible things that have
happened to us. This is called narrative (telling stories) therapy. Life is a mixture of happy
and bitter moments; therefore, poems can help us deal with our emotions, thereby
managing them. Writing down our experiences helps us remember that we have happiness
‘laughter’ (line 22) and bitter times ‘tears’ (line 20). Remembering both positive and negative
experiences help us to heal from difficult happenings.
‘There is a place the loss must go’ (line 7 and 26’. This tells us that Walker feels that a
poem is a place where the feelings of loss can go, rather than keeping the feelings inside
us. A poem can express the hurt we feel when a relationship ends. Writing a poem makes
that feeling of loss less painful.’
‘There is a place the gain must go’ (line 27). The poem helps the writer understand what
was gained through painful experience. By the end of the poem, Walker knows that she has
lost a love partner- but has gained knowledge. Writing helps to heal and prepare to love
another. She has gained hope from her writing of the poem. She understands that in life we
go through a range of emotions, from joy to bitterness. ‘They are the tears/ that season the
smile (lines 20-21). Our difficult moments ‘tears’ help us to appreciate our happy moments
‘the smile’. She continues saying ‘flagged beats of running/Heart’ (lines 17-18). Flagging
means noticing. Walker says a poem captures how it feels to be in love (when the heart
beats faster) and acknowledge the happy parts of the relationship ‘the upbeat flight of
memories’ (line 16’. She has lost her partner, but she has some joyful memories of the love
affair.

5. Figurative language

o Metaphor
A metaphor directly compares two things: literal (physical meaning) and figurative (deeper
meaning). It is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action
to which it is literally applicable (true) but helps explain an idea by making a comparison.
1. ‘They are the tears/ that season the smile’ (lines 20-21). These lines tell us that poems
are honest and truthful. Seasoning is the spice or salt used in cooking. Tears are literally
salty, but in these lines, Walker says they add truth and are more valuable than a false

33
 smile. Walker discourages the audience to pretend that all is well by putting on a brave
face and hard their feelings.
2. ‘crowds the throat’ (line 23). Walter is trying to say that her feelings are so strong that
she feels as if she is choking. When we cry (with sadness or joy), our throats can feel
like they are closing because membranes inside our throats swell.
3. ‘the love that spills out/ of the too full cup’ (lines 9-10). Love is compared to a cup full of
liquid. This means that when we have so much joy, that it cannot fit into a cup (it spills
out). Walker is saying she has too much love but the person she loves cannot accept
her love. The speaker has been rejected, so she feels heartbroken.

o Repetition

Repetition is when the same words are used over and over. ‘How poems are made’ is the
title of the poem. Walker repeats the phrase in three slightly different ways throughout the
poem.
She ‘gradually’ (slowly) understands how poems are made. Then she ‘comprehends’ and
‘understands’ how poems are made. Lastly, she ‘knows’ how poems are made. She moves
from being confused to certainty. In the last stanza, she has worked out how to live with her
broken heart- by writing a poem. She now understands that poems are made from poets
expressing their true feelings and experiences on paper. ‘the leftover love’ and ‘there is a
place the loss must go’ are repeated. These phrases help to emphasize the emotional truth
of the poem; that love is painful. These repetitions make the audience to understand how
much pain the speaker has gone through.

o Oxymoron

The function of the oxymoron is to place two seemingly opposite ideas close together to tell
the truth.
1. ‘Letting go/ in order to hold on (lines 1-2). This seems like an impossible task, but
Walker is trying to be at peace with her failed relationship.
2. ‘Stiff-necked laughter’ (line 22). To be stiff-necked means being proud and proud
people hate to laugh at themselves. Walker is trying to say that people pretend to be
happy whereas they are suffering. They do not want other people to know that they are
34
 hurt and the extent of their hurt after a broken relationship. They hold their heads high
(stiff-necked) and fake happiness. The poet wishes people to change and face the truth.
 TONE
It is a literary device that conveys the poet’s attitude toward the subject, speaker, or
audience of a poem. It can be established through figurative language and imagery. Tone is
sometimes referred to as mood.
The tone is mostly hopeful. She steps back from her experience to try make sense of it.

 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

1. Refer to the title of the poem, ‘How Poems are Made’:

1.1 Use your own words to explain how poems are made. (3)
o The poet says that poems are a place for all emotions.
o These can be happy (positive) ones.
o They can be sad (negative/ painful) ones.

1.2 Does Walker think that other poets will agree with her about how to make poems?

No, she does not. She thinks they will not agree with her view, that is why in the title, she
calls it a ‘discredited view’.

2. Refer to ‘The love that spills out/ of the too full cup’ (lines 9-10):
2.1 Identify the figure of speech in these lines.
Metaphor
2.2 Explain how this figure of speech is appropriate. (3)
o The poet is comparing her love for someone else to a cup full of liquid.
o She has too much love for the person and so her cup is ‘too full’.
o The person does not feel the same way she does and so her love is ‘wasted’.

3. Refer to ‘The stiff-neck laughter’ (line 22):

3.1 Identify the literary device in ‘stiff-neck laughter’.
Oxymoron.

35
 3.2 Explain how this literary device is effective.
‘Stiff-neck’ and ‘laughter’ are opposites but put together.
Laughter is associated with happiness and relaxation, but ‘stiff-necked’ presents a
person who is laughing having tension meaning, he is hiding true feelings. The
person is pretending to be happy as if nothing is wrong.

4. Refer to the whole poem. Identify and discuss the effect of the use of repetition in the
poem.

Walker repeats the phrase ‘how poems are made’. At first, she is confused about what
makes a poem feel real. Then she says then she understands and comprehends how
poems are made. This means she is learning through experience that true feelings
matter the most in making poems. In the last stanza she becomes certain and says now
she knows how they are made which is through capturing true feelings and accepting
how we feel. The repetition leads us to understand the process she went through.

5. Refer to ‘Letting go/in order to hold on’ (lines 1-2)

5.1 Identify the figure of speech. (1)
Oxymoron.
5.2 Discuss its effectiveness. (4)
o It seems impossible to let go so that you can hold onto it.
o The poet does not mean she is physically letting go.
o She means she is at peace with her failed relationship and that is what she is letting
go of.
o She is holding on to the good memories of the relationship.

6. Below is a summary of the poem. Complete it with a word or words:

Alice Walker’s poem describes a way of (6.1) ………. When a (6.2) ……………
relationship has ended. The poem describes some of the difficult (6.3) ……….. that
relationships bring. It describes how the (6.4) ………. We are left with builds up and
causes us to (6.5) …….. to be happy, and to (6.6) …….what we truly feel. The poem
suggests that writing a poem helps us to find some (6.7) ………….. about the (6.8)
………… (8)
36
 6.1 coping/managing/ recovering.
6.2 Love/loving/romantic.
6.3 Feelings/emotions.
6.4 Pain/hurt/rejection.
6.5 Pretend.
6.6 Hide/ cover up.
6.7 Peace/closure.
6.8 Past/our history.

7. Say whether the following statement is TRUE or FALSE. Support your answer:

The speaker was quick to understand how poems are made. (2)

False. In stanzas 1 and 3, she used the word ‘gradually’ which means, slowly. This
means that she took a long time to understand how poems are made.

8. What message is “There” conveying in the second stanza? (3)

It is a demonstrative pronoun of place ( which is a part of speech) standing in the place
of a poem / poetry, ( which is a noun). It is “There” (in poetry) that we must take our
fears, choices and loses.

37
5. No Man is an Island: John Donne

John Donne was an English poet, scholar, soldier and secretary born into a recusant family, who
later became a cleric in the Church of England. Under royal patronage, he was made Dean of St
Paul's Cathedral in London. He is considered the preeminent representative of the metaphysical
poets. Wikipedia
Born: 22 January 1572, London, United Kingdom
Died: 31 March 1631, at the age of 59. London, United Kingdom
Children: Constance Donne, George Donne, Elizabeth Donne, MORE
Spouse: Anne More (m. 1601–1617)
His poems are about existence and meaning of life, he achieves this by employing elaborate use
of figurative language and philosophical topics [metaphysical]. He is well known for his poems on
love and religion.

38
No man is an island

1 No man is an island ‘Island’ a body of land surrounded by water

Entire of itself,
Every man is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main. ‘the main’ is the main land
5 If a clod be washed away by the sea, ‘clod’ chunk of earth
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were. A’ promontory’ is a big piece of land that sticks out into the sea
As well as any manner of thy friend’s
Or of thine own were: ‘thine’- your
10 Any man's death diminishes me, ‘diminishes’ -lessens/reduces
Because I am involved in mankind.
And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; ‘bell tolls’ announces death
It tolls for thee.

Islands – source google.com

39
Promptories-source google.com

The title of the poem

No man is an island is a proverb that means that no one is truly self- sufficient.

Summary

The poem is about interconnectedness of humanity. The poet argues that we cannot live in
isolation from one another, neither can we die in isolation.

Structure

The poem is written in free verse, it doesn’t follow a specific set of rules i.e. no rhyme scheme or
regular rhythm. The poet uses language that is visually descriptive and goes into an extended
metaphor to compare the loss of human kind to the loss of a segment of the continent.

Analysis

Lines 1-2
No man is an island…itself’
This is a metaphor meaning that no man is by himself. We are all connected to each other.
Lines 3-4
‘Every man is a piece of the continent... main’
The poet metaphorically compares human kind to a continent. The individual pieces of earth
represent individual people.

40
Lines 5-6
The extended metaphor continues in these lines. As people are connected, Donne contends that
what happens to one person affects every person, ‘If a clod be washed…the sea’, the loss of a
single clod into the ocean makes the continent smaller [diminishes].

Metaphor: The loss of human being is compared to a loss of the segment of the continent.

Alliteration: The gentle sounds of ‘washed away’ adds lyric to the image of a ‘clod’ being swept
away by the ocean

Lines 7-9
‘As well as if a promontory were. As well as any manor of thy friend’s

Or of thine own were.’ this is saying that a piece of earth is as important as your friend’s house
’manor’. It is also as important as your house.

Line 10

‘Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind.’

If one person dies, the whole group is diminished, made less. Because of the connection between people,
all of whom are ‘involved’, Donne argues against individualism.

Alliteration: The phrase ‘Any man's death diminishes me’, the two strong ‘d’ make strong sounds that
add a bid of drama.

Lines 11-13
‘And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee’.

The poet tells us at the end of the poem that when we hear the bells ringing that someone has
died, we don’t need to ask who it is. It is as if a part of us died as we are all connected to each
other.

Theme
a. Interconnectedness: The poet explores interconnectedness to show the ties between
people and their effect on others.
b. Equality: We might as well be kind to one another, because we are all equal in the end (our
deaths).

41
Tone

a. Confident: ‘No man is an island’ (line 1) tells us that the poet is feeling calm about his idea.
This is a statement of fact.

b. Reflective and persuasive: The poem is about convincing the reader that we are
connected to all other humans, and that we should treat everyone with loving kindness,
even if we don’t know them personally.

c. Warning: ‘it tolls for thee’ (line 13) tells us that we should behave better because we will all
die one day, regardless of our wealth or social importance. We might as well be kind to one
another, because we are all equal in the end (death).

Symbol
a. The bell ringing is a symbol of death
b. The Island is a symbol of isolation

Questions

1. Fill in the next word:

No man is an (a) _______________, entire of (b) ______________; every man is a (c)
__________ of the continent, a part of the (d) __________. (4)

2. Refer to ‘No man is an island’ (the title of the poem and line 1):

2.1. Identify the figure of speech. (1)

2.2. Explain how this figure of speech is appropriate. (4)
3 Paraphrase the lines If a clod be washed away by the sea/Europe is
the less. (2)
4. Refer to line 12: The tolling bell symbolizes
(a) The death of a person
(b) A call for people to come to church
(c) A warning that someone is about to die (1)
5. Do you agree with Donne’s argument that no man is an island? (3)

42
Answers

1. (a) Island (b) Itself (c) Piece (d) main (4)

2.
2.1. Metaphor (1)
2.2. • An island is a piece of land completely surrounded by water. (1)
• Islands are cut off from the mainland. (1)
• Figuratively Donne is saying that we humans can’t live separately from each other as
islands do from the mainland. (1)
• We need to live together with our fellow humans for companionship and survival.
(1)
3. If a lump of soil fell into the sea√ the continent of Europe would be diminished/made
smaller. (2)
4. (a) The death of a person (1)
5. Yes, human beings are interconnected.√ We need each other for love and friendship, food,
shelter and other necessities.√ People cannot make it all by themselves√
(3)

43
 6. THE WILL – Sipho Sepamla

1. THE POET’S BACKGROUND

Sydney Sipho Sepamla spent most of his life in Soweto, the enormous township southwest of
Johannesburg. Sepamla has been grouped with poets like Oswald Mtshali and Wally Mongane
Serote, the group is often referred to as the ‘poets of the big cities’. These are not Johannesburg,
Cape Town and Durban, but rather the ‘Black’ cities of Soweto, Langa and Kwa Mashu.

For a long time, the new city poetry was self-assertive, wrathful and disconcerting. What has
distinguished Sepamla from the other poets, however, is that his work is not entirely focused on
political themes.

44
However, in 1976 and 1977 Sepamla became a member of Medupe Writers Association, and here
some of his poems, though satirical, had a political undertone. One of these was “The Blues is you
in me”, and the collection ‘The Soweto I Love (1977)’ in which he compares the township with
fermenting dough. This collection was banned during apartheid.

Sipho Sepamla was born in Kagiso, Krugersdorp in 1932. He lived most of his life in Soweto. He
was a teacher. Sepamla

He published his first volume of poetry Hurry up to It! in 1975. He died in 2007 at the age of 75.

2. TITLE ANALYSIS
‘The Will’ refers to the legal document (testament) that determines (says) who will inherit (get)
one’s money or property after you die.
The title refers to the handling of the speaker’s estate. Because it was written in the apartheid era,
it not only refers to the literal handling of the estate. It also refers to the wrongs of the apartheid.

The Will – Sipho Sepamla

1. The house, by right
2. you will have to vacate
3. surrender the permit
4. and keep your peace

5. The burglar-proofing and gate will

6. go to my elder son
7. so will the bicycle
8. and a pair of bracelets

9. The kitchen-scheme and utensils

10. will go to my little girl
11. so will the bath tub
12. and the two brooms

13. The bedroom-suite will go

45
14. To my younger son
15. who is married
16. so will the studio couch

17. The peach tree uproot

18. It might grow in the homelands
19. so it might be with your stem

20. The Bible

21. you will have to share
22. for you will always want its light

23. The cat spotted black and white

24. you will have to divide
25. for that you will need God’s guidance

TOWNSHIP HOUSES KITCHEN SCHEME

46
BATH TUB

47
3. SUMMARY
The poem is about the handling of the speaker’s estate. The speaker is talking directly to the
people who are to receive these assets after his death. He has very few possessions to give his
children. The apartheid government's wrongs are also addressed. From the first stanza, we see
that the family members of the speaker will have to surrender the permit and vacate the house.
This is because of the regulations of those times. During apartheid black South Africans could not
own land and therefore their homes in white cities.

4. STRUCTURE OF THE POEM

It is a free verse – does not have consistent pattern of rhyme and meter. Follows the rhythm of
natural speech.

Lyrical poem – formal type of poetry which expresses personal emotions or feeling. Spoken in the
first person.

7 stanzas: 4 stanzas of four lines each and 3 stanzas of 3 lines each; only two pairs of rhyming
words.

48
5. ANALYSIS OF THE POEM

Stanza 1

The speaker has a permit because of his work obligations in the

area he is staying.
during apartheid, black people needed a permit to work and live in a specific area.

The speaker says that the house must be vacated and the permit
surrendered.
The speaker suggests that it in order to keep the peace, his family should
not fight the government to keep the house.

Stanza 2

The speaker gives his elder son the burglar-proofing, gate bicycle and a pair of bracelets.
The burglar-proofing and gate are both for protection.
Passing them on to the eldest son is symbolic of passing on the responsibility of taking care of the
family.
The son will now become the head of the family.
The bicycle is for transportation and will allow the elder son to get to
and from work to earn money and provide for the family.

Stanza 3

This stanza refers to the kitchen-scheme and utensils that are given to the
daughter. This signifies the assignment of gender roles. Stereotypes in relation to
The kitchen associated with women.

Stanza 4

This stanza is to his younger son. The giving of the bedroom-suite symbolises parenthood and
intimacy. This implies that even in the absence of the speaker, the family will still grow. This stanza
also emphasises that even though the apartheid government may try to destroy the black family,
they will not succeed. The families will continue to grow.

49
Stanza 5
The peach tree is to be uprooted (pulled out or taken out)
The uprooting of the peach tree is symbolic of how black people were forcibly removed from their
homes and taken to different homelands.
The stem is the main part of the tree which will hopefully remain strong, even after
being moved.

Stanza 6
In Stanza 6, the speaker determines that the family Bible will have to be shared because it is such
an important possession. The Bible is left to all members of the family. The speaker also quotes
the Bible by saying it will be their ‘light’.
It is the light that will guide them forward.

Stanza 7
This stanza shows how ridiculous apartheid was and uses the cat as a symbol of blacks and
whites in South Africa. The suggestion to divide the cat amongst the children shows how
separating blacks and whites complicated the South African situation. It is impossible to divide a
cat that is alive and only the intervention of God can make that possible.

6. THEMES

Exploitation
The government exploits people. Although the speaker worked for government, his family does not
benefit anything and has to move from the house to make way for the new employee. This is why
the speaker advices the family to vacate their current home to avoid persecution.

An expression of frustration and anger. The speaker is feeling incredibly angry

and frustrated. He has very few possessions and is powerless in the society in
which he lives.

50
7. IMAGERY

Repetition

 It is repeating words, phrases, lines or stanzas.

 Repetition can be used to help establish rhyme schemes and rhythm
 The verb ‘will’ is used by the speaker in each stanza.
 ‘Will’ is used to indicate the future tense but when used with ‘have to’ means that something
must happen.
 The speaker is deciding what will happen to his things once he is dead but he is not making
these decisions because he wants to.

For example in :

o Stanzas 1, 6, 7 – ‘will have to’: Some decisions are out of the speaker’s hands.
o In Stanza 1, he would prefer his family to inherit his house so that they can have a place to
live but he is not able to leave it to them because he does not own it.
o In Stanzas 6 and 7, the Bible and the cat have to be shared, even though this is not really
possible.
o Stanza 2, 3, 4 – ‘will go’: Here the speaker is clearly instructing which of his children will get
what. Each child and item is mentioned individually.

Alliteration

The use of several words together that begin with the same consonant sound or letter.
 ‘bicycle’ and ‘bracelet (Stanza 2), ‘bathtub’ and ‘bracelet’ (Stanza 3)
the/b/sound is repeated in the things that the speaker leaves to his elder son and daughter.
The strong sound emphasises the practicality of these items.
 ‘God’s guidance’ (Stanza 7): the/g/sound is strong and guttural and points to the strength
the family must have in their faith in God.

51
Sarcasm
 Sarcasm is a literary device that uses irony to mock someone or something or convey
contempt (disgust).
 The use of words that mean the opposite of what the speaker intends
 Used to show irritation and is also used to insult.
 In lines 23 – 24, the speaker uses sarcasm to show his dislike/contempt for
the Apartheid government. He does not really want the cat to be divided, but
is rather commenting on the division of people according to their skin colour.

8. MOOD AND TONE

Mood – is the feeling created by the poem

Tone – the way the writer expresses the mood

the words used by the writer/speaker

The poem shows the bitterness the speaker had towards the apartheid government
The speaker does not want to leave anything behind ( He took the gate and burglar proofing).

9. Questions and answers

QUESTIONS

(a) Is this poem taking place in the present, past or future? (1)
(b) What is the setting of the poem? (2)
(c) Explain why the speaker’s children will have to vacate the house (2)
(d) Give 2 examples of alliteration in the poem. (2)
(e) Refer to line 22
What was the speaker referring to in this line? (1)
Explain why the speaker’s children ‘will always want light. (2)
(f) What do you think is the message of the poem? (2)

52
ANSWERS

(a) In the past. √

(b) In the speaker’s house in the township during the apartheid era. √√
(c ) Black people were not entitled to own land; they merely had a permit to live
on it. √
Once the permit holder died, the land had to be handed back to the state. √
He could therefore not leave his house to his children. √
(d) bicycle’ and ‘bracelet √
God’s guidance’√
(e) Light’ is synonymous with the guidance offered from the bible.√
The children will need the wisdom of the bible to guide them. √√
(f) An expression of anger towards the apartheid government for the inhumane way it handled black
people. √√

53