growing up with poetry (d. rubadiri), Study notes of Poetry

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GROWING UP WITH POETRY (D. RUBADIRI)

1. BUILDING THE NATION

By Christopher H. M. Barlow (Uganda) Today I did my share In building the nation. I drove the permanent secretary To an important urgent function In fact to a luncheon at the Vic. The menu reflected its importance Cold Bell beer with small talk, Then fried chicken with niceties Wine to fill the hollowness of the laughs Ice-ream to cover the stereotype jokes Coffee to keep the PS awake on return journey. I drove the permanent secretary back. He yawned many times in the back of the car Then to keep awake, he suddenly asked, Did you have any lunch friend? I replied looking straight ahead And secretly smiling at his belated concern That I had not, but was sliming! Upon which he said with a seriousness That amused more than annoyed me,

Mwananchi, I too had none! I attended to matters of state. Highly delicate diplomatic duties you know, And friend, it goes against my grain, Causes me stomach ulcers and wind. Ah, he continued, yawning again, The pains we suffer in building the nation! So the PS had ulcers too! My ulcers I think are equally painful Only they are caused by hunger, No sumptuous lunches! So two nation builders Arrived home this evening With terrible stomach pains The result of building the nation –

• Different ways. INTRODUCTION. Building the nation is a poem by a Ugandan poet Christopher Henry Muwanga Barlow that principally explores the lifestyle of African bourgeoisie who came to power after colonialism and ideally, simply replaced the coloniser. There is a need for African leaders to create hope for those they lead but they are caught up in the same evil lifestyle of their colonial predecessors. The aspects of nation building which were supposed to dominate public and political policies have been thrust to the periphery of human thought. THEMATIC ANALYSIS.

DISILLUSIONMENT

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

AWARENESS

The poem paints a picture of awareness that those who are oppressed are now aware that those in power are exploiting them. This is an important step as long as the liberation of the oppressed is concerned. It is also a significant step if the nation is to realise sustainable development where the national resources will be mutually utilized for the benefit of not only the ruling class but the masses as well. If we examine the end of the poem it seems to induce a kind of anger that should lead to vengeance (revenge). The persona is appealing to the oppressed to rise to the occasion and deal with the ruling class. The fact that “two nation builders/ arrived home this evening/with terrible stomach pain/the result of building the nation/different ways” is more like an appeal to emotions where the persona seeks actions from the masses. In a way, the persona calls for a reaction towards the ruling class’s hypocritical nation building where they pretend to have welfare of the masses at heart while in real sense they just want to capitalize on their efforts. VULNERABILITY OF HUMANITY. Nevertheless, the persona seems to have hopes in some facts that both the African bourgeoisie and the proletariats have their points of vulnerability. They both suffer in one way or another because of their own actions and lifestyles. For instance the driver becomes sick because of lack of food while the PS becomes sick for eating too much. So Ps has ulcers too! My ulcers I think are equally painful Only they are caused by hunger, No sumptuous lunches! MESSAGE.

• If we wish to do well in nation building we must as public servants respect everything that belongs to the state; money, property, working hours etc.
• If the high class is not careful with nation building one day the oppressed may revolt.

RELEVANCE

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

• Today we have a lot of leaders who misuse the public funds while those who are involved in the means of production live in dire poverty.
• Hypocrisy has also become a way of life.
• Classes, exploitation and marginalization are also major issues in our society. STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS a. What is the poem about? The poem is about the concept of nation building as taken by African bourgeoisie class who came to power after colonialism. The poet shows that independence was just the change in colour but the leaders adopted the very tenets of their predecessors. b. Who is the persona? How do you know? The persona is a driver who represents the low class. In line 3 he says “I drove the permanent secretary” c. Suggest some literary and poetic devices used in the poem. i. Alliteration Highly delicate diplomatic duties.. And secretly smiling… Cold Bell beer ii. Barbarism Mwananchi, I too had none! iii. Onomatopoeia Ah, he continued yawning again. This is the sound of yawning iv. Satire To an important urgent function

While she works my wife can sit Sewing each sunny day, With her earning I support Atieno yo. Atieno’s sly and jealous Bad example to the kids Since she minds them, like a school girl Wants their dresses, shoes and beads. Atieno ten years old, Atieno yo. Now my wife has gone to study Atieno’s less free, Don’t I feed her, school my own ones, Pay the party, union fee All for progress? Aren’t you grateful, Atieno yo? Visitors need much attention, Specially when I work nights. That girl stays too long at market Who will teach her what is right? Atieno rising fourteen, Atieno yo. Atieno’s had a baby So we know that she is bad Fifty-fifty it may live

To repeat the life she had, Ending in post partum bleeding Atieno yo. Atieno’s soon replaced Meat and sugar more than all She ate in such a narrow life Were lavished in her funeral Atieno’s gone to glory Atieno yo. APPRECIATION OF THE POEM INTRODUCTION Marjorie was born in Britain in 1928 and travelled to Kenya to work as a missionary. She met and married Macgoye in 1960. This poem was written out of her experience in living among the Luo – a tribe of her husband. She criticises negligence of nurturing children among African societies. Without proper guidance, the young girl Atieno becomes pregnant which leads to her death. STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS

• What is the poem about? The poem is about a young girl called Atieno who is mistreated by her own uncle. She works without pay and ends in death due to post partum bleeding.
• What is the kind of the poem? It is a narrative poem (telling a story) but it is a special kind of narrative poem called “a ballad”
• How many stanzas are there? It has seven stanzas, each with six verses (lines) of unequal length and a refrain “Atieno yo”
• What is the tone of the poem? The tone is sympathetic to the child.
• Comment on the rhyming pattern.

Simile “She minds them like a school girl” THEMATIC ANALYSIS CHILD LABOUR The issue of child labour has become a burning issue that attracts the attention of most social activists. Many children are employed informally, in the streets, homes and some workplaces. We see them selling plastic bags, candies, washing cars, helping the military rebels etc. Atieno in the poem is just one case in point. She represents this class. She is working as a house girl at the age of 8 and strangely enough without pay. At this age she should have been in STD 2. Yet she is employed in her uncle’s home. EXPLOITATION AND OPPRESSION Despite the growing awareness of the violation of human rights, the world is still facing the problem of exploitation and oppression. The young girl in the poem is not only exploited but also oppressed by her own uncle. Although she works and does all the domestic chores she is not paid nor given any good care. The poetess suggests that she even desires to have the dresses, shoes and beads of her cousins since she is not given one. Here says the poetess. Atieno’s sly and jealousy/Bad example to the kids/ Since she minds them like a school girl/Wants their dresses, shoes and dresses. Again in the second stanza she shows how Atieno’s efforts are wasted without gain. Since she is my sister’s child/Atieno needs no pay EARLY PREGNANCY This is another common problem among the teenagers today. Parents are now very busy than at any point in human history. As a result teens have been left without proper parental care. Many girls today have failed to reach their educational goals because when they get pregnancy, they are kicked out of schools altogether. At the age of fourteen Atieno becomes pregnant. This is partly due to poor parental care. As the poetess says that her aunt has gone to study and uncle is busy with the work while poor Atieno has no one to teach her what is right. Since she is still young to handle the delivery complications she dies of excessive post partum bleeding.

HYPOCRISY

There is hypocrisy from family level to national level when you come to think of it. Most stepparents mistreat their stepchildren at home but in the outside they want everybody to believe that they are taking good care of them. If you hear the tone of Atieno’s uncle you will certainly discover some points of sympathy. But the question is; who is mistreating the young Atieno? It’s her uncle. This is hypocrisy. On the funeral, we are told that meat and sugar more than all that Atieno had eaten in such a narrow life were lavished in her funeral. That translates into something like, “I loved the child” what a hypocrite! POOR PARENTAL CARE. While we are not told the reasons why Atieno is not living with her own biological parents, it is evident that most parents have left the responsibility of taking care of their children to the community like schools, churches or relatives. Because the parents are busy, they have no time to make regular follow-ups to check the kind of upbringing their children go through. Parenting is the most important responsibility that parents are now avoiding. Atieno goes to work in her uncle’s home at the age of eight, and her parents are not making follow-ups. Atieno’s uncle is also portrayed as a bad parent since he mistreats his own niece. RELEVANCE As we have seen child labour, hypocrisy, exploitation, oppression, poor parental care and early pregnancies are all common phenomena in our country today. We see many children in the streets selling things like plastic bags, washing cars; helping the military rebels etc. many girls drop their studies due to early pregnancies. Every day we hear of violation and abuse of children rights and parents are very busy today to the point that they cannot spare time to be with their children and listen to their problems. DEATH BE NOT PROUD (JOHN DONNE (England)) (NECTA 2009) with reference to the poem below highlight the central theme and relate it to what is currently happening in our society. Death be not proud, though some have called thee Might and dreadful, for thou art not so; For those whom thou think’st thou dost overthrow Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me. From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be, Much pleasure- then from thee much more must flow; And soonest our best men with thee do go,

COURAGE

The poem provides us with courage of confronting death without fear. Throughout the entire poem, the speaker grows more confident by showing that death is not the end of life. Although it claims people’s lives now, a day is coming when death will take its own life. In such a case we certainly have nothing to fear. He says; Death be not proud, though some have called thee Might and dreadful, for though art not so. RELIGION and FAITH The poem seems to be centred on the subject of religion. It is only in religious spheres people believe that after this life there comes a better life when this mortal body shall put on immortality and death shall be defeated forever. Even though, Donne puts a clear demarcation that this chance of rising and living eternally is not just for everybody who simply die. He rather seems to be very meticulous by adopting a more specific statement that only the good people (our best men) are entitled to this privilege. He says; And soonest our best men with thee do go, Rest of their bones and soul’s delivery THE AFTERLIFE The poet has the hopes of the afterlife. He even shows that the afterlife is better than this life. For him death seems to be a blessing because it is only through death that people are capable of enjoying the afterlife. Here says Donne; From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be, Much pleasure - then from thee much more must flow, STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS a. What type of the poem is this?

This poem is a sonnet because it is made up of 14 lines (verses) b. In what sense is the “sleep of death a short sleep” (line 13)? Although the dead remain in their tombs for hundreds of years, still Donne calls it a short sleep since the dead know nothing. From the day they die they remain unconscious and remember nothing until the day of resurrection. c. The poem has no clear/overt reference to Christianity. Aside from the title how do you know that this is a religious poem? It is only in the religious context people have the assurance of afterlife (life after death). It is the bible that describes death as a short sleep and further states that death will one day be no more in the new heaven and the new earth. (1Cor 15:26) d. Comment on the figures of speech; Personification. Death is addressed as though it is a person. “Death be not proud though some have called thee mighty and dreadful” “Death, thou shalt die” Symbolism He has used common symbols in Christian theology “sleep and rest” to represent death. “One short sleep past, we wake eternally” (line 13) Apostrophe Addressing a thing/person in its/his absence. The poet addresses death but death does not respond. Eg he says ‘poor death’ which is an embarrassing way to talk to someone who considers himself tough. Metaphor. The poet compares ‘rest and sleep’ as the pictures of death. Also death is compared with a slave. Synecdoche. This implies using part of something to represent the whole. In the poem he uses the “bones of the best men” to represent the whole physical body. Rhetorical question. The speaker asks “why swell’st thou then?” it is just intended to make death realize that he has no reasons to be proud, and not seeking for a response.

Listen, My father comes from Payira, My mother is a woman of Koc! I am a true Acoli I am not a half-caste I am not a slave girl; My father was not brought home By the spear My mother was not exchanged For a basket of millet. Ask me what beauty is To the Acoli And I will tell you; I will show it to you If you give me a chance! You once saw me, You saw my hair style And you admired it, And the boys loved it At the arena Boys surrounded me And fought for me. My mother taught me Acoli hair fashions; Which fits the kind

Of hair of the Acoli, And the occasion. Listen, Ostrich plumes differ From chicken feathers, A monkey’s tail Is different from that of a giraffe, The crocodile’s skin Is not like the guinea fowl’s, And the hippo is naked, and hairless. The hair of the Acoli Is different from that of the Arabs; The Indians’ hair Resembles the tail of a horse; It is like sisal strings And needs to be cut With scissors. It is black, And is different from that of a white woman. A white woman’s hair Is soft like silk; It is light And brownish like That of a brown monkey, And is very different from mine. A black woman’s hair

IDENTITY AND AWARENESS

Africans need to be aware of their identity. In this poem Lawino reacts to her husband complaint. While Ocol keeps complaining and regretting for being an African, Lawino on the other hand turns her husband’s complaint into a praise-song for herself and her people. She does so by showing that she is aware of her identity as a black African woman and proud of it. Just like all other women of other races are proud of theirs Lawino sees no need why she should abandon hers. In lines 15-20 she says; Listen My father comes from Payira, My mother is a woman of Koc! I am a true Acoli I am not a half-caste I am not a slave girl AFRICAN CULTURE vs EUROPEAN CULTURE In ‘Song of Lawino’ the poet discusses a lot of conflicts in African culture against European culture in most aspects. This small part of the poem centres entirely on hairstyles alone. Lawino shows that all people were created naturally beautiful and should be proud of how they are. For Lawino there are no reasons for Africans to do their hair like white women because white women never wish to do theirs like Africans. She uses the images ostrich plumes, chicken feathers, crocodile skin, etc to show that every creature has a point of departure from other creatures. No one creature should ever try to change and be like any other. The same applies for people from different races. TRADITIONAL HEALING Moreover, Lawino shows how Africans used to deal with different social and natural phenomena. Although it might seem as a kind of incantation, but it helped to deal with unusual phenomena. For example she says if a ring-worm has eaten the little girl’s hair, all they do is put hot porridge on the head, hold a dance, sing a song, then the hair grows again. This traditional ritual is still relevant to some societies today. PROTEST Lawino shows an open protest against European culture that is invading African culture. She does all it takes to educate African women to love and care for what they have, believe in who

they are, and what they want to do with their lives. She protests doing her hair like white women. She says; It is true I cannot do my hair As white women do POSITION OF WOMEN True and strong upholder of African culture Lawino in this poem represents a class of women who are proud of their culture and identity. They can’t compromise their standards just to please their husbands Care taker for children Lawino shows that she behaves the way she does because her mother took time to teach her. It is always believed that most of the behaviours that we have, we picked them during childhood. It is up to parents to teach their children good manners and they will not abandon them to old age. She says; my mother taught me/Acoli hair fashions/which fits the kind/of hair of the Acoli/and the occasion STUCTURAL ANALYSIS a. What does the title of the poem “the graceful giraffe cannot become a monkey” mean? The poet uses the symbol of the “giraffe” to represent the Acoli (Africans) and “monkey” as a symbol for whites. As the giraffe cannot become a monkey, neither can Africans become white people by their artificial designs. b. Comment on the figures of speech. i. Simile expression of comparison by using conjunctions A white woman’s hair is soft like silk And brownish like that of a brown monkey The Indian’s hair resembles that of a horse, it is like sisal strings ii. Symbolism using one thing to represent another.