First Day After the War
Mazisi Kunene
1.We
heard
the songs of a wedding party.
2.We
saw
a soft light
3.Coiling
round
the young blades of grass
4.At
first
we hesitated, then we saw her footprints,
5.Her
face
emerged, then her eyes of freedom!
6.She
woke
us up with a smile saying,
7.'What
day
is this that comes so suddenly?‘
8.We
said,
'It is the first day after the war.‘
9.Then
without
waiting we ran to the open space
10.Ululating
to
the mountains and the pathways
11.Calling
people
from all the circles of the earth.
12.We
shook
up the old man demanding a festival.
13.We
asked
for all the first fruits of the season
14.We
held
hands with a stranger
15.We
shouted
across the waterfalls
16.People
came
from all lands
17.It
was
the first day of peace.
18.We
saw
our Ancestors traveling tall on the horizon.
Born
in Durban in 1930
He
spent over 30 years in exile and returned in 1993
In
2005, he
was honoured with
the title of Poet Laureate
Mazisi Kunene died
on 12 August 2006
We heard
the songs
of a wedding party.
We saw a soft light
We saw a soft light
The
poet appeals to the reader's sense of hearing (heard the
songs) and vision (saw
a soft light).
The
songs of celebration
Sibilance
of the “s” consonant sound – alliteration
Coiling
round the young blades of grass
Coiling
– wind around in loops or spirals, completely covered
Metaphor
– the poet compares the young married couple to
young blades of grass. The
married couple are young like fresh
Metaphor
– the glow of happiness on the young couple is
compared to light on new grass.
Also
suggests a new dawn, new beginning, fresh new start
At
first
we hesitated, then we saw her footprints,
Her face emerged, then her eyes of freedom!
Her face emerged, then her eyes of freedom!
Hesitated
suggests unbelief, doubt
Personification
– freedom is described as having footprints, a
face and eyes. Kunene uses the
concept of the democracy as a
character. Democracy is feminised by the pronoun
“her”.
Furthermore, freedom or democracy is said to have footprints, a
face and eyes.
'footprints' refers to the area affected or covered by freedom;
freedom makes its mark with its footprints.
"face' refers to one's identity. Freedom is identified as such when
it emerges.
'eyes of freedom' could suggest the innocense of freedom
She woke
us up with a smile saying,
'What day is this that comes so suddenly?‘
'What day is this that comes so suddenly?‘
Metaphor - the
poet compares South Africa under the
oppression of apartheid to a long sleep.
Democracy wakes the
country up out of its apartheid sleep.
'with a smile' suggests the welcoming nature of freedom.
'Day'
refers to the dawn of democracy – day of the first
democratic elections.
Suddenly
has a hint of ‘violence’ or of interrupting the sleep of
apartheid. Apartheid
is demolished and freedom has come.
We
said, 'It is the first day after the war.‘
Metaphor
– apartheid is compared to war. War is unjust and
innocent lives are lost.
Apartheid was unjust and many lives were
lost.
Then
without
waiting we ran to the open space
Ululating to the mountains and the pathways
Calling people from all the circles of the earth.
Ululating to the mountains and the pathways
Calling people from all the circles of the earth.
The
poet appeals to the reader’s auditory sense.
Onomatopoeia
– the pronunciation of the word ‘ululating’
imitates actual ululating. Ululating is defined as a loud, shrill or cry
of sorrow or of rejoicing. In this case it is the African sound of
rejoicing one hears at a wedding celebration.
Metaphor
– the ululating is compared to an announcement or
celebration of freedom. It is
to be heard by all so that all will
celebrate the freedom from apartheid.
'circles of the earth' refers to all the tribes and language groups on
the earth.
We
shook
up the old man demanding a festival.
We asked for all the first fruits of the season
We asked for all the first fruits of the season
The
old man could refer to the elderly who have been subjected
to apartheid for
many years. A festival is demanded because of
the freedoms they were denied. It
is owed to them and long
overdue.
Alliteration - “first fruits”. The f consonant sound
suggests an
overflowing / abundance of crops/ fruit.
“first
fruits of the season” is a Biblical allusion to the tithe which is
an
expression of gratitude for God’s blessings.
The
idea of responding with gratitude for the advent of
democracy is suggested.
This is particularly necessary after the
experience of hardship during the
oppressive apartheid regime.
We
held hands with a stranger
This
line suggest a reconciliatory action.
Black
and white (strangers – apartheid separated people on the
basis of their skin
colour).
We
shouted
across the waterfalls
People came from all lands
People came from all lands
The
announcement of the advent of democracy is shared with all
neighbouring
countries / across borders.
It
was the first day of peace.
We
saw our Ancestors traveling tall on the horizon.
The
ancestors finally find their rest from the oppression that they
were subjected
to. They are relieved and travel in the spirit world
with pride (travelling
tall).
Their
blood was shed by the injustice of apartheid. Now that
injustice is atoned.
The
spirits of the African ancestors are known as amadlozi
and
they play a very important role in the lives of their living
descendants.
The tone of the poem is celebratory and praise for democracy in
South Africa.
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