The Zulu Girl by Roy Campbell

1 When in the sun the hot red acres smoulder a
2 Down where the sweating gang its labour plies b
3 A girl flings down her hoe, and from her shoulder a
4 Unslings her child tormented by flies. b

5 She takes him to a ring of shadow pooled 
6 By the thorn-tree: purpled with the blood of ticks,
7 While her sharp nails, in slow caresses ruled
8 Prowl through his hair with sharp electric clicks.

9 His sleepy mouth, plugged by the heavy nipple,
10 Tugs like a puppy, grunting as he feeds; 
11 Through his frail nerves her own deep languor’s ripple
12 Like a broad river sighing through the reeds.

13 Yet in that drowsy stream his flesh imbibes
14 And old unquenched, unsmotherable heat –
15 The curbed ferocity of beaten tribes, 
16 The sullen dignity of their defeat.

17 Her body looms above him like a hill
18 Within whose shade a village lies at rest,
19 Or the first cloud so terrible and still
20 That bears the coming harvest in its breast. 

Line by line analysis

THEME

The poet describes the harsh conditions under which people have to work. The Zulu people are an oppressed nation, but they are gathering strength to rebel.

TONE

The opening stanza adopts a sympathetic tone as the poet exposes the harsh conditions where ‘the sweating gang’ (line 2) labours. Likewise, the girl’s child is ‘tormented’ (line 4) by flies. The second stanza portrays the mother as loving and nurturing as she ‘caresses’ (line 7) her child’s hair while she tends to him. The tone of the third stanza is tranquil and serene: 

The word ‘Yet” in the fourth stanza is a shift in tone as the threatening ‘curbed ferocity’ (line 15) of those ‘beaten tribes’ (line 15) intrudes on the peaceful scene. The tone of foreboding and danger finds expression in the 'cloud so terrible and still’ (line 19) that warns of a looming confrontation once the ferocity is unleashed.

Line 1. 

Hot red acres – the African landscape.

Metaphor – landscape is compared to a furnace (hot, red and smoulder have connotations of intense heat). Red is the colour of the freshly ploughed earth.

Smoulder is to burn without flames or about to set into flame. The sun is heating up the earth, the land.

Line 2 

Gang – a collective noun which means that the members have no individual identity or individuality. Here they are labourers, farm workers who have no identity or possibly no dignity.

They are ‘sweating’ because of the heat of the sun and also because they are doing hard work suggesting that they are forced to work on the fields.

Plies – to work steadily

Line 3 

The focus moves from the collective to the individual – a girl.

The word ‘girl’ also suggests that the woman is nameless, without identity. She is not seen as a woman or as a mother even though she has a child.

‘Flings’ suggests an attitude of defiance. Here in protest to the unfavourable conditions that she is forced to work in and also to the authority of the landowner she is forced to work for.

‘Hoe’ is a gardening/farming tool used to plough. It involves strenuous labour to plough the hard earth which has been baked by the sun (line 1).

Line 4 

The girl is carrying her baby on her back while working. She unties the knot of the cloth that holds her child to her back. The child is troubled by the flies. The image here suggests the poverty and degrading conditions under which she must nurture her child. This image is directly opposed to the nursery and sterile conditions under which a mother would normally nurture her child.

Stanza 2

This stanza illustrates the care that the mother shows to her child.

Line 5

Ring of shadow is the shade that comes from the thorn tree.

Pooled suggests that more than one tree creates the shade but the metaphor also suggests the refreshing that one gets from a pool of water on a hot day. The idea is that she finds this shady spot the ideal place (given the context) to feed her child.

Line 6

The hyperbole suggests that the area is infested with ticks (tick-ridden) because the tree is coloured purple by the blood of ticks. Again, the imagery of a place that is not suitable for a baby.

Ticks - parasitic insects causing a bacterial fever transmitted by its bite

Line 7

Sharp nails – what does this image tell us about the mother?

Note the sibilance in the line suggests a soothing ‘s’ sound that soothes her child.

‘Slow caresses’ suggests the motherly affection that she gives her child. Caress means slow loving strokes.

Ruled suggests that she meticulously divides the child’s hair into straight lines to look (prowl) for lice or ticks.

Line 8

Prowl – to move about secretly or cautiously looking for prey. This metaphor is extended by the mother’s sharp nails. The image here portrays the mother as a predator in order to protect her child against the ticks (poverty /unhygienic conditions).

Sharp electric clicks – onomatopoeia on the word clicks and it imitates the sound of electric shocks as the mother strokes through the child’s hair. Electric refers to the static electricity caused by the friction between her nails and the child’s hair.

Line 9

Sleepy relates to the effect of the sibilance in line 7.

Plugged – latched. It also suggests connected / related (the bond between mother and child). The word also suggests the immense hunger of the child as if the breast milk is his only nourishment. (poverty)

Heavy nipple is transferred epithet in that it makes better sense to state ‘heavy breast’ but the poet transfers the description to the nipple to heighten the breastfeeding effect of the suckling child.

Line 10 

Tugs – abrupt pull implying that the child feeds hungrily

Simile – the child is compared to a puppy that is feeding. Both a child and a puppy are vulnerable, innocent and harmless. There is possibly an extension of the image here that if the child is viewed as a puppy, then the mother is viewed as a dog. What do you think? 

However, the mother does not view her child this way.

Grunting – an animal-like noise. This suggests that the child is drinking the milk voraciously almost gluttonously. (Again extending the idea of poverty, starvation for the child).

Line 11 

Frail – fragile, delicate

Languor – tenderness, lack of energy. Note the possessive case: languor’s ripple. This suggests that the mother’s tenderness ripples (her tenderness is stirred up or moves into the child). This could be a deep influence from the mother that the child is drinking in.

Line 12 

Simile – the influence from the mother is compared to a broad river. Here the focus is on the underlying strength from the mother that is broad (expansive). It contains more than just nutritional sustenance.

Sighing is onomatopoeia. This is an emotion of relief in this case. Relief that is explained in the next stanza. Also, personification – the river sighs.

Line 13 

Yet – indicates a change of thought and of tone

Drowsy – resonates with sleepy (line 9)

Stream as opposed to a broad river in line 12. It could imply that this stream will become as expansive as the mother’s influence of strength one day.

Imbibes – absorbs or soaks up

Line 14 

Unquenched – unsatisfied, unfulfilled

Unsmotherable – that which cannot be suppressed or held back

Heat – intense passion

This line refers to the underlying, unfulfilled and unstoppable passion or energy. The dash at the end of the line is used to indicate or explain what this passion/ fire is in the next line (line 14).

Line 15 

curbed – restrained / subdued

Ferocity – fierceness / violence

Note the threatening tone of this line.

The restrained warrior-like fierceness of the Zulu tribes who allowed themselves to be beaten.

Line 16 

Sullen – gloomy and threatening

Dignity – quality of being worthy of esteem or respect

Even though the Zulu tribe’s pride was defeated, they did not lose their dignity.

Stanza 5

The poem now moves to its prophetic climax and the Zulu Girl, as we have seen, takes on the significance of a symbol. She is no longer just a single, stray, exploited, hardworking individual in some remote part of the field: she represents to us the potentiality of her race for suffering, survival, and triumph.

Line 17 

Looms – rises above.

Simile – the mother’s body is compared to a hill. Her body protects her child like a hill protects people living at its foot.

Line 18 

The mother provides shade to the child (refer to line 5) in the heat of the sun.

The village people are waiting in rest. This suggests that they are ready to rise once again. It could mean that they are resting (waiting) for the appropriate time.

Line 19

Simile – the mother’s body is also compared to the first cloud (first rains of the spring season) that is threatening/ violent (terrible) and still (link to the word ‘rest’ (waiting silently to rise at the appropriate time).

The line suggests an unpredictable appearance.

Contrast the hot landscape in line 1 with the anticipation of the first rains of spring.

Line 20 

Bears – carries forth

coming – the future

harvest – a gathering or yield in due season. Can also mean a consequence of an effort or activity. This must be understood in terms of time when the fruit of waiting will ripen. In other words, when the time is right.

The last line warns of a looming confrontation that will restore the Zulu tribe’s warrior pride. In other words a day of reckoning for the Zulu tribe is inevitable.

TONE

The opening stanza adopts a sympathetic tone as the poet exposes the harsh conditions where ‘the sweating gang’ (line 2) labours. Likewise, the girl’s child is ‘tormented’ (line 4) by flies. 

The second stanza portrays the mother as loving and nurturing as she ‘caresses’ (line 7) her child’s hair while she tends to him. 

The tone of the third stanza is tranquil and serene. 

The word ‘Yet” in the fourth stanza is a shift in tone as the threatening ‘curbed ferocity’ (line 15) of those ‘beaten tribes’ (line 15) intrudes on the peaceful scene. The tone of foreboding and danger finds expression in the ‘cloud so terrible and still’ (line 19) that warns of a looming confrontation once the ferocity is unleashed.

POETIC DEVICES

1. Metaphor (line 1) landscape// furnace of intense heat

2. Metaphor (line 5) shadow/ /pool

3. Hyperbole (line 6) purpled

4. Sibilance (line 7) s sound

5. Onomatopoeia (line 8) clicks

6. Metaphor (line 8) prowl – mother// predator

7. Transferred epithet (line 9) nipple

8. Simile (line 12) milk of mother// river

9. Personification (line 12) river sighing

10. Onomatopoeia (line 12) sighing

11. Simile (line 17) mother’s body// hill

12. Simile (line 19) mother’s body// cloud

MOTHO KE MOTHO KA BATHO BABANG  by Jeremy Cronin

(A Person is a Person Because of Other People)

 

By holding my mirror out of the window I see
Clear to the end of the passage.
There's a person down there.
A prisoner polishing a doorhandle.
In the mirror I see him see
My face in the mirror,
I see the fingertips of his free hand
Bunch together, as if to make
An object the size of a badge
Which travels up to his forehead
The place of an imaginary cap.
                                       (This means: A warder.)
Two fingers are extended in a vee
And wiggle like two antennae.
                                       (He's being watched.)
A finger of his free hand makes a watch-hand's arc
On the wrist of his polishing arm without
Disrupting the slow-slow rhythm of his work.
                                       (Later. Maybe, later we can speak.)
      Hey! Wat maak jy daar?
                                       – a voice from around the corner.
No. Just polishing baas.
He turns his back to me, now watch
His free hand, the talkative one,
Slips quietly behind
                                       – Strength brother, it says,
In my mirror,
                                       A black fist.

______________________________________________________________

It is not often that we have the opportunity to study the poem while the poet is alive. I remember how ecstatic my matric class was when I invited Chris van Wyk to analyse his poem In Detention. My attempts to get Mr Cronin to conduct a Master Class have been in vain thus far.

Jeremy Cronin was born in 1949. As a young man he was arrested and sentenced to prison for seven years for being an activist against apartheid. Today he is a member of parliament and of the South African Communist Party.

The title is in Sesotho and the translation (A Person is a Person because of Other People) is the definition of Ubuntu.

The poem is an example of free verse because it is written without regular rhythm or rhyme.  The poem is about communication and the line arrangement symbolizes two-way communication with lines 12, 15, 19, 21, 26 and 28 written on the right-hand side of the poem.

Effective communication is comprised of a sender, a message and a receiver.  It is a two-way process of reaching mutual understanding, in which participants not only exchange (encode-decode) information, news, ideas and feelings but also create and share meaning. In general, communication is a means of connecting people or places. This idea is conveyed in Cronin's poem through both verbal and non-verbal communication.



By holding my mirror out of the window I see
Clear to the end of the passage.


The speaker possesses a mirror (my mirror). This suggests that the speaker is a new prisoner. All prisoners would be searched and an object like a mirror would be confiscated. The glass mirror could be used as a weapon or crushed to mix into another prisoner's food. The speaker pushes his hand out of the small window and he uses the mirror to get a view of the passage. The word "clear" means the absence of any obstruction that would interfere with communication.

There's a person down there.
A prisoner polishing a doorhandle.
The person in the passage is referred to as a person first and then a prisoner. Prisoners are human beings who should be respected despite the reason for their incarceration. Their humanity is above the crimes they have committed. 

We are social beings and communication with others is a necessity for humans. Political prisoners were forbidden from communicating with each other because the officials feared that they could communicate their strategies of revolt against the apartheid regime or possibly cause an uprising in the prison.

The prisoner polishing the door handle is possibly privileged to do the trivial task of polishing a door handle. It was the norm to give political prisoners hard labour as their term of imprisonment was longer. 
  
In the mirror I see him see
My face in the mirror,
I see the fingertips of his free hand

Note the repetition of the words "see", "mirror" and "hand" throughout the poem. The repetition has a rhetorical function of persuasion. In this case where communication would be forbidden, the reader is persuaded that non-verbal communication connects the prisoners."I see him see my face" suggests eye contact that is necessary for all modes of communication; a connection between the two prisoners takes place.
  With one hand the prisoner is polishing the door handle and the other hand is described as "free". Note the irony in that the prisoners are not free to communicate, but the prisoner's hand is free to make signs to the other prisoners. This suggests that the authorities did not understand the sign language between prisoners and this affords a sense of freedom to the prisoners.

              

Bunch together, as if to make
An object the size of a badge
Which travels up to his forehead
The place of an imaginary cap.
                                       (This means: A warder.)

The prisoner does not have a cap on his head. The cap with a badge on it would indicate a position of authority, but also a position of white domination. The prisoner does not have any position. All he can do is imagine, however, more important than that is the interpretation of this sign which is given in parenthesis.

Two fingers are extended in a vee
And wiggle like two antennae.
                                       (He's being watched.)

   
 The simile here compares the vee sign made by two fingers to the antennae of an insect. This comparison is effective because the insects' antennae functions as 'feelers' or 'sensors', in other words they pick up the obstacles that stand in the way of an insect. 

Antennae are also compared to the two-pronged television antennae which pick up signals for clear reception. Again, the idea of non-verbal communication between the prisoners is dependent on signal and interpretation.



The colloquial sign of two fingers in the shape of a 'vee' wiggling before one's eyes would also mean that you are being watched.
 
A finger of his free hand makes a watch-hand's arc
On the wrist of his polishing arm without
Disrupting the slow-slow rhythm of his work.
                                       (Later. Maybe, later we can speak.)

In these lines we have movement: the movement of the prisoner's occupied hand which is continuously polishing the handle (perhaps side to side or up and down) and the finger of his free hand making a clock-wise motion on the wrist of the polishing arm. 
Note that the rhythm of polishing is not disturbed. It is described as 'slow-slow'. The repetition of 'slow' suggests that the rhythm has slowed down considerably. This is done to conceal the sign language between the prisoners. The prisoner polishing the handle is doing what he is assigned to do as far as the warder is concerned but much more is taking place.

      Hey! Wat maak jy daar?
                                       – a voice from around the corner.

The prisoner holding the mirror cannot see the warder.

Note that the Afrikaans line is printed in italics and this reinforces the attitude of superiority from the warder. Afrikaans is the medium of communication in prison in order to display the authority of the official language.

The warder becomes aware of the slowing down movement of the polishing and it requires investigation by asking what the polishing prisoner is up to.

No. Just polishing baas.

There is a hint of sarcasm in the prisoner's response. In other words, what else could he be doing since all his liberties have been removed.

'Baas' is the Afrikaans for 'Boss'. The word 'baas' is derogatory and irrespective of one's position, white males were referred to as 'baas'. So it was used to refer to white superiority and the black person calling the white person 'baas' was reinforcing his inferiority.
 
He turns his back to me, now watch
His free hand, the talkative one,
Slips quietly behind
                                       – Strength brother, it says,

The prisoner in the passage turns away from the prisoner holding the mirror.

The reader is invited to observe the next level of non-verbal communication. 

Note the free hand is also described as the talkative one. This is an example of personification. It is also ironic that the hand is talkative because the prisoner has been completely silent and only resorted to signals. However, it's talkative because it has been communication with the poet throughout the poem (conversation).

In my mirror,
                                       A black fist.

 

 The poet sees a black fist in the mirror which is the universal signal for 'black power' or solidarity. 
Strength brother is in italics because it is the interpretation of the black fist. This message of encouragement and consoling from the older prisoner to the younger prisoner ends the powerful 'conversation' between the two prisoners.

This poem is perfect for the poetry essay question. Pay attention to the structure of the poem. One can safely say that it written in script format or dialogue format. Also mention the use of punctuation to reinforce the conversation ( parenthsis, italics and the dash).

FIRST DAY AFTER THE WAR by Mazisi Kunene

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.

 About the poet ...

 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

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

new growth of grass.

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!

 

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?‘

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.

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

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

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.