Welcome to our website darasahuru.co.tz, In this post you will find Africa by David Diop (Senegal) - Selected Poems - Poetry Analysis, Poetry analysis, AFRICA BY David Diop (Senegal) ~ Selected Poems, How to analyze poems, Poetry analysis guiding question, Selected Poem Analysis, Analysis of poems from Selected Poems
AFRICA BY David Diop (Senegal) ~ Selected Poems
Africa my Africa
Africa of proud warriors in the ancestral savannahs
Africa of whom my grandmother sings
On the banks of the distant river
I have never known you
But your blood flows in my veins
Your beautiful black blood that irrigates the fields
The blood of your sweat
The sweat of your work
The work of your slavery
The slavery of your children
Africa tell me Africa
Is this you this back that is bent
This back that breaks under the weight of humiliation
This back trembling with red scars
And saying yes to the whip under the midday sun
But a grave voice answers me
Impetuous son that tree young and strong
That tree there
In splendid loneliness amidst white and faded flowers
That is Africa your Africa
That grows again patiently obstinately
And its fruit gradually acquires
The bitter taste of liberty.
INTRODUCTION
This poem is written by David Diop - A Black African who was born in France in 1927. His father was from Senegal and his mother from Cameroon and he grew up in France and West Africa aware of both cultures and traditions. He was deeply concerned by the question of independence from colonial rule.
This poem is a dramatic monologue where the speaker seems to be in conversation with Africa. The poem can be thematically divided into three parts; pre colonial Africa, colonial Africa and post colonial Africa.
THEMATIC ANALYSIS
1. COLONIAL TORTURE AND EXPLOITATION
There are evidences of torture and exploitation in the poem due to the fact that the poet expresses how the sweat of Africans was lost in vain.
The blood of your sweat
He sweat of your work
All this was done at a time when Africans were turned into slaves and worked for their masters without any benefit.
The work of your slavery
The slavery of your children
2. OPPRESSION AND HUMILIATION
Oppression and humiliation were common practices in colonial time. They were used to force Africans work for colonisers without objection. This has left scars to Africa that we still depend on them even when they seem to mistreat us.
This back that breaks under the weight of humiliation
This back trembling with red scars
And saying yes to the whip under the midday sun
3. IDENTITY AND AWARENESS
The poet however seems to be aware of his identity as black African. Although he grew up in France he shows that black blood flows in his veins, which is to say he is still an African regardless of where he grew up.
I have never known you
But your blood flows in my veins
The voice that answers Diop sums up his African identity.
Impetuous son that tree young and strong
That tree there
In splendid loneliness amidst white and faded flowers
That is Africa your Africa.
4. EFFECTS OF COLONIALISM
The poet concludes his poem by showing the effects that colonialism had on African continent. Nevertheless, he seems to be optimistic that at least Africa is growing up again just like a young tree.
That is Africa your Africa
That grows again patiently obstinately
GUIDING QUESTIONS
a) What is the poem about?
The poem is about the effects colonialism has had on Africa. It traces the history of pre-colonial Africa, then shows the torture that Africans underwent in colonialism and how Africa is starting afresh like a young tree.
b) What type of the poem is this?
It is a free verse/modern poem as it doesn’t follow all the strict rules for writing poems. There are variations in the length of verses in the poem
c) What does the symbol ‘that tree young and strong” suggest?
First of all the symbol refers to Africa. It suggests that after colonialism Africa began to grow up again just as a young tree.
d) Why do the fruits acquire a bitter taste of liberty? Why does liberty taste bitter?
The fruits acquire a bitter taste because liberation of the oppressed is not a simple thing. It needs sacrifice and determination. Some people lose their lives in the process. So in such a case liberty is never sweet but bitter memories.
e) What is the tone of the poem?
The tone changes from the beginning it is happy in the middle it becomes sad. This makes the tone nostalgic and the mood becomes optimistic.
f) Why does the poet say that “black blood flows in his veins”?
Black blood in this poem symbolizes African nature as there is no blood that is black in colour. So he shows that although he grew up in France he is still aware of his African identity.
g) How have the past effects of colonialism shaped the Africa’s present?
The socio-political and economic state of Africa today was seriously affected during colonial time. So Africa was paralysed and is just starting afresh as a young tree while the colonisers are well off.
h)Comment on the figures of speech and poetic devices.
Anadiplosis; the repetition in which the last expression of one statement becomes the first expression in the following statement .
The blood of your sweat
The sweat of your work
The work of your slavery
The slavery of your children
Rhetorical question a question that does not need a reply.
Is that you this back that is bent
Symbolism
Scars’, ‘whip’ and ‘blood’. They stand for the torture that Africans went through in colonial time.
Black blood- symbolises African identity
Imagery.
Gustatory image. Image of taste. Bitter taste of liberty
Thermo image: image of heat; The sweat of your work
Personification.
The poet addresses Africa as though it is a human being and has blood that flows, and can sweat etc.
But a grave voice answers me.
Your beautiful black blood
The sweat of your work
Is this you this back that is bent
Alliteration- repetition of similar consonant sounds at the beginning of consecutive words.
You beautiful black blood
Reiteration (for emphasis)
The word Africa is repeated 7 times throughout the poem
E.g. Africa my Africa.
b)
Your beautiful black blood
This is under exaggeration because there is no black blood in colour.
Your beautiful black blood that irrigates the fields. There is no blood enough to irrigate the fields.
c)Anaphora
Africa my Africa
Africa of proud warriors in the ancestral savannahs
Africa of whom my grandmother sings
MESSAGE
Colonialism paralysed Africa so it is up to us to build again.
We must know our identity as Africans, where we come from, where we are and what we need to do to get where we are going.
We have to work hard to bring about development in Africa
We must fight against the oppression of the proletariat class.
RELEVANCE OF THE POEM
The poem is relevant as it discusses the issues facing the post colonial Africa. The current economic status of the present Africa was badly damaged during colonialism.
There are many economic policies adopted in an attempt to recover the economy of African countries.
Oppression and humiliation are still common in Post colonial Africa.