Africa

David Diop

Who wrote the poem?

It was written by a Afro French poet David Diop which tackles the decolonization of Africa.

When was the poem written and what country?

Research says that the poem was written in the 1950’s and he wrote the poem in France during
the Negritude Movement.

Is it a part of a series?

It is not a part of a series. The poem was written to attack the white people and express his feeling
towards his countrymen and the situation that they are experiencing.

Does the poem belong to a particular period or literary movement?

The poem belongs to a particular time and movement. The poem was written during the
Negritude Movement. Negritude, French Négritude, literary movement of the 1930s, ’40s, and ’50s that
began among French-speaking African and Caribbean writers living in Paris as a protest against French
colonial rule and the policy of assimilation.  The movement asserted an identity for black people around
the world that was their own.

Style of the Poem

What kind of poem is it?

It is free verse and narrative poem. If you can see the structure of the poem there is no such
rhyming shown and narrative because the way the poem was deliver narratively it is telling the story of
what is the situation there in Africa.

Title of the Poem

Is the title’s meaning obvious?

The title of the poem is obvious. From the title itself you can clearly say that this is for the land of
Africa. There will be no other topics to be tackled except Africa.

Does it imply multiple possibilities?

Upon reading the title of the poem you can say that this will only focus on one topic. The
possibilities of topic shifting is slim because of the background of the poet and the topic he has.

Is the historical significance to the title?

Based on the history of Africa there is great historical significance to it, we can trace the history
of Africa in this poem. How they suffer, how they fight and how they want to get up and start again.
 Repetition of the Poem

Is there repetition of someone or something in the poem?

Yes, there are repetitions into it. from the structure of the poem you can see there the word Africa
repeated many times.

Why is there repetition?

As I read and recite the poem there are repetition happened. And I think this repetition is to
emphasize his point and emotions towards his country Africa. Repetition in poems is use to heightens the
emotion of the reader and the writer.

Opening and Closing Lines of the Poem

Does the poet place significant information or emotion in these places?

Yes, the poet shows significant information into these lines.

Africa my Africa

Africa of proud warriors in the ancestral savannahs

Africa of whom my grandmother sings

This is how the poet introduces us to his mother country Africa. How strong and proud the
country is.
That is Africa your Africa

That grows again patiently obstinately

And its fruit gradually acquires

The bitter taste of liberty.

These lines are telling me Africa has been suffering a lot that there is a little hope for the to taste
word liberty. That no matter how hard they try to get up the history will just repeat itself.

Does the poet intend to leave a lasting impression by closing with a particular thought?

That is Africa your Africa

That grows again patiently obstinately

And its fruit gradually acquires

The bitter taste of liberty.

 Yes, he intended to leave a lasting impression to this line. He accepted to himself that Africa will
be Africa there is a little chance for the of tasting freedom even how many times they want to get up.
Passage time of the Poem
Can you pin down a time frame? What details specify time?

Yes, there is a time frame in this poem. The poem was made in the 1950’s and during the pre,
colonial and post-colonial Africa.

Does the poet name a particular month or season?

If we will look at the history and story of the writer and the country of Africa. The particular
month that the poem was composed is during the Africa colonial period.

Are there gaps?

Though the poem is delivered narratively there are gaps in the poem because it tackles about
the colonial period of Africa.

Speaker of the Poem

Who is the speaker of the poem?

The speaker of the poem David Diop which is the writer himself.

Does the speaker talk directly to a second person?

The poet doesn’t speak to a second person instead he is talking to his country Africa.

Is the voice meant to be universal?

The voice is meant to be universal because the poet wants to tell the world what is the situation
Africa.

Name of the Characters

Do the names of the character suggest extra meaning?

There is only one present character in the poem and it is the country Africa. The only meaning
that it gives to me is the story of Africa.

Basic Details of the Poem

Is the poet deliberately concealing information from the readers?

No, he doesn’t want to conceal any information to us. Because he is part of such movement
during his time, he wants to expose the sad reality that his country experiencing.

Why does the poet leave significant facts? Are readers supposed to fill in the blanks?

The poet leaves significant facts in order for the reader to dig deeper on what life is during the
colonial period of Africa. Readers is not supposed to fill in the blanks because the poet blatantly exposes
the rude treatment towards Africa.
 Culture

Does the poem stress cultural details, such as the behavior, dress, or speech habits of a particular group
or a historical period or event?

For me there is cultural details provided and given. The physical appearance and the attitudes
that Africa and African has.

Are any sections written in dialect, slang, or foreign words?

Yes, the poem was written in foreign words. Because David Diop is an African the usage of the
language French where the original poem was written is a foreign language for him.

Fantasy vs Reality

Is the poem obvious fantasy, as is the case with the intense confrontations?

No, the poem is a clear reality. Because if you will look at the history of Africa all these scenarios
have happened to Africa and African. and since that Diop is a man of country as well he cant afford to
tell lies towards his readers.

Mood and Tone of the Poem

What is the mood of the poem?

The mood of the poem for me is sorrowful. As I am reading the poem, I feel sorrowed because
of how Africa and African is t treated. The poem brought me to pity the situation of Africa.

Does the mood change within the body of the work? Why does the mood shift? Where does the shift
began?

Yes, the mood switches. From start the mood was welcoming because he is introducing us to
Africa

Africa my Africa

Africa of proud warriors in the ancestral savannahs

Africa of whom my grandmother sings

It also shifts when he started to narrate the situation that is happening to Africa. From welcoming I feel
sad and pity.

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

And before the poem ends it shifts again to hopeful because he is showing that no matter what had
happened to Africa it will rise and rise again.

That is Africa your Africa

That grows again patiently obstinately

And its fruit gradually acquires

The bitter taste of liberty.

What is the poet tone?

The writer’s tone is pitied and unhappy. Because why they need to experience the unjust
treatment. Why can’t they just live the same as the white people why they need to suffer even though
they just live in one world. They also have the claim to live peacefully in this world.

Does the poet admire, ridicule, or condemn the speaker?

The poet is the speaker himself. And he still admires his country that even though the situation
that they are in they are still surviving and continuing to build what they lost.

Is there an obvious reason for the poet’s attitude?

There is an obvious reason into it. With the background that the poet has, the experiences and
feeling that he has made him compose this poem to express and send message to his country and the
colonials in their country.

Does the poet withhold judgement?

Yes, he holds judgement into it. Because from his story what does Africa did to white people to
suffer this treatment. He can’t tolerate what their situation is even the innocents are getting accused
and suffering. For him it is unjust and not humane.

Themes of the Poem

Is the subject youth, loss, renewal, patriotism, nature, love?

Yes, the subject of the poem is loss and patriotism and love. Loss because of the opportunities
and confidence they lose because of the unjust treatment. Patriotism and love because the poet is a
proud African he wants to fight for his country through his works.

Are there several themes? How do these themes relate to each other?

The theme of poem is colonial torture, and exploitation oppression and humiliation identity and
awareness

Is the poet merely teasing or trying to teach a lesson?

 For me he is trying to teach us lesson. That no matter where you are, what you are it doesn’t
matter you don’t have to treat people badly. Color and nationality don’t matter you need to be more
humane and equal towards everybody.

Does the poet emphasize the theme by means of onomatopoeia, personification, or controlling images?

The poet uses:

Symbolism

Scars’, ‘whip’ and ‘blood’. They stand for the torture that Africans went through in colonial time.

Black blood- symbolizes African identity

Imagery.

Image of taste. Bitter taste of liberty

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

Use of senses in the Poem

Does the poem stress sense of impressions?

Yes, since the poem uses imagery we can feel and visualize what is the situation there and how
well does the African has been doing.

Does the poet concentrate on single impressions or burst impressions?

The poet concentrates on different emotions the love, patriotism, equality and hope.

Imagery of the Poem

Are there concrete images or pictures that the poet wants the readers to see?

There are concrete images shown in the poem.

Image of taste. Bitter taste of liberty

image of heat; The sweat of your work

Are the pictures created by means of comparison?

The picture is not just a mere comparison but a sad and hurtful reality. The poem and poet
expose how bad and unequal they are treated.

Language of the Poem

Does the poet stress certain sounds such as pleasant sounds or harsh letter combinations?

For me I can say that the poet does not use any pleasant or harsh letter combinations because
he blatantly reveals what is happening to them. He wants to inform everybody and he wants to fight for
his country.

Are certain sounds repeated?

There are repetitions in the poem but in contrast to its structure there no sounds repeated
because there are no rhyme schemes presented.

Conclusions

Are you emotionally moved or touched by the poem?

I am emotionally moved with the poem because I got the point of the poet why they need to be
treated that way. What have they done to receive that punishment? Why can we just be equal treat
everybody same as your family and friends. The poem made me a better person

Are you entertained or repulsed, terrified, and stirred to agree?

I was repulsed by the poem because I know to myself that I am judgmental and gives unequal
treatment to others. Back then I was eaten by the thoughts that black people are bad the only good one
is those who are white and not as dark as them. I am now more aware of what they feel if they being
racially discriminated. Colors and race don’t matter we live in one world we all must be equal and
humane.

Do words or phrases stick in your memory?

The blood of your sweat

The sweat of your work

The work of your slavery

The slavery of your children

These are the lines that stick in my memory because here you can clearly visualize and feel the
pain and suffering, they are experiencing. Also, the poet strongly exposes of what is really happening in
Africa. This part exhibits the strong attitude of the poet and how brave he is to expose this happenings.
How has the poet made an impression? And most important why?

Aside from the status of the poet it gives an impression to me because the poem is reality. The
strong usage of words are helps also to impress me. Because for me in particular I want the poem to be
strong and real. The poet has touched my heart and emotion through this piece. The poet helped me
great in understanding the reality that have happened and the proper attitude towards other people no
matter the race and color. Everything must be treated equally.