A Far Cry from Africa by Derek Walcott

poemanalysis.com/derek-walcott/a-far-cry-from-africa/

LJ January 16, 2018

A Far Cry from Africa by Derek Walcott is a poem based

around the struggles in Africa. One would presume it is at
least partially autobiographical and so it’s a fairly safe
assumption that the narrative voice is indeed Walcott’s own.
You can read the full poem here.

Form and Tone

The poem is written in free verse. It is presented in two stanzas one consisting of twenty
one lines the other consisting eleven. It does not follow a strict rhyming pattern,
although end rhymes feature prominently throughout the poem. The effect of this is that
the poem has a stilted, disjointed feel which mirrors the feelings expressed within the
poem. The rhythm is also inconsistent, although the line lengths are similar the beats in
each line alter which again adds to the sense of discord. The poem is deeply rooted in
Africa. The language used helps to make the poem feel culturally African.

‘A Far Cry From Africa’ Title

The title is in itself fairly interesting. It certainly has a double meaning. The obvious
meaning is that it is using the phrase which means that the events are “far removed”
from what you expect in Africa, but actually I think the title is subversive and is
supposed to be taken very literally. Meaning that in Africa there are people crying.

A Far Cry from Africa Analysis

Lines 1-4
The first two lines reference the Kikuyu. This is one of the biggest tribes in Kenya. There
is an interesting use of imagery here as they are described as being “as quick as flies” the
poet talks of them being massacred, In the fourth line he makes a really striking
comparison between the Veldt area which he considers a paradise and the fact it is
littered with corpses. Rhyme is used in the opening section with a ABAB pattern. This
might make you come to expect that to be a reoccurring pattern, but this is not the case
and this helps give the poem a “stilted edge”.

Lines 5-9

1/3
In the fifth line we see the use of alliteration. Worms are “picked on” here, being
referred to as the colonel of Carrion. The suggestion being that where you find rotting
flesh, you find worms. He personifies them though and gives them an almost militant
voice as they exclaim ‘Waste no compassion on these separate dead!’ this gives them a
villainous quality. In the 8th line he refers to the locals as salient, this is a clever piece of
imagery it gives the impression that these people are isolated. It also has a double
meaning with military connotations. I think that the point the poet is trying to make is
how the colonials use their data and skew facts in order to portray the Kikuyu as
savages. Of course this doesn’t tell the full story. I guess then that this whole begging
section is laden with irony, maybe even dramatic irony as an informed reader would
realise that these views aren’t an accurate description of the issues that have existed in
Africa.

Lines 10-13
In the tenth lines we see a very powerful metaphor as Walcott draws on a comparison
between the atrocities being committed here and the ones committed by the Nazi’s
during the Second World War. At least that’s what one would assume by referring to
Jews as expendable. Once again the poem turns to imagery and the use of nature. Here
Ibises are used and their cries referenced. According to the narrator these cries:

Have wheeled since civilizations dawn

I feel this is probably a metaphor for the repeated slaughter and genocide of
civilisations highlighting that this is an issue that has been prominent throughout the
history of mankind. Of course this is conjuncture on my part.

Lines 14-17
The next four lines follow what have come before in creating a really visceral image.
Walcott uses repetition of the word beast here in order to cement his comparison. The
suggestion here is then that the men that carry out the atrocities may as well be animals.
He then goes on to attack religion by suggesting that man

Seeks his divinity by inflicting pain.

Lines 18-21
The next four lines are really interesting. It isn’t totally clear who the “he” that is
referenced in these lines is, but I am assuming it is supposed to represent mankind. If
this is the case then the words are pretty damning here. They are described as delirious
and once again we see the word beast employed. There is once again the use of graphic
description using words like carcass and dread here help to convey the dark and grim
tone. There is a lovely piece of wordsmanship here as Walcott uses the phrase “white
peace” this is used almost as an oxymoron as the peace he is describing is born of the
multiple deaths. Just another example of the strong use of irony throughout the poem.

2/3
Lines 22-23
There is a wonderfully glib line here as the process of wiping ones hands. This
innocuous act is made powerful by being allied to the idea of “man” or perhaps more
specifically the “white man” being dismissive about what is going on. Metaphor is used
fantastically here, it is so thinly veiled as to almost be construed as sarcastic.

Lines 24-27
In the 24th line he uses the phrase

A waste of our compassion, as with Spain

Once again this is very sarcastic and certainly not the view of the narrator himself who
clearly, as we later see, wrestles with his lineage and heritage. The use of Superman
helps to date the piece and highlights that it is contemporary and that these are current
affairs. He refers to himself as being poisoned by the blood of both. We can assume that
this is referring to his mixed heritage.

Lines 28-34
This final section of the poem really brings us to the crux of the entire poem. The poet
struggles to deal with his lineage and his association between that lineage and the
atrocities carried out by those nations. By the same token he is torn as he clearly has an
affection for the language of his mother tongue.

About Derek Walcott

Derek Walcott was a St Lucian poet who among his many accolades received a Nobel
prize for literature. Given the fact that he is of South American descent it seems strange
that Walcott wrote about events in Africa, although you could make the assumption that
it was due to an interest in a fellow colonial country.

What's your thoughts? Join the conversation by commenting

We make sure to reply to every comment submitted, so feel free to join the community
and let us know by commenting below.

Get more Poetry Analysis like this in your inbox

Subscribe to our mailing list and get new poetry analysis updates straight to your inbox.

We respect your privacy and take protecting it seriously

3/3