“OL’ Higue” - Mark McWatt

ACTIVITY 1
Write a short paragraph about the poet Mark McWatt.

ACTIVITY 2
a. Who or what is considered to be an ol’ Higue.
b. Identify the themes in the poem.
c. List the literary devices with examples

ACTIVITY 3
Please answer the following using complete sentences:

1. What image of Ol’ Higue does the poet present in stanza one? (2 marks)

2. What complaint does Ol’ Higue make in stanza one (1)? Quote the expressions which

support your answer. (2 marks)

(a) Why would Ol’ Higue be “Burning like cane fire”? (2 marks)

(b) Why does she have to count a thousand grains? (2 marks)

3. Why is the blood of babies attractive to Ol’ Higue? (2 marks)

4. How and when does she perform her “blood-sucking” task? (2 marks)

5. Give one reason why Ol’ Higue would love women giving birth. (1 mark)

6. Do you consider Ol’ Higue a mysterious character? Why? (2 marks)

7. What feeling does Ol’ Higue evoke in you as you read the poem? (2 marks)

8. What literary device is used in line one? “A curious tale that threaded through the town”.

(1 mark)

9. How do you feel as you read the last two lines of the poem? (1 mark)