Talk to the Peach Tree

by Sipho Sepamla
Sipho Sepamla
• Known as Bra Sid, Sipho Sepamla (1932 – 2007) was
born in a township near Krugersdorp into a family of
educators.
• He became a teacher but, after experiencing Sharpeville
(1960) first-hand when teaching there, he left the profession.
• He founded FUBA – the Federated Union of Black Artists which gave a voice
to black artists of all disciplines.
• He is one of South Africa’s most prolific protest poets – he was vehemently
opposed to Apartheid.
• His poems work on irony, satire and humour, qualities not often found in
the poets of an era who were politically loud and emotionally conscious-
raising.
• With the fall of Apartheid, Sepamla served on the government’s Arts and
Culture Task Group.
Historical Context
• The poem was written during Apartheid.
• Sepamla uses it to voice his opinion on political talks that took place
between various parties before the formalised end of Apartheid.
• The negotiations between the various parties were ultimately
successful and South Africa became a democratic state in 1994.
• The speaker’s peace-making/peaceful attitude is clear in ‘it’s about
time’, in the last line.
TALK TO THE PEACH TREE – BY SIPHO SEPAMLA

Let’s talk to the swallows visiting us in summer 1

ask how it is in other countries

Let’s talk to the afternoon shadow

ask how the day has been so far

Let’s raise our pets to our level 5

ask them what they don’t know of us

words have lost meaning

like all notations they’ve been misused

most people will admit

a whining woman can overstate her case 10
Talk to the paralysing heat in the air
inquire how long the mercilessness will last

Let’s pick out items from the rubbish heap

ask how the stench is like down there

Let’s talk to the peach tree 15

find out how it feels to be in the ground

Let’s talk to the moon going down

ask if it isn’t enough eyeing what’s been going on

come on
let’s talk to the devil himself 20
it’s about time
Summary
• The speaker wittily makes a series of rather odd (absurd, even)
suggestions about with whom to discuss politics – from the birds,
shadows, pets, the peach tree and the air itself.
• He ends the poem on a serious note and states that the “devil
himself” should be addressed. This refers to the leaders of the
Apartheid government.
Form/Structure
• Free verse – no recognisable poetic form. There is, however, a pattern
in stanzas 3,7,8 and 9. They all have the same pattern of word choice,
length and content.
• The indents in the fourth and fifth stanzas alerts the reader to the fact
that these stanzas are, in fact, commentary on the overall situation.
Poetic Devices
• The poet uses casual and conversational diction and register
throughout.
• Given the absurdities of the speaker’s suggestions, there is a great
use of personification throughout the poem. This emphasises how
useless/futile the suggestions are. However, this also highlights the
speaker’s wish for all situations to be seen from BOTH perspectives.
The literal actions are absurd.
Let’s talk to the swallows visiting us in summer
ask how it is in other countries
Let’s talk to the afternoon shadow
ask how the day has been so far
Let’s raise our pets to our level
ask them what they don’t know of us
1
It is amusing to expect ‘our pets’ to answer the
serious questions: what do you know of us?
Absurdity creates humour.
Underlying message is serious: what do you
(especially the whites) know about us?
During Apartheid there was little to no
opportunity to communicate with people from
other races. One group was always superior
and had a ‘voice’.
5
Lines
indented Talking has become useless. Attempts to negotiate with apartheid government had failed.
to show More repressive measures had been introduced to supress the blacks.
stanzas words have lost meaning
are
comment Communication tools which have become so warped that their original intentions have become lost.
aries and Words have lost their meaning.
indicates Language has been twisted and used
a like all notations they’ve been misused to covey lies, propaganda and cannot
difference be trusted.
. Casual
and
repetitive
‘Let’s talk’ most people will admit
has been
High-pitched complaining, without a valid reason.
dropped.
These Reminder of the saying” ‘the lady doth protest too much’. By overdoing a statement, the
words real meaning is lost and words are felt to be insincere.
must be
taken
a whining woman can overstate her case 10
seriously.
Incapable of movement.

Implies the oppression renders a person unable to do anything. Also refers to the pain and suffering.
Talk to the paralysing heat in the air
Showing no mercy (compassion or forgiveness)
Symbolic of the position black people were
Emphasises the effects of apartheid: no empathy/mercy/compassion. in – prisoners in a harsh and unforgiving
situation.
inquire how long the mercilessness will last

Let’s pick out items from the rubbish heap

These words relate to the way black people were regarded by
authorities: rubbish that was to be thrown away, something that
created a bad smell or ‘stench’.
Tone is serious and intention is to describe
ask how the stench is like down there the reality of the situation of black people.
 Unlike blacks, peach
Peach tree is rooted in a permanent place in the garden tree has land it
belongs to. Blacks
Let’s talk to the peach tree weren’t even
15
The tree will tell him how it feels to be rooted and fruitful in a place regarded as citizens –
you can call your own. they had no sense of
find out how it feels to be in the ground belonging.

Light of moon will disappear as it ‘goes down’. Daylight is associated with a

new day, new hope. Their
Symbolic of them losing hope. situation is visible to the whole
Let’s talk to the moon going down world but nobody has done
anything to effectively change
their situation. The new day
PERSONIFICATION: Moon is aware of their situation (eyeing).
does not bring new hope for
ask if it isn’t enough eyeing what’s been going on them.
 Change in tone: sense
Encouraging himself and others. of reluctance and
Lines indented helplessness – for so
to make them come on long there has been no
stand out. communication.
The oppressor or apartheid system.
Indents alert Conversation is long
reader to the let’s talk to the devil himself overdue and needs to 20
fact that these happen to facilitate
lines are The time has come to speak directly to the powers change. Could relate to
commentary who have been oppressing black people for too long. acknowledgment that
on the overall it’s about time Nelson Mandela was
situation. going to be released.

Talking was a way to work for change, without physical injury.

It was time for negotiations.
Themes
• Life under apartheid
• The desire for change
• People must see everything from different perspectives
Tone
• Absurd, cynical
• Despair
• Frustration
• Conversational
Questions
1. Explain the underlying meaning of the actions/instructions in lines 1-6. (2)
2. Why would swallows be a good source of information about ‘other countries’? (2)
3. Discuss what the speaker is saying in stanza 4. (3)
4. Discuss the connotations of the word “whining” (line 10). (2)
5. Why does the speaker describe the heat as “paralysing” and “merciless”
(stanza 6)? (2)
6. Although similar in style to stanzas 1-3, how do lines 11-14 differ in tone and
intent from lines 1-6? (3)
7. Discuss why the speaker chooses to “talk to the peach tree”. Consider the
other ‘things’ or concepts he talk to in the poem. (3)
8. Identify and comment on the tone in the last stanza. (3)
9. Who is the ‘devil’ in the last stanza? (1)