A SLEEPING BLACK

BOY
Mongane Wally Serote
A sleeping black boy – Mongane Wally Serote

1 He lay flat
2 Face deep into the green grass
3 The huge jacket covered his head, the heat onto his ears
4 He is dirty
5 The dirt screams from his flesh like a rotten smell

6 He is pinned down by the throbbing footsteps passing by

7 His lullaby is the hiss of the water from the pond and the
8 Roaring steel river;
9 And the eyes passing by
10 Dart around like bubbles of boiling water –

11 This small boy will die one day

12 His lips stuck together by the glue he smokes.

A sleeping black boy – Mongane Wally Serote
1 He lay flat
2 Face deep into the green grass
3 The huge jacket covered his head, the heat onto his ears
4 He is dirty
5 The dirt screams from his flesh like a rotten smell
6 He is pinned down by the throbbing footsteps passing by
7 His lullaby is the hiss of the water from the pond and the
8 Roaring steel river;
9 And the eyes passing by
10 Dart around like bubbles of boiling water –
11 This small boy will die one day
12 His lips stuck together by the glue he smokes.
Let’s look at the poem’s structure.
Title: This poem has a very descriptive title. 2 adjectives in the title. So, we know we know the poem is about a
black boy, who is asleep. But it is not clear as to what exactly happens in the poem yet.
Poet: Mogane Wally Serote is a South African poet and writer. He became involved in politics and resisting the
apartheid government by joining the African National Congress (ANC). In 1969 he was arrested and detained for
several months without a trial. He often writes poems in which he features the plight/desperation of black people,
specifically those living in harsh township conditions. He has first hand perspective regarding the unfairness of the
apartheid system.
Structure: thre stanzas each of different length. The verse lines are also of different lengths.
Rhyme scheme: NO particular rhyme scheme, varying lengths of stanzas. Again, why do you think this is?
Maybe because the poet decided to write his own poem, without following the normal rules of poetry. Maybe he
did this because he was forced to follow the strict rules of apartheid in his everyday life. His poetry might have
been an escape for him.
Theme: The poem focusses on the abandonment of children that society should take hands to look after. Children
on the streets will die unless people realize just how vulnerable they are. Any child need love and support and
guidance, these children perhaps even more so.
 STANZA 1

Lines 1 and 2
A description of how the boy is positioned. He is lying, face down, on a
patch of green grass. We can assume that he is probably in a very deep,
sleep. Perhaps “passed out”?

Lines 3 and 4
There is a very big jacket covering his head, perhaps shading him from the
1 He lay flat sun. Its is probably during a busy/hot part of the day. The fact that the
jacket is so big tells us what? That it is probably not his own jacket. It was
2 Face deep into the green grass probably a hand-me-down, given to him at a shelter. He relies on
3 The huge jacket covered his head, the heat onto his ears donations. He is basking in the sun, not really caring that he is sleeping
mid-day, in a public space. He is also dirty. This tells us he is not looked
4 He is dirty after and does not have the luxury of washing. He probably lives on the
5 The dirt screams from his flesh like a rotten smell streets.

Line 5
Personification = He is so dirty it is as if the dirt screams from his skin. You can’t
miss it. It also signifies a cry for help. Simile: The smell of the dirt is being
compared to that of something rotten. Does this possibly predict that the boy will
die alone, and be left to rot?
Shock factor.
 STANZA 2
Line 6
The boy is unable to get up from the grass. He is overwhelmed by a
throbbing/pulsing headache, caused by people’s footsteps rushing
past him. Why does he most likely have a headache? Passed out from
the night before, perhaps the after effects of his drug abuse. The hot
sun, the dirt, and the footsteps also do not help.

Lines 7 and 8
6 He is pinned down by the throbbing footsteps passing by A lullaby is a soothing song sung by a mother to a child before going to
sleep. It is supposed to help the child feel relaxed and protected. It is ironic
7 His lullaby is the hiss of the water from the pond and the in this poem because the boy’s lullaby is the sound of hissing from the
8 Roaring steel river; nearby pond/fountain. This indicated that he is probably lying in a public
park somewhere. He also listens to the sound of the “roaring steel river”.
9 And the eyes passing by Metaphor = The traffic rushing by sounds like a mechanical river. This is
10 Dart around like bubbles of boiling water – ironic because these sounds are not soothing and relaxing at all. They are
quite scary and very loud.

Lines 9 and 10
Simile = The eyes of the adults passing by him jump are compared to the sudden
movements of boing water. This indicates that they can’t look him in the eye. They
avoid making eye-contact because otherwise they will feel guilty, like they need to
somehow help. But unfortunately, especially in a country like South Africa, there
are so many beggars and homeless people that we sometimes just turn a blind eye
and try to ignore them. Note the word “adults”. Again, people who are supposed to
help.
 STANZA 3

Line 11
This poem ends with a sad prediction. It is likely that this boy will die. It might also happen very soon if
someone does not step in.

11 This small boy will die one day

12 His lips stuck together by the glue he smokes.

Lines 12
And how will he die? From the drugs he abuses. His lips will figuratively be stuck together and he will die of an
overdose. Again, quite a shocking image. This should probably urge the reader to want to help. Feel a feeling of
sadness and helplessness.
.
Questions

In your own words, describe what the speaker sees in lines 1-3. (3)
Refer to line 3. What does the word “huge” imply about the jacket? (2)
Explain the figures of speech in line 5 in your own words. This image is a possible prediction of what? (2)
Define the word “throbbing”, line 6. (1)
Explain what a lullaby is, and explain the irony in lines 7 and 8. (3)
Why do they adults’ eyes “dart around like bubbles”? (2)
What tragic prediction does the poet make about the boy’s future? (1)
In your opinion, how can society step in to try and help these vulnerable, neglected children? Mention at least TWO things. (3)
Answers
1 The speaker sees a black boy, lying flat on the grass. His face is pressed into the grass. His head is covered by an oversized jacket.
2 That the jacket is a hand-me-down and that the boy is quite small/thin/underfed.
3 Personification: The dirt screams from his skin like a cry for help. Simile: The dirt smells like something that is dying. The image predicts his
possible death.
4 Something beating or pulsing with a strong, regular rhythm. Something pulsing. He has a pulsing headache.
5 A lullaby is a soothing song sung to a child at bedtime. This image is ironic because this boy’s soothing song is the sound of the park pond,
and the sound of the traffic of the nearby highway.
6 They do not want to make eye-contact because then they will not have to feel guilty or become involved.
7 That he will probably die soon.
8 People can become involved with charities. Try to help the child be providing food, trying to get the child to sign up at a shelter. Help by
donating time and clothes/food. We can become more aware of what is going on around us and even if the contributions is small, realize that
every bit helps and that we can make a difference, IF we do not simply look away.