Qwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyu

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bnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwe
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NYASHALINCOLNTICHAWANGANA
EVERYSTONETHATTURNSNOTES
sdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklz ALEVEL2021-2022

xcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmq Withlovefrommom

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pasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghj
klzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbn
mqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwerty
THOMASSUKUSAIBVUMA

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INTRODUCTORYOUTLINE

TheanthologyEveryStoneThatTurns‘expressesdeepfrustration,disappointmentandbetrayal

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sufferedbythepersonainthepoems.Thedisappointmentseemstoaffectallfeaturesoflifesuchast
hesocial,expectedthroughthewomannamedYeukaiwhofeaturesinmostpoems,theeconomica

vbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmrty
sshownthroughthepredicamentofarationwhoseresourcesaresiphonedbytheforeigners.Polit
ically,thereseemstobebetrayalasindependenceprovestobeempty,hollowespeciallytothoseth
atsacrificedforthestruggle.ThusBvuma’spoemsdealwithalotofissues.

uiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdf
SECTION1:THESNAKENEVERSTIRS

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1.THESNAKENEVERSTIRS

vbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqw
ertyuiopas
  Thepoemisalamentationoverdreamsthathavefailedtoturntofruition.Itisaboutdwindli
ngdreamsthatremainfigmentsofimaginationnotputintopracticethusitisa‘dogchasinga
ftervanity.
 Theimageofthedogexpressesthepersona’sbitternessaboutalifewhichisemptyandholl
ow.
 Theemptinessissuggestedbytheimagesassociatedadeprivedlifesuchas“skeletons,bon
ybuttocks,starving,hungrymongrel”
 Theuseoftheword‘squatted’suggestdiscomfortwhile,‘groan,mourns,creak’suggestpai
n.
 Theinvitingstenchesemphasizesonthefalsepromisesthatdonotmaterialize.
 Themetaphoricaltitle‘thesnakeneverstirs‘expressesthelackofchange/
stagnationinthelifeofthepersona.

2.PRIVATEAFFAIR

 Thepoemdealswiththehardship,squalidconditionsandsacrificeassociatedwiththestru
ggle.
 Thehardshipsareshownthrough‘malnourishedbuttocks’theuseofwordslike‘choked’,‘s
quatted’,‘starving’.Thewarhadledtolossofdignitytotheextentthatshittinghasbecomea
publicaffair/activity.
 ‘squatted’isrepeatedlyusedtoemphasizeonthediscomfort.qqq11q1
 Thewords,‘stinkingshit,steamingshit,vomit’allpointatthefrustrationandelementofbitt
ernessonhowhumanlifehasbeendegradedtothelowestlevelofpatientlyundergoingsuc
haweirdactofconversingovershit.
 Thelanguageusedinthepoemissobluntandcrudetoregisterthebitterness.Thetoneissob
itter.
 ThenameTafirenyikacarriessomeelementsofpatriotismasitsuggestssacrificialdeathfo
rthecountry.

4.MAFAITI-HELOVEDTOPLUCKLOUSE

 Thispoemcontinueswiththewaranguishtheme.Itrevealsthenonconduciveatmosphere
thatthefreedomfighterswereexposedto.
 Itisalsoacelebrationofotherfreedomfighterwhosecontributionwhichseemednegligibl
e.
 WhatisseeninMafaitiiscomraderisingthespiritofbenevolence.Thelice/
louseshowshowdeplorabletheconditionsIthearmedstrugglewere.
 Thelouseisusedinasymbolicform-
itsymbolizestheexploitativerelationshipbetweentheraces.Theliceareparasiticinnatur
ejustliketheliceasweseethemexploitingtheotherraces,asshownbyreferenceto‘skin’an
d‘famishedskull.’
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  ByenjoyingpluckingliceMafaitialsorevealshisdesiretodefeatthecolonialregimeandbri
ngbacktheindependenceofZimbabwe.

5.UPROOTEDTUBER

 Thepoemcarriesasenseofnostalgia.Theuprootedtuberissymbolicalofthedislocationof
thetuberfromitssourceofnourishment.Thedislocationisasaresultofwar,thearidrocksu
ggestslackoflife.
 Thereisapessimistictoneattheendofthepoemshownbythecertaintyoffailuretorestorel
ifetooldorderandalsoreferenceto‘dust’and‘cinders.’

6.THEMIRRORSTARESBACK

 Thepoemiswritteninanostalgictone.Thepersonaisreminiscingthedifficultyearsinthea
rmedstruggle.
 Thepoemdealswiththehardship,squalidconditionsandsacrificeassociatedwiththestru
ggle.
 Thepoemexpressesthattheliberationstrugglewasasacrificebythecomrades,howevert
heyencouragedeachotherandfoundlaughterintheirdifficultlife.
 Theaptname“Tafirenyika”suggestthesacrificeassociatedwiththearmedstruggle,italso
exposesthedangerthatwasalsoassociatedwiththestruggle-
onecoulddieanytimeinthehandsoftheenemy.
 Thereisalsouseofhistoricalallusion,“...thatdayatChimoio”revealingthattheincidentisr
ealandcanbereferredbacktothearmedstruggle.
 Thestrugglewasalsocharacterizedwithstarvation,“theskinstrungtightaroundtheskull,
eyesretreatingtothebackofthehead,thecrackedlips”
 Itwasalsofullofdiscomfort,nobath“...thehorrorthatstarredatyou,hairshavenbylice”
 Whatseemstobeofmostimportancetothepersonaisthattheykeptonbeingoptimistic,en
couragedeachother,“Idutifully...andwesharedthecomicrelief.”Theirhopecamefromth
ebeliefthatindependencewillbringchangeandabettertomorrow.

7.RUFARO-CHEERINGOURSELVES

 Thepoemisagainnostalgicinnature.Thepersonaisreminiscingtheeventsofthe18 thofAp
ril1980whenZimbabweanscelebratedtheirindependencefromcolonialerror.
 Peoplefromdifferentwalksoflifegatheredinunitytocelebrated,‘wewerefinallygathered
...unitedtocheer’
 Thepersonaalsopointsattheloomingdangerasthe‘enemywastheredefeatedbutstillpla
nningtofrustrate.’

3|Page
  The‘jackheavywithfatbloodslumpdown,’metaphoricallyshowsthateventhoughtheuni
onjackwaspulleddownitwentdownwithalotofwealth.TheBritishhad,likeaparasitesuc
kedZimbabweofitswealthandresources.
 The‘birdbrokefreefromthestoneaswingrespondedtowind’isanimageryoffreedom.Th
epeoplewhocheeredbelievedthatfreedomhadfinallycometotheirland.
 Thepoemhoweverendsatasadnoteasthepersonarealisesallthiswasflattery,‘wewereall
there“...flatteringonthenewflag.”Itisconsideredflatteryasthefighters,thecommonpeop
leandeventhedeadfeelbetrayedbythepromisesthatwereneverfulfilled.
 Rufarohasadoublemeaning;firstasawordthatmeansjoyandcelebrationthensecondlya
sanamewheretheindependencecelebrationswereheld.Theunionjackwasasymbolofth
eBritishprideanditsheavyslumpissymbolicoftheendofoppressionemphasisedbythese
ttingofthesun.
 ThetickthatsucksbloodrevealstheparasiticnatureofBritishandallthisispuncturedbyen
dofthecolonialregime.

8.PETALSOFTHEUNKNOWN

 Thepoembringsouttheironyofhavingfoughtinthestruggleandnotaccordedtherecognit
ion.Itexpressesthedisappointmentofnotbeinggiventheopportunityornighttastethefru
itsofthestruggle.
 Itisasadandsorrowfulpoembringingouttheironyoflife-
thosethatfoughtarenotrecognizedandhavenomeaningfulachievementtoshow.
 Thisisalamentationofdreamsneverfulfilled.Thepersonaisdisappointedthataftersacrifi
cinghiscomforttobringtheindependenceofZimbabwehedoesnotrealiseanyofhisdrea
ms,“IownnomansioninBorrowdale...”
 ThejuxtapositionofBorrowdaleandBudiriro;MercedesBenzandasmokingmorris,sho
wstotallyshuttereddreams.Ifhehadachievedlessthenhecouldbepartiallysatisfiedbutt
histotalfailurebringsangeranddisillusionment.
 Thesololinedstanzaemphasisthepainofbetrayal.Themajorreasonwhypeoplejoinedth
eliberationstrugglewasland,hereafterindependencethecomradesstilldonothaveland.
 Otherslosttheirlivesinthestrugglestilltheirchildrengotnothing,“thesonownsnosodofs
oil”
 Thesecondsectionofthepoemshowstheresignationfromthearmedstrugglecomradesw
honamesarenevertoldanddesiresneverfulfilled.Heyearnsthatatleasthissonremember
shispatriotismandputflowersonhisgraveaswellasrememberthathisnameisamongstth
oserepresentedbythetomboftheUnknownSoldier.

9.SURVIVORS

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  Thepoemdealswithpostcolonialperiodwhichischaracterizedwithdisappointmentand
betrayal.
 Thepoemisironicalinthesensethatitisthelivingwhoseemstobeheroesandheroineswhe
ninactualfacttheheroesarethosewhosacrificedtheirlives.Itisthesethatdeserverecogni
tion.
 Theconceptofheroismismockedismocked.Therhetoricquestionsforexamples,‘thereal
heroes,arethetheynotdead’
 Thepoemquestionsthewholeconceptofheroism,hewondersifthesurvivorsarethetrue
heroeswhenwehavepeoplewhodiedatthewarfront.
 Tohimthosewholosttheirlivesaretrueheroesandshouldbehonoredinthesamewaythes
urvivorsare.
 Theuseofrhetoricquestionsshowsthatsurvivalisnotsynonymouswithbrevityandheroi
sm.Itwasjustamatterofchanceorevencowardicesincethosewhowereatthefrontgotkill
ed.
 Thereisalsouseofasarcastictoneashelaughsatthesurvivorsposingastrueheroesforgett
ingthatthefallenheroes’sacrificedtheirlivesforthesurvivorstolive.
 Heisdisappointedinthewaythefallenheroeshavebeenbetrayedbytheirlivingcounterpa
rts.

10.FAREWELL

 Thepoemtakestheformofanepitaphexpressingtherelationshipbetweenthesoldierand
hisgun.
 Thegunhasbeenpersonifiedandgivenhumanqualitiessuchascapableof‘makingfriends,
faithfulness,loyaltyandgiggling.’
 Thepartnershipisalsoshownthroughtheuseofthepluralcollectivevoice‘we’toshowthei
nterdependencebetweenthetwo.
 Thepoemalsoexpressesthedangersandhardshipthetwopassedthroughduringtheliber
ationstrugglelikethedeadlymixedgrillofbullets,thenakednightsandthefrost.’
 Thegunisaddressedasifitiscapableofrecalling.Thepoemsays‘yourcall’.Thisrelationshi
pshownbetweenthesoldierandhisgunisbeyondhumanunderstanding.

11.WESURRENDEREDOURBALLS

 Thisisapoemofcontrastoftheexperienceandcontributionsduringthestruggletothepres
ent-thepoststrugglesituation.
 Theword‘balls’isdeliberate.Ithasdoublemeaningofthetennisball-
inthiscaseitmeansgivinginaftertheendasthepupilsdoafteramatch.Inthesecondmeani
ngreferenceistothetesticlesmentionedinstanza9whichissymbolicaloftheemasculatio
nofmanhood.
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  Itistheemasculationofmanhoodthattakesawaythecourageandthestrengthtostandupf
orthetruth.
 Thepoemjustlikeotherpoemsintheanthologyhasatoneofdisappointment.Thedifferent
namesof‘accolades’usedtorefertothefreedomfightersshowbothpositiveandnegativep
erceptionaboutthem.

12.WARMINGANOTHERMAN’SGROINS

 Thepoemisaboutacomradewhoisexpressinghisdisappointmentoverlostloveafterinde
pendence.
 Heiscomplainingthathisgirlfriendwhoencouragedhimtojointheliberationstruggleand
promisedhimthathewillwaitforherbutwhenhereturnedthegirlwasalreadymarriedtoa
notherman.
 Thebetrayalthroughunfulfilledpromisesshowsthatthosewhojoinedtheliberationstru
gglesufferedalotofloseswhichsometimespeopleseeasnegligible.
 Throughtheuseofrhetoricquestions,freeverse,enjambment,personificationtheperson
aclearlyrevealshowhisloveforYeukaienabledhimtoendurethehardshipsattheforefron
twithhopeofreunion.
 Thebetrayalbecomessoglaringasonecomparesthesacrificetothebetrayal.

13.SMILEMOTHER

 Thispoemdealswiththeperiodimmediatelyafterindependence.Thepoemisaboutanint
eractionbetweenamotherandadeadchildimmediatelyafterindependencewhenpeople
embarkedonasearchfortheirbelovedones.
 Thedictionsuggestpainasshownbywordslike‘tormenting,gruelingandtears’
 Thewrestlingbetweenfearandhopeoffindingthelovedonesisrepresentedthroughthei
mageof‘tagofwar’showinghowcthefeelingsofthesearchingmothervacillates.
 Therepetitionofsmilemotherhelpstogivethemotherandreaderanassuranceandalsoto
overcomesadnessanddisappointment.
 Thedeadcomradeisrequestinghis/
hermothertofindsolaceinthefactthathediedinbattle.Heispartofthosewhobroughttheli
berationofZimbabwe.

14.FREESODFORMYSISTER

 Thepoemfocusesontheimpactofwarongirls.Thegirlsareinnocentvictims.

6|Page
  Theuseoftheword‘slaughter’atthebeginningofthepoemsuggestsbrutaldeathwhichani
malorbeastlike.
 Thedeathoftheinnocentsisterisemphasizedbyrepetitionof‘mybabysisterisgone.’The
word‘gone’iseuphemisticfordeath.Ithelpstomakedeathappearlight.Therepetitionof‘d
evoured’showshowdestructivethewaris.
 Theword‘cocooned’expressestheyounggirl’sinnocence,throughtheimageofbeingenm
eshedininnocence.Theinnocenceisfurtherdevelopedthroughthesimileofsproutingbre
asthardasgreenmangoes.
 Thepoemcanbeallegoric“YounggirlrepresentingZimbabwe”

15.SEMANTICSOFSTONES

 ThepoemshowshowYeukaiwasinfluentialinthelifeofthepoet.Sheconvincedhimtointh
eliberationstruggleandfidmeaningtolife.Sheseemedtohaveabetterunderstandingofth
estruggleandhowitwillimpactontheirlives.
 Unfortunatelythepoemendsindisappointmentanddisillusionmentwhenthepoetcome
sbacktoenjoythefreedomwithYeukaionlytofindhertakenbyanotherman.
 Inthepoemthepoetfailstofindthesense/
meaningoffreedomwhenonehaslosthisbelovedones.

SECTIONTWO:STUBINTHEBACKYARD

16.STUBINTHEBACKYARD

 Thepoemisaboutbetrayalandexpressesthepainofbeingusedandlies.
 Expressedthroughtheimageoftheabandonedstub‘thesmile...life/
painslikeapartsmokedstubtossedintothebackyard”expressestheideaofbeingusedand
thrownaway.
 Lifehasbeenawasteastheasthepersonafeelsthatallherdreamshavebeenshattered.Hish
opessinkbythedayashefeelssouselessandabandoned.
 Thepoemisfullofbitternessanddisgust.
 Theideaofbeingusedandthenthrownawayisemphasisedbytheuseofthe‘hole’whichisu
sedfor‘annul’,thespittingandtheflushingofawayof‘aborted’desires.

17.MUSIWATUNYA

 Thepoemdealswithculturalaspectsandidentity.Thesubjectmatterisderivedfromthew
ell-knownMusiwaTunyainVictoriaFalls.

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  Thepersonaisfeelsthatindependenceshouldgivehimsuccess.Heisnotreadytocontinue
sufferingafterindependence.
 HefindshishopeinthejoyderivedfromMusiWaTunyahishomeland.

18.SPLINTEREDCALABASH

 ThepoemlikemanyothersdrawsinfluencefromthefigureofYeukaiwhoseemstohavebee
nthekeyfigureinshapingthepersona’sdreams,psycheandemotions.
 Thepoemissymbolicalofalady(probablyYeukai)whosevirginityhasbeenbroken.
 Thecalabashissymbolicalofsomethingcherishedortreasuredasshownbytheline,‘thegr
eencalabashmamanurtured’
 Frustrationanddisappointedareregisteredthroughthediction‘splintered,fractured,fra
gmented,driedup’whichexpressesnohopeofmending.

19.GRABBINGTHEBULL5

 Thepoemdrawsthethemeofdisillusionmentanddiscontent.Thepersondescribeshowt
hecharacterinthepoemhasgottentiredofplayingminoradunsatisfactoryrolesIthesocie
ty.
 Thecharactergainscourageandseizesanopportunitytoexpresshimselftotheworldthro
ughwritingpoetry.
 Throughhispoetryhebecomeshisownmasteradexpresseshisdesires.

20.BOLDERBOULDER

 Thepoem‘drawsfromtheimageryof‘rocks,stone,bouldertoshowfirmnessgainingstren
gth,enduranceandbeingoutstanding.
 Thepersonaisoptimisticofsucceedingafterthedifficultiesthattheyhehasgonethrough.
 Hedoesnotsuccumbtothehardshipsbutismadestrongerbythechallenges.

21.SHATTEREDMIRROR

 Thepoemfocusondisillusionmentanddisappointmentcomingfromfaileddreams.Thep
oethadaplannedfuture,afuturebuiltfromthearmedstruggled.
 Hopelessnessisexpressedbythesilence‘theysatwithoutchatonthemat’
 Confusionisalsoshownthroughtheuseof‘smokeperfumeadstenchminglinginvainembr
ace’showingthathepersonaandotherpeoplearefailingtomakesenseoutoflifeastheyhav
efailedtofulfilltheirdreams.

8|Page
  Thepoemendsonapessimisticandpainfulnoteshownthroughuseofwordslike,‘shatters,
scattersandshattered’whichsymbolizestotalbetrayal.Thedreamswillnevermendinthe
samewaytheglassisdifficulttomend.

22.PRICKLYPRIDE

 Thepoempointsatthepainoflivingafailedlife.Whathurtsmostisthedenialthatthecharac
terislivinginhenceendingupIasituationthatforceshimtotakebackthathehaspreviously
discardedIhopeofabetterfuture,‘lappingbackwhatthestomachhadthrownout.
 Italsobringsouttheeffectsoflonelinessafterafaileddream,‘...desolateonadoublebed’
 Theprideofvowingnevertotakebackwhathasbeenlostissopainfulhence‘pricklypride’
 Becauseofthepainthepersonaendsupventinghis/
herangeronthewrongpeopleandelementsofthesociety,‘halingmissilesandcursesonth
estarveddog’
 Discontentbreedsacircleofviolence;thevulnerablearetheonestosuffermostassymboli
zedbythestarveddog.

23.MESSAGEINSTONE

 ThepoemmarvelsthehistoricalsignificanceofGreatZimbabwe.ThestonesatgreatZimba
bwecarryaveryimportantmessageaboutthehistoryofthiscountry-
thehardwork,thetorture,sacrifice,mastermindoftheindigenouspeople.
 Howeverpeoplearenotabletoreadthedeepermeaningofthestonesadtheirsignificancei
ntoday’slife.
 ThestonessymbolizeboththejoysandsorrowsofZimbabweanpeople.
 ThestonesalsosignifyboththeeconomicandpoliticalpassageofZimbabwe

24.GOODCITIZEN

 Goodcitizenisalsoapoemaboutdeath.Itrevealshowfuneralsareturnedintoplatformsfor
politicalcampaignsandhowpeoplecometofuneralsforwrongreasonsandmotives.
 Thisinitselfshowsdeathofculturalvalues,asfuneralsarenolongertreatedwiththesacred
nessandthesombretheydeserve.

9|Page
 SECTION3

25.THEREALPOETRY

 Thepoembringstolightrealitiesoflifeexperiencesthatpoetryshouldcapture.
 Itexplorestheroleofpoverty.Poetryshouldexposebondage,violenceandexploitationwi
thoutromanticizingitorglossingovertherealities.Thisisshownthroughtheimagerydra
wnfromlandscape(panoramic)view,whichisanimageryofoppressed,starvedpeople.T
heimageryiscreatedthroughthe‘gorge’andthe‘valley’.
 Thereisalsoanimageofthehumanbodywithsoles,‘broils’‘blisters’whichshowsthepathe
ticfigureoftheoppressed.

26.MARROW

 Thepoemraisesquestionsonidentity,history,myths,prejudice,questionsoflanguage.Th
evisitingstorksandsparrowsarebirdimageriesthatrepresenttheEuropeans.
 Theblackoxenthatstampedewithneitheryokenorwhipisasymbolofchaosandconfusion
.

27.NEITHERFRUITNORSHELTER

 Thepoemdealswithpostcolonialperiodwhichischaracterizedwithdisappointmentand
betrayal.
 Thepoemthepredicationofthenationasawhole.Thebaobabissymbolicofthegreatpoten
tialtonourishitspeople.
 Theimageofanelephantwithitshornsandhidearesymbolsofthegreateconomicpotentia
lwhich,howeverhasbeenabusedormisappropriatedasshownbythe‘dustyskeletonofth
eelephant’andthehornandthehidewhichhassincebeenlost.
 Theideaoftheabuseofresourcesisshownthroughtheimageofamotherwhostarveshero
wnchildrentofeedforeigners.

28.YEARSLATER

 Thepoemdealswiththepostcolonialperiodwhichischaracterizedbydisappointmentan
dbetrayal.ItshowstheimageofAfricashowingthehypocrisyoftheleadersyearsafterthea
rmedstruggleandattainmentofindependence.
 Thepoemrevealsthatyearsafterthearmedstruggleandindependencethepeoplehaveno
thingtoshowfortheirsacrifice.
 Thecontinent’sresourcesaresiphonedthroughthe‘railwaylines’thatdissecttheland.Th
erailwaylineisasymbolofexploitationofresourcesandwealth.
10 | P a g e
  The‘baobabinthispoemisasymbolofendurance,thusthecalltocometogethertothefirma
ndrootedsoastopickupthebrokenfragments.
 Thesymbolsalsoshowthattherehasbeenculturalerosionaswell.The‘calabash,theclayp
otareallassociatedwithtraditionalvalues.
 ‘Yearslater’thecountryseemstohavereapedmoraldegradationshownbythepresenceof
‘bitches’and‘pimps’bondageshownby‘legironing’,‘chainfactories’whichareforeigndes
tructionshowby‘shaftsandtunnels’whichareasaresultoftheextractionofresourcesthro
ughmining.
 Zimbabweisdishingoutitsmineralsbutgettingnothingforitspeople,insteadtheyaregett
ingpoorerytheday.‘wagonsgogroaningfullbutreturnbackrattlingempty’
 Howeverthereisnoviolence,insteadthepersonaisencouragingtheZimbabweanstostop
andcomebacktothedrawingboardandseewheretheygotlostotheway.

OTHERSTYLISTICDEVICESTOLOOKAT

Rhetoricquestions
Africanproverbs/localindigenousproverbs
Personification(Zimbabwetakenasamother)
Euphemism
Symbolism

29.UMBLICALCODEBLEEDS

 Thispoemwhichhasconnotationsoflostidentity.Umbilicalcodesbindthemothertothec
hildbeforebirth.Ithastobecutatchildbirthandconsequentlydriesthusgivingtheyoungb
abytheabilitytostandonitsown,sustainitselfandbecomeindependent.
 Inthepoemthebaby,whichcanbepresumedtobeindependentZimbabwehasfailedtobre
akawayfromitscolonialmaster.
 Itcontinuestolickfromthemasterwhocontinuouslyabusesifitstopsbootlicking.
 Thepoemthereforeisattackingdependencysyndromeafterindependence-
whathasbeenachievedisjustceremoniousindependencebuttheeconomyandpoliticalre
ignsarestillinthehandsofthecolonialpowerswhostilldictatewhathastobedoneintheAfr
icancountries.
11 | P a g e
 SECTION4

30.THETHREESISTERS

 Thepoemisnostalgicintone.Thepersonaisreminiscingthegoodolddayswhenshewould
sitpeacefullywithhersisters.
 Thepoemhasaruralculturalsettingthatisfreefrombetrayalandculturalinvasionwhich
wasbroughtbycolonialism.
 Thetranquilityofthissettingwasalsodestroyedbythearmedstrugglewhichtheybelieve
dwouldbringbetterlifeandlivelihood.

31.YOURETIREDTOTHEANTHILL

 Itisapoemaboutdeathofanunclewhousedtobestrictandrigid,
 Theuncleseemstohavebeenviolentaswellasshownbytheimageofawoundthatisopened
bythestick.Theimageher,‘pleadingandcallingouttohermotherasthefuriousstickgushe
dopensofttissueandbloodremainscharredinmyhead’
 ThusbothpoemsHowcanIweepandYouretiredtotheanthillattackvariousformsofabuse
suchasthephysicalandemotionalneglect

32.THEBABYWHOCAMETOOEARLY

 Thepoemalsofocusesonthehopelessnessanddangerousatmosphereoflifeintheworld,‘
nexttothetombthemother’swombisthesafestsidetohide.’
 Lifeisfullofsurprises,mostofthemfrustratinganddisheartening.Theyaregenerallyshoc
kingandunsafeforthenewlyborn.
 ThenewlyborncanalsobetakentobesymbolicoftheindependentZimbabwe.Peoplewer
esoeagerforindependencebutitdidnotbringthejoysandpromisestheywereexpecting.
 Peoplehadstruggled,sufferedintheliberationstruggleonlytorealisethatindependence
doesnotholdanythingtangibleformostofthem.

33.HOWCANIWEEP

 Thepoemfocusesontheironyofbeingsocializedintobeingsocializedtobetough,butinthe
endexpectedtoshowsoftnessofmourning.
 Itisalsoironicthatthepersonagetssympathy,loveandprotectionofadogthathisunclehad
deprivedhimof.
 Thepersonasoundsbrutal,coldandheartlessperhapsinavengefulmoodandmission.

12 | P a g e
  Thereisalsoaparadoxicalpresentationofpainandpleasure‘dayandnight’;‘lifeanddeath’
showingthemixedfeelingsbeingexperienced.

34.SEARCHINGFORMOTHER

 Thepoemisaboutthefrustrationanddisillusionedwhichcameafterthepersonafailedtor
ealisehisdreamsandfeelsthebetrayalexperiencedfromhis‘mother’(Zimbabwe).
 Thereareimagesofpovertyhardshipandstriveallaroundthepersona,“thesackofweighi
ng...Ihavesprintedbarefootslashedbyfrost-hardenedblades’
 Thepoemalsoisalsopackedwithsymbolsofemotionalpain,as‘brokenpiecesjugglingand
jabbinginsidethesoul’
 Thepersonahasalsotriedtofindsolacefarandelsewhereonlytorealiseintheendthathiss
atisfactionandjoyhastocomefromhishomelandwhichisinawayhismotherwithamanda
tetoprovideforitspeopleandchildren.

35.EVERYSTONETHATTURNS

 Thepoemisacontrastoftwolives–
theperson’slivewhichisatthepedestalofachievementandthatofYeukaiwhichisattheroc
kbottomoffailure.
 ‘TheabstractAtlasonforsquarts,theballatopPearlHouse’isasymbolofelevatedstatus,pl
entyandpompwhichareadirectcontrastwitha‘pairofhigh-heeledshoes/
indespair,pecksstillstreets/forcrumbs-
thesearesuggestiveofpovertyandsqualidinwhichYeukairelegatedherselfasaresultofb
etrayaloftrust.
 Otherimagesofpovertyareseenasher‘lifewriggles’,‘singlebedsquashed’
 Thepersonasoundsvengefulandboastfulespeciallywhenhesays,‘IobserveSalisburyfro
mheaven’andreferstoYeukaibeingsquashedonasinglebedwithastrangerwho‘snores’,‘
snores’,‘belches’beerandhas‘farting’buttocks.Thepoemisamixtureofbothdisappointm
entandfrustrationtakingtollonthepersona.Asenseofdisgustisalsoevokedthroughthes
eimages.
 Throughthispoemthepoetshowsthateverypersonhaspotentialtoreachgreaterheights.
Thetitleisbothmetaphoricalandproverbialinthesensethatitcapturestheinertpotential
inpeoplewhomaybelookeddownupon.

36.YOUWILLNEVERKNOW

 ThepoemisaconfessiontoYeukaibythepoetofhowshehasfrustratedanddisappointedth
epoet.

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  Thoughthefrustrationwaspainfulandhadnegativeeffectsithadontheothernoteledtopo
sitivedevelopments,likethebirthofanewpoetasshownbytheconfessionratherthanmop
andmournindespairs,Iyokedtheyokedtheenergyofthunderintofireandeviltohammer
mydesireintowordsthatrunandrhymeintoformandmeaning.
 Thepoetrybecameanewwaytoventhisemotions,passionsandpoetic‘organism.’Itisafor
mofescapism.ThusallthepoemscombinedherestartingfromSprinkledCalabashtoYou
willneverknowtracethelifeofapoetinthemaking.Theycapturethesocialstrugglesthatle
adtothebirthofapoet.Otherpoemsthatfallunderthiscategoryare,Warminganotherman
’sgroinwhichcapturesthebreakdownofrelationship,alsoanappealtopickupthebroken
pieces.

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