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© Department of Basic Education 2015 This content may not be sold or used for An elementary school classroom in a slum by commercial purposes. Stephen Spender was previously published in New Collected Poems, by Stephen Spender, Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement published by Faber and Faber, 2004. Copyright (CAPS) Grade 12 English First Additional Language 6WHSKHQ6SHQGHU5HSURGXFHGE\NLQG Mind the Gap study guide for Poetry permission of the Estate of Stephen Spender. ISBN 978-1-4315-1943-9 A prayer for all my countrymen by Guy Butler is reproduced by permission of the National English This publication has a Creative Commons /LWHUDU\0XVHXP*UDKDPVWRZQ6RXWK$IULFDRQ Attribution NonCommercial Sharealike license. EHKDOIRIWKHFRS\ULJKWKROGHUWKH(VWDWHRI*X\ You can use, modify, upload, download, and share Butler. content, but you must acknowledge the Department of Basic Education, the authors and contributors. If The birth of Shaka by Oswald Mbuyiseni Mtshali you make any changes to the content you must send is reproduced by permission of the Academic the changes to the Department of Basic Education. and Non-Fiction Authors’ Association of South This content may not be sold or used for commercial Africa (ANFASA). Copyright Oswald Mbuyiseni purposes. For more information about the terms of Mtshali. the license please see: http://creativecommons. Auto wreck by Karl Shapiro is reproduced org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/. by permission of Harold Ober Associates Incorporated, United States of America. Copyright © Department of Basic Education 2015 222 Struben Street, Pretoria, South Africa Every effort has been made to contact the Contact person: Dr Patricia Watson copyright holder of Mementos 1, by W.D. Email: watson.p@dbe.gov.za Snodgrass, but without success. Tel: (012) 357 4502 The Department of Basic Education would be http://www.education.gov.za grateful for any information that would enable it Call Centre: 0800202933 to do so in the future. 7KHÀUVWHGLWLRQSXEOLVKHGLQIRUWKH5HYLVHG Mind the Gap team 1DWLRQDO&XUULFXOXP6WDWHPHQW 51&6 *UDGH Series managing editor: Dr Patricia Watson 0LQGWKH*DSVWXG\JXLGHVIRU$FFRXQWLQJ Production co-ordinators:5DGKD3LOOD\DQG (FRQRPLFV*HRJUDSK\DQG/LIH6FLHQFHVWKH *LOO0F'RZHOO second edition, published in 2014, aligned these Authors: Abel Khatlake, Sylvester Mensah, titles to the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Pila Mngqibisa, Nonhlanhla Mzila, Joanne Stielau Statement (CAPS) and added more titles to the and Priscilla Vos VHULHVLQFOXGLQJWKH&$36*UDGH(QJOLVK)LUVW Expert readers: Jenny de Wet, Bulara Monyaki, $GGLWLRQDO/DQJXDJHMind the Gap study guide for 5RVHOHW1HWVKLODWD<YRQQH5HHGDQG:LOOHP5RV Poetry, ISBN 978-1-4315-1943-9 Editor:-XOLD*UH\ Proof reader: Pat Tucker Acknowledgements Designer: Nomalizo Ngwenya The Department of Basic Education gratefully Illustrators: Michele Dean, Ivan Keir, Vusi Malindi, acknowledges the permission granted to reproduce Khosi Pholosa and Kenneth Tekane WKHSRHPVLQWKH&$36*UDGH(QJOLVK)LUVW Series cover illustration: Alastair Findlay $GGLWLRQDO/DQJXDJH0LQGWKH*DSVWXG\JXLGHIRU Onsite writers’ workshop support: Wayne Cussons Poetry. Cheetah by Charles Eglington (from Under the Horizon: Collected Poems of Charles Eglington, Purnell, 1977) is reproduced by permission RIWKH'UDPDWLF$UWLVWLFDQG/LWHUDU\5LJKWV 2UJDQLVDWLRQ '$/52  3W\ /WG6RXWK$IULFD © Department of Basic Education 2015 iv INTRODUCTION Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

© Department of Basic Education 2015 Ministerial foreword The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has pleasure in releasing the second edition of the Mind the Gap VWXG\ JXLGHV IRU *UDGH  OHDUQHUV 7KHVH VWXG\ guides continue the innovative and committed attempt by the DBE to improve the DFDGHPLFSHUIRUPDQFHRI*UDGHFDQGLGDWHVLQWKH1DWLRQDO6HQLRU&HUWLÀFDWH (NSC) examination. The study guides have been written by teams of exerts comprising teachers, H[DPLQHUV PRGHUDWRUV VXEMHFW DGYLVRUV DQG FRRUGLQDWRUV 5HVHDUFK ZKLFK began in 2012, has shown that the Mind the Gap series has, without doubt, had a positive impact on grades. It is my fervent wish that the Mind the Gap study guides take us all closer to ensuring that no learner is left behind, especially as we celebrate 20 years of democracy. The second edition of Mind the Gap is aligned to the 2014 Curriculum and Matsie Angelina Motshekga, MP Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS). This means that the writers have considered Minister of Basic Education the National Policy pertaining to the programme, promotion requirements and SURWRFROVIRUDVVHVVPHQWRIWKH1DWLRQDO&XUULFXOXP6WDWHPHQWIRU*UDGHLQ 2014. The Mind the Gap CAPS study guides take their brief in part from the 2013 National 'LDJQRVWLFUHSRUWRQOHDUQHUSHUIRUPDQFHDQGGUDZRQWKH*UDGH([DPLQDWLRQ *XLGHOLQHV(DFKRIWKH0LQGWKH*DSVWXG\JXLGHVGHÀQHVNH\WHUPLQRORJ\DQG offers simple explanations and examples of the types of questions learners can expect to be asked in an exam. Marking memoranda are included to assist learners WREXLOGWKHLUXQGHUVWDQGLQJ/HDUQHUVDUHDOVRUHIHUUHGWRVSHFLÀFTXHVWLRQVIURP past national exam papers and examination memos that are available on the Department’s website – www.education.gov.za. 7KH &$36 HGLWLRQV LQFOXGH $FFRXQWLQJ (FRQRPLFV *HRJUDSK\ /LIH 6FLHQFHV 0DWKHPDWLFV0DWKHPDWLFDO/LWHUDF\DQG3K\VLFDO6FLHQFHV7KHVHULHVLVSURGXFHG LQERWK(QJOLVKDQG$IULNDDQV7KHUHDUHDOVRQLQH(QJOLVK)LUVW$GGLWLRQDO/DQJXDJH ()$/  VWXG\ JXLGHV 7KHVH LQFOXGH ()$/ 3DSHU  /DQJXDJH LQ &RQWH[W  ()$/ 3DSHU :ULWLQJ DQGDJXLGHIRUHDFKRIWKH*UDGHSUHVFULEHGOLWHUDWXUHVHW works included in Paper 2. These are Short Stories, Poetry, To Kill a Mockingbird, A Grain of Wheat, Lord of the Flies, Nothing but the Truth and Romeo and Juliet. Please remember when preparing for Paper 2 that you need only study the set ZRUNV\RXGLGLQ\RXU()$/FODVVDWVFKRRO The study guides have been designed to assist those learners who have been underperforming due to a lack of exposure to the content requirements of the curriculum and aim to mind-the-gap between failing and passing, by bridging the gap in learners’ understanding of commonly tested concepts, thus helping candidates to pass. $OOWKDWLVQRZUHTXLUHGLVIRURXU*UDGHOHDUQHUVWRSXWLQWKHKRXUVUHTXLUHG WRSUHSDUHIRUWKHH[DPLQDWLRQV/HDUQHUVPDNHXVSURXG²VWXG\KDUG:HZLVK HDFKDQGHYHU\RQHRI\RXJRRGOXFNIRU\RXU*UDGHH[DPLQDWLRQV. _________________________________ Matsie Angelina Motshekga, MP Minister of Basic Education 2015 © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature INTRODUCTION v

© Department of Basic Education 2015 Table of contents Dear Grade 12 learner ..................................................................................................... viii How to use this study guide .............................................................................................. ix Top 7 study tips .....................................................................................................................x On the exam day ................................................................................................................. xi Overview of the English First Additional Language Paper 2: Literature exam ......... xii What is a contextual question? ...................................................................................... xiii What are the examiners looking for? ............................................................................ xiii Question words ..................................................................................................................xiv Literary features found in poems.....................................................................................xvi Poem 1: Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare ................................................. 1 1. Themes .......................................................................................................................1 2. Type and form .............................................................................................................3 3. Analysis .......................................................................................................................3 4. Tone and mood ..........................................................................................................5 Activity 1 ...............................................................................................................................7 Poem 2: Death be not proud by John Donne .................................................. 9 1. Themes .......................................................................................................................9 2. Type and form .......................................................................................................... 11 3. Analysis .................................................................................................................... 11 4. Tone and mood ....................................................................................................... 13 Activity 2 ............................................................................................................................ 15 Poem 3: An elementary school classroom in a slum by Stephen Spender 18 1. Themes .................................................................................................................... 18 2. Type and form .......................................................................................................... 21 3. Analysis .................................................................................................................... 21 4. Tone and mood ....................................................................................................... 26 Activity 3 ............................................................................................................................ 28 Poem 4: Auto wreck by Karl Shapiro ............................................................. 30 1. Themes .................................................................................................................... 30 2. Type and form .......................................................................................................... 33 3. Analysis .................................................................................................................... 34 4. Tone and mood ....................................................................................................... 37 Activity 4 ............................................................................................................................ 39 Poem 5: On his blindness by John Milton ..................................................... 41 1. Themes .................................................................................................................... 41 2. Type and form .......................................................................................................... 43 3. Analysis .................................................................................................................... 44 4. Tone and mood ....................................................................................................... 45 Activity 5 ............................................................................................................................ 47 Poem 6: A prayer for all my countrymen by Guy Butler ............................... 50 1. Themes .................................................................................................................... 50 2. Type and form .......................................................................................................... 52 3. Analysis .................................................................................................................... 53 4. Tone and mood ....................................................................................................... 55 Activity 6 ............................................................................................................................ 57 Poem 7: The birth of Shaka by Oswald Mbuyiseni Mtshali ......................... 59 1. Themes .................................................................................................................... 59 2. Type and form .......................................................................................................... 61 3. Analysis .................................................................................................................... 62 4. Tone and mood ....................................................................................................... 64 Activity 7 ............................................................................................................................ 66 © Department of Basic Education 2015 vi INTRODUCTION Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

© Department of Basic Education 2015 Poem 8: The serf by Roy Campbell................................................................ 68 1. Themes .................................................................................................................... 68 2. Type and form .......................................................................................................... 70 3. Analysis .................................................................................................................... 70 4. Tone and mood ....................................................................................................... 72 Activity 8 .............................................................................................................................74 Poem 9: Mementos, 1 by WD Snodgrass ...................................................... 76 1. Themes .................................................................................................................... 76 2. Type and form .......................................................................................................... 79 3. Analysis .................................................................................................................... 79 4. Tone and mood ....................................................................................................... 82 Activity 9 ............................................................................................................................ 84 Poem 10: Cheetah by Charles Eglington ....................................................... 86 1. Themes .................................................................................................................... 86 2. Type and form .......................................................................................................... 89 3. Analysis .................................................................................................................... 90 4. Tone and mood ....................................................................................................... 93 Activity 10 .......................................................................................................................... 95 © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature INTRODUCTION vii

© Department of Basic Education 2015 Dear Grade 12 learner This Mind the Gap study guide helps you to prepare for the end-of-year *UDGH(QJOLVK)LUVW$GGLWLRQDO/DQJXDJH ()$/ /LWHUDWXUHH[DP 7KHUHDUHWKUHHH[DPVIRU()$/3DSHU/DQJXDJHLQ&RQWH[W3DSHU /LWHUDWXUHDQG3DSHU:ULWLQJ 7KHUHDUHQLQHJUHDW()$/Mind the Gap study guides which cover Papers 1, 2 and 3. 3DSHU/LWHUDWXUHLQFOXGHVWKHVWXG\RIQRYHOVGUDPDVKRUWVWRULHVDQG poetry. A Mind the Gap study guide is available for each of the prescribed literature titles. Choose the study guide for the set works you studied in \RXU()$/FODVVDWVFKRRO This study guide focuses on the 10 prescribed poems examined in Paper /LWHUDWXUHYou will need to study all 10 poems for the exam: 1. Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare 2. Death be not proud by John Donne 3. An elementary school classroom in a slum by Stephen Spender 4. Auto wreck by Karl Shapiro 5. On his blindness by John Milton 6. A prayer for all my countrymenE\*X\%XWOHU 7. The birth of Shaka by Oswald Mbuyiseni Mtshali 8. The serfE\5R\&DPSEHOO 9. Mementos, 1 by WD Snodgrass 10. Cheetah by Charles Eglington © Department of Basic Education 2015 viii INTRODUCTION Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

© Department of Basic Education 2015 How to use this study guide There is one chapter for each poem. Each chapter includes a copy of the poem and information about: ‡ 7KHSRHW ‡ 7KHWKHPHV ‡ :RUGV\RXQHHGWRNQRZWRXQGHUVWDQGWKHSRHP ‡ 7\SHDQGIRUP Look out for ‡ /LQHE\OLQHDQDO\VLVDQG these icons in the study guide. ‡ Tone and mood. All the above information is contained in a one-page summary. Use the 10 summaries to help you hold the 10 poems clearly in your mind. You can test your understanding of each poem by completing the activities, then use the answers to mark your own work. The activities are based on WKHNLQGVRITXHVWLRQV\RXZLOOÀQGLQWKHH[DP NB PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION NB Hints to help you Pay special PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION remember a concept HINT! Activities with questions NB attention hintNB or guide you in solving for you to answer problems HINT! e.g. EG - worked examples hint Use this study guide as a exams workbook. Make notes, e.g. EG - worked examples draw pictures and highlight important ideas. exams activity ACTIVITIES boy and girl-left and right of page activity activity ACTIVITIES boy and girl-left and right of page comment activity Step by step comment Step by step comment comment © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature INTRODUCTION ix

© Department of Basic Education 2015 Top 7 study tips 1. Break your learning up into manageable sections. This will help your brain to focus. Take short breaks between studying one section and going onto the next. Try these study tips to make learning 2. Have all your materials ready before you begin studying a section – pencils, pens, highlighters, paper, glass of water, etc. easier. 3. Be positive. It helps your brain hold on to the information. 4. Your brain learns well with colours and pictures. Try to use them whenever you can. 5. 5HSHWLWLRQLVWKHNH\WRUHPHPEHULQJLQIRUPDWLRQ\RXKDYHWR learn. Keep going over the work until you can recall it with ease. 6. Teach what you are learning to anyone who will listen. It is GHÀQLWHO\ZRUWKUHDGLQJ\RXUUHYLVLRQQRWHVDORXG 7. Sleeping for at least eight hours every night, eating healthy food and drinking plenty of water are all important things you need to do for your brain. Studying for exams is like exercise, so you must be prepared physically as well as mentally. © Department of Basic Education 2015 x INTRODUCTION Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

© Department of Basic Education 2015 On the exam day 1. Make sure you bring pens that work, sharp pencils, a rubber and a sharpener. Make sure you bring your ID document and examination admission letter. Arrive at the exam venue at least an hour before the start of the exam. 2.  *RWRWKHWRLOHWEHIRUHHQWHULQJWKHH[DPURRP<RXGRQ·WZDQWWR waste valuable time going to the toilet during the exam. 3. You must know at the start of the exam which two out of the four VHFWLRQVRIWKH3DSHU/LWHUDWXUHH[DP\RXZLOOEHDQVZHULQJ Use the 10 minutes’ reading time to read the instructions carefully. 4. Break each question down to make sure you understand what is being asked. If you don’t answer the question properly you won’t JHWDQ\PDUNVIRULW/RRNIRUWKHNH\ZRUGVLQWKHTXHVWLRQWR NQRZKRZWRDQVZHULW<RXZLOOÀQGDOLVWRITXHVWLRQZRUGVRQ pages xiv and xv of this study guide. 5. Manage your time carefully. Start with the question you think is the easiest. Check how many marks are allocated to each question so you give the right amount of information in your answer. 6. 5HPDLQFDOPHYHQLIWKHTXHVWLRQVHHPVGLIÀFXOWDWÀUVW,WZLOOEH linked with something you have covered. If you feel stuck, move on and come back if time allows. Do try and answer as many questions as possible. GOOD LUCK! 7. Take care to write neatly so the examiners can read your answers easily. © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature INTRODUCTION xi

© Department of Basic Education 2015 Overview of the English First Additional Language Paper 2: Literature exam In the Paper 2 Literature exam, you need to answer questions from two sections. Choose the two sections that you know best: ‡ Section A: Novel ‡ Section B: Drama ‡ Section C: Short stories ‡ Section D: Poetry A total of 70 marks is allocated for Paper 2, which means 35 marks for each section you choose. You will have two hours for this exam. Here is a summary of the Paper 2 Literature exam paper: Question Title of novel Type of Number of number question marks Section A: Novel If you choose Section A, answer ONE question. Choose the question for the book you have learnt. 1. To Kill a Mockingbird Contextual 35 2. Lord of the Flies Contextual 35 3. A Grain of Wheat Contextual 35 Section B: Drama If you choose Section B, answer ONE question. Choose the question for the play you have learnt. 4. Romeo and Juliet Contextual 35 5. Nothing but the Truth Contextual 35 Section C: Short stories If you choose Section C, answer BOTH questions. You will not know exactly which short stories are included until the exam. TWO stories will be set. Answer the questions set on BOTH short stories. 6.1 Short story Contextual 17 or 18 6.2 Short story Contextual 17 or 18 Section D: Poetry If you choose Section D, answer BOTH questions. You will not know exactly which poems are included until the exam. TWO poems will be set. Answer the questions set on BOTH poems. 7.1 Poem Contextual 17 or 18 7.2 Poem Contextual 17 or 18 t

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© Department of Basic Education 2015 What is a contextual question? In a contextual question, you are given an extract from the poem. You then have to answer questions based on the extract. Some answers you can ÀQGLQWKHH[WUDFW2WKHUTXHVWLRQVZLOOWHVW\RXUXQGHUVWDQGLQJRIRWKHU parts of the poem. Some questions ask for your own opinion about the poem. What are the examiners looking for? Examiners will assess your answers to the contextual questions based on: ‡ Your understanding of the literal meaning of the poem. You need to identify information that is clearly given in the poem. ‡ Your ability to reorganise information in the poem. For example, you may be asked to summarise key points. ‡ Your ability to provide information that may not be clearly stated in the extract provided, using what you already know about the text as a whole. This process is called inference. For example, you may be DVNHGWRH[SODLQKRZDÀJXUHRIVSHHFKDIIHFWV\RXUXQGHUVWDQGLQJ of the poem as a whole. ‡ Your ability to make your own judgements and form opinions about aspects of the poem. This process is called evaluation. For example, you may be asked if you agree with a statement. ‡ Your ability to respond to the emotional level of a poem. This is called appreciation. For example, you may be asked what you would have done in the situation described in the poem. You may be asked to discuss how the writer’s style helps to describe the tone and mood of a poem. © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature INTRODUCTION xiii

© Department of Basic Education 2015 Question words Here are examples of question types found in the exam. Question type What you need to do Literal: Questions about information that is clearly given in the text or extract from the text :ULWHWKHVSHFLÀFQDPHVRI Name characters/places/things ... characters, places, etc. State the facts/reasons/ideas … Write down the information without any discussion or comments. Give two reasons for/why … Write two reasons (this means the same as ‘state’). Identify the character/reasons/theme … Write down the character’s name, state the reasons. Describe the place/character/what Write the main characteristics of happens when … something, for example: What does a place look/feel/smell like? Is a particular character kind/rude/ aggressive … What does character x do when … Write what happened – what the character did. Why did character x do … *LYHQUHDVRQVIRUWKHFKDUDFWHU·V action according to your knowledge of the plot. Who is/did … Write the name of the character. To whom does xx refer … Write the name of the relevant character/person. Reorganisation: Questions that need you to bring together different pieces of information in an organised way. Summarise the main points/ideas … Write the main points, without a lot of detail. Group the common elements … Join the same things together. Give an outline of ….. Write the main points, without a lot of detail. Inference Questions that need you to interpret (make meaning of) the text using information that may not be clearly stated. This process involves thinking about ZKDWKDSSHQHGLQGLIIHUHQWSDUWVRIWKHWH[WORRNLQJIRUFOXHVWKDWWHOO\RXPRUH DERXWDFKDUDFWHUWKHPHRUV\PERODQGXVLQJ\RXURZQNQRZOHGJHWRKHOS\RX understand the text. Explain how this idea links with the Identify the links to the theme. theme x … Compare the attitudes/actions of Point out the similarities and character x with character y … differences. What do the words … suggest/reveal State what you think the meaning is, about /what does this situation tell you based on your understanding of the about … text. How does character x react when …. Write down the character’s reaction/ Describe how something affected … what the character did/felt. State how you know that character x is … What did character x mean by the Explain why the character used those expression … particular words. Is the following statement true or false? Write ‘true’ or ‘false’ next to the question number. You must give a reason for your answer. © Department of Basic Education 2015 xiv INTRODUCTION Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

© Department of Basic Education 2015 Choose the correct answer to complete A list of answers is given, labelled the following sentence (multiple choice A–D. Write only the letter (A, B, C or question). D) next to the question number. CompleteWKHIROORZLQJVHQWHQFHE\ÀOOLQJ Write the missing word next to the in the missing words … question number. Quote a line from the extract to prove your Write the relevant line of text using answer. the same words and punctuation you see in the extract. Put quotation marks (“ ” inverted commas) around the quote. Evaluation Questions that require you to make a judgement based on your knowledge and understanding of the text and your own experience. Discuss your view/a character’s Consider all the information and feelings/a theme ... reach a conclusion. Do you think that … There is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answer Do you agree with … to these questions, but you must give In your opinion, what … a reason for your opinion based on information given in the text. Give your views on … Appreciation Questions that ask about your emotional response to what happens, the characters and how it is written. How would you feel if you were character There is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answer x when … to these questions, but you must give Discuss your response to … a reason for your opinion based on Do you feel sorry for … information given in the text. Discuss the use of the writer’s style, To answer this type of question, ask GLFWLRQDQGÀJXUDWLYHODQJXDJHGLDORJXH yourself: Does the style help me to … feel/imagine what is happening/what a character is feeling? Why/why not? *LYHDUHDVRQIRU\RXUDQVZHU © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature INTRODUCTION xv

© Department of Basic Education 2015 Literary features found in poems Diction The poet’s choice of words and how he/she organises them. Euphemism A mild or vague expression in place of a word that is more harsh or direct. First person The poem is written from the point of view of ‘I’ or ‘we’. Hyperbole A deliberate exaggeration. For example, ‘a big’ plate of food is described as ‘a mountainous’ plate of food Irony A statement or situation that has an underlying meaning that is different from the literal meaning. Metaphor $ÀJXUHRIVSHHFKWKDWXVHVRQHWKLQJWRGHVFULEH DQRWKHULQDÀJXUDWLYHZD\ Mood The emotions felt by the reader when reading the poem. Oxymoron A combination of words with contradictory meanings (meanings which seem to be opposite to each other). For example, ‘an open secret’ 3HUVRQLÀFDWLRQ *LYLQJKXPDQFKDUDFWHULVWLFVWRQRQKXPDQEHLQJV Pun A play on words which are identical or similar in sound. It is used to create humour. Rhyme /LQHVRISRHWU\WKDWHQGLQWKHVDPHVRXQG Rhythm A regular and repeated pattern of sounds. Sarcasm An ironic expression which is used to be unkind or to make fun of someone. Simile &RPSDULQJRQHWKLQJGLUHFWO\ZLWKDQRWKHU¶/LNH·RU¶DV· is used to make this comparison. Symbol Something which stands for or represents something else Theme Themes are the main messages of a text. There are usually a few themes in each poem. Third person The poem is written from the point of view of ‘he’, ‘she’ or ‘they’. Tone The feeling or atmosphere of the poem. Sound devices: Alliteration A pattern of sounds that includes the repetition of consonant sounds. The repeated sound can be either at the beginning of successive words or inside the word. Assonance The vowel sounds of words that occur close together are repeated. Consonance A sound that occurs at the end of words that are close together is repeated. Onomatopoeia The use of words to create the sounds being described. © Department of Basic Education 2015 xvi INTRODUCTION Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

Poetry 1 Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare Sonnet 116: Let me not to the marriage of true minds was written by William Shakespeare (1564-1616). He lived in England at the time of Queen Elizabeth I and he is one of the most famous English writers. He ZURWHPDQ\SOD\VDQGRYHUSRHPV/LNHWKLVRQHPRVWRIWKHSRHPV are sonnets which deal with themes of love, time, and their effect on people and relationships. 1. Themes The main theme of Sonnet 116 is love. Shakespeare is saying that nothing can stop true love and that it never changes, no matter what happens in life. True love can survive even during life’s problems and can guide you William Shakespeare WKURXJK GLIÀFXOW WLPHV 1RW HYHQ WLPH FDQ GHVWUR\ WUXH ORYH ZKLFK ODVWV forever. The poet is so sure of what true love is that he says that, if he is wrong, then he has never written anything, including this poem! This is how he concludes his argument that true love is constant and everlasting. This poem is written in Elizabethan English. The glossary after the poem gives the GH¿QLWLRQVRI(OL]DEHWKDQ words. © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature POETRY 1

1 Poetry Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare Let me not to the marriage of true minds line 5 1st Admit impediments. Love is not love quatrain Which alters when it alteration finds, Or bends with the remover to remove. O, no! it is an ever-fixèd mark, 2nd That looks on tempests and is never shaken; line 10 quatrain It is the star to every wand’ring bark, Whose worth’s unknown, although his height be taken. Love’s not Time’s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks 3rd Within his bending sickle’s compass come; quatrain Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, But bears it out even to the edge of doom. Rhyming If this be error, and upon me prov’d, couplet I never writ, nor no man ever lov’d. words to know 'HÀQLWLRQVRIZRUGVIURPWKHSRHP Line 1: let me not don’t allow me to marriage union, unity, bond Line 2: admit impediments DOORZREVWDFOHVÁDZVRUDQ\WKLQJHOVH to get in the way Line 3: alters changes alteration a change Line 4: remover SHUVRQWDNLQJ ORYH DZD\ to remove to take away Line 5: HYHUÀ[qGPDUN permanent, unchanging marker Line 6: tempests storms, challenges shaken moved Line 7: wand’ring bark ship lost at sea Line 8: worth value taken measured Line 9: fool servant Line 10: sickle DWRROXVHGWRFXWJUDVV compass UDQJHGLUHFWLRQ Line 11: brief short Line 12: bears it out makes it last edge of doom HQGRIWKHZRUOGHQGRIWLPHGHDWK Line 13: error mistake Line 14: writ wrote © Department of Basic Education 2015 2 POETRY Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

Sonnet 116 1 2. Type and form vocab Sonnet 116 is an Elizabethan sonnet. It has 14 lines in one verse that is Rhyme:
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1 Poetry He celebrates this kind of love and explains that true love does not change ´DOWHUVµ ZKHQFLUFXPVWDQFHVFKDQJH ´LWDOWHUDWLRQÀQGVµ 7UXHORYHVWD\V constant (steady or even) and stable and it does not weaken (“bend”) when Notice how WKHUHDUHGLIÀFXOWWLPHVRUWKHORYHGRQHGRHVQRWVHHPWRORYHDQ\PRUH “mark” and “bark” rhyme, as do The poet emphasises that love which changes or weakens is not true love “shaken” and E\UHSHDWLQJ´DOWHUµDQG´DOWHUDWLRQµDQG´UHPRYHUµDQG´UHPRYHµWKHVH “taken”. words suggest things that take love away or change love. Second quatrain (lines 5 – 8) O, no! it is an ever-fixèd mark line 5 That looks on tempests and is never shaken; It is the star to every wand’ring bark, Whose worth’s unknown, although his height be taken. In this quatrain, the poet suggest what love is. The poet explains that he thinks the love of true minds is stable and permanent. His exclamation, “O, no!” indicates how strongly the poet rejects the idea that anything can change true love. The poet then uses metaphors based on ships and sailing to tell us what love really is. In the ÀUVWPHWDSKRUWKHSRHWVD\VWKDWWUXHORYHLVDQ´HYHUÀ[qGPDUNµ perhaps like a lighthouse. It stays shining and constant as a guide even during the worst storms (“tempests”). This metaphor tells us that true love is faithful and steady and will help you to manage even the worst of life’s problems. Did you know? In the second metaphor, Shakespeare says that true love is the “star” that guides a ship that has gone off course or got lost (“wand’ring bark”). This star refers to the North Star, which was used by a ship’s captain to steer a ship in the right direction as it is a constant star, always in the same place in the sky. He is saying that true love is constant and never changes its nature. It can be trusted to guide you through life, like the North Star guides a “wand’ring bark” or a ship lost at sea. *O
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TFB Third quatrain (lines 9 – 12) Love’s not Time’s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks Within his bending sickle’s compass come: line 10 Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, But bears it out even to the edge of doom. In the third quatrain, the poet tells us that such love is timeless – it cannot be measured and lasts to the end of the world. © Department of Basic Education 2015 4 POETRY Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

Sonnet 116 1 The passing of time has no effect on true love. The use of a capital letter Did you know? in “Time” tells us that this is SHUVRQLÀFDWLRQ, that Time is a person. Shakespeare is writing about time as if it is a man, so he writes “his” not “its”. However, the speaker in the poem says that love is not the “fool” of Time. He says that love is not a servant that has to obey Time’s rules and so, although Time destroys youth and beauty (cuts down “rosy lips and cheeks” with his “sickle”), love does not change. The poet says that love will last forever, even until the end of the world (“the edge of doom”). 'BUIFS
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VOXPSUIZ The tone of the rhyming couplet is persuasive. The poet or speaker wants to persuade the reader to agree with his views about true love. The mood of a poem is how it makes the reader feel. How does this poem make you feel? For example, happy, sad, angry, or indifferent? Have you noticed that there are no similes in this poem, only metaphors? © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature POETRY 5

1 Poetry summary Sonnet 116 : Let me not to the marriage of true minds by William Shakespeare 1. Theme Love is constant and everlasting. Quatrain 1 About what love is NOT a — Does not “admit impediments”. b — Does not “alter when it alteration finds”. a — Does not bend “with the remover to remove”. b Quatrain 2 About what love IS c — Love is “an ever-fixèd mark”. d Metaphor c — Love is the “star” that guides. d Elizabethan Metaphor sonnet: 14 lines Quatrain 3 About love as TIMELESS e — “Love’s not Time’s fool” f Personification: Time is presented as a man. e — “But bears it out even to the edge of doom.” f Love lasts even until the end of the world. Rhyming Argues that he’s confident he is right. couplet — “If this be error and upon me prov’d, g I never writ, nor no man ever lov’d.” g 2. Type and form 3. Tone and mood s Tone: Confident, scornful, persuasive s Mood: How does this poem make you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? Always give reasons for your answer. © Department of Basic Education 2015 6 POETRY Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

Sonnet 116 1 Activity 1 5HIHUWRWKHSRHPRQSDJHDQGDQVZHUWKHTXHVWLRQVEHORZ 1. Complete the following sentence by using the words provided in the list below. 3HWUDUFKDQVHVWHW(OL]DEHWKDQFRXSOHWTXDWUDLQVRFWDYH This is a typical (1.1) ... sonnet because of the three (1.2) ... and the (1.3) ... that rhymes. (3) vocab   4XRWHDZRUGLQWKHÀUVWOLQHZKLFKKDVFRQQRWDWLRQVRIORYHDQG Connotations: 8PSET
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1 Poetry Answers to Activity 1 1. Elizabethan / quatrains / couplet  (3) 2. “marriage”  (1) 3. The union/ joining together  of like-minded people/ people who think the same way/people who have the same values.  (2) PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION NB 4. NBlove does not change/ is constant  when circumstances True FKDQJHZKHQGLIÀFXOWLHVDULVHZKHQWKHSHRSOH change.  (2) 5. D / convinced  (1) *O
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Poetry 2 Death be not proud by John Donne This poem was written by John Donne (1572-1631) who lived at the same time as Shakespeare. Donne had an adventurous early life. He travelled by sailing ship on two expeditions to the New World (the United States). He also ran away with his employer’s 16-year-old niece, Anne, whom he PDUULHG DQG VR KH ZDV ÀUHG IURP KLV MRE 'RQQH ZDV D &KULVWLDQ DQG became an Anglican priest and later the Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral in /RQGRQ 1. Themes The theme of this poem is death. The poet speaks directly to Death, in person, and tells Death not to think that he is important and powerful because Death is really just a kind of sleep – and rest and sleep are pleasant. We all wake from sleep: even people who die will wake from John Donne death – in heaven! The poet points out that actually death brings us EHQHÀWVDQGWKDWLWKDVQRSRZHU7KHUHLVWKHUHIRUHQRUHDVRQIRUSHRSOH to be afraid of death. This poem is based on the Christian paradox that in order to live forever you have to die. In the Christian belief, physical death is the gateway to vocab eternal or everlasting life in heaven. A paradox
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2 Poetry Death be not proud by John Donne Death be not proud, though some have called thee Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so, For those, whom thou think’st thou dost overthrow, Octave Die not, poor death, nor canst thou kill me. From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be, line 5 Much pleasure, then from thee, much more must flow, And soonest our best men with thee do go, Rest of their bones, and soul’s delivery. Thou art slave to Fate, Chance, kings, and desperate men, line 10 And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell, And poppy, or charms can make us sleep as well, Sestet And better than thy stroke; why swell’st thou then? One short sleep past, we wake eternally, And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die! words to know 'HÀQLWLRQVRIZRUGVIURPWKHSRHP Line 1: thee you Line 2: mighty powerful, strong dreadful terrifying, tragic art are Line 3: thinks’t think dost does overthrow destroy Line 4: canst can Line 5: pictures copies, images, representations, likenesses Line 6: ÁRZ come Line 8: souls’ delivery VRXOVJRLQJWRKHDYHQWR*RG Line 9: Fate luck chance accidents Line 10: dwell live Line 11: poppy drug charms magic spells as well just as well Line 12: stroke attack swell’st swell, grow big Line 13: sleep death wake eternally live forever © Department of Basic Education 2015 10 POETRY Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

Death be not proud 2 PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION NB 2. Type and form The poem is an Italian or Miltonic sonnet. This is because its 14 lines are made up of: ‡ An octaveRIHLJKWOLQHVPDGHXSRIWZRTXDWUDLQVDQG i0DUPw
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2 Poetry The poet orders Death not to be “proud” (arrogant) because people do not really get defeated (“overthrown”) by Death. In fact, Death cannot kill vocab anyone – not even the speaker. The poet explains in the rest of the poem why Death cannot really “kill” anyone. Poor
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2 Poetry summary Death be not proud by John Donne 1. Theme Death is not a terrifying mystery, but a force without real power. 2. Type and form — “Death be not proud” Personification Quatrain 1 a — Speaking to an absent “person” as if he or she b was in front of you. b Apostrophe a — “Poor death” Irony Octave 8 lines Quatrain 2 Argument that death has no power: a — Death is just like “rest and sleep”. b — Rest and sleep bring us “much pleasure”. b — It is best to die “soonest” for the “rest of their a bones” and “soul’s delivery”. Italian or Miltonic sonnet: Quatrain 3 — “Thou art slave to Fate and Chance” 14 lines and rhyming Personification (of Death, Fate and Chance) couplet — “Poppy, or charms can make us sleep as well” Sestet c Death is no more powerful than other things that 6 lines d can make us sleep. d c e — “And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt e die!” The small “d” shows that death has been stripped of respect and power. 3. Tone and mood s Tone: Scornful, mocking, triumphant s Mood: How does this poem make you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? Always give reasons for your answer. © Department of Basic Education 2015 14 POETRY Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

Death be not proud 2 Activity 2 5HIHUWRWKHSRHPRQSDJHDQGDQVZHUWKHTXHVWLRQVEHORZ PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION 1.  5HIHUWRWKHIROORZLQJZRUGVLQOLQH ´'HDWKEHQRWSURXGµ  NB  ,GHQWLI\WKHÀJXUHRIVSHHFKXVHGKHUH    2.  ([SODLQZK\WKHSRHWKDVXVHGWKLVÀJXUHRIVSHHFK   5P
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2 Poetry 10. In the last two lines (13–14) the speaker’s tone is ... A triumphant and victorious B submissive and angry. C sad and disappointed. D thoughtful and fearful. (1) 11. Discuss the message the poem has for its readers. (2) [23] To get 2 marks, you must give TWO points. © Department of Basic Education 2015 16 POETRY Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

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3 Poetry An elementary school classroom in a slum by Stephen Spender This poem was written by Stephen Spender (1909-1995). He was a modern English poet and writer. Much of his writing is about human rights and social justice. He was politically left-wing and was a member of the Communist Party in Britain in the 1930s. He was actively involved in the anti-Nazi and anti-Fascist politics of that time. /DWHULQOLIHKHHGLWHGOLWHUDU\PDJD]LQHVDQGWDXJKWDWPDQ\LQVWLWXWLRQV +H EHFDPH 3URIHVVRU RI (QJOLVK DW 8QLYHUVLW\ &ROOHJH LQ /RQGRQ LQ WKH 1970s. 1. Themes The two main themes are a protest against social inequality and against Stephen Spender poor quality education. vocab The poet describes some children in a classroom in a very poor area. Most of them look unhealthy and unhappy. The pictures on the walls of *O
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An elementary school classroom in a slum 3 An elementary school classroom in a slum by Stephen Spender Stanza 1 Far far from gusty waves, these children’s faces. 1 Like rootless weeds, the hair torn around their pallor. The tall girl with her weighed-down head. The paper- seeming boy, with rat’s eyes. The stunted, unlucky heir Of twisted bones, reciting a father’s gnarled disease, 5 His lesson from his desk. At back of the dim class One unnoted, sweet and young. His eyes live in a dream Of squirrel’s game, in the tree room, other than this. Stanza 2 On sour cream walls, donations. Shakespeare’s head, Cloudless at dawn, civilised dome riding all cities. 10 Belled, flowery, Tyrolese valley. Open-handed map Awarding the world its world. And yet, for these Children, these windows, not this world, are world, Where all their future’s painted with a fog, A narrow street sealed in with a lead sky, 15 Far far from rivers, capes, and stars of words. Stanza 3 Surely, Shakespeare is wicked, the map a bad example With ships and sun and love tempting them to steal – For lives that slyly turn in their cramped holes From fog to endless night? On their slag heap, these children 20 Wear skins peeped through by bones and spectacles of steel With mended glass, like bottle bits on stones. All of their time and space are foggy slum. So blot their maps with slums as big as doom. Stanza 4 Unless, governor, teacher, inspector, visitor, 25 This map becomes their window and these windows That shut upon their lives like catacombs, Break O break open, till they break the town And show the children to green fields and make their world Run azure on gold sands, and let their tongues 30 Run naked into books, the white and green leaves open History theirs whose language is the sun. © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature POETRY 19

3 Poetry words to know 'HÀQLWLRQVRIZRUGVIURPWKHSRHP Stanza 1 Line 1: gusty windy Line 2: weeds unwanted plants pallor pale, unhealthy skin colour Line 4: stunted undeveloped heir receiver Line 5: reciting repeating gnarled twisted, crooked Line 6: dim almost dark, badly lit Line 7: unnoted unnoticed Line 8: squirrel small, tree-climbing animal Stanza 2 Line 9: donations gifts (usually for charity) Line 10: dawn sunrise dome FXUYHGVKDSH6KDNHVSHDUH·VKHDG Line 11: Tyrolese Austrian tyrol (mountains) open-handed generous Line 12: awarding giving Line 14: sealed closed up lead dull, grey Line 15: capes land going out into the sea Stanza 3 Line 19: slyly secretly, sneakily cramped small, crowded Line 20: fog thick mist slag heap coal mine dump Line 21: peeped looked shyly Line 22: blot mark doom bad future Stanza 4 Line 25: governor, inspector people in charge of running schools Line 27: catacombs underground burial chambers for the dead Line 30: azure bright blue Line 31: white leaves books green leaves nature © Department of Basic Education 2015 20 POETRY Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

An elementary school classroom in a slum 3 2. Type and form This poem is divided into four stanzas of eight lines each. It is written in an informal style with no words that rhyme at the ends of the lines, which is typical of modern poetry. Rhyming This is known as free verse. lines of poetry end in words that sound the same. 3. Analysis Stanza 1 (lines 1 – 8) Far far from gusty waves, these children’s faces. Like rootless weeds, the hair torn around their pallor. The tall girl with her weighed-down head. The paper- seeming boy, with rat’s eyes. The stunted, unlucky heir Of twisted bones, reciting a father’s gnarled disease, 5 His lesson from his desk. At back of the dim class One unnoted, sweet and young. His eyes live in a dream Of squirrel’s game, in the tree room, other than this. In stanza 1, the poet describes some of the children in the classroom. The opening lines of the poem are not complete sentences and have an unusual word order: Far far from gusty waves these children’s faces Like rootless weeds, the hair torn round their pallor. (lines 1 and 2) © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature POETRY 21

3 Poetry ,QRUGLQDU\(QJOLVKWKHÀUVWWZROLQHVZRXOGEHZULWWHQ´7KHVHFKLOGUHQ·V faces are far, far from gusty waves and they look like rootless weeds....” By A simile is a direct comparison changing the word order, the poet repeats “Far far” to start the poem. This between two things emphasises the poet’s frustration about how far the children’s environment using ‘like’ or ‘as’. is from what it should be. His tone is angry. The words “gusty waves” (line 1) suggest wind and sea – a healthy, fresh and beautiful place, unlike the gloomy slum they are living in. In a simile, the poet compares the children to “rootless weeds” (line 2). Weeds are small, unwanted plants. The word “rootless” gives us an even more powerful image of how weak the children are: plants cannot grow without roots to take in water and nutrients, and without roots, they do not even seem to belong in one place in the ground. The simile “like rootless weeds” suggests these children are thin, weak and underfed, but also that they do not have a place in the world. The children’s “pallor” (line 2) makes them look pale and sickly, while the metaphor “torn hair” (line 2) suggests that their hair is messy and they are not well cared for. The poet goes on to describe some of the children in the class. One girl vocab is tall for her class, but instead of standing tall and proud, she hangs her head (“weighed-down head” in line 3). This suggests she is thin and her Hyperbole:
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An elementary school classroom in a slum 3 Stanza 2 (lines 9 – 15) On sour cream walls, donations. Shakespeare’s head, Cloudless at dawn, civilised dome riding all cities. 10 Belled, flowery, Tyrolese valley. Open-handed map Awarding the world its world. And yet, for these Children, these windows, not this world, are world, Where all their future’s painted with a fog, A narrow street sealed in with a lead sky, 15 Far far from rivers, capes, and stars of words. Imagine some In the second stanza, the poet describes the classroom. The colour of the connotations of “sour classroom walls is “sour cream” (line 9). The connotations of this are of cream”. They may cream that has gone bad, which suggests the walls are dull and not very include “rotten”, clean. “horrible taste” or “old”. The walls are decorated with what the poet calls “donations” (line 9) – which are gifts to the school, but these gifts may not improve the children’s lives. Ironically, these gifts suggest a world that the children may never be able to experience because of their poverty. The speaker uses a bitter tone when he tells us that these children have a life which is a contrast to these pictures. Their world is dirty, polluted, grey and without much freedom. /RRNDWZKDWLVRQWKHZDOOVDQGQRWHWKHirony of these “donations”: ‡ A picture of Shakespeare: he represents the world of culture, of theatres and plays that, ironically, the children may never see. The phrase “cloudless at dawn” (line 10) suggests a new day, a new life, and contrasts with the grey skies of the slum outside the classroom window. “Civilised dome” (line 10) may refer to Shakespeare’s bald head in the shape of a dome. It could also refer to buildings with domes in cities that suggest other cultures and faraway places. ‡ A poster of the Tyrol: The Tyrolean mountains in Austria have beautiful YDOOH\VWKDWDUHJUHHQDQGÀOOHGZLWKZLOGÁRZHUVLQVXPPHU&RZV graze and wear bells around their necks. Many tourists travel there on vocab holiday, but these children may never get a chance to do that. Irony
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opportunities, but most of them may never leave the slum in which they live. The poet’s tone is sad when he says, “these windows, not this world, are world” (line 13). “These windows” refer to the classroom windows that look out on the slum. They do not look out on “this world”, which is the wonderful ZRUOGVKRZQLQWKHSLFWXUHVDQGWKHPDS,QVWHDGWKHZLQGRZV´DUH>WKHLU@ ZRUOGµLQRWKHUZRUGVWKHFKLOGUHQ·VZRUOGLVWKHVOXPWKDWWKH\VHHWKURXJK the windows. The speaker goes on to describe the slum outside the classroom and what it means for the lives of the children. The “narrow” street suggests that the area is built up and crowded. It is “sealed” (line 15) or closed in by the grey, cloudy, heavy (“lead”) sky. The words “lead”, which is a heavy grey metal, and “sealed” make it seem almost as if the children are trapped in a lead FRIÀQ7KHalliteration of the “s” sound that links the words “street/sealed/ sky” adds to the trapped, closed-in feeling. © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature POETRY 23

3 Poetry As he did at the start of the poem, the poet uses the repetition, “Far far ...” (line 16) to emphasise how the children are cut off from nature and the beautiful world beyond the slum. The metaphor “stars of words” (line 16) is interesting. The stars are beautiful and represent dreams, great ambitions DQG WKLQJV WKDW DUH EULJKW DQG ÀQH ´6WDUV RI ZRUGVµ WKHUHIRUH PDNH XV think not only of a beautiful night sky, but also of the wonderful ways words can be used: words express wisdom and knowledge, they can inspire us, they can empower us. But perhaps these children have no experience of words used in this way. Notice that in this stanza, the word “world” is repeated four times, each time with a slightly different meaning or connotation. Stanza 3 (lines 17 – 24) Surely, Shakespeare is wicked, the map a bad example With ships and sun and love tempting them to steal – For lives that slyly turn in their cramped holes From fog to endless night? On their slag heap, these children 20 Wear skins peeped through by bones and spectacles of steel With mended glass, like bottle bits on stones. All of their time and space are foggy slum. So blot their maps with slums as big as doom. In this stanza, the poet uses an indignant tone. His anger about injustice increases when he thinks about the children’s future. “Wicked” (line 17) seems a very strange word to use to describe a great and inspiring writer like Shakespeare, and how, we may wonder, can a map be ´DEDGH[DPSOHµ OLQH ":HDUHDQVZHUHGLQWKHQH[WOLQH*UHDWDUWDQG literature, maps of the world, together with a life of travel and adventure (ships) in warm, sunny places belong to a life these children may never have – unless they turn to crime to escape from their poverty. The poet’s diction (his choice of words, such as “wicked/bad”) and the strong rhythm of these lines show how strongly he feels. The poet’s unhappiness is shown again in the next two lines when he describes what the future holds for these children. Their homes are “cramped holes” (line 19) and their lives are dull (“fog”) and without a bright future (“endless night”). /LQHVWRSDLQWDWUDJLFSLFWXUHRIWKHFKLOGUHQ·VIXWXUH,I\RXKDYHHYHU seen a place where coal is mined, you will have seen the slag heaps which are huge dumps of black waste from the coal mines. The children in the poem do not literally live on a slag heap (although their slum may be close to one) but this strong metaphor tells us that their lives are not pleasant, and are without joy or hope. The poet uses SHUVRQLÀFDWLRQ in “wear skins peeped through by bones” (line 20) to emphasise how thin the children are. Their bones are “peeping” or looking through their skin. This is also an example of hyperbole as the bones would not actually be sticking out through the skin. The children who wear the broken glasses cannot even see properly – “With mended glass, like bottle bits on stones” (line 21). This simile may refer to the children’s future © Department of Basic Education 2015 24 POETRY Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

An elementary school classroom in a slum 3 as well as their physical condition. Is the future they see ahead of them as broken as their glasses? They have nothing good to look forward to as “All their time and space are foggy slum” (line 23). The last line of stanza 3 shows how angry the poet feels about the future to which these children are condemned. He speaks in a direct, angry and accusing tone to us and all those people in authority. He says that we may as well condemn the children to endless unhappiness and paint the “map” of their future with a picture of a huge slum, “as big as doom” (line 24). Read this line out loud and hear You met the word “doom” in the Shakespeare sonnet, when it meant how it expresses the 0the end of time/the world, the Day of Judgement. Here “doom” has the poet’s anger: “So blot connotation of being condemned to suffering and death from which there is their maps with slums as big as doom”. QRHVFDSH1RWLFHWKHUK\WKPRIWKLVOLQHZLWKÀYHVKRUWVWURQJKHDY\ZRUGV following one another, almost like beats of a drum - “So blot their maps with slums as big as doom”. Stanza 4 (lines 25 – 32) Unless, governor, teacher, inspector, visitor, 25 This map becomes their window and these windows That shut upon their lives like catacombs, Break O break open, till they break the town And show the children to green fields and make their world Run azure on gold sands, and let their tongues 30 Run naked into books, the white and green leaves open History theirs whose language is the sun. In the last stanza, the poet introduces hope to a hopeless situation. He calls on those in authority to change these children’s lives and give them a better future. He calls on the school governor (many South African schools have The poet governing bodies), teachers, school inspectors and visitors to take action. does not mean the To express his excited tone about what he wants to happen, the poet has authorities must literally written this stanza as one long sentence that builds to a climax. However, to break the windows. He means they must make it easier to discuss, it will be divided into two. ¿JXUDWLYHO\ help to open Unless, governor, teacher, inspector, visitor, 25 up the children’s minds and lives. This map becomes their window and these windows That shut upon their lives like catacombs, Break O break open, till they break the town 7KH ÀUVW ZRUG ´8QOHVVµ OLQH   RIIHUV WKH DXWKRULWLHV DQ DOWHUQDWLYH WR ´EORW>WLQJ@WKHLUPDSVZLWKVOXPVDVELJDVGRRPµ,QVWHDGWKH´PDSµRQWKH classroom wall should no longer be a “temptation” to steal, but become an offer of real opportunities for the children. It should be a “window” (line 26) WRDOOWKHZRUOGKDVWRRIIHU7KHDXWKRULWLHVPXVWÀJXUDWLYHO\EUHDNRSHQWKH windows for the children and offer them a different future. At present they are imprisoned as if they were in a grave (“catacomb”). The poet emphasises the need to free the children from this future by his urgent tone+HUHSHDWV´EUHDNREUHDNµ OLQH DQGWKHH[FLWHGH[FODPDWLRQ´Rµ he wants the children to be able to escape their dull and lifeless future and even the town itself. © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature POETRY 25

3 Poetry And show the children to green fields and make their world Run azure on gold sands, and let their tongues 30 Run naked into books, the white and green leaves open History theirs whose language is the sun. In the last four lines, the poet’s tone is a passionate plea for the authorities to give the children a different life and a better environment. He wants them to enjoy the green countryside and nature, to play freely and explore the sea and the beach (“run azure on gold sands”) – in other words, they need to experience an unlimited world. He wants them to discover the joy of reading books, which are a source of knowledge, delight and wisdom. He uses the metaphor “their tongues run naked” (line 30 and 31), which suggests drinking up the contents of books the way we drink water if we are thirsty. The poet wants them to show the same enthusiasm for books and knowledge that are relevant and make sense to them. Here the poet makes it clear that it is only through a good education and a better environment that the children will have the opportunities that at present they do not have. He wants them to have access to “white” leaves (a leaf also means a page, so white leaves are the pages of books) and “green leaves” (nature, the wider world) so that they will have a different future. The poem reaches its climax in the last line with a powerful metaphor: the new “history” of their lives should be written in the “language of the sun” (line 32). The sun is the source of life, warmth, brightness, energy. These are the qualities that should be part of these children’s lives. notes Contrasts Notice all the colours used in the final stanza: azure (bright blue), gold, white, green, and the colour suggested by the sun. Consider how these contrast with the colours suggested by the images used earlier in the poem: “pallor”, “sour cream”, “fog”, “lead”, “holes”, “endless night”, “slag heap”, “catacombs”. How does this contrasting group of images show two different kinds of life? The earlier colours are dull and gloomy, lifeless, even deathly, like the lives of the children in the slum; the later ones are bright and beautiful, the way their lives ought to be – a movement from darkness into light. 4. Tone and mood In stanza 1, the tone is angry and frustrated because of the hardship the children face. In stanza 2, the speaker uses a bitter and sad tone when he contrasts the pictures on the classroom wall with the hard realities the children face. In stanza 3, the tone is indignant and accusing about the injustice the children face in the future. In stanza 4, the tone is excited and urgent about the need to improve the FKLOGUHQ·VVLWXDWLRQ7KHÀQDOWRQHLVDpassionate plea to do so. The mood of a poem is how it makes the reader feel. How does this poem make you feel? For example, happy, sad, angry, or indifferent. © Department of Basic Education 2015 26 POETRY Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

An elementary school classroom in a slum 3 summary An elementary school classroom in a slum by Stephen Spender 1. Theme A protest against social inequality and against poor quality education. — “Like rootless weeds” 2. Type and form Simile — “hair torn around their pallor” Metaphor Stanza 1 8 lines — “The paper-seeming boy, with rat’s eyes” Two metaphors; hyperbole — “At back of the dim class One unnoted, sweet and young” Contrast — “On sour cream walls” Connotations of rot — “Donations” of Shakespeare’s picture, poster, map Stanza 2 Irony 8 lines — “A narrow street sealed in with a lead sky” Free verse: Alliteration (repeated “s”) No formal rhyme — “stars of words” scheme Metaphor — “slag heap” Metaphor Stanza 3 — “wear skins peeped through by bones” 8 lines Personification; hyperbole — “With mended glass, like bottle bits on stones” Simile — Written as one long sentence Creates poem’s climax Stanza 4 — Windows must “Break, O break open” 8 lines Figurative (not literal) — “language of the sun” Metaphor 3. Tone and mood Tone: Moves from angry, frustrated, bitter, sad, indignant and accusing; to excited, urgent and passionate. Mood: How does this poem make you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? Always give reasons for your answer. © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature POETRY 27

3 Poetry Activity 3 5HIHUWRWKHSRHPRQSDJHDQGDQVZHUWKHTXHVWLRQVEHORZ 1. Complete the following sentences by using the words provided in the list below. Write down only the words next to the question number (1 - 3). PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION *RRGSULPDU\FKLOGUHQUHVRXUFHVKLJKSRRU NB NB The setting (background) of the poem is a (1) ... school in a (2) ... area. There are very few (3) ... in the classroom. (3) 6TF
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4 Poetry Auto wreck by Karl Shapiro Auto wreck was written by Karl Shapiro (1913-2000). He was an American SRHWZKREHJDQZULWLQJSRHWU\ZKHQKHZDVÀJKWLQJLQWKH6HFRQG:RUOG :DU ² +HVHQWKLVSRHPVEDFNWR$PHULFDZKHUHKLVÀDQFpH had them published. He wrote Auto wreck in 1941, during the war. +HLVIDPRXVIRUZULWLQJSRHWU\DERXWRUGLQDU\WKLQJVVXFKDVÁLHVFDUV supermarkets and this car crash. Shapiro was awarded the Pulitzer Prize IRU3RHWU\LQDQGZDVWKH$PHULFDQ3RHW/DXUHDWHLQDQG 1. Themes PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION Karl Shapiro The main theme of the poem is death, and the uncertainty of life. NB NB The poem shows how uncertain and insecure life can be. None of us knows when and how we will die. The people in the cars were probably not thinking at all about life and death when suddenly the crash happened. In "O
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Auto wreck 4 Auto wreck by Karl Shapiro Stanza 1 Its quick soft silver bell beating, beating, And down the dark one ruby flare Pulsing out red light like an artery, The ambulance at top speed floating down Past beacons and illuminated clocks 5 Wings in a heavy curve, dips down, And brakes speed, entering the crowd. Stanza 2 The doors leap open, emptying light; Stretchers are laid out, the mangled lifted And stowed into the little hospital. 10 Then the bell, breaking the hush, tolls once, And the ambulance with its terrible cargo Rocking, slightly rocking, moves away, As the doors, an afterthought, are closed. Stanza 3 We are deranged, walking among the cops 15 Who sweep glass and are large and composed. One is still making notes under the light. One with a bucket douches ponds of blood Into the street and gutter. One hangs lanterns on the wrecks that cling, 20 Empty husks of locusts, to iron poles. Stanza 4 Our throats were tight as tourniquets, Our feet were bound with splints, but now, Like convalescents intimate and gauche, We speak through sickly smiles and warn 25 With the stubborn saw of common sense, The grim joke and the banal resolution. The traffic moves around with care, But we remain, touching a wound That opens to our richest horror. 30 Stanza 5 Already old, the question Who shall die? Becomes unspoken Who is innocent? For death in war is done by hands; Suicide has cause and stillbirth, logic; And cancer, simple as a flower, blooms, 35 But this invites the occult mind, Cancels our physics with a sneer, And spatters all we knew of denouement Across the expedient and wicked stones. © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature POETRY 31

4 Poetry words to know 'HÀQLWLRQVRIZRUGVIURPWKHSRHP Stanza 1 (lines 1 – 14) Line 2: ruby red ÁDUH bright light warning of danger Line 3: pulsing throbbing artery main blood vessel Line 5: beacons OLJKWHGVLJQVRUWUDIÀFOLJKWV illuminated lit up Line 9: stretchers beds for carrying the injured mangled badly injured Line 10: stowed packed away little hospital ambulance Line 11: hush quiet tolls sound a bell makes Line 12: cargo load of victims of the crash Line 14: afterthought something remembered later Stanza 2 (lines 15 – 21) Line 15: deranged very upset, confused, disturbed Line 16: composed calm Line 18: douches washes away ponds large pools Line 20: wrecks crashed cars cling stick to Line 21: husks outside covering locusts large insects like grasshoppers Stanza 3 (lines 22 – 30) Line 22: tourniquets bandages wrapped very tightly to cut off blood supply and so stop bleeding Line 23: splints something stiff that is tied against a broken bone to stop it moving Line 24: convalescents people recovering from illness intimate close gauche awkward Line 25: sickly weak Line 26: stubborn determined saw wise saying Line 27: grim gloomy banal ordinary, of little importance, stereotyped resolution conclusion, decision © Department of Basic Education 2015 32 POETRY Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

Auto wreck 4 words to know Stanza 4 (lines 31 – 39) Line 32: innocent not guilty Line 34: suicide killing oneself stillbirth baby born dead logic reason Line 36: occult magic, the supernatural Line 37: cancels stops physics science sneer mocking look Line 38: spatters splashes denouement ending of a story that explains everything Line 39: expedient useful stones the road 2. Type and form This is a descriptive poem that deals with thoughts and feelings, so it could be classed as a lyric poem. The poem is written in free verse, a form of poetry that has no set rhyming pattern. The structure is informal: lines and stanzas may be of different lengths and usually there is no regular use of rhyme, or even no rhyme at all. © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature POETRY 33

4 Poetry 3. Analysis Stanza 1 (lines 1 – 7) Its quick soft silver bell beating, beating, And down the dark one ruby flare Pulsing out red light like an artery, The ambulance at top speed floating down Past beacons and illuminated clocks 5 Wings in a heavy curve, dips down, And brakes speed, entering the crowd. These lines describe the arrival of the ambulance at the scene of the car crash (auto wreck). In the 1940s, when this poem was written, DPEXODQFHVKDGORXGEHOOVQRWVLUHQVDVWKH\KDYHWRGD\7KHÀUVWIHZ words create a pleasant feeling with the description of the ambulance siren as a “soft silver bell”. Notice how the alliteration of the ‘s’ gives a gentle sound. The repetition of “beating, beating” to describe the strokes vocab of the bell is a harsh contrast. 7KHQWKHSRHWUHIHUVWRWKH´GDUNµRIWKHQLJKWDQGWKHUHG´ÁDUHµ OLQH  Flare: A light that a ship as the red light on top of the ambulance approaches. The use of the word TFOET
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Auto wreck 4 Many words the poet uses in stanza 1 – “quick”, “top speed”, “brakes speed”, “leap” – help to give a sense of emergency and haste to the scene. The scene is lit up by the light from inside the ambulance and we see that the victims are extremely badly injured as they are described as being vocab “mangled” (line 9). The word “stowed” (line 10) means “packed away” and Mangled: 5XJTUFE
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4 Poetry This Stanza 4 (lines 22 – 30) stanza shows Our throats were tight as tourniquets, how shocked the onlookers Our feet were bound with splints, but now, are. Like convalescents intimate and gauche, We speak through sickly smiles and warn 25 With the stubborn saw of common sense, The grim joke and the banal resolution. The traffic moves around with care, But we remain, touching a wound That opens to our richest horror. This stanza focuses on the feelings and reactions of the onlookers. The poet uses medical metaphors to describe the way they feel. Their throats feel as if they are tightly tied up by tourniquets. The shock and horror of the accident makes them unable to move freely, as if their bones have been broken and tied to splints to keep them from moving. These medical metaphors suggest that the onlookers, too, have been hurt (but in their minds, not their bodies). The metaphor “convalescents” (line 24) shows them slowly beginning to recover from the shock, but their smiles are “sickly” and false as they try to hide their horror. They try to make contact (“be intimate”) with one another in an awkward (“gauche”) way. Some “warn/ With the stubborn saw of common sense” (line 26) – SHUKDSVWKH\DUHWDONLQJDERXWKRZRQHVKRXOGGULYHPRUHFDUHIXOO\RWKHUV make “grim jokes” (line 27). Still others make a “banal resolution”, saying stereotypical things and perhaps using clichés such as, ‘You never know ZKHQ\RXUWXUQ>WRGLH@LVFRPLQJ·RUGHFLGHWKDWWKH\WKHPVHOYHVZLOOGULYH vocab more carefully in future. Oxymoron:
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Auto wreck 4 In the last stanza, the poet thinks about the mystery of death and its causes. None of us knows how or when we will die, or who will die next: this is the “old ... question” that is in the minds of the onlookers. But this reminds them of another silent question: “Who is innocent?” (line 32). vocab This rhetorical question asks who is responsible for the accident and why Rhetorical question: A those particular people should have been the victims. The poet – and the RVFTUJPO
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4 Poetry summary Auto wreck by Karl Shapiro 1. Theme Death and the uncertainty of life. 2. Type and form — “soft silver bell” Alliteration (repeated “s”) — “Pulsing out red light like an artery” Simile — “Wings in a heavy curve, dips down” Metaphor — “The doors leap open” Personification — “quick”, “top speed”, “brakes speed” Create sense of emergency — “little hospital” Metaphor Free verse: - No formal rhyme — “ponds of blood” scheme Hyperbole - Stanzas of different — “empty husks of locusts” lengths Metaphor — “Our throats were tight as tourniquets” Metaphor — “Like convalescents” Simile — “grim jokes” Oxymoron — “Who is innocent?” Rhetorical question — “And cancer, simple as a flower, blooms” Simile — “expedient and wicked stones” Personification 3. Tone and mood Tone: Urgent, matter-of-fact, confused, horrified, fearful, uncertain Mood: How does this poem make you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? Always give reasons for your answer. © Department of Basic Education 2015 38 POETRY Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

Auto wreck 4 Activity 4 5HIHUWRWKHSRHPRQSDJHDQGDQVZHUWKHTXHVWLRQVEHORZ 1. Complete the following sentences by using the words provided in the list below. Write only the words next to the question number (1.1–1.3) SROLFHYDQDFFLGHQWGHDGDPEXODQFHEUHDNGRZQLQMXUHG This poem describes how the (1.1) … rushes to the scene of the (1.2) … The (1.3) … are picked up and taken to hospital. (3) When the   5HIHUWRVWDQ]D question asks you to refer to a stanza, go 2.1. At what time of the day does this incident happen? (1) back to that stanza in WKHSRHPWR¿QGWKH 2.2. In lines 4-6 (“The ambulance at ... and illuminated clocks”) the answer. ambulance is compared to a bird. Quote TWO separate words that support this idea. (1) (2) 3. Choose the correct answer to complete the following sentence. Write only the answer (A-D). The word “mangled” in line 9 tells us that ... A The vehicles are badly damaged. B Some of the bystanders are very upset. C The policemen are emotionless. D The accident victims are seriously injured. (1)   5HIHUWROLQHVDQG ´:HDUHGHUDQJHG«DQGFRPSRVHGµ  Quote TWO separate words that show the difference in the reactions of the speaker and the policemen. (2)   5HIHUWROLQH ´:HVSHDNWKURXJKVLFNO\VPLOHVµ  Explain why the onlookers have “sickly smiles”. (2)   5HIHUWRVWDQ]D Using your own words, name TWO things that the onlookers are concerned about. (2) 7. Complete the following sentences by using the words provided in the list below. VROXWLRQFRQIXVHVUHDVRQXQQDWXUDOFODULÀHVORJLFDO In the last stanza, the speaker argues that there is always a (7.1) ... for Suicide, while stillbirth is (7.2) ... However, a car crash (7.3)... the minds of ordinary people. (3) 8. Explain why the poet mentions war, suicide, stillbirth and cancer in a poem about a road accident. (2) © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature POETRY 39

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Poetry 5 On his blindness by John Milton On his blindness was written by John Milton (1608-1674). He was a deeply religious English poet. He studied at Cambridge University. As a young man he travelled around Europe and learnt many European languages. In his later life, there was a civil war in England between King Charles I and Oliver Cromwell and his supporters, who wanted England to become a republic. Milton supported Cromwell and became very politically active. He had to go into hiding when the new king, King Charles II, came into power. At the age of 44, Milton went blind. Most of his best-known poems were written after this. He composed poems in his head and recited them to his daughters so they could write them down. John Milton 1. Themes The main themes in this poem are serving God, blindness (disability) and using one’s talents. Did you know? The poet struggles with the fact that he is no longer able to see. He is 5IJT
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5 Poetry On his blindness by John Milton When I consider how my light is spent, Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide, And that one talent which is death to hide, Lodged with me useless, though my Soul more bent Octave To serve therewith my Maker, and present line 5 My true account, lest He returning chide, ‘Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?’ I fondly ask. But Patience, to prevent That murmur, soon replies, ‘God doth not need Either man’s work or his own gifts; who best line 10 Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state Sestet Is kingly: thousands at his bidding speed And post o’er land and ocean without rest; They also serve who only stand and wait.’ words to know Did you know? 'HÀQLWLRQVRIZRUGVIURPWKHSRHP 5IF
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On his blindness 5 2. Type and form The poem is an Italian or Miltonic sonnet. This is because its 14 lines are made up of: ‡ An octave of eight lines made up of two quatrains. This is where the SUREOHPLVSUHVHQWHGDQG ‡ A sestet of six lines. This is where the problem is resolved. The rhyming scheme in this sonnet is abba abba cdecde. © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature POETRY 43

5 Poetry 3. Analysis The octave (lines 1 – 8) When I consider how my light is spent, Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide, And that one talent which is death to hide, Lodged with me useless, though my Soul more bent To serve therewith my Maker, and present 5 My true account, lest He returning chide, ‘Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?’ I fondly ask. In the octave, the problem is presented. The speaker feels depressed Did you know? when he thinks (“consider” in line 1) about his problem – the problem is that he is going blind “ere half my days” – before he is even half way A “talent”
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On his blindness 5 The sestet (lines 9 – 15) But Patience, to prevent That murmur, soon replies, ‘God doth not need Either man’s work or his own gifts; who best 10 Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state Is kingly: thousands at his bidding speed And post o’er land and ocean without rest; They also serve who only stand and wait.’ The sestet is where the problem set out in the octave is resolved. The speaker begins to answer the question in line 8 starting with the word “But”: But Patience, to prevent That murmur, soon replies… (lines 8 and 9) “Patience” (which is a good human quality of being able to wait) seems to appear to him SHUVRQLÀHGDOPRVWOLNHDQDQJHOIURP*RG LQDKXPDQ form). Notice how Patience is named with a capital ‘P’ – like a proper noun. When Patience appears to him, it is as if the poet’s own mind speaks to him and reassures him. Patience speaks to stop the poet’s “murmur” (complaints) and explains WKDW *RG GRHV QRW QHHG PDQ·V ZRUN SHRSOH VHUYH *RG EHVW ZKHQ WKH\ “bear his mild yoke” (obey his gentle commands/ carry a small burden). 3DWLHQFHJRHVRQWRH[SODLQWRWKHSRHWWKDW*RGLVVRSRZHUIXO ´+LVVWDWH is kingly” – lines 11 and 12) and that there are “thousands” of others who can serve him in many other places and in many different ways. 7KHSRHWÀQDOO\XQGHUVWDQGVWKDWKHGRHVQRWKDYHWRZULWHDQGSHUIRUPWR VHUYH*RGLIKHLVQRWDEOHWRGRVREHFDXVHSHRSOHDOVRVHUYH*RGMXVWE\ accepting what happens – “who only stand and wait” (line 14). He realises WKHUHDUHRWKHUZD\VWRVHUYH*RG 4. Tone and mood In the octave of this sonnet, the speaker goes through many feelings and WKHWRQHUHÁHFWVHDFKRIWKHPfrustrated, fearful, worried and confused. In the sestet, the tone changes. It becomes more accepting and gentle. The mood of a poem is how it makes the reader feel. How does this poem make you feel? For example, happy, sad, angry, or indifferent. © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature POETRY 45

5 Poetry summary On his blindness by John Milton 1. Theme The main themes are serving God, blindness (disability) and using one’s talents. 2. Type and form 3. Tone and mood Octave: — “When I consider how my light is spent” 8 lines Problem of blindness a — “And that one talent which is death to hide” b Problem of being unable to serve God with his b talents a — “Light denied” a b Metaphor Miltonic sonnet: b — “my light is spent…in this dark world” 14 lines a Contrasts Sestet: 6 lines — “But Patience, to prevent that murmur, soon c replies” d e Personification; resolving the problem c — “They also serve who only stand and wait” d Resolving the problem e Tone: In the octave it is frustrated, fearful, worried and confused. In the sestet, it is accepting and gentle. Mood: How does this poem make you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? Always give reasons for your answer. © Department of Basic Education 2015 46 POETRY Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

On his blindness 5 Activity 5 5HIHUWRWKHSRHPRQSDJHDQGDQVZHUWKHTXHVWLRQVEHORZ 1. Complete the following sentences by using the words provided in the list below. Write only the words next to the question number (1.1–1.3) PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION NB EDOODGVRQQHWSUREOHPVROXWLRQFDXVHUHVXOW This poem is a Miltonic (1.1) … The octave gives the reader the (1.2) … and the sestet gives the reader the (1.3) … (3) contrasting The HINT!   5HIHUWROLQHVDQG ´:KHQ,FRQVLGHUZRUOGDQGZLGHµ hint XPSET
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5 Poetry  ´KLVKLPµDUHSURQRXQVUHIHUULQJWR *RGWKHSRHW    8.2. “they” is a pronoun referring to (blind people/ all people). (1) 8.3.1. :KDWÀJXUHRIVSHHFKKDVEHHQXVHGLQWKHVHOLQHV" A Simile B Metaphor  &3HUVRQLÀFDWLRQ (1) 8.3.2. ([SODLQWKHÀJXUHRIVSHHFKE\FKRRVLQJWKHFRUUHFWDQVZHUWR complete the sentence below.  7KHVSHDNHULVFRPSDULQJWKH´PLOG\RNHµWKDW*RGSXWVRQXV to: A donkey pulling a cart A small burden or job A kind joke (1) 9. Choose the correct answer to complete the following sentence. Write only the answer (A–D). The word which best describes the poet’s feeling in lines 9-14 (“That murmur, soon … stand and wait”) is: A acceptance. B anger. C depression. D joy. (1) 10.  5HIHUWRWKHODVWOLQHVRIWKHSRHP PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION  ,VWKHIROORZLQJVWDWHPHQW758(RU)$/6(":ULWH´WUXHµRU´IDOVHµ NB NB and quote TWO consecutive words to support your answer. (2) The poet feels that our burdens are not heavy. 5IF
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On his blindness 5 Answers to Activity 5 1.1 Sonnet  1.2 Problem  PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION 1.3 Solution  (3) NB  ´/LJKWµand “dark”  (2)  ´/LJKWµ (1) 3.2 Joy/ hope/ clarity/ visibility/ warms/ shining/ inspiration  (2) "OZ
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6 Poetry A prayer for all my countrymen by Guy Butler 7KLVSRHPZDVZULWWHQE\*X\%XWOHU  +HZDVERUQDQGJUHZ XSLQWKH.DURR%XWOHUZDVDSURIHVVRURI(QJOLVKDW5KRGHV8QLYHUVLW\ from 1952 to 1987. He helped South African English literature achieve recognition and argued for integrating European and African elements in writing. When he wrote poetry in English he gave his writing an African feel. 0XFKRIKLVSRHWU\UHÁHFWVKLVFRQFHUQVDERXWWKHSUREOHPVDQGGLIÀFXOWLHV of life in South Africa during the time of apartheid. This poem was written in 1987 during the darkest days of apartheid and meditates on racial FRQÁLFW,WLVDSUD\HUIRUXQLW\ 1. Themes Guy Butler As the title suggests, the theme is that South Africans need God’s help to escape the tragedy of apartheid. The poet says most people cannot see an end or solution to South Africa’s problems (under apartheid) or imagine life after apartheid has ended. He DVNV *RG WR PDNH VXUH WKDW RQFH WKH KRUURUV RI DSDUWKHLG KDYH HQGHG people will behave and speak in such a way that they will keep (and live up to) their faith in Him. The poet then says that, in spite of all their suffering, some people have been able to remain kind and good, to smile bravely through their troubles and to think clearly. This gives him hope that there will be a better future. © Department of Basic Education 2015 50 POETRY Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

A prayer for all my countrymen 6 A prayer for all my countrymen by Guy Butler Stanza 1 Though now few eyes can see beyond this tragic time’s complexities, dear God, ordain line 5 such deed be done, such words be said, that men will praise Your image yet when all these terrors line 10 and hates are dead: Stanza 2 Through rotting days, beaten, broken, some stayed pure; others learnt how, line 15 to grin and endure; and here and there a heart stayed warm, a head grew clear. words to know 'HÀQLWLRQVRIZRUGVIURPWKHSRHP Line 1: now referring to apartheid times Line 2: beyond further than Line 3: tragic extremely sad Line 4: complexities GLIÀFXOWLHVSUREOHPVFRQÁLFWV Line 5: ordain order, make something happen/also religious term meaning holy order Line 6: deed action Line 9: Your UHIHUULQJWR*RG Line 12: rotting bad/corrupt Line 14: pure good/innocent Line 16: grin smile endure cope with, accept, put up with Line 19: clear open, thinking clearly © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature POETRY 51

6 Poetry 2. Type and form There are two stanzas in this poem: ‡ The ÀUVWVWDQ]DKDVOLQHVDQGLQLWWKHSRHWDVNVIRU*RG·VKHOS ‡ The second stanza is shorter (8 lines) and tells us that some people have stayed good in spite of injustice and suffering. vocab The lines in the poem are short. Most have 4 syllables, although one has 3 and another has 5 syllables. The short lines add to the effect of a prayer Syllable: 5IF
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A prayer for all my countrymen 6 3. Analysis Stanza 1 (lines 1 – 11) Though now few eyes can see beyond this tragic time’s complexities, dear God, ordain 5 such deed be done, such words be said, that men will praise Your image yet when all these terrors 10 and hates are dead: 7KLVVWDQ]DFRQWDLQVWKHSRHW·VSUD\HUWR*RGWRVDYHWKHSHRSOHRIRXU country. It is written as one long sentence. ,Q WKH IRXU RSHQLQJ OLQHV WKH ÀUVW KDOI RI WKH VHQWHQFH WHOOV XV RI WKH situation about which the poet is writing. The problems (“complexities” in line 4) of South Africa are so great that only a few of the people who suffer can imagine a time when apartheid will be over. Notice that the word “complexities” is in a line of its own (line 4), emphasising the size of the problems facing the country. Using what you have learnt about apartheid, you can decide why the poet calls it a “tragic time” (line 3). Notice how the alliteration of the “t” sound in “tragic time’s” emphasises WKHVDGQHVV7KHLPDJHKHUHLVGHSUHVVLQJEXWORRNDWWKHÀUVWZRUGRIWKH poem. It begins with the word “Though” (line 1), meaning that even though “Tragic time” makes us think of the few people can see past the time of apartheid a time will come when it suffering most South ends. This suggests that, even with all the suffering, hope is possible. Africans had to go through during In the remaining seven lines of stanza 1, the poet tells us what he is praying apartheid. IRU +H DGGUHVVHV *RG LQ D SUD\HUIXO DQG ORYLQJ tone, even desperately, ZKHQ KH VD\V ´GHDU *RGµ 7KH ZRUG ´RUGDLQµ OLQH   LV LQWHUHVWLQJ KHUH ² WKH SRHW DVNV *RG WR FRPPDQG RU RUGHU ZKDW QHHGV WR KDSSHQ EXW “ordain” also has a religious meaning. (A priest is “ordained” when he is DOORZHGWRZRUNDVDSULHVW 7KLVVXJJHVWVWKDWWKDWZKDW*RG´RUGDLQVµRU makes happen, is good and holy. It also conveys a sense of future promise. The use of repetition in “such deeds / such words” (lines 6 and 7) shows us how important the things are that the poet prays for. He prays that men will retain enough kindness to remain capable of speaking and acting with humanity (ubuntu), and not in ways that would cause them to lose all faith LQ*RG Once the struggle to end apartheid is over, he hopes that people will have UHWDLQHGHQRXJKKXPDQNLQGQHVVDQGIDLWKLQ*RG ´SUDLVH<RXULPDJH\HWµ in lines 8 and 9) to enable them to make a better society possible for all. The use of the word “yet” (line 9) refers again to his hope that people will, LQWKHIXWXUHJREDFNWRIROORZLQJLQ*RG·VLPDJH3HUKDSVKHLVVXJJHVWLQJ WKDWKXPDQEHLQJVDUHQRWFDSDEOHRIXQGHUVWDQGLQJ*RGVRWKH\FUHDWH © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature POETRY 53

6 Poetry an image of Him for themselves. He might also be referring to the verse in *HQHVLVZKLFKVD\VWKDWSHRSOHDUHFUHDWHGLQWKHLPDJHRI*RG The “hates” and “terrors” (lines 10 and 11) refer to the negative effects of the evil system of apartheid. The last line of this stanza (line 11) contains the poem’s only use of SHUVRQLÀFDWLRQ. The words “are dead” suggest that the poet does believe that apartheid will end, that he has hope. 7KHSRHWXVHVYHU\IHZSXQFWXDWLRQPDUNVVRWKHOLQHVÁRZLQDVLPSOHZD\ suggesting that the words arise spontaneously in the poet’s consciousness RUPLQG7KHFRORQ  DWWKHHQGRIWKHÀUVWVWDQ]DPDNHVXVSDXVHZH expect the second stanza to complete his thoughts. 7KH SRHP LV YHU\ VLPSO\ ZULWWHQ ZLWK YHU\ IHZ ÀJXUHV RI VSHHFK VXFK as similes or metaphors. The simple diction (choice of words) makes it suitable for a prayer and emphasises the poet’s sincerity – the prayer comes from his heart. Stanza 2 (lines 12 – 19) Through rotting days, beaten, broken, some stayed pure; others learnt how 15 to grin and endure; and here and there a heart stayed warm, a head grew clear. In this stanza, also written as one long sentence, the poet says that in spite Connotations of the harsh, cruel times, some people have still stayed good, brave and of a word are the meanings that that word kind. suggests. “Pure” has 1RWHWKDWIRUWKHÀUVWWLPHLQWKHSRHPWKHUHDUHSDXVHVLQGLFDWHGE\WKH connotations of (or suggests) goodness, innocence punctuation (the use of commas and semi-colons at the end of the lines). and honesty. The poet lists examples of what people have experienced. 7KHÀUVWOLQHLQVWDQ]DFRQWDLQVWKHSRHP·VRQO\metaphor. Apartheid LV FRPSDUHG WR VRPHWKLQJ WKDW LV URWWHQ LW LV D PRUDOO\ FRUUXSW DQG HYLO V\VWHP´5RWWLQJµ OLQH DOVRKDVconnotations of being forced to live in a poor, miserable area with no resources or services, and even of the decaying bodies of the people killed because of apartheid. It also suggests that the apartheid system is no longer fresh, but is old and rotting and it is time to throw it away. The people were “beaten, broken” (line 13) as a result of the physical violence done to them. But people were also “beaten, broken” in spirit as a result of the injustice and cruelty of apartheid. Notice the use of the sound device in line 13 – the alliteration of “b” in “beaten, broken”, a harsh sound that echoes the heavy sound of blows falling on a body. © Department of Basic Education 2015 54 POETRY Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

A prayer for all my countrymen 6 But in spite of their suffering, some people “stayed pure” (line 14): they remained good and were not made angry or bitter by the system. “Pure” also has a religious connotation, suggesting that these people were LQQRFHQWRIDQ\FRUUXSWLRQDQGWUXVWHGLQ*RG Other people learnt to bear their suffering bravely and with a smile (“grin and endure” in line 16) and did not feel sorry for themselves. Some remained kind and warm-hearted, while still others learnt to think about the situation clearly and wisely: their heads “grew clear” (line 19). People with clear minds, the ability to think clearly and rationally, were necessary if a solution to the problems was to be found and a better future built. As some people have been able to rise above their problems and suffering, the poet feels hopeful that a better future will be possible. 4. Tone and mood The general tone of the poem is reverent, sincere and hopeful, as it is a prayer. The mood of a poem is how it makes the reader feel. How does this poem make you feel? For example, happy, sad, angry, or indifferent. It makes It makes the poem it easier to hear really come ¿JXUHVRIVSHHFK alive! like onomatopoeia and alliteration Reading a too. poem aloud helps you understand it better. © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature POETRY 55

6 Poetry summary A prayer for all my countrymen by Guy Butler 1. Theme South Africans need God’s help to escape the tragedy of apartheid. 2. Type and form Stanza 1 11 lines — Written as one long sentence — “tragic time” Alliteration (repeated “t”) Free verse: — “such deeds / such words” — Most lines are short with Emphasises importance of prayer 4 syllables — “when all the terrors and hates are dead” — Two full rhymes in the Personification poem — Many half rhymes Stanza 2 8 lines — “Through rotting days” Metaphor — “beaten, broken” Alliteration (repeated “b”) 3. Tone and mood Tone: Reverent, sincere and hopeful. Mood: How does this poem make you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? Always give reasons for your answer. © Department of Basic Education 2015 56 POETRY Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

A prayer for all my countrymen 6 Activity 6 5HIHUWRWKHSRHPRQSDJHDQGDQVZHUWKHTXHVWLRQVEHORZ 1. What is the “tragic time” referred to in line 3? (1) 2. Complete the following sentences by using the words provided in the list below. Write down only the words next to the question number (2.1-2.3). $PHULFDSHRSOH6RXWK$IULFDSDUGRQSUD\HUPHQ This poem is written as a (2.1) ... for all the (2.2) ... of (2.3) ... (3)   5HIHUWROLQH ´7KRXJKQRZIHZH\HVµ  To whom do the “few eyes” belong? (1) 4. Choose the correct answer to complete the following sentence: In line 4, the word “complexities” means ... PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION A hardships and shortages. NB B hardships and answers. C answers and solutions.   'SUREOHPVDQGGLIÀFXOWLHV      The HINT! “speakerw
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Poetry 7 The birth of Shaka by Oswald Mbuyiseni Mtshali The birth of Shaka was written by Oswald Mbuyiseni Mtshali. Mtshali was born in KwaZulu-Natal in 1940. He travelled to Johannesburg as a young man of 18 and many of his poems are based on life in Soweto. He has ZRQPDQ\DZDUGVIRUKLVSRHWU\DQGZDVRQHRIWKHÀUVWEODFNSRHWVWREH published in both Zulu and English. Some of his poetry criticises the way black people were forced to live during apartheid, but other poems, such as The birth of Shaka, are intended to remind black people of their proud culture and history. 1. Themes Oswald Mbuyiseni Mtshali The theme is the power of African culture. It is something Africans must feel proud of. The poet praises Shaka’s power and strength as well as his wisdom. The poet’s intention was to remind the Zulu people of their proud heritage at a time when they were being oppressed and made to feel worthless during apartheid. Did you know? 5IF
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7 Poetry The birth of Shaka by Oswald Mbuyiseni Mtshali Stanza 1 His baby cry was of a cub tearing the neck of the lioness because he was fatherless. line 5 Stanza 2 The gods boiled his blood in a clay pot of passion to course in his veins. Stanza 3 His heart was shaped into an ox shield line 10 to foil every foe. Stanza 4 Ancestors forged his muscles into thongs as tough as wattle bark line 15 and nerves as sharp as syringa thorns. Stanza 5 His eyes were lanterns that shone from the dark valleys of Zululand line 20 to see white swallows coming across the sea. His cry to two assassin brothers: Stanza 6 ‘Lo! you can kill me line 25 but you’ll never rule this land!’ words to know 'HÀQLWLRQVRIZRUGVIURPWKHSRHP Line 2: cub baby lion Line 3: tearing biting, wounding Line 4: lioness female lion, Shaka’s mother Nandi Line 5: fatherless he did not live with his father Line 8: passion very strong feeling Line 9: course in his veins UXQRUÁRZLQKLVYHLQV Line 11: foil stop foe enemy © Department of Basic Education 2015 60 POETRY Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

The birth of Shaka 7 words to know Line 12: forged made Line 14: thongs leather strips Line 15: wattle bark outside covering of a wattle tree Line 18: syringa tree with big, sharp thorns Line 19: lanterns lamps you can carry Line 21: swallows ELUGVWKDWÁ\WR(XURSHHYHU\\HDU Line 23: assassin person who kills to take over political power Line 24: lo! look!, see! 2. Type and form This poem is a modern praise poem or izibongo. It has six stanzas. They all have different line lengths and have no rhyming words. © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature POETRY 61

7 Poetry 3. Analysis Stanza 1 (lines 1 – 5) His baby cry was of a cub tearing the neck of the lioness because he was fatherless. 5 The lion is known as the “King of the Beasts” because of its strength, ÀHUFHQHVVDQGSRZHU,WLVDOVRDGDQJHURXVDQLPDO The metaphor comparing the cry of baby Shaka to that of a baby lion tells XVWKDWKHZDVERUQWREHDSRZHUIXOÀHUFHDQGGDQJHURXVOHDGHU7KH PHWDSKRUDOVRWHOOVXVWKDWKLVFU\ZDVVRÀHUFHWKDWLWWRUHWKHQHFNRILWV mother, the lioness (line 3). 7KLVÀHUFHQHVVLVDFRQWUDVWWRKRZDEDE\ZRXOGQRUPDOO\EHKDYHWRZDUGV LWV PRWKHU DQG PD\ IRUHVKDGRZ KRZ ÀHUFH 6KDND ZRXOG EHFRPH ODWHU It may suggest that Shaka was aggressive towards his mother, Nandi, Remember because his parents were not married and he grew up without a father. that children mocked For example, Shaka’s behaviour as a baby gives us a clue to how he will Shaka about not having a father when he was behave when he is a grown man. a child. Stanza 2 (lines 6 – 9) The gods boiled his blood in a clay pot of passion to course in his veins. This metaphor tells us that Shaka was not just an ordinary person but someone special, whose nature was made by the gods, which means they gave him some supernatural powers, beyond ordinary human life. In the metaphor, Shaka’s blood is being compared to something specially cooked by the gods. “Passion” (line 8) refers to very strong feelings such as love or hatred. If you are passionate about something you are very enthusiastic about it and put vocab great energy into it. This metaphor tells us of Shaka’s energy, enthusiasm and devotion to his work as a warrior (great soldier) and leader, as well as 5IF
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The birth of Shaka 7 Stanza 3 (lines 10 – 11) His heart was shaped into an ox shield 10 to foil every foe. A shield is used to protect yourself from injury, which tells us that in war Shaka would not be hurt but, in fact, would defeat his enemies. This metaphor also tells us he was protective of his people and was strong- hearted, meaning he was brave and determined. We are reminded of how Shaka represents Zulu culture, as Zulu shields were made from the skin of an ox. Notice the alliteration of “foil ... foe” (line 11) which emphasises that he defeated his enemies. Stanza 4 (lines 12 – 18) Ancestors forged his muscles into thongs as tough as wattle bark 15 and nerves as sharp as syringa thorns. Shaka’s strength did not come only from the gods but also from the ancestors. This is another reminder of African culture, in which the ancestors are believed to guide and help their descendants (family members who come after them). In this metaphor we are told the ancestors “forged” (line 13) Shaka’s muscles. Metals such as iron and steel are shaped by being “forged” – heated until they are very hot and can be beaten or forced into different shapes. This suggests that Shaka was extremely strong, both physically and mentally. There are many images related The simile “thongs as tough/ as wattle bark” (lines 14 and 15) also shows to African culture in how tough and strong Shaka was, as his muscles were like leather and the poem – the clay pot, the ox shield and mentally he was strong and determined. The poet then uses another simile, the ancestors. comparing his nerves to the sharp thorns of a syringa tree. In English, if you say someone is “sharp” you mean they are clever and do not miss anything. In addition, sharp thorns can hurt you, so as well as being clever, Shaka was also cruel. Stanza 5 (lines 19 – 23) His eyes were lanterns that shone from the dark valleys of Zululand 20 to see white swallows coming across the sea. His cry to two assassin brothers: © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature POETRY 63

7 Poetry This is a very interesting stanza that shows Shaka’s wisdom, understanding and ability to see into the future. Shaka’s eyes are compared to “lanterns” (line 19) that light up the darkness. Here darkness suggests that the Zulu people did not know what their future would be. But Shaka was able to see what the arrival of the “white swallows” (line 21) would mean for his people. Swallows are birds that migrate, moving from Europe to Africa to escape the cold winters. In this metaphor, the “white swallows” refer to the white settlers (both the British and, originally, the Afrikaners), who came from Europe and who VDLOHG E\ VKLS WR $IULFD WKH\ ZRXOG VHWWOH DQG WDNH RYHU ZKDW ZDV WKHQ called Natal. As well as referring to the settlers, “white swallows” could also remind us of the white sails of a sailing ship, in which the settlers travelled in those days. vocab Note that up to this point the tone of the poem has been one of admiration Prophetic: )BWJOH
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The birth of Shaka 7 summary The birth of Shaka by Mbuyiseni Oswald Mtshali 1. Theme The theme is the power and pride of African culture. 2. Type and form Stanza 1 — “His baby cry / was of a cub” Metaphor Stanza 2 — “The gods /boiled his blood / — In a clay pot of passion” Metaphor — “clay pot” African culture Stanza 3 — “His heart was shaped into an ox shield” Metaphor — “ox shield” Modern praise poem African culture or izibongo: — “foil every foe” — Stanzas are different Alliteration (repeated “f”) lengths — No rhyming words Stanza 4 — “his muscles into / thongs as tough as wattle bark / and nerves as sharp as syringa thorns.” Simile — “Ancestors” African culture Stanza 5 — “His eyes were lanterns” Metaphor — “white swallows” Metaphor 3. Tone and mood Tone: At first admiring and praising; Stanza 6 becomes quiet and prophetic in Stanza 5; — “Lo!” ends defiant. Diction: Biblical; suggests Shaka is a prophet Mood: How does this poem make you feel? Climax of poem Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? Always give reasons for your answers. © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature POETRY 65

7 Poetry Activity 7 5HIHUWRWKHSRHPRQSDJHDQGDQVZHUWKHTXHVWLRQVEHORZ 1. Complete the following sentences by using the words provided in the list below. Write down only the words next to the question number (1.1 - 1.3). PRXUQHGFUXHOZDUULRUSUDLVHGIDWKHUORYLQJ In this poem Shaka, the Zulu king, is (1.1) ... . He was a (1.2) ... man, but a brave (1.3) ... (3)   5HIHUWROLQHVDQG ´+LVEDE\FU\ZDVRIDFXEµ   ,GHQWLI\WKHÀJXUHRIVSHHFKXVHGKHUH     ([SODLQZK\WKHSRHWKDVXVHGWKLVÀJXUHRIVSHHFK     5HIHUWROLQHVDQG ´WHDULQJWKHQHFNRIWKHOLRQHVVµ  PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION NB To NB whom does the word “lioness” refer? (1)   5HIHUWRVWDQ]D 4.1. In your own words, explain how the gods created Shaka. (1) In yourHINT! own hint words
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The birth of Shaka 7   ,QWKHÀUVWÀYHVWDQ]DVWKHWRQHRIWKHVSHDNHUVKRZV admiration. Describe the tone in the last stanza (lines 24–25) (1) 10. What, in your view, are the qualities of a good leader? (2) [19] Answers to Activity 7 1. 1.1. Praised  1.2. Cruel  1.3. Warrior  (3) 2.1. Metaphor  (1) 2.2. It compares baby Shaka to a lion cub.   25 To show that although Shaka was still a (newborn) baby, EXWKHZDVDOUHDG\GLVSOD\LQJDÀHUFHYLFLRXVQDWXUH (2)  6KDND·VPRWKHU251DQGL (1) 4.1 They gave him an emotional/ passionate nature.  25 They used a clay pot to boil his blood.  (1) 4.2. He was only human/ fragile/ not perfect.   25  /LNHDFOD\SRWKHUHSUHVHQWHGFRQWDLQHGWUDGLWLRQDOYDOXHV  25 A clay pot represents strength and could mean that the ancestors/gods made him strong.  (1) 5. C / stop every enemy  (1) 6. Steel/ metal is normally forged by heating and then shaping it.  25 This tells the reader that Shaka is very strong and has exceptional strength.  (2) PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION NB 7. “Tough” , “sharp”  (2) 8. True. “His eyes were lanterns”  (2) 9. It becomes one of sadness. / It becomes a warning/ HINT! WKUHDWHQLQJSURSKHWLFGHÀDQW (1) "OZ
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8 Poetry The serf by Roy Campbell The serfZDVZULWWHQE\5R\&DPSEHOO  &DPSEHOOZDVERUQLQ 'XUEDQDQGPRYHGWR(XURSHLQKLVODWHUOLIH+HZDVDÁXHQW=XOXVSHDNHU Campbell was critical of the white colonial rulers of South Africa because he felt that they were arrogant and would not accept any ideas except their own. 1. Themes The theme of the poem is power and oppression. The poet watches a poor farm worker (a serf  SORXJKLQJ D ÀHOG 7KLV Roy Campbell SORXJKPDQLVGRLQJKDUVKZRUNXQGHUGLIÀFXOWFRQGLWLRQV+HKDVQRSRZHU to change his life or job and works patiently and slowly. This man was once the proud warrior of a great tribe that lived on this land. Now he works on land belonging to a rich farmer. The poet suggests that this worker’s close relationship to the land and his vocab slow patience will mean that one day the land will belong to him again and he will defeat the powerful people who have taken his land. Serf: 5IF
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The serf 8 The serf by Roy Campbell His naked skin clothed in the torrid mist That puffs in smoke around the patient hooves, The ploughman drives, a slow somnambulist, And through the green his crimson furrow grooves. Octave His heart, more deeply than he wounds the plain, line 5 Long by the rasping share of insult torn, Red clod, to which the war-cry once was rain And tribal spears the fatal sheaves of corn, Lies fallow now. But as the turf divides I see in the slow progress of his strides line 10 Over the toppled clods and falling flowers, Sestet The timeless, surly patience of the serf That moves the nearest to the naked earth And ploughs down palaces, and thrones, and towers. words to know 'HÀQLWLRQVRIZRUGVIURPWKHSRHP Line 1: torrid very hot, scorching heat Line 3: drives pushes forward like a machine somnambulist a person who walks while asleep Line 4: green refers to the grass crimson deep purplish red furrow a line cut in the soil grooves a long narrow cut into the soil Line 5: plain DÀHOG Line 6: rasping scraping, scratching share (also called a tool for making furrows or grooves in a ploughshare) the soil so that seeds can be planted insult abuse, humiliation Line 7: clod a lump of soil, clay or mud Line 8: sheaves stems of maize or corn Line 9: fallow empty, no crops planted Line 10: strides long steps or paces Line 12: surly bad-tempered, rude © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature POETRY 69

8 Poetry PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION NB NB 2. Type and form The form of this poem is a Miltonic sonnet (also known as a Petrarchan or *O
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8 Poetry Sestet (lines 9 – 14) But as the turf divides I see in the slow progress of his strides 10 Over the toppled clods and falling flowers, The timeless, surly patience of the serf That moves the nearest to the naked earth And ploughs down palaces, and thrones, and towers. In the octave, the poet has told us the problem: the ploughman is tired, oppressed, working on land he does not own, and no longer a mighty warrior. In the sestet, he now gives us the solution to this problem. As he watches the grass (“turf”) cut through by the blade of the ploughshare, the poet has a vision of the future. He believes that the slow, steady, patient “strides” (line 10) of the ploughman, who belongs to the land and to nature (the “naked earth”), will defeat his oppressors and break down their symbols of wealth and power: “palaces, and thrones, and towers” (line 14). The serf will one day be free again and own the land he works on. The poet uses another oxymoron in line 10 – “surly patience”. Surly means EDGWHPSHUHGRUUXGHDQGVHHPVWREHWKHRSSRVLWHRI´SDWLHQFHµZKLFK means to quietly wait and endure what you are experiencing. Note the alliteration XVHG LQ OLQH  ´IDOOLQJ ÁRZHUVµ 7KH ´Iµ VRXQG emphasises how steadily and certainly the serf walks forward — towards making history turn to favour his people again. 4. Tone and mood In the octave, the tone is despairing and depressing as it describes the hard labour and losses of the serf. The tone changes to become more urgent and hopeful in the sestet. The mood of a poem is how it makes the reader feel. How does this poem make you feel? For example, happy, sad, angry, or indifferent. © Department of Basic Education 2015 72 POETRY Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

The serf 8 summary The serf by Roy Campbell 1. Theme Power and oppression. 2. Type and form Octave: Lines 1 - 4 — “His naked skin clothed in the torrid mist” Metaphor — “slow somnambulist” Octave: Alliteration (repeated “s”) 8 lines — “green” a Metonomy b a b Octave: Lines 5 - 8 a b — “His heart, more deeply than he wounds a the plain” b Metaphor — “Long by the rasping share of insult torn” Miltonic sonnet: Metaphor 14 lines — “And tribal spears the fatal sheaves of corn” Metaphor — “fatal sheaves” Oxymoron Sestet: 6 lines c Sestet: Lines 9 - 14 c — “surly patience” d e Oxymoron e — “falling flowers” d Alliteration (repeated “f”) 3. Tone and mood Tone: In the octave: despairing and depressing; in the sestet: urgent and hopeful. Mood: How does this poem make you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? Always give reasons for your answer. © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature POETRY 73

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The serf 8 Answers to Activity 8 1. True, “torrid”.  (2) 2. The “green” grass is turned over as the ploughshare is pushed through it and the red colour of the soil is turned to the top.  (2) 3.1. Metaphor  (1) 3.2. His heart is being compared to a red clod/ soil.   25 The poet shows that both his heart and the earth are damaged/ broken.  25  7KHSRHWVKRZVWKDWWKHÀHOGLVEHLQJGDPDJHGDQGKLVKHDUWLV broken/he has been hurt.  (2) 4. C / inhuman treatment of the serf.  (1) 5. The speaker is warning the oppressors, the rich people in power at the time, that their wealth and power will be broken down and the serf will slowly defeat the oppressors and be free.  25 A revolution is coming because the labourers will revolt.  25 Danger is coming because the labourers will revolt.  (2) 6.1. labourer  6.2. ploughs  6.3. freedom  (3) 7. YES, because he is tired (“somnambulist”) and it is hot (“torrid”)/ Answers to questions 3.2, KHLVSRRU ´QDNHGµ DQGKLVKHDUWLVGU\DQGVDG OLNHDÀHOG 7 and 8 are based without ‘rain’).  on your own 25 interpretation. NO, he is patient (“surly patience”) and freedom will come to These are him one day and he will overthrow the oppressors (“break down examples. palaces”) and have his land again.  25 NO, many people earn a living in a hard way. He should be grateful he has a job.  (2) 8. Serfs were poor and this worker has only a “naked skin”/ They ZHUHIDUPZRUNHUVDQGKH´SORXJKVµWKHÀHOG 25 It is appropriate because “serf” means that you are owned by your master and subjected to hard labour, just as the serf in the poem is subjected to hard labour.  25 He is not allowed to leave/ seen as a possession/ not paid for his hard work.  (2) 9. Yes. “tribal spears”  (2) 10. The word “naked” has been used negatively to show that the serf is poor because he has only his “naked skin”  and it has been used positively to show that he belongs to the land and to nature, the “naked earth” . (2) [21] © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature POETRY 75

9 Poetry Mementos, 1 by W.D. Snodgrass This poem was written by W.D. Snodgrass (1926-2009). He was an American poet who won a number of prizes for his work. He also wrote HVVD\VDQGZDVDQDFDGHPLFZKRWDXJKWDWVHYHUDO86XQLYHUVLWLHVÀQDOO\ retiring in 1994. He is best known for writing very personal poems about his own life and loves. His poems are often about the pain of life that we do not show to one another when we meet in our busy lives: the pain of love lost, divorce, death, unsatisfying jobs and dreams which are not achieved. Snodgrass wrote another poem, called Mementos, 2, which is why this poem is called Mementos, 1. 1. Themes W.D. Snodgrass The theme of this poem is memory, and the power that mementos (such as photographs) have to bring back feelings and memories from the past. The poet is looking through a collection of old papers when he comes Mementos are DFURVVDSKRWRJUDSKRIKLVH[ZLIH$IWHUKLVÀUVWVKRFNKHIHHOVJODGIRU small objects that we D PRPHQW ,W ZDV WDNHQ DW WKHLU ÀUVW GDQFH DQG VKH ORRNHG \RXQJ DQG keep to remember our friends and special times very pretty. He remembers how that picture had helped him cope with his in our lives. Examples are fear during the war, but then he feels bitter as he remembers how their photographs or marriage failed and ended in divorce. letters. However, he puts the photograph back to look at it again one day, which may mean that he still has some feelings for his wife. In this poem, he addresses his words to “you” — referring to the person in the photograph. © Department of Basic Education 2015 76 POETRY Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

Mementos, 1 9 Mementos, 1 by W.D. Snodgrass Stanza 1 Sorting out letters and piles of my old Canceled checks, old clippings, and yellow note cards That meant something once, I happened to find Your picture. That picture. I stopped there cold, Like a man raking piles of dead leaves in his yard line 5 Who has turned up a severed hand. Stanza 2 Still, that first second, I was glad: you stand Just as you stood – shy, delicate, slender, In that long gown of green lace netting and daisies That you wore to our first dance. The sight of you stunned line 10 Us all. Well, our needs were different, then, And our ideals came easy. Stanza 3 Then through the war and those two long years Overseas, the Japanese dead in their shacks Among dishes, dolls, and lost shoes; I carried line 15 This glimpse of you, there, to choke down my fear, Prove it had been, that it might come back. That was before we got married. Stanza 4 Before we drained out one another’s force With lies, self-denial, unspoken regret line 20 And the sick eyes that blame; before the divorce And the treachery. Say it: before we met. Still, I put back your picture. Someday, in due course, I will find that it’s still there. words to know 'HÀQLWLRQVRIZRUGVIURPWKHSRHP Line 2: canceled checks old cheques that have been paid up, no longer of value clippings cuttings from newspapers and magazines Line 4: cold frozen, still Line 5: raking using a rake to collect leaves Line 6: severed cut off from the body Line 8: delicate small slender slim, thin Line 9: gown dress lace netting delicate fabric daisies VPDOOÁRZHUV © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature POETRY 77

9 Poetry words to know Line 10: stunned amazed Line 12: ideals ideas of perfection / can also mean beliefs, goals Line 13: the war reference to World War 2 Line 16: glimpse sight (the photo) choke hold back Line 19: drained emptied force energy, life Line 20: self-denial give up something, deny yourself something you want regret feel sorry Line 22: treachery disloyalty, unfaithfulness Line 23: in due course later on © Department of Basic Education 2015 78 POETRY Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

Mementos, 1 9 2. Type and form This poem is of the type known as confessional poetry, in which the poet confesses or shares very personal and private thoughts and feelings. In WKLVFDVHKHVKDUHVKLVPHPRULHVRIDQGIHHOLQJVDERXWKLVÀUVWPDUULDJH One of the formal elements in the poem’s structure is that there are four stanzas of six lines each and the lines are similar in length. The poet uses some rhyme, but in no set pattern. For example, look at “old” and “cold” in stanza 1, or “force, divorce and course” in the last stanza. He also uses half-rhymes, which are words that almost rhyme, but not quite. For example, look at “years / fear” in stanza 3. 3. Analysis Stanza 1 (lines 1 – 6) Sorting out letters and piles of my old Canceled checks, old clippings, and yellow note cards That meant something once, I happened to find Your picture. That picture. I stopped there cold, Like a man raking piles of dead leaves in his yard 5 Who has turned up a severed hand. PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION NB 7KLVVWDQ]DGHVFULEHVWKHSRHW·VUHDFWLRQWRÀQGLQJDQROGSKRWRJUDSKRI his ex-wife. He is sorting out old papers, probably to throw away what he no longer needs. There are “Canceled checks” which are old cheques that /PUF
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9 Poetry Stanza 2 (lines 7 – 12) Still, that first second, I was glad: you stand Just as you stood – shy, delicate, slender, In that long gown of green lace netting and daisies That you wore to our first dance. The sight of you stunned 10 Us all. Well, our needs were different, then, And our ideals came easy. This stanza describes the poet’s memories of the time when the photograph was taken. In spite of the shock, the poet feels glad for a moment as it brings back a happy memory. The photograph was taken of his ex-wife at WKHÀUVWGDQFHWKH\KDGJRQHWRWRJHWKHUDQGVKHORRNHGYHU\EHDXWLIXOLQD lovely green lace dress with little daisies on it. Everyone there admired her (“stunned/ Us all.” – line 10 and 11). In the 1940s people often went to GDQFHVVRWKHLUÀUVWGDQFHVXJJHVWVWKH\KDGQRWEHHQJRLQJRXWWRJHWKHU for very long. At that time she was shy, small and slim, perhaps a little uncertain of herself. 7KHSRHWPXVWDOVRKDYHEHHQYHU\\RXQJDERXW\HDUVROG+HUHÁHFWV that when they were young, they had simpler needs and less complicated expectations of each other, and of life itself, perhaps. Their “ideals came PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION easy” (line 12): young people are usually more idealistic and hopeful about NB NB and about their goals in life. what they believe *O
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Mementos, 1 9 The photograph helped him to push back (“choke back”) his fear and UHPLQGHG KLP RI D KDSS\ WLPH LQ KLV OLIH LW JDYH KLP KRSH WKDW WKDW KH PLJKWÀQGWKDWKDSSLQHVVDJDLQ1RWLFHWKHmetaphor “choke” (line 16). When you choke, something is stopping your breathing, and so “choking” something down suggests that this is not an easy or comfortable thing to do. The poet ends this stanza by saying with a bitter tone that the photograph comforted “ ... before we got married” (line 18). Stanza 4 (lines 19 – 24) Before we drained out one another’s force With lies, self-denial, unspoken regret 20 And the sick eyes that blame; before the divorce And the treachery. Say it: before we met. Still, I put back your picture. Someday, in due course, I will find that it’s still there. In this stanza, the poet recalls the breakdown of the marriage and the unhappiness this brought. 7KH ÀUVW OLQH FRQWLQXHV WKH WKRXJKW RI WKH ODVW OLQH RI VWDQ]D   2QFH they were married they “drained out one another’s force” (line 19). In this metaphor the poet compares the way they took away each other’s enthusiasm for life (“force”) to the way water drains out of a pipe. When a pipe, or bath, is drained, it is left empty, and they were emptied of happiness. Notice that the poet says we – they were both to blame for their unhappiness. The poet says the causes of this were the lies they told each other, and WKHLUVHOIGHQLDO OLQH  ´6HOIGHQLDOµVXJJHVWVVDFULÀFH 3HUKDSVWKH\ both felt they had given up dreams or things they wanted to do for the other person’s sake and then resented it and felt bitter about it. Both felt ´UHJUHWµ OLQH ²IHOWVRUU\²EXWGLGQRWVD\VRWKHLUIHHOLQJVUHPDLQHG “unspoken” (line 20). The poet does not say what they regretted. They blamed each other for their unhappiness with “sick eyes” (line 21). 7KHLUH\HVZHUHQRWOLWHUDOO\´VLFNµWKLVLVDmetaphor suggesting that their IHHOLQJVZHUHUHÁHFWHGLQWKHLUH\HV²WKH\IHOWDQJHUDQGGLVOLNHDQGWKHLU eyes showed how each blamed and accused the other, neither taking responsibility for what they were doing to their marriage. Eventually they JRWGLYRUFHG7KHSRHWUHIHUVWRWKHLU¶µWUHDFKHU\µ OLQH SHUKDSVWKLV was their betrayal of the ideals they used to have, or perhaps they were unfaithful or deliberately hurt each other in other ways. He addresses his ex-wife directly when he writes: “Say it: before we met” (line 22). This line may have many meanings. The poet may mean that they were happy before they met. It could also mean that each had not known what sort of person the other would turn out to be. However, he does not throw the picture away, but puts it back to look at again some other time. There are a number of possible reasons why he keeps the photograph: © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature POETRY 81

9 Poetry ‡ At a later date he may feel differently about these memories. ‡ He still cannot cope with the hurt, but may be able to deal with it better in the future. ‡ In spite of painful memories of marriage, the photograph still reminds him of a time when he and his ex-wife were happy and in love. ‡ He has not come to terms with the divorce yet. ‡ He still has feelings for his ex-wife. 7KHSRHW·VELWWHUQHVVDQGSDLQDUHH[SUHVVHGLQWKHÀUVWIRXUOLQHVEXWWKH last two lines of the poem have a more gentle tone as he decides to keep the picture. 4. Tone and mood Overall, the poem has a conversational tone, as though the poet were talking directly to his ex-wife. However, the tone changes through the poem. The tone is one of horror ZKHQKHÀUVWGLVFRYHUVKLVH[ZLIH·VSLFWXUHDQGFKDQJHVWRDhappy tone as he remembers good times with her. The tone becomes bitter and sad DVKHUHPHPEHUVWKHZDUDQGWKHEUHDNGRZQRIWKHLUPDUULDJH7KHÀQDO lines, though, have a hopeful tone. The mood of a poem is how it makes the reader feel. How does this poem make you feel? For example, happy, sad, angry, or indifferent. © Department of Basic Education 2015 82 POETRY Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

Mementos, 1 9 summary Mementos, 1 by WD Snodgrass 1. Theme The theme is memory, and the power of mementos to bring back past feelings and memories. 2. Type and form Stanza 1 — “Your picture. That picture. I stopped there cold,” Sharp punctuation — “That picture.” Italics for emphasis — “Like a man raking piles of dead leaves in his yard Who has turned up a severed hand.” Simile Confessional poem: Stanza 2 — Each stanza has — “stunned/Us all.” 6 lines Expression for amazed — Rhymes and half-rhymes Stanza 3 — “to choke down my fear” Metaphor Stanza 4 — “drained out one another’s force” Metaphor — “sick eyes” Metaphor 3. Tone and mood Tone: Overall, it has a conversational tone. It shifts through the poem from one of horror; to a happy tone; to a bitter and sad tone; and ends on a more gentle and hopeful tone. Mood: How does this poem make you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? Always give reasons for your answer. © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature POETRY 83

9 Poetry Activity 9 5HIHUWRWKHSRHPRQSDJHDQGDQVZHUWKHTXHVWLRQVEHORZ 1. Complete the following sentences by using the words provided in the list below. VWXQQHGPRWKHUVKRFNHGGLVDSSRLQWHGH[ZLIHJODG   7KHVSHDNHULVVRUWLQJRXWROGSDSHUVZKHQKHÀQGVD photograph of his (1.1) ... Initially, he is (1.2) ... but then he is  WRÀQGLWDVLWEULQJVEDFNROGPHPRULHV      5HIHUWROLQH ´<RXUSLFWXUHThat picture. I stopped there cold,”). Explain why the words “That picture” are written in a different font (letter type). (1)   5HIHUWROLQHV² ´,VWRSSHGWKHUHDVHYHUHGKDQGµ   ,GHQWLI\WKHÀJXUHRIVSHHFKXVHGKHUH  ([SODLQZK\WKHSRHWKDVXVHGWKLVÀJXUHRIVSHHFK   4. Choose the correct answer to complete the following sentence. In line 10, the word “stunned” suggests that the girl was ... A gorgeous. PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION B scary. NB NB C motionless. D happy. (1) :PV
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Mementos, 1 9 7.2. What does the speaker’s decision to keep the photograph reveal about him? (1)   ,QWKHÀUVWVWDQ]DWKHWRQHRIWKHVSHDNHULVRQHRIVKRFN What is the tone in the last stanza? (1) 9. After reading this poem, do you think it is a good idea to use old photographs as a way of remembering the past? Discuss your view. (2) [18] Answers to Activity 9 1.1. Ex-wife  1.2. Shocked   *ODG (3) 2. It emphasises/shows the importance of the photo/It shocks him./It refers to a particular picture of relevance/ VLJQLÀFDQFH (1) 3.1. Simile  (1)  )LQGLQJWKLVSKRWRJUDSKLVDVVKRFNLQJXQH[SHFWHGDVÀQGLQJD severed hand in your garden.  4. A /gorgeous  (1) 5. Simple/carefree/uncomplicated  (1) 6.1. “shacks”  “dishes”  PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION “dolls”  (3) NB 6.2. It helped him cope with his fears/it helped him to choke down his fears.  (1) 7.1. False. :PV
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10 Poetry Cheetah by Charles Eglington This poem was written by Charles Eglington (1918-1971). Eglington was born in Johannesburg and graduated from Wits University. He spent his life working in the media as a newspaper journalist, a translator and also in radio. Many of his poems are about animals. Did you know? 5IF
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Cheetah 10 Cheetah by Charles Eglington Stanza 1 Indolent and kitten-eyed, This is the bushveld’s innocent The stealthy leopard parodied With grinning, gangling pup-content. Stanza 2 Slouching through the tawny grass 5 Or loose-limbed lolling in the shade, Purring for the sun to pass And build a twilight barricade. Stanza 3 Around the vast arena where, In scattered herds, his grazing prey 10 Do not suspect in what wild fear They’ll join with him in fatal play; Stanza 4 Till hunger draws slack sinews tight As vibrant as a hunter’s bow; Then, like a fleck of mottled light, 15 He slides across the still plateau. Stanza 5 A tremor rakes the herds: they scent The pungent breeze of his advance; Heads rear and jerk in vigilant Compliance with the game of chance. 20 Stanza 6 In which, of thousands, only one Is centred in the cheetah’s eye; They wheel and then stampede, for none Knows which it is that has to die. Stanza 7 His stealth and swiftness fling a noose 25 And as his loping strides begin To blur with speed, he ropes the loose Buck on the red horizon in. © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature POETRY 87

10 Poetry words to know 'HÀQLWLRQVRIZRUGVIURPWKHSRHP Line 1: indolent lazy Line 2: innocent harmless Line 3: stealthy quiet, sneaky, secret, dangerous parodied copy in a funny way Line 4: grinning smiling gangling long-legged, awkward, clumsy pup-content happy Line 5: Slouching moving casually, relaxed tawny yellowish-brown Line 6: loose-limbed with relaxed legs lolling lying back, relaxing Line 7: purring sound made by a happy cat Line 8: twilight early evening barricade barrier, wall Line 9: vast very big arena VWDGLXPVSRUWVÀHOG Line 10: scattered spread out grazing eating grass prey something or somebody who is being hunted Line 11: do not suspect have no thoughts, do not expect Line 12: fatal ending in death Line 13: slack loose sinews WRXJKÀEUHVWKDWWLHPXVFOHVWRERQH Line 14: vibrant full of life, energy bow weapon used to shoot arrows Line 15: ÁHFN tiny spot mottled patches of light and dark, full of shadows Line 16: slides moves smoothly, swiftly, quietly plateau ÁDWUDLVHGJURXQG Line 17: tremor shaking, shiver rakes moves through scent smell Line 18: pungent strong smell advance moving towards them Line 19: rear lift quickly jerk pull up quickly vigilant watchful, senses danger Line 20: compliance giving in to, obeying the rules © Department of Basic Education 2015 88 POETRY Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

Cheetah 10 words to know Line 22: centred in the middle of, focused, given attention Line 23: wheel turn stampede run away in terror and panic Line 25: swiftness quickness ÁLQJ throw noose circle of rope Line 26: loping running strides big steps Line 27: blur look unclear and fuzzy Line 28: horizon far distance 2. Type and form This is a narrative poem that tells the story of how the cheetah hunts its prey. The poem has a formal structure (the way it is set out) with seven stanzas of four lines each (quatrains) that have a regular pattern of rhyme (abab). Each of the seven stanzas tells a different part of the story. Some stanzas focus on the cheetah, others on the buck. In the last stanza, the two come together when the cheetah catches a buck. The poem’s structure (the form) and the hunt described in the poem (the content) are closely linked in an effective way. © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature POETRY 89

10 Poetry 3. Analysis Stanza 1 (lines 1 – 4) Indolent and kitten-eyed, This is the bushveld’s innocent The stealthy leopard parodied With grinning, gangling pup-content. In stanza one, the poet describes the cheetah as seeming to be harmless. The poet uses imagery as if he is describing a harmless young animal – the cheetah looks “innocent”. The metaphor “kitten-eyed” (line 1), compares the cheetah’s big eyes to those of a sweet kitten. The poet feels the leopard is a more impressive-looking animal and that the cheetah is a “parody” (or funny copy) of a leopard. Both the leopard and the cheetah are big cats that have spots, but where the leopard is described as “stealthy” (line 2), which suggests it is secret and dangerous, the cheetah seems to smile in a rather silly way. The metaphor “pup-content” (line 4) compares it to a happy (and harmless) puppy. The word “gangling” means it has long, loose legs that make it seem rather awkward and clumsy. The words for baby animals like “kitten” and “pup” 7KH¿UVW and third line of each suggest it is young, as does “gangling”, as teenage animals (including stanza ends with a rhyming people) often seem to have long, thin bodies before they grow older, word. The second and fourth stronger and more muscular. lines also end in a rhyme, for example “grass” and “pass” rhyme in Stanza 2 (lines 5 – 8) stanza 2. Slouching through the tawny grass 5 Or loose-limbed lolling in the shade, Purring for the sun to pass And build a twilight barricade. The cheetah moves lazily and casually (“slouching” in line 5) through the grass or lies back, (“lolling” in line 6) in the shade during the day. Notice how the alliterationOLQNVWKHZRUGV´/RRVHOLPEHGOROOLQJµLQOLQH emphasising how relaxed the animal is. The big cat purrs like a happy house cat as it waits patiently for the sun to set. Again, this makes the cheetah seem harmless, as cats purr when they are relaxed and content. At twilight it is growing dark and the metaphor “barricade” (line 8) compares the darkness to a wall or barrier that will hide the cheetah when it hunts. Barricades are often built across streets during wars or riots, so the poet’s diction (choice of words) creates a more uneasy tone with the use of “barricade”. Up to now, the herd of buck and the cheetah seem relaxed. By including the word “barricade”, the poet introduces tension at the end of the stanza. The barricade interrupts the relaxed tone. © Department of Basic Education 2015 90 POETRY Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

Cheetah 10 Stanza 3 (lines 9 – 12) Around the vast arena where, In scattered herds, his grazing prey 10 Do not suspect in what wild fear They’ll join with him in fatal play; The tension in the poem grows. The poet sets the scene for the hunt. The huge grasslands (“vast arena” line 9), the herds of buck that are spread about (“scattered”) as they graze and have no idea that there is a cheetah nearby waiting to kill one of them, its “prey” (line 10). In this stanza, the poet uses an extended metaphor ZKLFKLVFDUULHGRQLQWKHÀUVWDQGODVW lines of the stanza. The hunt is compared to a game that is played to the death in an “arena”. This game or “fatal play” (line 12) is an oxymoron, because “play” suggests a game, but “fatal” means deadly, so this game will end in a death. This creates a visual image (a picture we can see in our minds) of the JDPHVLQWKH&ROLVHXPWKHJUHDWVSRUWVVWDGLXPRIDQFLHQW5RPHZKHQ VSHFWDWRUVHQMR\HGZDWFKLQJPHQÀJKWZLWKVZRUGVDQGWKHORVHUZDVRIWHQ killed. As we read, we feel fearful for the unsuspicious buck that do not know of the danger that is coming. We begin to sympathise with the “wild fear” (line 9) they will feel when the cheetah begins its chase. Notice how vividly and strikingly the poet’s diction in “wild fear” conveys the panic the buck are going to feel. The uneasy tone becomes stronger now. Stanza 4 (lines 13 – 16) Till hunger draws slack sinews tight As vibrant as a hunter’s bow; Then, like a fleck of mottled light, 15 He slides across the still plateau. This stanza describes the cheetah as it attacks. The animal now changes from a harmless-seeming young animal into a dangerous predator (hunter) DVLWEHJLQVLWVFKDVH8QOLNHWKHDQFLHQW5RPDQVIRUZKRPNLOOLQJZDVD sport, the cheetah hunts only to eat and survive. When it starts to think about hunting its body changes from relaxed to tense. The poet uses a simile that compares it to a bow. When an archer (who shoots with bow and arrow) gets ready to shoot the arrow, he pulls back the string of the bow very tightly so that the arrow will shoot forward with great speed and power. In the same way, when the cheetah is hungry and ready to hunt, it tenses all the muscles in its body (“slack sinews tight” in line 13). As it jumps forward, the cheetah’s body bends in a curve like a ERZDQGLWLVQRORQJHU´VODFNµ UHOD[HG EXW´YLEUDQWµ²ÀOOHGZLWKHQHUJ\ and life. The poet uses a simile´OLNHDPRWWOHGÁHFNRIOLJKWµ OLQH WRGHVFULEH WKHFKHHWDK·VVSHHGDVLWVVSRWWHGERG\PRYHVDVIDVWDVDÁDVKLQJVSRW © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature POETRY 91

10 Poetry of light. It moves so smoothly and quickly that it seems to “slide” across the ÁDWJURXQG OLQH 1RWLFHKRZWKHalliteration of the hissing “s” sound in “slide/still” emphasises its speed. The cheetah’s movement is purposeful, FRQWUROOHGDQGFRQÀGHQW Stanza 5 (lines 17 – 20) A tremor rakes the herds: they scent The pungent breeze of his advance; Heads rear and jerk in vigilant Compliance with the game of chance. 20 The poet now describes the reaction of the herd. The buck catch the strong (“pungent”) smell of the cheetah, perhaps carried to them on the wind. They all shiver (“tremor”) with fear (line 17). The metaphor “rakes” describes the way the shiver of fear (“tremor”) runs through the herd the way a rake (a garden instrument like a very big fork) can sweep along the ground. All moving together at the same time, the buck at once raise their heads and become tense and watchful. In a metaphor the poet compares the buck to people taking part in a “game of chance” (line 20). They have no FKRLFHEXW´FRPSOLDQFHµ²WKH\KDYHWRÀWLQZLWKWKHUXOHVRIWKH´JDPHµ in which they know that any one of them might be attacked and killed by the cheetah. Unfortunately for the buck, the rules of nature are that some animals have to die so that others can survive. Stanza 6 (lines 21 – 24) In which, of thousands, only one Is centred in the cheetah’s eye; They wheel and then stampede, for none Knows which it is that has to die. Of all the thousands of buck, the cheetah sets his eyes on only one. All his attention is on one buck. The buck all turn round quickly, they “wheel” and “stampede” (line 23) to get away. When herd animals (such as cows, horses or buck) are afraid, they stampede – the whole herd runs away in a mass panic. Their movement is uncontrolled. They know one of them will die, but do not know which of them the cheetah has chosen to kill. The rhyming of “eye” (line 22) and “die” (line 24) links these two words to emphasise that the buck has no chance of escape. The buck is in the cheetah’s sight. © Department of Basic Education 2015 92 POETRY Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

Cheetah 10 Stanza 7 (lines 25 – 28) His stealth and swiftness fling a noose 25 And as his loping strides begin To blur with speed, he ropes the loose Buck on the red horizon in. In this last stanza, the poet returns to describing the cheetah. He again uses an extended metaphor, this time of a cowboy using a lasso. vocab Lasso:
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10 Poetry summary Cheetah by Charles Eglington 1. Theme The main themes are that appearances can be misleading; and that in nature, only the strongest survive. 2. Type and form Stanza 1 — “kitten-eyed” Metaphor — “pup-content” Metaphor Stanza 2 — “loose-limbed lolling” Alliteration (repeated “l”) — “And build a twilight barricade.” Metaphor Stanza 3 — “The vast arena where … They’ll join with him in fatal play;” Extended metaphor — “fatal play” Oxymoron Narrative poem: Stanza 4 — Each stanza has 4 lines — “As vibrant as a hunter’s bow;” — Rhyme scheme abab Simile — “like a mottled fleck of light” Simile — “He slides across the still plateau” Alliteration (repeated “s”) Stanza 5 — “A tremor rakes the herds” Metaphor — “Compliance with the game of chance… … for none” (lines 20 - 23) Extended metaphor 3. Tone and mood Stanza 6 Tone: A relaxed tone at first, — “… for none / Knows which it is that has to die.” but the tone changes to End of extended metaphor (see stanza 5 above) urgent, tense and uneasy. Stanza 7 Mood: How does this poem — “His stealth and swiftness fling a noose… make you feel? Happy, sad, He ropes the loose / Buck on the red horizon in.” angry or indifferent? Always Extended metaphor (lines 25 - 28) give reasons for your answer. © Department of Basic Education 2015 94 POETRY Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

Cheetah 10 Activity 10 5HIHUWRWKHSRHPRQSDJHDQGDQVZHUWKHTXHVWLRQVEHORZ 1. Complete the following sentences by using the words provided in the list below. \RXQJVQDUOLQJDZNZDUGROGVPLOLQJJUDFHIXO The poet says that the cheetah is (1.1) … but it has (1.2) … movements and it appears to be (1.3) … (3) 2. What does the word “indolent” in line 1 tell you about the cheetah? State TWO points. (2) 3. Choose the correct answer to complete the following sentence. In line 3 the speaker’s tone shows that he feels ... A the cheetah is better than the leopard. B the leopard is better than the cheetah. C the cheetah and the leopard are the same. D the cheetah is quieter than the leopard. (1)   5HIHUWRWKHZRUGV´WZLOLJKWEDUULFDGHµLQOLQH  ,GHQWLI\WKHÀJXUHRIVSHHFKXVHGKHUH    PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION  ([SODLQZK\WKHSRHWXVHVWKLVÀJXUHRIVSHHFK   NB   :KLFK21(:25'LQVWDQ]DWKUHHVKRZVWKDWSXUSRVHRIWKH KXQWLVWRÀQGIRRG"       6. Quote two consecutive words in this stanza that contradict each Consecutive
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10 Poetry PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION NB NB Answers to Activity 10 5IF
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NBSL  6XUYLYDORIWKHÀWWHVW Appearances can be misleading  The cycle of life/predators only kill for food  e.g. EG - worked examples In every situation in nature there is a killer and a victim.  (1) [18] activity ACTIVITIES boy exams and girl-left and right of page activity activity Step by step comment comment ACTIVITIES boy and girl-left and © Department of Basic Education 2015 right of page 96 POETRY Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

The Mind the Gap study guide series assists you to make the leap by studying hard to achieve success in the Grade 12 exam. This publication is not for sale. © Copyright Department of Basic Education www.education.gov.za This publication has a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial Sharealike license. Call Centre 0800 202 933