s: Survivors

The poem redefines heroism.The questions the heroism that has been put across by the post colonial
gvt which is of an elite clique.He also questions the ideology of survivors being smart.Their presence
could be a result of cowardice or luck or even of not having fully committed themselves to the struggle.

The first stanza satirizes how the living make up false or exaggerated magnanimous feats in the war
hence spinners of legends who beat nature and danger,man and machine.Through the rhetorical
question,the persona is sarcastic to show that their survival was not out their being clever, intelligent
and strong.

There is euphemism in the words And those who never/sawApril Eighteen/ to refer to the dead.Bazooka
shells is used to disapprove the idea that those who died in the struggle are useless.The real heroes are
actually the dead because they should up in dedication to protect the survivors hence spared the
whispers /and curses that claw/

The backs of survivors?

The tone is filled with mockery and sarcasm at the concept of heroism

There is repetition of we to emphasize the pride and pomposity of the living.

In terms of effect.Relate your effect to the meaning or subject of the poem

: Petals of the unknown

Plight of the liberation fighters.Post war disillusionment,traumatic experiences.Betrayal by those in

power who are now enjoying the fruits of the sweat when ironically the real freedom fighters are
wallowing in poverty as they have not been rewarded in any manner for their sacrifice.

Petals symbol of love,appreciation,rememberance and recognition.

The son represent the new generation,who becomes the hope for the son.The tone is ambivalent ,at
first before going to war there were high hopes mansions in Borrowdale ,the leafy surburb,sign of
affluence,he even lowers his hopes to three roomed tiny house in Budiriro or even smoking morris,non
functional car.The fighters also expected to own land which ironically is denied as he says not even a sod
of soil.The exclusion from any form of recognition shows the insensitivity of the those in power.

The poem is a bitter , painful appeal to his son to have a proper view about history.History is not all
about successful but the unknown who sacrificed so much for the struggle.

Even in death he will not be acknowledged like others who are regarded as unknown hence he will be
one of the thousand ghosts at the tomb of the unknown soldier_a sign he like the fellow comrade will
die an unfulfilled man.ln addition the tone is sad,bitter.Amidst the disappointment and disillusionment
there is a sense of pride of having sacrificed on behalf others.lt is the only contribution that no one can
deprive him of.
Pick stylistic features of the poem and comment on the effect

: Farewell

The poem is a direct address to the gun that he had used during the war.The gun has been personified
as a loved one eg my love,slenderness of your body,burst of your giggling.The gun is addressed in a
conversational tone through the use of words like you bringing out nostalgic experiences in the
bush.The generous blankets of stars and frost is sarcastic to down play the hardship encountered during
the struggle.The poet takes solace in the companion of the gun and protection of the stars.The poet is
realistic to capture the loss of hope when the dream seemed to shatter and fade which depict the trying
times.lt is through these trying times that he had the omfort of the gun.The gun also gave him a sense
9f security eg reassured me/ with steel slenderness of your body.

Consider use of an apostrophe which is You recall-a reminder of the bond that existed,also arousing
feelings of sorrow character ised by emotional parting.l

The comparison to a shadow shows the allegiance and faithfulness of the gun to the soldier through the
time of war.Repetition of farewell this reveals emotional parting arousing feeling of pity for both the
soldier and the gun.The tone is is reminiscing and nostalgic reminding the reader of the intimate
experience.The language is descriptive eg smooth ness of your butt, slenderness of your body, generous
blankets among others.Allusion to Manica,which is a province in Mozambique but close to Zimbabwe .

Identify more literary devices and explain how they bring out meaning.

[Warming another man groin

The poem deals with betrayal which comes from lack of faithfulness.

The poem has a deeper meaning dealing with the reason for joining the struggle.Yeukai is a call to
remember the sacrifice.The country has been personified through Yeukai.lmagery of broken life eg
splintered pieces,a call to mend the relationship between parasites and heroes.There is chaos and
disorder,hence the need to draw a discern ible plan and divine destiny.

Forsaking the rhymes of your bottom for the wood and steel recoils of a gun butt,brings about the
warmth,the comfort ,the joys in contrast to the discomfort he experienced.There is great sacrifice by the
freedom fighters.The wrongs forced him to go and right wrong

He explores the reasons as hesitant smile,suggestive of deceit,pretence.The abyss paints a bleak future
under the colonial betrayal

Whimpering suggestive of pain.

The extreme brisk shown by a hyperbole, outlived a generation,and dozed under a blanket of bullets and
bombs.There is also alliteration in bullets and bombs to show harrowing dangers.
The fire flies are symbols of illusion.

Smashing of calabash symbolical of betrayal.Smashed calabash refers to squandered the resources and
benefits.The parasites are those that have hijacked the country

The sky is overcast suggestive of confusion and chaos.There is an antithesis _the people won their war
but l lost the struggle.

Return to the jungle brings sadness,disillusionment.The persona distances himself from the people who
are celebrating.There is bitterness,sorrow and sadness.

We surrendered our balls

The poem can be divided

into appreciation of the contribution during the war given through praise names such
macomrades,vakomama,vanamukoma,magandanga, Zimbabweanos

The soldiers never ran out of ideas to get want they wanted,kachasu which kept them going,they were
enterprising

They solutions to the problems.The second part laments the contrasting timidity which is symbolized by
surrendering their balls.Heroes have been emasculated into villains.The tone changes from
appreciation to contempt,condescending and disapproval.The rhetorical questions reawakens the long
gone spirit of heroes.lt is sad that the heroes have suddenly turned into villains.

The use of we reveals that is a common problem for all freedom fighters and not an individual.It seems
their power stemmed from the guns,the bazooka,bandoliers and Ask which they surrendered,The crude
language reveals bitterness,dismay ,anger and frustration.

There is belittling of real grown powerful men through the simile like children surrendering tennis ball to
the master after a game.

Semantics of stones

Is a search for meaning,understanding or essence of the relationship with Yeukai.

The persona is troubled and disillusioned at the post independence experience.

There is confusion between present and past,the angular fragment jingle jangle against sediment of the
soul pointing to lack of stability now associated with the Zimbabwe.Yeukai represent the nation of
Zimbabwe,the disappearance of Yeukai makes her to be elusive.Zimbabwean freedom has turned to be
very elusive.

Flashback before the war ,he viewed the rainbow which is symbolic of the good that he saw and hoped
to enjoy after independence but unfortunately Yeukai has vanished.
Leaping down the gorge in my socks could be a reference to the foolish option that he could have
taken,but did not,this for him it was a deliberate,calculated move.The move in the end cost him dearly

You suckled me

Tits of tales of herpes

Ressuracting from ruins

Metaphoric reference to the inspiration of the stories of the heroes.

The little boys and girls turned into freedom fighters with high hopes which turned out to be false.

Kalashinikovs and bazookas are large guns carried by the young,after the risk and the mammoth task all
turns empty

Trashing traditions suggesting passing through sacred places.

Prophesying miracles suggest the optimism they had which turned out to be futile.

The joining of the queue is a sad end,because he remains searching

Thus in the end all is just futile

: Smile Mother

The poem is a n appeal or consolation message to the mother,who has been waiting hoping for the
return of the beloved sons and daughters turned freedom fighters.There was anxiety and fear in the
mother.

Barrels were plugged ;though not permanent ,triggers took a nap is metaphorical for short lived cease
fire.

The movement of the mother to various places shows desperation and love of the mother.

But your sons did not come home expresses disappointment and am attempt to console the woman.

A tormenting tug of fear and hope suggestive of mixed feelings wrestling with her.

Several thousands have fallen,is presented as the news she got from offices.

You scorch and mock us with your tears is the voice of the son from the grave calming the mother to
take it easy because the children had gone out to sacrifice.

The tone is sombre ,appealing and sad arousing feelings of sadness.

Tembwe,Nyadzonia and Chimoio

All in Mozambique
Note the use of anaphora and apostrophe and their effect.The voice that speaks reveals that through
the places the sons have been immortal ised

The mother also takes the form of the nation, the sons went to war deliberately to fight for land and
freedom.The idea of being trapped in a reserve presents the people as caged and locked in a black
location.The segregation and injustice was too much.

Soaring flag symbol of unlimited freedom which contrasts with the caged past.Gushing blood,rising red
star gushing blood,these signify the sacrifice.

Rising of the red star brings hope of the new dawn.

That is us unity in masses,unity is emphasized.At the end the mother has valid reason to smile.

Free sod for my sister

The poem is a lamentation of wanton loss lives.Human sympathy is lost as violence is the order of the
day as shown by the diction 'slaughtered','gunned,'devoured, repeatedly.There is latent bitterness
behind the seemingly casual statement,which is the title of the poem 'Free sod for my sister'.The sod is
metonym for the soil that is to cover the sister's grave.Deep down the words there is nothing free in the
loss of innocent lives at war.

There is contrast between the first stanza and the second,the death of the soldier is justified because it
is call of duty or a risk that goes with the job but for a young innocent defenceless girl,the poet views it
as barbaric,attrocious and unjustified this the perpetrator is labelled stupid.

The diction used solicits for sympathy the young girl as shown as little,cacooned, innocent,baby, and girl
.

Gone is euphemistic for the death of the girl.

She died on the verge of puberty is suggestive of great loss because of the great potential of the girl 's
fecundity.The young is also metaphoric representation for the great potential of the nation that has
been ravaged by the war.The potential is given through the images sprouting breasts,green mangoes
prodding and expecting

Repetition of the words

My baby sister is gone

Devoured by war

Emphasizes the idea of loss of innocent souls.The refrain also expresses feelings of bitterness.

There is disillusionment and pessimism in the last stanza as depicted by the sarcastic of the word "free',
pointing to loss that is beyond redemption and compensation.
The poem can also be a reference to high expectations of the people for a nation depicted through the
girl child.

Stub in backyard

Stub in backyard expresses the plight of being used and then dumped.The poem is a bitter expression of
disappointment of freedom who were used and later dumped and forgotten.The imagery of the
cigarette reveals the pain of the being cast away after satisfying the craving of the smoker

The backyard,it makes the cigar to be turned into junk or waste.

The dilemma of the freedom fighter after independence is expressed by the words

No longer certain if it

Craves another spark

Or is at peace among

The rot of the abandoned

Should the fighter seek limelight or remain discarded .

There is utter hopeless ness as not even the muddy splash of a tadpole.The tadpole usually survives
under muddy conditions.

Stanza four expresses desperate attempt to get solace which worsens the situation.The smoke is
sickening.The stomach is ill at ease,yet there is no relief

There is revulsion created at the diction,combined with dark humour,bottom,itches,hole,fart,and

bowels.

The spitting and flashing aborted desires carry an element of giving up,who h is a form of escapism.

[Splintered Calabash

Calabash is a symbol of nourishment,cementing relationships .Lt is special as it brings people together,a

sense of communalism.It is used traditionally as a symbol of solving problems or making choices.

The broken Calabash is presented as a lamentation of the loss of innocence by the girl child

The poem is filled with sexual innuendos

Dried up skin points to some kind of sickness that the girl goes through resulting in the psychological
disorder given by the sharp jingle jangle of dreams splintered.There is also hopelessness suggested by
fractured hopes.
Green Calabash points to a young girl that parents had high hopes though on the end,driven by
adolescent stage eg teen Crazed disappointed parents by jumping for fireflies . Fireflies are symbolic of
temporary things, uselessness

The breaking of the back can be understood from various angles,which include abuse,sexual
connotation amog other possibilities.

After the crazed teemagehood reality of crushing down to earth in fragment takes over.

: Musi Wa Tunya

The poem deals with suicidal thoughts which are filled with determination to die a heroic death

He wants to die a unique death which heroic

The gorges represent the ups and down of life

Battered and broken suggests element of giving up on life hence hopelessness.The person reveals that if
it comes to the worst,he would defy man and the unknown

The unknown should be whatever force while man represent s logic or reason.

I would not debase/ my other hanging/her bloody rag on some ignoble bough

Refers to the custom of mourning in which people hang cloth to their gates or tree.

Leaving in prime time refers to a time when is needed most.

Rainbow symbol for any special events or aspiration,dreams prepared to die for

Thundering in a smoke of glory brings out a remarkable way that will leave a permanent mark in the life
of the people

The smoke that thunders suggestive of leaving a legacy rather just dying without any remarkable
contribution

The thundering refers an act of great sacrifice and achievement.

Is a suicidal act being blindfolded by selfishness.lt is a foolish move that is being mocked.

The attitude of continued deaths even after war

: Grabbing the bull

Grabbing the bull means taking up the challenge,risk being daring.

At the beginning the persona feels underutilized,belittled or wasted

Glimpsed the ultimate breakthrough provides a marked contrast which in the end leads to him being an
opportunist who thrives on the effort of others shown by the script that he did not write.He is a hijacker
who takes up all roles,the leading actor ,producer and director.This also points to the political leaders
have stolen the victory.lt is the best of selfishness and grabbing that expresses itself on a solitary stage,
therefore no following acting a lone scene. Being on the branch of a sapless tree

: Bolder Boulder

The poem operates from a metaphoric level.The Boulder has been at the top most exposed to
challenges,the hardships and rough experiences.There has been endurance and resilience with an
indomitable spirit taking toll.

Rock receptive, stone suffering seem to suggest stoicism withstanding all various levels of suffering
represented by stone,rock,Boulder.

Rock certain points to unshakable belief which points to resilience and endurance.The poem chronicles
the experiences of an individual who has stood out remarkably distinct and distinguished to wither all
storms.

The mystic Nyanga points to the top most part ,the defiance is registered by the courage to break the
mystery.

Granite is the strongest rock,hence the determination to stand firm up to the end.

The tone is assertive given by the affirmative l.

: Shattered mirror

Shattered is symbolic of broken relationship as shown by sitting without a chat on the mat that should
have been used for matting or being intimate.

Drained digs is hyperbolic for the defaced appearance which is beyond redemption even by cosmetics or
artificial means.The man just like the woman is gouged and deflated,which is a similar predicament.The
experiences of the spent forces through reckless living leaves them vulnerable.The mirror shatters and
scatters reveal lack of hope no matter what happens.It is sad that the marriage or union is rendered
empty and meaningless by the strained relationship.

: Peace corpses

Peace deals with the questioning attitude of corpses during peaceful times.lt is sad that several years
after war,people to die.lt would make sense to have casualties in a war situation.

Remarkable achievement s call for great loss

The sweet apple that houses the devils which are wriggling,biblical allusion of Adam and Eve

All point to deceit in the sweetness.

Sigmund Freud is a well psychologist who specialised on human sexuality,he spoke of natural sex
drive.The poem seems to point to the sexual connotations.The poem could be understood as pointing to
numerous deaths during peaceful times that could be HlV and AlDS.

We count peace corpses

And wonder who is next

Seem to point to a pandemic or a scourge that is sweeping through hence "we wonder who is next'.

The scourge is ravaging like an avenging spirit of a person murdered.The death was like a revenge hence
wrecking vengeance.

Mood is sombre while the tone is sad

: The Shell

The Shell refers to a cacoon,covering,protective layer.The shell which normally

undermined,trivialized,underrated ,takken for granted outlives the life that it protects.The she'll that
once played a pivotal role is reassigned to a decorative role.

The Shell can also be a reference to a shell of a bullet which is a casing which later on is used to
decorate a museum where people admire but lone tombstone. There is a possibility of the freedom
fighters also being viewed as shell that has been discarded to play a decorative role.They are used like
trophies,but there is resilience of living on even though having been discarded.

: Prickly pride

The poem deals with the destructive nature of pride in relationships yet it is something that is trivial.The
value of friendship and love is contrasted with the trifles.

The title is summative of the injurious nature of pride.

The alliterative f sound frivolity,friendship,trifle,stifle highlights the trivial nature of pride yet It is filled
with destructive effects.The tone is cautionary about the dangers of pride.

Carrying rigid shoulders is metaphoric for the 'l don't care attitude', unyielding and uncompromising
state no matter how unreasonable.

Ram down carries an element of force impressed.There is contrast between ram and softy throats
suggestive of potential damage.

The victim is tormented at night because of failure to swallow pride.

The tossing , tormented desolate on a double bed reveals isolation, abandonment because of pride.

The hurling of missiles and curses at the starved dog brings an element of desperation.
The expression reveals the diehard, unrepentant attitude which makes the dog far much better than
human beings.lt is a painful and bitter observation for human beings to fall to levels far below that of
dogs.The pride is an inhibiting factor in human relationship.lt is a challenge to be beaten by dogs.Union
and reconciliation are a possibility,only if pride can be swallowed.

: Good citizen

Is a satirical presentation of various attitudes or people from different walks of life at a funeral of the
persona.

The people who attend the funeral have various personal agenda

It is ironic that the man is regarded as a good citizen in death when in life was a stranger and a
troublesome neighbour.The good word they put is cosmetic as they are praises that blow away
immediately with ashes

The neighbour and the boss had a tense relationship characterized by conflict ,exploitation and
suspicion.The animosity is such that the kids,dogs and chickens are not spared.The death of the persona
is an opportunity for the politician to garner for votes.lt is sad that the man was used and dumped
during the liberation war as fodder and in death would provide podium for campaign.lt is also ironic that
the priest who role is to comfort relatives and officiate the funeral is viewed as driven by the desire to
soil the shiny wood with the handful of dust symbolic of passing away or death.

Even the friends take time to reminisce of past good times

The repetition of they sets the mourners and the dead person apart

The dead is convinced that there is no sincerity but it's all mockery.

Being boxed seem to suggest enttapement.lt is sarcastic that a cadaver makes a good citizen

: Message in Stone

The message is a celebration of the mystery behind the origins of Great Zimbabwe.

The presentation brings about positive and negative elements associated with history cast on the stone.

The past stands on its own short but pregnant for example

The past

The great Zimbabwe is symbolic,the main issue is on the importance of history as it can save , enslave or
darken depending on the situation.

Sometimes because of history people can remain stagnant hence enslaved.There is a sense pride and
identity in the contribution of the ancestors who seem to have outwitted historians and politicians who
can not interpret.
The secret therefore lies engraved in the stone.

The wisdom of the ancestors is celebrated as so cryptic, fossilized in the stone.

There is rhetorical question which places the ingenuity of the ancestors on a rock pedestal of secrecy
beyond deciphering.

: Neither fruit nor shelter

The baobab neither offers fruit or shelter refers to the country or continent that does not leave up to
expectations of people.

Significance of baobab drought resistant plant well known for nourishment and provision of shelter.

Uprooted represents displacement and dislocation leading to lack of stability and connectivity.

Roots scratching and clutching points to desperation.Roots can also represent the common people on
the ground struggling for survival.

Decaying chaos There is a lot of corruption yet ironically there is desperation to hold on amidst the
chaos.

Barren blue sky expresses sterility and rottenness.This can be personification with alliteration.

A baby heaves bones against leathery skin a symbol of starved young elephant,there is extreme
suffering.scary visual imagery of skeletal baby.The poem is metaphoric of the country which no longer
takes care of it's people especially the young represented by the baby elephant.

Loss of self esteem,nationhood and identity ,as the elephant is no longer assertive as it used to be.

Hide and horns symbols of identity and value.

There vis sense of insecurity, vulnerability .There is hunger and starvation.

The poem looks at the whole continent bringing a sense of shredded hopes which seems to be done on
purpose.

There is public outcry in the continent.The continent has failed it's citizens as they become victims of
dependence syndrome.

The children of the continent have been degraded to beggars as a result of impoverishment.

Hunger band drought runs through,the leaders are also insensitive.

The tone is filled with disillusionment,despair,disgruntlement.

The real poetry

Real poetry is rooted in people's experience

Historical experiences can never be divorced from real poetry

Poetry traces the suffering,pride and endurance of Africa in resisting invasions.

There is collective approach in carving real poetry hence not a private paradise nor individual inferno

The presentation of people's experience is realistic to capture pain and pleasure

There is a sense of pan Africanism as Africans suffer together.The povo are the real poetry
composers.There are various allusions such as the Katanga,Mau Mau,Bissau,Mozambique and Angola to
show that real poetry is an African experience

There are symbols used such as chains,whips,red stream s symbolic of slavery,they emphasize on death
sacrifice .

Carving is an art.

Uses literary terms to depict slavery

Sweat symbol of exploitation.

The last stanza is a contrast to the earlier presentation that uplifts community and communal approach.

'Effectve Occupation' is in quotes to show that this is what the whites claimed to be as a form of
justification for intrusion.lt meant that the the Africans were not effective using their land.