THE SECRET TO A

MAN’S ADMIRATION
PHILOMENA AMA OKYESO YEBOAH
ENGL 263 – LITERATURE IN ENGLISH I
 PHILOMENA AMA OKYESO YEBOAH
• PhilomenaAma Okyeso Yeboah (Dr. (Mrs.)) is a Senior Lecturer
at the Department of English, Kwame Nkrumah University of
Science and Technology.
• She
is a mother, wife, teacher, and local preacher at the Methodist
Church.
 BACKGROUND OF THE POEM
• The poem was inspired by the last speech delivered by Barack Hussein
Obama II, the 44th President of the United States of America and the first
African-American President in U.S. history.
• This was the final public speech of Barack Obama as the 44 th President of the
United States. The speech was delivered on January 10, 2017.
• This speech, characterized by Obama’s noted oratory and modesty did not
becloud the expression of his deep-seated appreciation for his wife, Michelle
Lavan Robinson, whom he affectionately refers to as girl of the south side.
• Among other touching praises heaped upon the calm and collected Michelle,
Obama paid tribute to her multifaceted roles as a wife, friend, mother to her
children, and mother of the nation who is bold and accommodating.
 BACKGROUND OF THE POEM

• This emotional speech by Barack Obama, where he extolled

qualities and virtues of his wife as his best friend catapulted the first
black African-American President of the United States to an
enviable admiration.
• Itis this admiration, sourced in an open confession of a spiritual
truth which draws other men and women alike to admire Barack
Obama. It is within that admiration that Obama draws strength,
support, and success.
• Thehonesty in the delivery of this speech is what inspired this
poem.
 SUBJECT MATTER

• Thesecret to a man’s admiration is primarily about what makes a

man admirable. The poet reveals how Barack Obama through an
open recognition of his wife, Michelle Obama, as his best friend
evokes admiration from the audience.
• RELEVANCE OF THE POEM
• Thedesire albeit obsession to gain recognition and admiration is
what drives the human race to work hard at excellence.
 HIGHLIGHTS OF THE POEM
• The poem can be interpreted as conveying the secret of a man indicated in
both the title and the first four lines of the poem in the fifth stanza:

When this black American President rightfully

Ascribes his success to the
Friendship enjoyed in marriage,
That is the secret to that man’s greatness

Here, the friendship enjoyed in marriage between him and his wife to which
the speaker openly confesses represents the secret to his greatness which
catapults into such great admiration toward his person.
 HIGHLIGHTS OF THE POEM
• The poem is told from the perspective of an enquirer whose obsession is to
find the secret to a man’s admiration and in so doing reflects on how the
enterprise that brings men’s admiration is ephemeral.
• In the poem, the speaker in the first stanza takes on a critical voice at the
unabating pressure men who desire to be admired heap upon themselves.
• The first line Perhaps men look too further away… ends in an ellipsis,
which acknowledges in its silence all the enterprises men embark upon in the
quest for admiration.
• In the second and third lines; In their cravings for recognition/Where won’t
they look? reveals the critical question and speaks of man’s unbending spirit
to go to all ends to achieve recognition.
 HIGHLIGHTS OF THE POEM
• The continuous tense craving reveals the insatiable quest for recognition and
links to greed and unrest. From the fourth line to the eighth line, the speaker’s
biting criticism is clearly seen as he enumerates the cost of craving for
admiration.
• From exploiting friends and abandoning family all in the name of gaining
admiration, the speaker throws into focus the selfish nature of the whole
enterprise at gaining ultimate recognition and admiration.
• In the second stanza, the persona places the achievements of men especially,
those gained through exploitation and usury on a measuring scale.
• In the first line of this stanza, the temporary nature of men’s admiration for ill
gotten recognition is showcased. Yesterday admires aren’t dependable!
 HIGHLIGHTS OF THE POEM
• The second and third lines compare the temporary nature of man’s
admiration for others to thirsty deers who after satiating their thirst with
water, wants more. The use of the simile deepens our understanding of the
insatiable nature of man’s view of achievement.
• In the third to the fifth lines of the second stanza, the quantum of the
achievement and admiration is placed under a critical lens with the rhetorical
question What did he go through all that for? This question is not a critique
but seems to reduce the import of the achievement and this happens after all
the frenzy of fame has waned
• The volta in the poem is seen in the third stanza with the persona sparring a
thought for Barack Obama. The knowledge of the secret to a man’s
admiration is arrived at within the comparison of different levels of
greatness.
 HIGHLIGHTS OF THE POEM
• In a parallel manner, the speaker nullifies achievements in politics, sports,
oratory, technology and the acquisition of enviable wealth.
• The persona presents the secret to a man’s admiration in the form of a
scenario in the fourth stanza of the poem which starts with
When Barack Obama
Standing before a cosmopolitan audience
With eyes full of tears!
Boldly tells the crowd “Michelle Obama is not only my wife
and mother of my children…
She is
My best friend,
She: my friend
 HIGHLIGHTS OF THE POEM
• This scenario aims to add a visual touch to the source of his admiration.
Obama is not only captured here as romantic and emotional but also bold and
daring. In a world where such praises are reserved within intimate walls, a
President of the United States declares it openly.
• Obama’s proclamation seeks to reinforce the spiritual truth and allude his
success to all the complimentary roles his wife, Michelle, had played in his
life. The secret to Obama’s greatness thus lies in acknowledging the truism
of God’s intent for the role of the man and woman in marriage.
• From the 9th to the 15th lines of the 4th stanza, Obama as referenced
summarily by the persona lists Michelle’s attributes as a companion who
made the White House a home for everyone. This woman embraced not
only her family but everyone that entered the White House.
 HIGHLIGHTS OF THE POEM
• The persona also comments on Michelle’s resilience, brilliance and foresight
which are captured in the 11th to the 15th lines of the fourth stanza:
Born out of years of wifely support…
Born out of years of dealing with fears…
Born out of years of checking tears!
Born out of years of strategizing to ensure your man Can…
Born out of years of preparing to mother the next generation!
The use of anaphora Born out of years of which is repeated five times
represents the perfect touch Michelle gives to each of these endeavours. In these
lines, the woman is a composite of contrasting yet complementary natures. She
is strong in support, fragile in disappointments, bold in the face of fears and kind
enough to mother not only her biological children but everyone out there.
 FORM
• The poem is an ode to Barack Obama as a personality admired by many. In
five stanzas, each of varied lines, the poem analyzes the constituents of the
wife as a best friend. The words of the poem are simple to understand and
makes readers feel as though they are in conversation with someone.
• The varied lines of the stanzas agrees with the varied contradictory attributes
of Michelle Obama as a wife and best friend. Yet all the five stanzas come
together beautifully to reveal the secret to a man’s admiration.
• The poem is suffused with punctuation marks as many as 52 including
ellipsis, apostrophe, commas, dashes, questions and exclamation marks, full
stops and quotation marks. These punctuation marks make us pause, reflect
on the arguments and come to a well layered conclusion of the poem
• In the second stanza which is also the shortest stanza, the persona
employs the use of simile and compares the ephemeral nature of
ill gotten achievements/recognition to deers who search for water
only to find their fill and within the next breath launches out again
in search of more. This comparison thrust forward the temporary
nature of man’s achievement and beckons the audience to journey
with the persona to find the secret to a man’s admiration.
• The overall tone of the poem is critical, assertive, sincere and
passionate. The poem is built on a sharp argument which calls
forth its critical tone.
LANGUAGE AND THEMATIC CONCERN
• The poem rejects the narrow stereotypical expectations of what constitutes a
man’s admiration and proposes nuanced perspective of what catapults a
man’s towards admiration.
• It is a man’s open admittance of his wife as his everything in one which
brings him admiration.
• These thematic concerns come out through the use of simple and definitive
language. The words used in the poem are clear and easy to grasp. The use of
Anaphora injects continuity and musicality within the poem as well as
enhances the natural flow of the persona’s thought process.
• Instances of enjambment found in the poem also enhances the conversational
nature of the poem and creates flexibility as though the persona is calling on
the audience to reason with her.
 CLASS ACTIVITY
• What is the poem about?
• What does the poem aims to teach and achieve?
• Who is the poem addressed to?