Africa My Africa
By David Diop
Africa of proud warriors in ancestral Savannahs
Africa of whom my grandmother sings
On the banks of the distant river
I have never known you
But your blood flows in my veins
Your beautiful black blood that irrigates the fields
The blood of your sweat
The sweat of your work
The work of your slavery
Africa, tell me Africa
Is this your back that is unbent
This back that never breaks under the weight of humiliation
This back trembling with red scars
And saying no to the whip under the midday sun?
But a grave voice answers me
Impetuous child that tree, young and strong
That tree over there
Splendidly alone amidst white and faded flowers
That is your Africa springing up anew
springing up patiently, obstinately
Whose fruit bit by bit acquires
The bitter taste of liberty.
Summary of Africa my Africa
- Popularity of “Africa my Africa”: “Africa my Africa” by David Diop, a promising French-born Senegalese poet, novelist, and writer, is a lyrical poem. The poem first appeared in 1961 in his collection, Coups De Pilon. It addresses the problems of Africa brought to it by white colonialism. It also gives a message to Africans to bring about change and freedom. The popularity of the poem lies in the honest presentation of the African ills and their remedies.
- “Africa my Africa” As a Representative of Grief: The poem addresses the speaker’s love and concern for his native land. It begins when he addresses his dear homeland and informs the readers that once Africa was the place of proud warriors for whom the grandmothers sang on the river banks. Although he has never been there, yet his attachment with his native land can be felt through these words. While referring to his blood, he says that the black African blood runs in his veins. Therefore, he can feel the pain of his people. As the poem progresses, he highlights how Africans were tortured and made the center of cruelty by the whites. After talking about the pinching reality, he compares Africa with a tree and gives a message of hope that this land will bear fruit and flower once again.
- Major Themes in “Africa my Africa”: Freedom versus slavery, patriotism, and the dark side of human nature are the major themes of the poem. The poem exhibits the writer’s love for his dear country, Africa. He recalls once this place had an average life span which the colonizers corroded. With their arrival in the state, Africa lost its originality. Africans were treated like animals; their land was taken, and so were their lives. Although he has not witnessed these cruelties, yet the problems his ancestors endured haunt him. He realizes that he can’t change the past, but he is hopeful for the future. He is optimistic that one day Africa will taste the fruit of liberty.
Analysis of Literary Devices Used in “Africa my Africa”
literary devices give layers of meaning to a simple poem. The analysis of the literary devices used in this poem is as follows.
- Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line such as the sound of /e/ and /o/ “Impetuous child that tree, young and strong” and again the sound of /e/ in “The bitter taste of liberty.”
- Allusion: Allusion is a belief and an indirect reference of a person, place, thing or idea of a historical, cultural, political or literary significance. The poem alludes to the problems faced by Africans such as;
“The blood of your sweat
The sweat of your work
The work of your slavery.”
- Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line such as the sound of /f/ in “faded flowers.”
- Consonance: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line such as the sound of /r/ in “That is your Africa springing up anew” and the sound of /t/ in “Impetuous child that tree, young and strong.”
- Enjambment: It is defined as a thought in verse that does not come to an end at a line break; rather, it rolls over to the next line. For example:
“That is your Africa springing up anew
springing up patiently, obstinately
Whose fruit bit by bit acquires
The bitter taste of liberty.”
- Imagery: Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses. David Diop has used imagery in this poem such as “Your beautiful black blood that irrigates the fields”, “This back trembling with red scars,” and “That is your Africa springing up anew.”
- Metaphor: It is a figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between the objects that are different. The poet has used the extended metaphor of troubles and miseries just to show how Africans strive for their rights.
- Personification: Personification is to give human qualities to inanimate objects. The poet has personified Africa in the poem such as “Africa, tell me Africa.”
- Rhetorical Question: Rhetorical Question is a question that is not asked to receive an answer; it is just posed to make the point clear. David has posed rhetorical questions in the poem to emphasize his point such as “And saying no to the whip under the midday sun?”
- Symbolism: Symbolism is using symbols to signify ideas and qualities, giving them symbolic meanings that are different from literal meanings. The poem shows symbols like pain, disappointment, and sadness to show the dark history of Africa.
- Synecdoche: It is a literary device in which a part of something represents the whole, or it may use a whole to represent a part. The poet has used this device in the final lines where the tree refers to the newly emerging Africa such as; “That tree over there.”
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in “Africa my Africa”
Poetic and literary devices are the same, but a few are used only in poetry. Here is the analysis of some of the poetic devices used in this poem.
- Diction and Tone: The poem shows descriptive diction having rhetoric devices, symbolism, and impressive images. However, its tone is tragic, sorrowful as well as reassuring.
- Free Verse: Free verse is a type of poetry that does not contain patterns of rhyme or meter. This is a free verse poem with no strict rhyme or meter.
- Stanza: A stanza is a poetic form of some lines. There are twenty-two lines in this poem with no stanza break in it.
Quotes to be Used
These lines from the poem “Africa, My Africa” are useful to quote to when boosting ther morale of a native community having undergone slavery.
“Your beautiful black blood that irrigates the fields
The blood of your sweat
The sweat of your work
The work of your slavery.”