Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"SOLITUDE IN SOWETO" is a poem by Marilyn Nelson published in her 1994 collection "The Fields of Praise."

Explanation: 

The poem is set in Soweto, a township outside Johannesburg in South Africa, during the apartheid era. The speaker, who is not from Soweto, reflects on the quietness and stillness of the streets, in contrast to the violence and chaos that often occurred during that time. The speaker also acknowledges the struggles and oppression faced by the people of Soweto, and recognizes the importance of their fight for freedom and equality.

Poetic Elements:

• Free verse structure
• Imagery: "empty milk bottles like sentries at doors," "sagging clotheslines like crucifixes," "the barber shop's red, white, and blue pole, / spinning against a smoky sky"
• Enjambment, creating a flowing and uninterrupted movement in the poem
• Repetition: the phrase "I cannot hear" is repeated throughout the poem, emphasizing the stillness and quietness of the scene
• Metaphor: the stillness of the streets is compared to "an emptied stadium after a great game"
• Allusion: the title references the Soweto Uprising, a series of protests and demonstrations against apartheid policies that occurred in Soweto in 1976
• Symbolism: the "empty milk bottles" and "sagging clotheslines" represent the daily struggles and hardships of the people of Soweto

Conclusion: "Solitude in Soweto" is a powerful poem that captures the atmosphere of the township during the apartheid era. Through its vivid imagery and use of poetic devices, the poem expresses both the quietness of the streets and the struggles faced by the people living there. It is a tribute to the resilience and strength of those who fought against oppression and inequality.

Poem Snippet:

"I cannot hear the cries, 

complaints and whispered grievances, 

conspiracies and slogans

 the screech of bullets, or the siren's wail."

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