An Africa Thunderstorm by David Rubadiri Flashcards
Stanza 1
From the west
Clouds come hurrying with the wind
Turning sharply
Here and there
Like a plague of locusts
Whirling,
Tossing up things on its tail
Like a madman chasing nothing.
Stanza 2
Pregnant clouds
Ride stately on its back,
Gathering to perch on hills
Like sinister dark wings;
The wind whistles by
And trees bend to let it pass.
Stanza 3
In the village
Screams of delighted children,
Toss and turn
In the din of the whirling wind,
Women,
Babies clinging on their backs
Dart about
In and out
Madly;
The wind whistles by
Whilst trees bend to let it pass.
Stanza 4
Clothes wave like tattered flags
Flying off
To expose dangling breasts
As jagged blinding flashes
Rumble, tremble and crack
Amidst the smell of fired smoke
And the pelting march of the stormnd turn
In the din of the whirling wind,
Women,
Babies clinging on their backs
Dart about
In and out
Madly;
The wind whistles by
Whilst trees bend to let it pass.
- Identify the two similes used in stanza 1.
Like a plagues of locusts…
- Why are the clouds described as “pregnant” in stanza 2?
- Comment on the use of the word “stately” in line 10.
- Quote two consecutive words in stanza 2 that suggest that the thunderstorm might be dangerous.
- Explain why this thunderstorm might not be as welcome to the villagers.
- In line 24, alliteration is used. Write down the line and indicate the alliteration and also comment on its effectiveness.
What is the poem about?
Summary
The poem tells of a storm violent storm moving, this storm makes its way towards an African village causing havoc has it moves toward and through the village having the trees themselves bending over the strength of the winds. Clouds heavy with rain moving quickly, children laugh and shout as the storm makes it way but the mothers take them as they try to find shelter from the storm. The duality of the actual storm and colonization in the poem gives a hidden meaning in lines of the poem much like those of the songs of the slaves.
Stanza 1 Analysis
Stanza 1:
The first stanza gives the reader the imagery of the storm moving across the sky and the direction in which it is coming from, the west, this may also be a reference to the intrusion of colonizers in from the west. The “worldwide” of them entering Africa. “From the west
Clouds come hurrying with the wind
Turning sharply
Here and there “showing the manic movement of the “storm”
“Like a plague of locusts
Whirling,
Tossing up things on its tail” locust are pests which cause huge devastation and where they go and are feared. The storm has an ominous feeling to it, out of control, ready to cause havoc. These people came and just like locusts sucked the contents dry of its resources, the people, etc.
“Like a madman chasing nothing ‘again showing the manic movement of the storm and sets the tone for the rest of the poem, the violent frenzy of what could be colonialism.
Stanza 3
In the village
Screams of delighted children,
Toss and turn
In the din of the whirling wind,
Women,
Babies clinging on their backs
Dart about
In and out
Madly;
The wind whistles by
Whilst trees bend to let it pass.
Stanza 4
Clothes wave like tattered flags
Flying off
To expose dangling breasts
As jagged blinding flashes
Rumble, tremble and crack
Amidst the smell of fired smoke
And the pelting march of the storm
Stanza 1 Analysis
Stanza 1:
The first stanza gives the reader the imagery of the storm moving across the sky and the direction in which it is coming from, the west, this may also be a reference to the intrusion of colonizers in from the west. The “worldwide” of them entering Africa. “From the west
Clouds come hurrying with the wind
Turning sharply
Here and there “showing the manic movement of the “storm”
“Like a plague of locusts
Whirling,
Tossing up things on its tail” locust are pests which cause huge devastation and where they go and are feared. The storm has an ominous feeling to it, out of control, ready to cause havoc. These people came and just like locusts sucked the contents dry of its resources, the people, etc.
“Like a madman chasing nothing ‘again showing the manic movement of the storm and sets the tone for the rest of the poem, the violent frenzy of what could be colonialism.
