Touch Flashcards
Who wrote ‘Touch?’
Hugh Lewin (1939-2019)
Who was Hugh Lewin?
Hugh Lewin was an activist against SA’s apartheid in the mid-60s. He was sentenced to prison for 7 years and spent 20 in exile. While in prison, he secretly wrote down his and his inmate’s experiences on the pages of his bible and later published them.
By allying himself with people of colour, Lewin became an ‘untouchable’ pariah.
What is the style and format of Touch?
- Free verse
- Sporadic rhythm
- Short lines
- Simple language
What is Touch about?
Touch is about Lewin discussing his desire for human connection and empathy after having been imprisoned and dehumanised for seven years.
What do the pronouns ‘I’ in the final stanza imply?
That Lewin is taking his power back.
What imagery do the words ‘patting paws’ provoke?
Inhumane, animalistic, predatory imagery.
Also patting paws is onomatopoeia, and mimics the literal sound of patting.
What parts of speech and poetic devices are employed in Touch?
Caesura, metaphors, onomatopoeia, alliteration, repetition.
What is the tone?
Plaintive, longing, pleading. Last stanza is more assertive/commanding.
What does the indentation of the lines portray?
- Act as parenthesis
- Imprints from touch
