What is “destiny”? Do you believe in it?

Do you think Africa is unique in its

history?

What history has shaped Africa?

African Mysticism

◦The belief in God, spirits and

man, where life’s purpose is to

gather knowledge and power in

the human world in order to bring change

AN AFRICAN ELEGY

Elegy – ode to honour memory of someone/something

- Reflective and thoughtful

African – highlights identity, experience and perspective of poem

We are the miracles that God made

To taste the bitter fruit of Time.

We – who? Humanity or African people?

miracles – perfect and inexplicable (African experience is unique and astonishing)

bitter – unpleasant taste

bitter fruit of Time – Metaphor◦ (Time compared to a tree/seasons)

We are precious.

And one day our suffering

Will turn into the wonders of the earth.

precious – unique, valuable

- In spite of treatment and colonial view of Africans

our – pronoun, plural & includes speaker

suffering – purpose / living (African view)

wonders – amazing things, difficult to explain

the earth – meaningful contributions

There are things that burn me now

Which turn golden when I am happy.

things – unknown, difficult to explain

burn – hurt, cause pain, inspire, annoy

me – personal pronoun of experience

golden – priceless, of great value

happy – can you know happiness

without sorrow?

Do you see the mystery of our pain?

That we bear the poverty

And are able to sing and dream sweet things.

Do you … pain? – Rhetorical question

◦ can you understand other’s experience if you have never suffered it yourself?

you – change in pronoun, now referring to “the other” – causer of pain/suffering

mystery – difficult to explain

our/we – inclusive plural pronouns

bear – suffer

poverty – literal (poor) and figurative (African, lacking)

sing – celebrate sweet –appreciation

Paradox – have a bad experience, but still find reason to celebrate

And that we never curse the air when it is warm

Or the fruit when it tastes so good

Or the lights that bounce gently on the waters?

curse – swear or be ungrateful

Rhetorical question – African people find beauty and value in nature

We bless the things even in our pain.

We bless them in silence.

bless – gives thanks, appreciate

African people are grateful – they do

not linger on the negative, but rather search for joy, meaning and healing

silence – a sign of respect and honour (not celebration, not suffering)

That is why our music is so sweet.

It makes the air remember.

There are secret miracles at work

That only Time will bring forth.

I too have heard the dead singing.

sweet – enjoyable

air remember – Personification (atmosphere remembers joy/celebration)

secret … work – greater meaning and purpose

Time .. bring forth – need to have patience (Time personified as bringing something)

the dead singing – from the grave

(Ancestral belief)

And they tell me that

This life is good

They tell me to live it gently

With fire, and always with hope.

There is wonder here

they – Ancestral spirits singing from the dead

life is good – be grateful for everything

live it gently – enjoy life and cause no harm

with fire – enthusiasm, energy & passion

hope – soul food ◦ look to future, believe in improvement

wonder – amazing things

here – life, there is always more to life

And there is surprise

In everything the unseen moves.

The ocean is full of songs.

The sky is not an enemy.

Destiny is our friend.

surprise – unexpected moments, spontaneity

unseen – religion, God, meaning, fate

ocean … songs – Metaphor ◦water is symbolic of emotions and the source of life

sky … enemy – death and heaven, leaving earth (personification)

Destiny – your fate,

your future ◦ (personification)

friend – not something to fear

We/our – African identity & community ◦ a shared experience

I/me – individual/personal experience as African

You – the outsider, the discriminator and causer of pain

They – the Ancestors that speak from beyond death

Singing, songs, blessing and silence ◦ the sharing of stories, experience and

suffering, but also celebration and overcoming oppression

Speaker talks about African using negative experiences as a catalyst (agent of change / inspiration) for hope – moving through pain to find healing and joy.

Regular structure

◦6 x 5-lined stanzas

Shorter lines highlight importance of content