“Poets do not just play with words
rather they have strong messages they want to convey to the society” with
reference to two poems verify the statement by highlighting two messages from
each poem.
Message refers to what peoples learn from a literary work. It is true that
Poets do not just play with words rather they have strong messages they want to
convey to the society; that is they want their audiences to learn something
after reading their poems. The truth of this statement can be justified using a
poem “Eat More” by Joe Corrie, and “Live and Let Die” by Kundi Faraja.
Beginning
with a poem “Eat More” Joe Corrie shows the truth of the above statement by the
following messages.
Unemployment is a big
problem in most of African countries. The
poet shows that people need to eat balanced diet but the problem is that they
have not employment, so they can not earn mony that would enable them to buy
good food. This is evident when the poet says;
But I am unemployment
pay
My third year now and
wed”
People should eat balanced
diet for their better health. In the poem
the persona is advising the people to eat more fruits, more fish, and more
bread. This implies that the persona wants people to eat balanced diet for the
benefit of their health. This can be read in the first stanza, when he says;
“Eat more fruits”
The slogans say
More fruits, more fish,
more bread”
On the
other hand, Kundi Faraja from the poem “Live and Let Die” shows the following
messages.
While neo –colonialism is
dominant, developing countries can not undergo further development. Neo – colonialism refers to the use of economic or political
pressure by powerful countries to obtain or keep influence over other
countries, especially their former colonies. The poet argues that since the big
nations are using their powers in economy and political matters, the poor
countries will not develop. The poet says;
“….Because the rich
nations
Are not yet ready
To
die a little
So that the poor nations
may live”
Poverty is a big problem among
the most of Africans. The persona
shows that the standard of living among most of Africans is below the average. Most
people are living poor life. They do not get important and necessary services
at better level. Due to this children are getting kwashiorkor as a result of
underfeeding. Here the port says;
“One says that
My children are dwarfs
That no one seems taller
Than the other
That they never take a
bath
That they are soiled.”
From
the above messages, it is therefore evident that as poets write their work,
they have messages they want to convey to the society, and if possible they
want them to take an action.
