Poetry is about social interactions

Poetry at times, just deals with the way people interact with others. They could be neighbours, friends or colleagues. Sometimes we may not be truthful and other people can see through the lies.We are at pains to protect our reputation. An example is the following poem:

Famine
The owner of the yam peels his yam in the house:
A neighbour knocks at the door.
The owner of the yam throws his yam in the bedroom:
The neighbour says, 'I just heard
A sound, kere kere, that's why I came.'
The owner of the yam replies,
'That was nothing, I was sharpening two knives.'
The neighbour says again, 'I still heard
Something like bi sound behind your door.'
The owner of the yam says,
'I merely tried my door with a mallet.'
The neighbour says again,
'What about this huge fire burning on your hearth?'
The fellow replies,
'I am merely warming water for my bath.'
The neighbour persists,
'Why is your skin white, when this is not the Harmattan season?'
This fellow is ready with his reply,
'I was rolling on the floor when I heard of the death of Agadapidi.'
Then the neighbour says, 'Peace be with you.'
Then the owner of the yam starts to shout,
'There cannot be peace
Unless the owner of the yam is allowed to eat his own food.'

Macmillan Education: Sunburst: Poems for Junior and Secondary Schools by Ian Gordon.

See? Isn't poetry then just how we behave with other people? The owner of the yam does not want to share a yam with his neighbour.The lies he gives are humorous and the neighbour just knows he is lying. Finally, the owner of the yam is embarassed  and confesses that he just wants to eat his yam in peace. Therefore, when you fear reading a poem, just remember it could be just about how people interact.


 

Poetry is about expressing our love

Sometimes when we think of poetry, it is like a far-fetched concept or an activity that takes place in outer space. However the topic of the poem is on ordinary day to day life. It  could be on love that we have towards others like in the following poem.

When I See the Beauty on my Beloved's Face

When I see the beauty on my beloved's face,
I throw away the food in my hand;
Oh, sister of the young man, listen;
The beauty on my beloved's face.

Her neck is neck is long, when I see it
I cannot sleep one wink;
Oh the daughter of my mother-in-law,
Her neck is like the shaft of a spear 

When I touch the tattoos on her back,
I die;
Oh, sister of the young man listen;
The tattoos on my beloved's back.

When I see the gap in my beloved's teeth,
Her teeth are white like dry season simsim;
Oh, daughter of my father-in-law listen,
The gap in my beloved's teeth.

The daughter of the bull confuses my head,
I have to marry her;
True, sister of the young man, listen;
The suppleness of my beloved's waist.

(Amateshe A.D. (Ed). An Anthology of East African Poetry. Longman, 1988.))

If we look at the poem, we can see the speaker describing his loved one just as any other person in love.

First, he describes the aspects of his beauty in his society that he finds in his lover. These are: a beautiful face, a long neck, tattoos on the back gap in the teeth and a supple waist.

Secondly, he exaggerates the feelings he has towards his beloved just as many people do when in love. He says: 'When I see the beauty on my beloved's face, I throw away the food in my hand'; 'Her neck is long, when I see it , I cannot sleep one wink; and 'When I see the tattoos on her back I die'.

Finally he likens the beauty of his lover with the things he treasures in the community just like we do today. He says her neck is like the shaft of a spear and  her teeth are like dry season simsim.

Therefore, poetry is never far removed from our lives and we should never fear but embrace it.  


 

Poetry is on everyday life

Poetry may have been made to seem difficult to you by being on topics you are not familiar with. However, you start enjoying poetry through things or people that are just ordinary and believable. Sample the one below and see that there was nothing really to fear about poetry.

A Sudden Storm

    The wind howls, the trees sway,
The loose house-top sheets clatter and clang,
The open window shuts with a bang,
    And the sky makes night of day

    Helter-skelter the parents run,
Pressed with a thousand minor cares:
"Hey you there! Pack the house wares!
    And where on earth is my son?"

    Home skip the little children:
'Where have you been you naughty boy?'-
The child can feel nothing but joy,
    For he loves the approach of rain.

    The streets clear, the houses fill,
The noise gathers as children shout
To rival the raging wind without,
    And nought that can move is still-

   A bright flash!- a lighted plain;
Then, from the once- blue heavens,
Accompanied by noise that deafens,
    Steadily pours the rain.
                                 Pius Oleghe

(Julius Ochieng. Oral Literature & Poetry: A Simplified Guide to KCSE English. Intercen Books Publishing Company, 2022.)

The poem is about events that happen just before a storm. They are events that are familiar to us. For example, there is wind blowing strongly and iron sheets make noise, parents are worried about the whereabouts of their children and children seem to enjoy the whole show. Finally, the rain comes down. 

To make the poem more vivid, the poet incorporates sound devices like onomatopoeia - words formed from a  sound - like 'howls', 'clatter' and 'clang'. He also uses rhyme - words - that end in similar sounds like 'run' and 'son'. He also uses direct speech to make the scene authentic. He says: "...And where on earth is my son?"

There! Did you see anything to scratch your head about?  In trying to understand poetry first stick to what is familiar. Then, you will have fun.