Front Line By MARJORIE OLUDHE MACGOYE Selected Poems by Tanzania Institute of Education
Where manhood and consciousness is tested
The only place to burry persecutions and burden of ages The only place for declare names immortal
Trust me brother you will not be alone there. Front line
Where bullets will graze on man and grass
Where man will make his own lightning and thunder Where the enemy will fall and never to rise
Brother truly my shadow will be next to yours.
Front line
I know it is bitter but I like it
I like it particularly because it is bitter I like it because it is where I belong
For out of bitterness comes equality, freedom and peace I will be in the front – line when the roll is called.
Front line valleys and plains of events and history.
GUIDING QUESTIONS:
Qn 1. What is the poem all about?
Answ: The poem is all about the call of people to join their strength together to face the oppressors
{Colonialists} and hence liberate their society through violent armed struggle from their enemies. Although it is a very bitter thing, it is the only way out to bury persecutions and burden of ages.
Qn 2. Who is the persona of the poem?
Answ: The persona of the poem is a member of the society {militant} which is under colonial rule. The persona is very tired of colonial rule which gives them persecutions and burden of ages that is the reason as to why he urges his fellows to join the frontline to remove colonialism through violent armed struggle.
Qn 3. To whom does the persona talk to?
Answ: The persona talks to his fellow members of the society {militants} who are subjected to colonial domination.
Qn 4. Is the Persona afraid of death? Why?
Answ: No, the persona is not afraid of death that is why he encourages his fellow members to go and fight the enemies. The persona knows quite well that front line is very bitter as bullets will graze on man and grass, but he still insists his fellows to go there. This shows that the persona is very courageous and not afraid of death.
Qn 5. What is the tone of the poem?
Answ: The tone of the poem is optimistic and encouraging. The persona is optimistic that they will win the battle {struggle} and regain their lost freedom. The tone of the persona is also bitter towards the colonialists as a result of their tortures, humiliation, oppression and exploitation.
Qn 6. What is the mood of the poem?
Answ: The mood of the poem is exciting as it encourages us as militants to join our strength together in taking action to remove the colonial domination.
Qn 7. State the setting and type of the poem.
Answ: The setting of the poem is during colonial rule {colonialism}. The type of this poem in terms of form is a lyric poem as it is both very short and expresses serious feelings of the persona towards colonial malpractice, in terms of content on the other hand, this is a political poem as it addresses the issues concerning politics.
Qn 8. Comment on the use of figures of speech and musical devices. Answ: [i] Figures of speech.
Imagery.
Front line
Where bullets will graze on man and grass
Where man will make his own lightning and thunder Where the enemy will fall and never to rise
From the above quotation, the poet uses visual imagery as he aims at letting the audience see the firing of bullets on the battlefield through lightning and thunder. Another picture that we see is the falling down of the enemy who is unable to rise again. This symbolizes the end of colonial domination in the society concerned.
Symbolism.
Front line = Symbolizes a place where colonial injustice will be eliminated altogether.
Shadow = This symbolizes unity among the people suffering under colonial domination.
Burden of ages = This symbolizes colonial injustice which has existed for a long period of time among the subjects of the colonial rule.
Lightining and thunder = This symbolizes armed struggle as lightining and thunder act as bullet which goes to destroy with its sounds.
[ii] Musical device.
Refrain.
Front line
The phrase is repeated in specific position of different stanzas in a poem. This shows the emphasis among the members of the society on the need to liberate themselves from colonial rule through violent armed struggle.
Parallelism.
“The only place to bury persecutions and burdens of ages The only place for declare names immortal”
The line with similar structure with the same similar phrases has been repeated in the above verses.
Qn 9. Comment on the relevance of the poem.
Answ: This poem is relevant to many African countries which attained their lost freedom through armed struggle. Some of them include Mozambique, Namibia, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Angola to mention just a few.
Qn 10. What are the possible themes found in this poem?
Answ: The possible themes found in this poem include colonialism, sacrifice, protest and conscientization, classes, oppression and inequality.
{1} Colonialism.
This refers to the practice of ruling nations as colonies. It is a policy in which a powerful country tends to rule the other weak nations and develops trade for its own benefit. The poet of this poem represents the question of colonialism together with its side effects on the lines of the subjects. The persona of this poem is shown to be tired of colonial injustice that is why he encourages his fellow members of the society to join the front line to liberate their society through violent armed struggle. Colonialism can be evidenced in this poem when the personal says.
“Front line
Where manhood and consciousness is tested
The only place to bury persecutions and burden of ages The only place for declare names immortal………”
{2} Sacrifice.
This refers to the act of giving up somebody or something important or valuable in exchange for somebody or something else that is considered more important or valuable. In this poem the persona is shown to be ready to sacrifice his life in order to attain their lost freedom. Although he knows quite well that people die in the front line, yet he is not afraid of that as he believes that their freedom is much more important than life. The persona conscientizes his fellow members to join into the struggle and not to fear death because even if they die, their names will be remembered forever {immortal}. The elements of sacrifice in this poem can be proved when the person says:
“Front line
I know it is bitter but I like it
I like it particularly because it is bitter
I like it because it is where I belong… ”
{3} Protest.
The term protest refers to the act of expressing strong opposition to or disapproval of something in the form of a public demonstration or other action. In this poem, the poet shows that the members of the society are tired of colonial rule to the extent of being forced to use active protest to end it. People have come to conclusion that an active protest through a violent armed struggle is the only way to solve their problems. The element of protest can be realized in the poem when the persona is heard saying:
“Front line
Where bullets will graze on man and grass
Where man will make his own lightning and thunder Where the enemy will fall and never to rise ”
{4} Lack of freedom and equality.
This is also one of the themes discussed in this poem by the poet. From this poem it can be learned that the members of the society are subjected to colonial evils as they lack equality, freedom and peace. Lack of freedom and peace is what is driving the members of the society to join the front
line when the roll is called so as to regain their lost freedom and equality. The colonialists did not give the colonized the same freedom and equality just like other normal human beings to the extent that it reaches a point that people became tired of this unjust system and hence they want changes in the society. Lack of freedom and inequality in this poem can be evidenced through the following quotation.
“ I like it because it is where I belong
For out of bitterness comes equality, freedom and peace”
{5} Unity.
This refers to that state or condition of being one. The poet of this poem shows the importance of having unity among the oppressed members so as to overthrow the unjust system in the society. The poet stresses the fact that in order for any unjust system to come to an end, there should be unity among the members who are willing to sacrifice their lives for the betterment of the entire society; the question of unity in this poem can be proved in last verse of the first and second stanzas respectively as follows.
“……Trust me brother you will not be alone there.” “ Brother truly my shadow will be next to yours.”