Colourful, complete poem analysis. Compiled by using previous test/ exam papers for 2025, and:
Overall theme
Sub Themes
ESSAY QUESTION
In the poem “Talk to the Peach Tree”, the speaker reflects on the predicament facing people who are subjected to the harsh realities of life in South Africa...
1 Let's talk to the swallows visiting us in summer
2 ask how it is in other countries
3 Let's talk to the afternoon shadow
4 ask how the day has been so far
5 Let's raise our pets to our level
6 ask them what they don't know of us
7 words have lost meaning
8 like all notations they've been misused
9 most people will admit
10 a whining woman can overstate her case
11 Talk to the paralysing heat in the air
12 inquire how long the mercilessness will last
13 Let's pick out items from the rubbish heap
14 ask how the stench is like down there
15 Let's talk to the peach tree
16 find out how it feels to be in the ground
17 Let's talk to the moon going down
18 ask if it isn't enough eyeing what's been going on
19 come on
20 let's talk to the devil himself
21 it's about time
THE TITLE
The peach tree appears in several of Sepamla’s poems. The Peach Tree is
about the tree in his garden and in The Will. It is one of his possessions which
he wittily bequeaths to his children, while making subtle comments about life
under the apartheid system
@Juffrou_Ansie
, 2
Poet – Sipho Sepamla
1 Let's talk to the swallows visiting us in summer Sipho Sepamla (1932 – 2007) was born in a township near
2 ask how it is in other countries
Krugersdorp into a family of educators. He became a
3 Let's talk to the afternoon shadow teacher but, after experiencing Sharpeville (1960) first-
4 ask how the day has been so far
hand when teaching there, he left the profession. He
5 Let's raise our pets to our level
founded FUBA – the Federated Union of Black Artists which
6 ask them what they don't know of us
gave voice to black artists of all disciplines. It functioned
7 words have lost meaning
8 like all notations they've been misused successfully until 1997. He also edited both a literary and a
theatre magazine. Sepamla has an individual voice. His
9 most people will admit
10 a whining woman can overstate her case poems work on irony, satire and humour, qualities not
11 Talk to the paralysing heat in the air often found in the poets of the era who were politically
12 inquire how long the mercilessness will last loud and emotionally consciousness-raising. This poem was
13 Let's pick out items from the rubbish heap written during the Apartheid years. Sepamla uses it to
14 ask how the stench is like down there
voice his opinion on the political talks that took place
15 Let's talk to the peach tree between various parties before the formalised end of
16 find out how it feels to be in the ground
Apartheid. Sepamla and his group saw the pen as ‘the
17 Let's talk to the moon going down
bomb’ which could be ‘used to fight against apartheid
18 ask if it isn't enough eyeing what's been going on
and social injustice. The negotiations between the various
19 come on
20 let's talk to the devil himself parties were ultimately successful and South Africa
21 it's about time
became a democratic state in 1994. The speaker’s peace-
making/peaceful attitude is clear in “it’s about time”, in
@Juffrou_Ansie
the last line.
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