Zoe Pearson
Namaqualand after Rain by William Plomer
William Plomer:
Campaigner for racial equality- born in Limpopo- ‘Turbott Wolfe’- novel exposed cruel+ complacent
racism, Celebrated by peers, turned down oxford, Wrote story about rel. across colour line
1.Again the veld revives Again: dramatic, emphasise happened before
‘Veld’ describes land, confirm Snth Africa
‘Revives’ significant bcs emphasises event is a repition+land is
being brought back to life/conciousness[can be depended on]
2.Imbued with lyric rains, Arrival of rains described as lyric- suggest something light,
flowing and sweet, melodic
-images clear flowing water nurturing everything in which falls
Imbued: permeated, saturated- emphasise how rain permeated/
soaked into the soil+suggestions taken over +∆ed atmosphere
3.And sap re-sweetening dry stalks Highlight time of resuscitation+growth
Imagery is exciting+suggestive of blood coursing in veins sinc
‘sap’ is fluid circulates in the vascular system of plant
‘Quickening’ pregnant women starts to feel baby moving in
womb- first feels life, energy and movement that is happening:
+lines suggest landscape feels alive+pregnant with possibility
‘Re-sweetening:transports dissolved glucose or sugar around
plant[Re-sweetening-a repeat]
4.Perfumes the quickening plains; Perfuming: allusion is evocative, -scene more vivid engaging
reader’s sense of smell+delightfully pleasent
5.Small roots explode in strings of stars, Notice verbs-point to glow everything has
Explode- points to intensity of action, captures intensity of birst
of activity+way roots spread out in diff direction
String of stars: delicate, imagery twinkling fairy lights- festive
decoration +emblematic of times of joy+happiness m
Sibilance: electric feeling
6.Each bulb gives up its dream, Give up dreams: vulnerable image- flowers reluctantly or meekly
give up, Share inner self with world
7.Honey drips from orchid throats, Beauty enhanced by moisture
Glinting, honey coloured jewel-like droplets
Abundance of wealth+nature of spring, rejuvenate
8.Jewels each raceme; Raceme: cluster of flowers arranged along a stem, jewels:gerund
9.The desert sighs at dawn- Sibilance: shifting of sand
Personification: re-awakening, exhaling, emitting deep murmur
-creates powerful image reinforces idea landscape being awake
, Zoe Pearson
+alive
10. As in another hemisphere suggest arrival of spring feels like wakening up on opp side of
world to desert-reinforce opp seasons
11.The temple lotus breaks her buds Lines:graceful, delicate image of lotus flower opening to greet
dawn[: soft, delicate feminine nature is accentuated]
12.On the attentive air- Attentive: alert expectancy as air takes on role of considerate
servant, hovering around flower with watchful diligence
Temple:traditionally place of silent sanctuary-calm serene atmos
‘Dawn’:reawaking ‘temple’ place of worship
Lotus: symbol of rebirth+awakening/enlighteniment
Submerges into water every night, re-emerges+reblooms next
morning, clean+beautiful[Universe stand and wait]
13.A frou-frou of new flowers, Frou frou: showy or frilly ornamentation
Sound similar to made by skirts of women
14.Puff of unruffling petals, Dvlps sense of renewal+rebirth
Other flowers unruffling- as women might adjust and smooth out
skirts+outfits-Plosive, capacious
15.While rods of sunlight strike pure streams Every aspect seems to be bursting with energy. -alivene
Water is pure+probably new or freshly fallen rain
Striking- get texture, sight, and association of veins
16.From rocks beveined with metals; Stones +boulders to life
17.Far in the gaunt karroo Shifts to karoo- contrast btw it+landscape striking[sheep farming]
Guant: lean, haggard-stripped bear
evocative:evokes image haggard, exhausted person+emphasising
how barren+desolate land is. Suggestive that surviving winter
months has been similar to taking an arduous exhausting journey
18.The winter earth denudes, Denudes:strips, deprives-Everything looks as if its dead
19.Ironstone caves give back the burr Burr: irregularly rounded mass, Dark grey- some blue colour
Ironore in rock
20.Of lambs in multitudes; cld be literal description of how thousands of fern like strubs
sprouting around edges of cave[renewal+rebirth]
Emphasise new life growing even in demi-desert edges
‘Lambs’: arid or semi-desert climate suits sheep farming-
Born in spring,->fertility, birth+ life-meek temperament
Give back- lambs help rebirth, move it[ faith, sacrificial]
21.Grass waves again where drought Waving: alludes to way ripples created by wind moving through
, Zoe Pearson
pastures look like waves on ocean- suggest grass gesturing, happy
greeting[veld]
22.Bleached every upland kraal, Focus shifts to kraal
Wind that was blowing through the grass is also gusting through
23.A peach-tree shoots along the wind the kraals/projet large no. blossoms through cracks in wall
Used to be bleached- suggests nothingness
Forceful, martial verbs conjure images blossoms flying through air
like coral-coloured rounds of artilelery
Peach trees:symbol rebirth and fertilllity- esp China and Japan
24.Pink volleys through a broken wall, Volley- excess of blossing, Verbs nb
Imagery in stanza seems attest to nature’s power of
regeneration+certainty of new life, which will return even after a
leaching drought where man built(
25.And willows growing round the dam Switches attention to dam
Branches of trees describes as wearing traceries/delicate
patterns of twigs- briefly hesistating before green with leaves
Appears sig that willows described as hesitating- when everything
around is teeming with activity, esp since they are also among 1st
trees to grow leaves in spring. Are trees pausing gather
strength/being indecives/even reluctance to break open buds and
sprout leaves
Willow also dies off in winter
26.May now be seen
27. With all their traceries of twigs Traceries: delicate branching patterns
28. Just hesitating to be green,
29. Soon to be hung with colonies Gather strength for bursting- feeling of hope
30. All swaying with the leaves Ioxia- black headed weavers- described as pretty: striking yellow
and black plumage
31. Of pendant wicker love-nests Nests weave look like wicker lodgings- described as colonies of
love nests, alludes to purpose:breed+multiply
32. The pretty loxia weaves
, Zoe Pearson
Poem
Summary
● loving celebration of the beauty + rejuvenating powers of nature.
● dramatic annual transformation of arid semi-desert of N. into a magnificent, vibrant carpet
of wild flowers-> reminder that life finds way to survive+ renew itself, even in harshest cond.
● verse also demonstrates Plomer’s keen appreciation of nature and wildlife of South Africa
Title
- Confirms setting in Sn Africa
- Namaqualand name of arid western coastal region runs fromnorthern Cape Province to
Namibia
- Establishes time: towards end of rain
- Also prepares expectations of reader- rain is symbolic of rebirth at end period of drought
- Normally dry landscape is transformed into magnificent, vibrant carpet of wild flowers
-
Structure
● regular and predictable structure[8 stanzas each is quatrain- rhyme scheme ABCB DEFE[
● rhymes in ⅝ stanzas are perfect or exact(plains and rains)
● hymnal meter( alternate btw iambic trimeter+tetrameter.:fighting choice express wonder +
joy at rejuvenating powers of nature
● punctuation: support the imagery +pace of verse throughout poem
● ass+all:capture emphasise the movement +energy beginning to burst forth across landscape
● enjabambment creates an inevitable, inexorable journey. Its increase towards the end of the
poem highlighting the excitement that is felt when nature gets closer to revealing its full glory
Mood
blissful:poet gives personality to each part of nature and creates beautiful calming imagery like when
"honey drips from orchid throats."
Tone
1. one of awe as the poet gives personality to each part of nature and creates beautiful calming
imagery to admire each part of nature like when "honey drips from orchid throats.
Literary devices
- Personification: reinforces credibility of process as it is easier to see +accept the idea of
nature having an endeavour in mind +striving towards achieving it than inanimate entity ..
- sibilance of the soft whispering repeated 's' sounds captivates us and creates the effect of a
magical event taking place.
- The implosive soft 'p' sound extends extends the sense of vigour and force with which nature
bursts into life.
- The subtle repetition of the drawn out 'w' sound adds emphais to the fact process of nature
is painstakingly drawn-out but ultimately triumphant. also highlights forcefulness of the grass
shoots as they find their way through hardened soil.
