AFRICA by David Diop (Poem Analysis)

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AFRICA By David Diop (Poem Analysis)

August 12, 2023
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AFRICA By David Diop (Poem Analysis)
AFRICA (BY David Diop (Senegal)
Africa my Africa
Africa of proud warriors in the ancestral savannahs
Africa of whom my grandmother sings
On the banks of the distant river
I have never known you
But your blood ows in my veins
Your beautiful black blood that irrigates the elds
The blood of your sweat
The sweat of your work
The work of your slavery
The slavery of your children
Africa tell me Africa

Is this you this back that is bent
This back that breaks under the weight of humiliation
This back trembling with red scars
And saying yes to the whip under the midday sun
But a grave voice answers me
Impetuous son that tree young and strong
That tree there
In splendid loneliness amidst white and faded owers
That is Africa your Africa
That grows again patiently obstinately
And its fruit gradually acquires
The bitter taste of liberty.
INTRODUCTION
This poem is written by David Diop – A Black African who was born in France in 1927. His father was
from Senegal and his mother from Cameroon and he grew up in France and West Africa aware of
both cultures and traditions. He was deeply concerned by the question of independence from
colonial rule.
This poem is a dramatic monologue where the speaker seems to be in conversation with Africa. The
poem can be thematically divided into three parts; pre colonial Africa, colonial Africa and post
colonial Africa.
THEMATIC ANALYSIS
EXPLOITATION
There are evidences of exploitation in the poem in the fact that the poet expresses how the sweat of
Africans was lost in vain.
He sweat of your work
All this was done at a time when Africans were turned into slaves and worked for their masters
without any bene t.
OPPRESSION AND HUMILIATION
Oppression and humiliation were common practices in colonial time. They were used to force
Africans work for colonisers without objection. This has left scars to Africa that we still depend on
them even when they seem to mistreat us.
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This back that breaks under the weight of humiliation
This back trembling with red scars
And saying yes to the whip under the midday sun
IDENTITY AND AWARENESS

The poet however seems to be aware of his identity as black African. Although he grew up in France
he shows that black blood ows in his veins, which is to say he is still an African regardless of where
he grew up.
I have never known you
But your blood ows in my veins
The voice that answers Diop sums up his African identity.
Impetuous son that tree young and strong
That tree there
In splendid loneliness amidst white and faded owers

That is Africa your Africa.
EFFECTS OF COLONIALISM
The poet concludes his poem by showing the e ects that colonialism had on African continent.
Nevertheless, he seems to be optimistic that at least Africa is growing up again just like a young tree.
That is Africa your Africa
That grows again patiently obstinately
a) What is the poem about?
The poem is about the e ects colonialism has had on Africa. It traces the history of pre-colonial
Africa, then shows the torture that Africans underwent in colonialism and how Africa is starting
afresh like a young tree.
b) What does the symbol ‘that tree young and strong” suggest?
First of all the symbol refers to Africa. It suggests that after colonialism Africa began to grow up
again just as a young tree.
c) Why do the fruits acquire a bitter taste of liberty? Why does liberty taste bitter?
The fruits acquire a bitter taste because liberation of the oppressed is not a simple thing. It needs
sacri ce and determination. Some people lose their lives in the process. So in such a case liberty is
never sweet but bitter memories.
d) What do these words symbolise?
‘Scars’, ‘whip’ and ‘blood’. They stand for the torture that Africans went through in colonial time.
e) What is the tone of the poem? The tone changes from the beginning it is happy in the middle it
becomes sad but at the end it becomes optimistic.
f) Why does the poet say that “black blood ows in his veins”?
Black blood in this poem symbolises Africanism as there is no blood that is black in colour. So he
shows that although he grew up in France he is still aware of his African identity.
g) How have the past e ects of colonialism shaped the Africa’s present?
The socio-political and economic state of Africa today was seriously a ected during colonial time. So
Africa was paralysed and is just starting afresh as a young tree while the colonisers are well o .
h) Comment on the gures of speech and poetic devices.
Anadiplosis; the repetition in which the last expression of one statement becomes the rst
expression in the following statement
The sweat of your work
Rhetorical question a question that does not need a reply.
Is that you this back that is bent
Symbolism
Ø Scars’, ‘whip’ and ‘blood’. They stand for the torture that Africans went through in colonial time.
Ø Black blood– symbolises African identity
Personi cation.
The poet addresses Africa as though it is a human being and has blood that ows, and can sweat etc.
Alliteration- repetition of similar consonant sounds at the beginning of consecutive words
You beautiful black blood
Repetition (for emphasis)
The word Africa is repeated 7 times throughout the poem
Eg. Africa my Africa.
Under exaggeration.
Your beautiful black blood
This is under exaggeration because there is no black blood in colour.
MESSAGE
Ø Colonialism paralysed Africa so it is up to us to make Africa’s hope alive again.
Ø We must know our identity as Africans, where we come from, where we are and what we need to
do to get where we are going.

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Africa of proud warriors in the ancestral savannahs

Africa of whom my grandmother sings

On the banks of the distant river

I have never known you

But your blood ows in my veins

Your beautiful black blood that irrigates the elds

The blood of your sweat

The sweat of your work

The work of your slavery

The slavery of your children

Africa tell me Africa

This back that breaks under the weight of humiliation

This back trembling with red scars

And saying yes to the whip under the midday sun

But a grave voice answers me

Impetuous son that tree young and strong

That tree there

In splendid loneliness amidst white and faded owers

That is Africa your Africa

That grows again patiently obstinately

And its fruit gradually acquires

The bitter taste of liberty.

The blood of your sweat

He sweat of your work

The work of your slavery

The slavery of your children

OPPRESSION AND HUMILIATION

City Johannesburg Themes

City Johannesburg Poem

Stylistic Analysis of Africa by David Diop

This back that breaks under the weight of humiliation

This back trembling with red scars

And saying yes to the whip under the midday sun

IDENTITY AND AWARENESS

I have never known you

But your blood ows in my veins

The voice that answers Diop sums up his African identity.

Impetuous son that tree young and strong

That tree there

In splendid loneliness amidst white and faded owers

That is Africa your Africa

That grows again patiently obstinately

a) What is the poem about?

d) What do these words symbolise?

h) Comment on the gures of speech and poetic devices.

The sweat of your work

The work of your slavery

The slavery of your children

Rhetorical question a question that does not need a reply.

Is that you this back that is bent

Ø Black blood– symbolises African identity

Alliteration- repetition of similar consonant sounds at the beginning of consecutive words

You beautiful black blood

Repetition (for emphasis)

The word Africa is repeated 7 times throughout the poem

Eg. Africa my Africa.