Simple Poem Analysis

Play Song

Peter Kumalo

(Africa)

Let’s go to the hillside today

   To play, to play, to play.

Up to the hill where the daisies grow

   Like snow, like snow, like snow.

There shall we make a daisy chain

One tomorrow and tomorrow again.

There where the daisies grow like snow

There’s where we will go.

Let’s go to the hillside today

   To play, to play, to play.

Down to the bay where the children swim

   Like fish, like fish, like fish

Down to the bay where the children swim,

Down to the bay where the white yacht skim,

Or up to the hill where the daisies grow,

There’s where we will go.

Study






1. Origin

            Southern Africa is an area where the sphere of European influence is strong. Though it is true, the poem entitled “Play Song” manifested the Eastern style of writing. Western poetry deals with the power of men while Eastern poetry deals with the beauty of nature.

2. Form and structure

            Form, in poetry, can be understood as the physical structure of the poem: the length of the lines, their rhythms, their system of rhymes and repetition.

        

            This poem  involves the use of rhyming words. Each stanza is made up of eight lines. In each of the stanzas, the lines are paired; line 1 and line 2, line 3 and line 4, line 5 and line 6, line 7 and line 8. the lines 1, 3, 5 and 7 are made up of 8 syllables while the lines 2,4, 6 and 8 are made up of 6 syllables. 

        Play Song is an example of a poem with much euphony. It is the use of pleasant, harmonious-sounding combination of words. Poems are meant to be read for full enjoyment . Therefore, sounds should be pleasing to the ear, the sound should be musical. Read these lines aloud and see if you will agree:

     

 Let’s go to the hillside today

   To play, to play, to play.

Up to the hill where the daisies grow

   Like snow, like snow, like snow.

 

3. Theory

             Peter Kumalo is a South African poet. The poetry of South Africa covers a broad range of themes, forms and styles. Aesthecism was used in this poem, a literary and artistic movement in the nineteenth century. Followers of the movement believed that art should not be mixed with social, political, or moral teaching.




Analyze




1. Components


           This poem invokes the feeling of a happy childhood. Each line provides the reader to have a clear and vivid picture of the scenery. In the first stanza, the setting was on the hill. The author used terms to describe how the African hill looks like. From that stanza, it can be concluded that the hillside was full of full-blown daisies.


            The second stanza also used the hillside as the setting. The difference was that in the first stanza, play was done on the hill itself but in the second stanza, it was already at the bay. The author used the beauty of nature as well as the happy memories of childhood to produce effects as the readers go along reading the poem.


               The poem also used simile. In the first stanza, a comparison between daisies and snow was made. In the second stanza, the way the children swim and the fish were compared.

Interpret




               
1. Worth of the Material


              At first glance you may say that this poem is just simple. Let me tell you, no matter how simple a poem is, it has a certain meaning. This poem is a proof of how rich South African poetry is. It provides the readers a glimpse of the beauty of nature and how happy childhood memories are.   
                
           The poem appeals to children. Why? Though children were not directly mentioned, the idea of play provides the reader that the poem was intended for them.

              The feeling of being worry-free is also conveyed. The poem suggests movement.