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YOUR PAIN - by Armando Guebuza
This poem was written by Armando Guebuza born in 1942 during the
struggle for independence in Mozambique. He was a FRELIMO militant from the
early stages of the liberation struggles and the later Mozambican president. It
expresses his deep concern about Mozambican independence and shows his belief
in unity, armed struggle and sacrifice if the need be as the main weapons to
overcome colonial rule and regain the lost independence.
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| Armando Guebuza |
Your pain
Yet more my pain
Shall suffocate oppression
Your eyes
Yet more my eyes
Shall be speaking of revolt
Your scars
Yet more my scars
Will be remembering the whip
My hands
Yet more your hands
Will be lifted fully armed
My strength
Yet more your strength
Shall overcome imperialism
My blood
Yet more your blood
Shall irrigate our victory.
POSSIBLE THEMES
Armed Struggle/Revolution
This is a situation in which people try to change a government, often
using violence, or in which they refuse to accept someone's authority. Armando
Guebuza believes deep down his heart that the only way to acquire their lost
independence is through armed struggle. Most of the Portugal colonies
gained their independence through armed struggle and Mozambique is no
exception. He suggests in stanza two that their eyes should be speaking of
revolt (revolution) but speaking alone is not enough in stanza 4 he suggests a
more practical method;
My hands
Yet more your hands
Will be lifted fully armed
Sacrifice
This is the act of giving up something that is valuable to you in order
to achieve something else. In the process of fighting for one’s rights and
freedom against the imperialists there are those who lose their lives.
Sometimes that is the only possible means available and their deaths are noble.
The poet postpones this theme until the last stanza to suggest that if the need
be, they must be ready to die as the last option because their blood will
irrigate their victory. He says this in the last stanza;
My blood
Yet more your blood
Shall irrigate our victory.
Unity
It is a situation in which everyone agrees
with each other or wants to stay together with others. In this poem the poet is
advocating for national unity. It is interesting however to note how he
structures his phrases in addressing his fellow oppressed.
In stanza one to three he begins with “Your…yet
more my…” suggesting that with the pains, torture and sufferings they have
gone through, he sympathizes with them and he seems to put their interests
before his own. But in stanza, four to six when suggesting the possible
means to get rid of colonialism he begins with “My…
yet more your…” suggesting that with this struggle he will be at the
war front and all that is needed is for them to join him.
Colonialism
The poem was written at a time when most African countries were under
colonial regime and it inevitably addresses not only the Portugal Mozambique
but also any other country that was under colonial influence. The Africans were
subjected to harsh conditions and terrible mistreatments to a point that armed
struggle was the only means sought possible to remove the colonialists
especially in colonies where settler economy was established. That’s why
Guebuza suggests;
My strength
Yet more your strength
Shall overcome imperialism
Oppression/Torture
Africans were subjected to severe torture, oppression, exploitation and
all forms injustice during colonialism. They were made to work for long hours
and in the process they were whipped. Even after the attainment of political
independence Africans were left with scars that remind them of the torture and
oppression they went through as symbolized by the “whip”. They experienced
severe pains as a result of oppression as the poet observes;
Your pain
Yet more my pain
Shall suffocate oppression
GUIDING QUESTIONS
1. What
is the poem about?
The poem is about the torture and oppression that
Africans went through during colonialism. It further suggests that to get rid
of colonialism unity, sacrifice and armed struggle must be used as the possible
means.
2. What
type of poem is this poem?
It is a lyric poem of a didactic type as it is used
to give instructions on what is to be done in order to overcome the imperialist
injustices and regain their independence.
3. Who
is the persona? How do you know?
The persona in this poem is a (militant) freedom
fighter who is among the oppressed individuals in his society. This is shown by
the way he addresses his fellow oppressed to join him and fight against
imperialism.
4. Comment
on the tone of a persona in this poem
The tone is sad and angry at the imperialists he
created an angry and hatred mood towards the colonizer.
5. Comment
on the language use in the poem.
The language used is not only simple and easy
to understand but also the choice of vocabulary is carefully done to make sure
that the audience gets the message across. The use of words like, oppression,
scars, imperialism and whip send the message directly that these people were
under severe injustice. The use of words like, your and my (unity), blood
(sacrifice), revolt and fully armed suggest the proper methods of fighting for
their independence.
Furthermore, the poem is not without Figures of Speech. He has employed
the following figures of speech
a) Personification.
There are several items that have been given human
qualities in the poem;
Pain to suffocate oppression.
Eyes to speak of revolt.
Scars to remember the whip.
b) Symbolism.
The poem has also employed several symbols that
represent different concepts;
“Scars” are used
to represent the effects of colonialism on African continent.
“Eyes” are used to
symbolize consciousness or awareness of what is going on.
“Whip” represents
colonial torture and injustice that Africans went through.
“My and your” are symbols of unity.
“Blood” symbolizes
death or sacrifice.
c) Imagery
The reader is made to visualize on several pictures
that come to mind. There are several images in the poem;
Organic image – this is an image of feeling. The poet evokes the image of
feeling by using words like pain, oppression and whip.
Visual image – this is
an image of sight. He makes the reader visualize an army of soldiers with their
hands lifted full of armoury preparing for an attack.
d) Reiteration
The words “My” and “Your” have
been repeated throughout the poem to underscore the importance of unity in this
struggle.
e) Alliteration
From stanza one through three there is the use of
repetition of the initial /m/ in the following phrases
Yet more my pain
Yet more my eyes
Yet more my scars
f) Internal and end rhyme
Both internal and end rhymes have been used to
bring about music in the poem. Internal rhymes are used in the following lines
“will be lifted fully armed, and shall overcome imperialism.
End rhymes are used in every stanza in which the
last words of the first and second lines end with the same word.
6) Suggest
the messages we learn from this poem.
i) Unity is very important in
any struggle.
ii) We must be read to
sacrifice ourselves because it can be the only possible means to get our
rights.
iii) We must fight against all forms of injustice, oppression and exploitation in our societies.
7) Is the poem relevant to our society today?
iii) We must fight against all forms of injustice, oppression and exploitation in our societies.
7) Is the poem relevant to our society today?
Oh yes it is! There are still cases of oppression,
exploitation, torture and injustice reported every day.
i) Some workers especially domestic workers are mistreated by their masters or mistresses.
i) Some workers especially domestic workers are mistreated by their masters or mistresses.
ii) Some people are mistreated by the police
when they are arrested and sent to police cells.
iii) Worse still some are mistreated by their
own close relatives; parents, uncles, aunts, etc. so the poem speaks today with
the same intensity as it was years back during colonialism.
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