-----Original Message-----
From: [log in to unmask]
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Sun, Jan 10, 2010 1:56 pm
Subject: Re: So The Village idoits call for some respect (In Maafanta)
"And so the tears flowed...". This is the title of this poem, and
the beginning of all three stanzas of this short, simple, and image
laden poem. The imagery of tears flowing, of tears being shed, is the
central theme that undelrine the purpose and intent of this poem. The
shedding of tears connotes two human characteristics; the shedding of
tears of joy or the shedding of tears of sorow. And from the depiction
of the imagery, "throes of anger," "arms of fear," and "claws of
evil", we know that this is a sad poem, which also has the cumulative
effect of allowing us to have an insight into the poets state of mind.
Someone reading this poem who doesn't know Baba, or is familiar
with
his writings or his politics, cannot lose sight of the strong emotional
discontent that finds expression, particularly in the second stanza,
symtomatic of a social and political malaise that he is always highly
critical of. Therefore, this poem goes far beyond the narrow confines
of a village, and explore in its very simple narrative the evil, "the
demise of honest thought", the "rape of people's intellect", the "
bastardization of love and piety", and the "ascendancy of slimy rot"
which is all being personified in the image of the village idot.
Therefore the use of the word village in this poem should not be
restricted to its narrow definition, and by using it Baba is merely
employing a literary device of personification.
Rene
,
----Original Message-----
From: A Jallow <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Sun, Jan 10, 2010 6:45 am
Subject: Re: So The Village idoits call for some respect (In Maafanta)
And so the tears flowed….
by Baba Galleh Jallow
And so the tears flowed
For the death of the children
Conceived in the throes of anger
Born into the arms of fear
Strangled by the claws of evil
Clad in garments of prickly good!!
And so the tears flowed
At the demise of honest thought
At the rape of the people’s intellect
The bastardization of love and piety
The ascendancy of slimy rot
Donning the robes of high order!!
And so the tears flowed
At the passing of the truthful bard
At the era of the village idiot
Turned saint
At the specter of the mean village crook
Turned champion defender of the poor!!
Suntu:
Would you please answer the following questions about the poem above. I
just want to understand your interpretation of it but with the current
exchange, I am finding that difficult:
1- What is your first impression of the poem?
2- Did you enjoy it?
3- How does the poem make you feel?
4- What are the key words that strike you as important to the meaning
of the poem?
5- Is the poem upbeat or dreary, humorous or serious?
6- Did Baba employ any allusions, imagery, irony or other figurative
language in the poem?
7- From what point of view do you think this poem was written?
8- What do you know about Baba and how has that affected your
understanding of his poem?
9- What do you think was happening in Baba's life and the world around
him at the time of writing this poem?
10- Finally, what do you think Baba meant by this poem, his inspiration
and the message he's trying to send?
I sincerely await your indulgence.
-Laye
On Sun, Jan 10, 2010 at 2:58 PM, suntou touray
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
The poetic license you use Baba allow me to see the village setting in
the poem as allusive. The village idiot paints a disrespectful picture.
It further cement the unfortunate attitude some has of villagers. It is
good that you expose to us your village roots, which is fine but sadly
your poem is too harsh on the villager in question.
The dissatisfaction in the poem is that, one would expect a season
writer or commentators like yourself to be open minded and less
sarcastic of your perceive targets. But in this case you were not.
The villager who may have incur your wrapt is place in and among the
union of villagers and bashed for crimes only you felt the pain about.
I am only expressing my take on the poem. I am sure you willl allow for
diverse analysis of it, since that is the essence of dropping it in the
public.
Another vital area villagers will find discouraging is that, a man of
your statue is fit to become a broad base leader, but if your ink
depict a villager that tragic way, what hope should they have of Baba
salvaging anything for them.
The poem is bigger than the few line Baba. Villagers continue to say,
the setting was unhelpful. The villager in question may be guilty
according to you, since we can only assume here, only you are sure. Is
Yahya Jammeh indeed a villager? Are we villagers any more, yourself and
all of us absconded villagers. The story continuous.
No offense intended.
Suntou
On Sat, Jan 9, 2010 at 9:38 PM, Baba Galleh Jallow
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Suntou,
I am surprised at your interpretation of my poem as an assault on
villagers. I wonder where on earth you got the idea that I am calling
all villagers idiots. Let me just say loud and clear that I am a
villager, my father is a villager, and my mother is a villager. So are
all my grandparents and great grandparents. Indeed, I come from an
ancestry of villagers. That said, I will let you put the pieces
together.
Baba
Date: Sat, 9 Jan 2010 18:40:55 +0000
From: [log in to unmask]
Subject: So The Village idoits call for some respect (In Maafanta)
To: [log in to unmask]
The latest Poem of Brother Gallah at Maafanta can be slice in many
different bits. Moreso using poetic license to allow for different
interpretation. Our famous villager is Yahya Jammeh. But this poem is
not at all an affair for Yahya. We the villagers demand that, town
folks allow us the respect we deserve. An end to little assault on
villagers. Village idoit, indeed, they may have read the masters avoid
the obvious. treating light weights issues with magic pens. Indirecting
continuously whilst aiming higher. I say, respect to villagers.
www.maafanta.com
And so the tears flowed….
by Baba Galleh Jallow
And so the tears flowed
For the death of the children
Conceived in the throes of anger
Born into the arms of fear
Strangled by the claws of evil
Clad in garments of prickly good!!
And so the tears flowed
At the demise of honest thought
At the rape of the people’s intellect
The bastardization of love and piety
The ascendancy of slimy rot
Donning the robes of high order!!
And so the tears flowed
At the passing of the truthful bard
At the era of the village idiot
Turned saint
At the specter of the mean village crook
Turned champion defender of the poor!!
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