Poem of Return-Jofre Rocha
Poem of Return-Jofre Rocha
Poem
Poet
Jofre Rocha
Form/ Structure
14 lines
Three stanzas
Enjambment
Title Reference
Poet’s return from exile
Message
Those who fight for freedom are the true heroes, not those exiled.
Theme
Alienation/ estrangement
Patriotism & Sacrifice
Admiration & Sorrow
Mood
Pensive
Tone
Earnest/ nostalgic/ humble
Figurative devices
L3-4 Personification
L9-10 Repetition
SUMMARY
The speaker is contemplating his upcoming return to his home country. The speaker mentions his return from exile and the anguish associated with those who died whilst oppressed.
The poem is written from the perspective of an exile, someone who has had to flee their country of birth. The poem captures the sentiment of loss, lost opportunity and lost experience. He describes his ‘host country’ as “land of exile and silence” – this suggests that he was not happy there. He lists the things he missed while he was away and it is clear that he feels guilty about ‘escaping’ whilst his countrymen/women suffered.
He makes it clear that he is not a hero and should not be welcomed or treated as one. He asserts that the real heroes are the ones who stayed and fought against oppression.
The poet is writing about the lost opportunities, mourning and sadness brought about by colonialism, exile and war.
ANALYSIS
STANZA 1
LINE 1
When I return from the land of exile and silence
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When – He is absolutely certain that he is going to return to his country. He has not yet returned, but it is inevitable that he will return.
land of exile – the country to which he fled
the land of exile and silence – is the place he is in now. A foreign place where there is no communication “silence”. He has no contact with his family and friends. This emphasises the pain and suffering he had to endure while in exile as he was isolated.
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LINE 2
do not bring me flowers.
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do not – commanding tone
He does not want the customary gifts and celebrations that are normally associated with the return of an exile.
This emphasises that the speaker feels guilty about fleeing his country while other people stayed behind to fight the system.
He does not see himself as a hero deserving flowers. Flowers are usually associated with a celebration, and he feels that this is definitely not a time of celebration: He fled and left the others to fight. Hence, he feels guilty.
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STANZA 2
The poet gives suggestions as to what can be brought to “celebrate” his return: tears, hunger and mourning, he wants us to remember the reason for his exile.
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LINES 3-4
Bring me rather all the dews,
tears of dawns which witnessed dramas.
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Bring me – imperative/commanding tone.
all the dews – an impossible demand. He knows that he cannot atone for leaving his people.
dawns which witnessed dramas – dawn is personified as a weeping witness to the tragedy that took place as a result of colonisation, exile and loss.
D-alliteration – emphasises the fact that Nature, too, was horrified and sad at the oppression of her people
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LINES 5-6
Bring me the immense hunger for love
and the plaint of tumid sexes in star-studded night.
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Bring me – Anaphora(repetition)
Immense – huge
hunger for love – natural human connection that he has missed
Plaint – plea
Tumid – large / swollen
Tumid sexes in start-studded night – romance / intimacy
In these lines, the speaker emphasises the sense of separation from loved ones and the need for companionship; the poet highlights the losses experienced due to oppression.
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LINES 7-8
Bring me the long night of sleeplessness
with mothers mourning, their arms bereft of sons.
​
long – emphasises that their pain and suffering continued for a quite some time
Bereft – to be deprived. Many young men (the sons) were imprisoned or killed. Some young men also went into exile. They were missed by their mothers.
night of sleeplessness – people were worried/concerned about the safety of their loved ones. Mothers were troubled by the death of their sons and family members. Therefore, they could not sleep.
He wants to share the grief from mothers who have lost their sons to the conflict.
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STANZA 3
LINES 9-10
When I return from the land of exile and silence,
no, do not bring me flowers ...
​
The repetition of the first two lines of the poem, emphasises that his return must not be seen as a celebration. Exile was was not a pleasant experience for him, but he did not suffer as much as those who had been left behind.
no, do not – forceful tone of the double negative emphasises that he does not regard himself as a hero. He feels guilty, he needs to for acknowledge their suffering and pain.
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LINE 11
Bring me only, just this
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Bring me – another command (imperative mood) shows his insistence.
only, just this – the redundancy is used to emphasize that he wants just one thing. Also emphasises his insistence.
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LINE 12
the last wish of heroes fallen at day-break
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the last wish – Their last wish would have been to see a changed Africa.
day-break – the start of a new day. This is symbolic of change that the people wanted. In the political context of the time, executions were carried out at dawn and the men who were executed were those who had been fighting against an oppressive system. He sees these fighters as heroes for the cause and they “fall at day-break”, at the beginning of their lives.
These heroes could not see the change because they died at the brink of change.
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LINES 13-14
with a wingless stone in hand
and a thread of anger snaking from their eyes.
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wingless stone – a paradox. A stone cannot fly; it is too heavy. These men never got the chance to “cast their stone”, but paid the ultimate sacrifice by dying fighting for freedom, and Rocha wants to remember them and the lost opportunities of those who were forced into exile.
snaking – connotation of something dangerous and poisonous. This contributes to a tone of anger and bitterness and a thread of anger snaking from their eyes – He demands justice for all the oppressed people
Their eyes – reflect only a small part of the anger at the colonists who had stolen their land from them. He does not want to be rewarded with flowers but rather with what he was fighting for.
Their sacrifice needs to be remembered. That which made them angry enough to fight needs to be remembered, and that is the only “gift” he wants when he returns, because he is able to return.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Explain the use of the word, ‘silent’ (line 1) in the context of the poem.
The word, ‘silence’ suggests that the speaker's time in exile has been lonely and he feels isolated from his people. He misses hearing the sounds of home. Being in exile, he feels that his voice of protest may be censored.
Account for the use of the ellipsis in line 10.
The ellipsis creates a dramatic pause after the speaker emphatically states that he does not want flowers./The reader waits with anticipation to find out what it is that the speaker actually wants.
Refer to lines 3-4: ‘bring me rather ... which witnesses dramas.’
Identify the figure of speech in these lines.
Personification.
Comment on the effectiveness of this image.
Dawn is personified to suggest that witnessing all the tragedy has brought it to tears (‘dew’). The injustices that the people have suffered have been so immense and frequent that even nature responds with grief and sorrow.
Refer to lines 11-14: ‘Bring me only ... from their eyes.’
Critically discuss how the final stanza reinforces the central message of the poem.
The stanza conveys how the speaker wants only one thing: justice for people who have lost their lives in the struggle for freedom. He views the people who died for the cause as the real 'heroes' as they fought a difficult and hopeless battle (‘wingless stone’). The speaker is angry and insistent that their ‘last wish' be fulfilled.
Refer to line 1: ‘... land of exile and silence’.
Explain how the words ‘exiled’ and ‘silence’ influence your understanding of the speaker's situation.
The word ‘exiled’ suggests that the speaker has been banished (forced to leave) his country of birth. Having been expelled from his native land, results in him feeling isolated (‘silence’).
The words ‘bring me’ are repeated throughout the poem.
Comment on the effectiveness of this repetition and what it conveys about the speaker's request.
The repetition of ‘Bring me’ is an example anaphora. The speaker is assertive/commanding. It highlights what the speaker wants to hear /experience when he returns from exile. He wants to hear how the people suffered and also has a yearning for human connection/intimacy. He does not want a hero’s welcome; he feels guilty about having been forced to flee his country and not being physically present during their trials.
Refer to lines 7-8: ‘Bring me the long night of sleeplessness / with mothers mourning, their arms bereft of sons.’
Comment on how these lines highlight the experience of ordinary people.
The word ‘long’ indicates an extended period of time the Angolan people experienced hardships due to political turmoil. This caused many people ‘sleeplessness’ due to being worried about their loved ones. ‘mother’s mourning’ is a concrete example of the grief they felt. The alliteration (repetition of ‘m’) adds to the sombre mood. The mothers are devastated; they have been robbed (‘bereft’) of their sons and can no longer hold them in their arms. These lines capture their loss and sadness.
Refer to line 10: ‘no, do not bring me flowers ...’
Comment on what the use of the emphatic negative (‘no, do not’) reveals about the speaker’s attitude.
He is emphatic. It emphasises that the speaker is insistent about what he does not want. He feels he is not deserving of flowers nor is he a hero. There is no cause for celebration.
Refer to line 10: ‘no, do not bring me flowers ...’
Comment on what the use of the emphatic negative (‘no, do not’) reveals about the speaker’s attitude.
He is emphatic. It emphasises that the speaker is insistent about what he does not want. He feels he is not deserving of flowers nor is he a hero. There is no cause for celebration.
Critically discuss the link between line 1 and the title of the poem.
The title indicates that the poet will return but the time is unknown, this is solidified in line 1 using the word ‘when’ he is certain that he will return/ it is inevitable that he will return. (2)
With reference to the poem as a whole comment of the use of anaphora.
The anaphora/ repetition of the words ‘bring me’ highlights the command/imperative that the poet is making. It highlights that it is demanded and that one cannot but follow the instructions. (2)
Refer to lines 3-4: ‘Bring me rather ... which witnessed dramas.’
Comment on the effectiveness of the sound device used in these lines.
The alliteration in ‘dews’, ‘dawns’ and ‘dramas emphasises that Nature is horrified and heartbroken at the oppression of her people. (3)
Refer to line 12: ‘the last wish ... at day-break’.
Comment critically on the final wish of the fallen heroes.
The fallen would want to see the dawn of a new day. They would like to know that their fight has not be in vain but the dawn of a new day will mean a changed Africa. (3)