Answer to Question #287347 in English for Sabelo Xulu

Question

Read the poem ‘are you the river or am i’ by Shabbir Banoobhai before answering the questions that follow.

Remember that you can use an example from a poem only once; you cannot use the same example for each of your answers.

1. Refer to the title of the poem.

1.1 Write down two things that are unusual about this title. (2)

2. Refer to stanzas one and two.

2.1 The use of the word ‘you’ suggests that the speaker is addressing someone or something. 

Who or what do you think the speaker is addressing? (1)

2.2 What two things do these stanzas suggest about the relationship between the speaker and who or what she is addressing? Quote two phrases from the poem to substantiate your answer. (4)

2.3 The rhythm of these stanzas flows like a river. Name a device used by the poet to create this rhythm and quote an example from the poem. (2)

Answer 1

1.1 The poet is comparing himself to a river in the title

      The poet refers to himself as a river in the title.

2.1 The speaker is speaking to someone. The poet is addressing her lover.

2.2 The speaker’s relationship with are lover is not good according to these two stanzas. This is because the speaker says “why is it when i try to slake my thirst you disappear” and also when she says “know the loneliness of separation”, this clearly shows that their relationship is not good.

2.3 The poet has used assonance which is the repetition of the same consonant sounds in words near each other. An example is whose longing elicited this longing in me and do i flow into the sea or do you flow into me.