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aN AFRICAN THUNDERSTORM
David Rubadiri was a Malawian diplomat, academic, and poet. He was born on July 19, 1930, and died on September 15, 2018. He attended several universities; Makerere University, King's College, and the University of Bristol, throughout his academic journey, which culminated in an M.A in Literature as well as a Diploma in Education. (more)
Picture
Clouds
Picture
Locusts
Picture
Clothes in the wind
Clothes in the wind
Heavy rain
LITERAL MEANING
The persona gives a vivid description of an African thunderstorm. It comes in from the west, with clouds and wind, followed by lightening (www.bulbsoup.com) and rain. The village children respond to the coming storm with screams of delight and mothers respond by dashing madly about and trying to get out of the storm.
        From the west
        1 Clouds come  hurrying with the wind
        4 Turning
        Sharply
    5   Here and there
        3 Like a plague of locusts
        Whirling
        3 Tossing up things on its tail
        Like a madman chasing nothing.
   10 1 Pregnant clouds
        1 Ride stately on its back
        5 Gathering to perch on hills
        Like dark sinister wings;
        4 The Wind whistles by
   15 1 & 2 And trees bend to let it pass.

        In the village
        6 Screams of delighted children
        Toss and turn
        7 In the din of the whirling wind.
   20 Women -
        Babies clinging on their backs - 
        Dart about
        In and out
        8 Madly
   25 The Wind whirls by
        1 & 2 Whilst trees bend to let it pass.
        3 Clothes wave like tattered flags
        Flying off
        To expose dangling breasts
    30 As 9 jaggered blinding flashes
        Rumble, tremble and crack
        Amidst the smell of fired smoke
        And the 10.pelting march of the storm.

Poet - David Rubadiri
LITERARY DEVICES
1. PERSONIFICATION
  • Stanza 1, line 2: This personification emphasizes the movement of the rain clouds. They are moving just as quickly as the wind. The wind, when moving quickly, is a violent entity because it sweeps up everything in its path and destroys it. Therefore, the fact that the clouds are keeping pace with the wind, a level of violence is implied in the movement of the clouds. We can almost visualize it whipping and whirling. This action stands out because we are used to clouds being fluffy, soft, and floating in their movement.  
  • Stanza 1, line 10: The word pregnant implies swollen; swollen belly, ankles, legs and the list continues. Therefore, the (www.bulbsoup.com) clouds are swollen with rain. This implies that the storm has not revealed its true strength at this point. There is more to come.
  • Stanza 1, line 11: When the cloud's journey on the wind's back is described as stately, we get an image of someone gracefully riding a horse. This image, therefore, not only creates an image of grace, but speed as well. The storm is fast-paced, and as a result, there is an implication of violence.
  • Stanza 1, line 15: This personification shows the strength of the wind. The trees are being tossed and turned in the very strong wind.
2. REPETITION
  • Stanza 2, line 26: The strength of the wind is, again, emphasized through the repetition of the action of the trees. They (www.bulbsoup.com) cannot withstand the strength of the wind, so even though they stand in place, they are whipped about and manipulated by the wind. 
​3. SIMILE
  • Stanza 1, line 6: The wind and clouds approach like a plague of lotus. This highlights the sheer volume, or quantity, of the wind and clouds. Locusts are usually associated with large numbers and destruction, so (www.bulbsoup.com) the implication is that there are large numbers of rain clouds, coupled with seriously strong wind, which equates to destruction.
  • Stanza 1, lines 8-9: This simile compares the wind to a madman. This association highlights the lack of structure, thought, or reason, which with the wind moves and destroys. A madman is someone without reason, the wind operates without reason as well. It operates on sheer force and power, with no explainable structure.
  • Stanza 2, lines 27-29: This simile highlights the strength of the wind. It can literally rip someone's clothes (www.bulbsoup.com) to shreds, while it is on their bodies. 
​​3. SIMILE continued 
This is a display of force and strength because it now moves from controlling and manipulating nature, for example, the trees, to impacting humans on a personal level.​
​4. ALLITERATION
  • Stanza 1, line 14: The reader can literally hear the wind rushing by their ears through the use of this sound device. The use of the word whistle implies that the wind is moving at an incredible speed.
DEFINITIONS: LITERARY DEVICES
TABLE: LITERARY DEVICES
IMPORTANT WORDS/ PHRASES
4. 'Turning Sharply' (Stanza 1, lines 3-4)
This phrase shows the movement of the wind, which is not static, but seems almost alive in its movements. Its restlessness is also highlighted through the use of the word sharply. So its movements are abrupt, at times, while also insistent in its movement.
5. 'Gathering to perch on hills.' (Stanza 1, line 12)
This phrase likens the wind to a bird of prey. It is perched in waiting for its next victim. This emphasizes that the wind is aiming to destroy.
6. 'Screams of delighted children toss and turn'  (Stanza 2, line 2)
This highlights how the wind manipulates sound. It takes the children's screams and tosses and turns them. The power of the wind is highlighted here. It controls the movement of objects (www.bulbsoup.com) and people, and it manipulates sound. Its manipulation of sound also implies that the wind, itself, is very loud.
7. 'In the din of the whirling wind'  (Stanza 2, line 4)
Din means a loud, unpleasant, and prolonged noise. This is a clear indication that the wind is extremely loud.
8. 'Madly' (Stanza 2, line 9)
This word emphasizes the chaos of the atmosphere. The mothers are dashing wildly about and the wind is wreaking its destruction. The scene has devolved into disorder and chaos.
9. 'jaggered blinding flashes' (Stanza 2, line 15)
This is a visual image of the lightning that is streaking through the sky. The blinding flashes bring to mind the flash of a camera, but these flashes are continuous and unpredictable.
10. 'pelting march of the storm'
This highlights how persistent the rain was. The term march brings to mind organized soldiers performing a task, therefore, when it is associated with the rain, it highlights the consistent, and persistent, nature of the rain in the African storm.

THEMATIC CATEGORY: Nature, Places.
ATMOSPHERE
  • The mood of the poem is calm. The persona is calmly reporting on the storm and painting vivid images.
  • The tone of the poem is reflective. The persona is reporting on the storm.

Contributor: Leisa Samuels-Thomas
​Rubadiri, D. 'An African Thunderstorm' in A World of Poetry. Edited by Mark McWatt and Hazel Simmonds McDonald. Pearson Education Ltd, 2005.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Rubadiri


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