By Elimu Assistant Team 
Read the poem below and answer the questions that follow. (20 marks)
The earth does not get fat. It makes an end-
Of those who wear the head plumes
We shall die on the earth. The earth
does not get fat. It makes an end of those who act swiftly as heroes.
Shall we die on the earth?
Listen O earth. We shall mourn because of you.
Listen O earth. Shall we all die on the earth?
The earth does not get fat. It makes an end of
The chiefs. Shall we die on earth? The
earth does not get fat. It makes an end
Of the women chiefs. Shall we die on earth?
Listen o earth. We shall mourn because of you.
Listen O earth. Shall we all die on earth?
The earth does not get fat. It makes an end
Of the nobles. The earth does not get fat
It makes an end of the royal women.
Shall we die on earth?
The earth does not get fat. It makes an end
of the common people. Shall we die on the earth?
The earth does not get fat. It makes an end of all the beasts
Shall we die on the earth?
Listen you who are asleep, who are left
tightly closed in the land. Shall we all sink
Into the earth? Listen O
Earth the sun is setting tightly. We shall enter into the earth.
We shall not enter into the earth.
(From: ‘The Heritage Of African Poetry’)
Questions
a) What is the poem about? (3 mks)
b) Who is the persona in the poem? (2mks)
c) Identify and illustrate any two features of the style used in the poem. (4mks)
d) What is the tone of the persona in the poem? (2mks)
e) What in the poem shows that death is indiscriminate in its manifestations? (2mks)
f) Describe the political setting of the community from which the poem originates. (2mks)
g) What is the mood of the poem? (2mks)
h) Explain what the expressions below mean : (3mks)
i) The earth does not get fat.
ii) Those who wear the head plumes
iii) Earth the sun is setting tightly
ANSWERS
a) The poem is about the rampages of death (1mk) it is cruel (1mk) and indiscriminate (1mk) / It’s about how the earth does not get fat after swallowing chiefs, nobles, beasts and common people
b) the persona is an observer
a potential victim of death
c) -Repetition e.g “Listen O earth…”
the earth does not get fat
– Personification – “the earth does not get fat”
– Direct address – “listen O earth
– Rhetorical questions – shall we all die on earth?
d) Desperation – “shall we all sink”
e) All die: nobles, beasts, chiefs, common people
f) Chieftaincy – they were led by a chief
g) Sombre /sad “we shall mourn because of you?”
i) People continue to die (be buried)
ii) Leaders /rulers
iii) Eminent death/nearing end of life/apparent death
