THE SMILING ORPHAN – KCSE ENGLISH POETRY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

​Read the following poem and respond to the questions appropriately. 

And when she passed away, 
They came, 
Kinsmen came, 
Friends came,
Everybody came to mourn her. 

Hospitalized for five months 
The ward was her world 
Fellow patients her compatriots 
The meager hospital supply-her-diet
When she was dying
Her son was on official duty 
The state demanded his services 
Her only daughter, uneducated, 
Sat by her 
Crying, praying waiting for an answer 
From God far above 
Wishing, she spoke the language 
Figures in white-coats do understand 
They matched, the figures did 
Stiff, numb and deaf, to the cries and wishes 
Of her dying mother 

As she was dying 
Friends and kinsmen TALKED of her 
How good, how helpful:  a very practical woman 
None reached her: they were too busy, there waws no money, 
Who would look after their homes?
Was it so crucial their presence?

But when she passed away, they came, 
Kinsmen came, friends hired cars to come, 
Neighbours gathered to mourn her, 
They ought to be there, to be there for the funeral
So they swore 

The mourners shrieked out cries 
As they arrived in the busy compound of the dead. 
Memories of loved ones no more 
Stimulated tears of many. 

They cried dutiful tears for the deceased 
Now stretching their hands all over to help 
The daughter looked at them 
With dry eyes, quiet, blank 

​The mourners pinched each other 
Shocked by the stone – heartedness 
Of the be-orphaned.

She sat: watching the tears soak their garments
Or in the soil around them; wasted 

That night, she went to her love, 
In the freshly made emergency grass hut, 
And let loose all ties of the Convectional Dress she wore
Submitting to the Great Power, she whispered:

‘Now ……………….
You and I must know Now………….
Tomorrow you might never understand
Unable to lick my tears ……………..
And there was light 
In the darkness of the hut 
While outside 
The mourners cried 
Louder thant he Orphan 
By Grace Birabwa Isharaza

QUESTION

a) Who is the persona in the poem? (2 marks)