An African Thunderstorm Answers David Rubadiri

An African Thunderstorm David Rubadiri
From the west

Clouds come hurrying with the wind
Turning sharply
Here and there
Like a plague of locusts 5
Whirling,
Tossing up things on its tail
Like a madman chasing nothing.
Pregnant clouds
Ride stately on its back, 10
Gathering to perch on hills
Like sinister dark wings;
The wind whistles by
And trees bend to let it pass.
In the village 15
Screams of delighted children,
Toss and turn
In the din of the whirling wind,
Women,
Babies clinging on their backs 20
Dart about
In and out
Madly;
The wind whistles by
Whilst trees bend to let it pass. 25
Clothes wave like tattered flags

Flying off
To expose dangling breasts
As jagged blinding flashes
Rumble, tremble and crack 30
Amidst the smell of fired smoke
And the pelting march of the storm.
1. Describe the structure of the poem. (Talk about – free verse / rhyme/ rhythm/
line length)
.Poem is in free verse. There is very little rhyme – only in short phrases. The
rhythm is irregular, following the description of the wind and storm.
2. How does the structure of the poem reflect the meaning of the poem? You
must point to specific examples of structure and show how they reflect the
meaning.
This poem is in free verse. This suits the wild and free storm. Rhyme is
created through short phrases “Dart about/ in and out” Coupled with the short
lines, the movement of the wind darting about, is created. The irregular line
length conveys the unpredictability of the storm: “Clothes wave like tattered
flags/ Flying off” The rhythm is irregular and follows the description.” Dart
about/ In and out/ Madly;/ The wind whistles by / Whilst trees bend to let it
pass”
3. Discuss the effect of the following phonic (sound) devices:

3.1 “whirling / tossing”the present participle “ing” sound makes the movement
seems immediate. The words are almost onomatopoeic also create an
effect of the wind being present.
3.2 “wind whistles” alliteration of aspirated sounds imitates the breathy sound
of the wind.
3.3 “toss and turn” the alliteration of the “t” sound has the crispness of things
moving about.
3.4 “wind whistles by /whilst trees bend to let it pass”
alliteration of aspirated sounds imitates the breathy sound of the wind.
Sibilant sounds also give the impression of the blowing sound of the wind.
3.5 “rumble, tremble and crack” “rumble” is also onomatopoeic. It sounds like
the sound of a trmour. Th repetition of the “le” sound gives rhythm to the
poem imitating movement. “Crack” is a short, sharp sound and could be
the sound the lightning makes, again onomatopoeia.
3.6 “Dart about/ in and out” Regular rhythm , pace gives the dancing
movement of the wind. Rhyming of the last two words places stress on
them. Put together this is a very effective way of showing the movement of
the wind.
4. Identify all the figures of speech (not the sound devices – assonance,
alliteration, onomatopoeia) and their effects and fill them into a table with the
following headings.
Quote figure of speech Explain figure of Comment on its effect.
speech
Simile Clouds come The clouds as they In Africa, a swarm of
hurrying with the wind move in the air are locusts is devastating.
Turning sharply being compared to a The clouds would be
Here and there swarm of locusts. seen as destructive like
Like a plague of locusts the locusts. Effective in
showing the movement
as dark and forboding.
Simile: Tossing up The way the storm lifts Effect of movement,

things on its tail everything in its path, erratic behaviour, like
Like a madman chasing creating movement in something crazy. It
nothing. all directions, is
compared to a crazy
person trying to catch cannot be reasoned or
his tail. predicted.
Personification The clouds are Effect created is of

Pregnant clouds pregnant because they impending doom
Ride stately on its back, are carrying the rain. hovering above.
/Gathering to perch on They appear to be
hills /Like sinister dark riding on the back of
wings; the storm. The wings
imply they are like birds
or vultures or even
demons.
Personification: The A picture is created of a The effect creates is of
wind whistles by a powerful monarch everything paying
And trees bend to let it being heralded in and homage to the wind.
pass. (The wind whistles) and
the subjects bowing to
let it pass ( the trees
bend).
Simile: Clothes wave Clothes on the wash- Effect- disorder and
like tattered flags lines and on the people lack of control.
are blown about like
flags.
5. Discuss the diction (word usage) of the poet. (Talk about simplicity of words /
present participles/ descriptive words)
The poet has used very simple, descriptive words. His main intention is to
describe the storm in Africa, so he paints a picture with his words. Present
participles create an immediate and ongoing effect.
6. How has the poet conveyed a sense of movement and freedom in the poem?
Through the figures of speech discussed above, the diction and the structure.
(all discussed above)
The storm described in An African thunderstorm is depicted as a wild and tumultuous

(turbulent, unrestrained) force.
By close reference to the structure, imagery and diction, show how the poet has
created this force.
Your response should take the form of a well-constructed essay of 250 -300 words.
/10/
Through effective use of structure, imagery and diction, David Rubadiri creates a
picture of an African thunderstorm that is a wild and tumultuous force.
The form of the poem is free verse. This emulates the free-flowing wind.
The line lengths are varied, which allows the words to mimic the movement of the
wind, for example, toss and turn / here and there / in and out. These all mimic the
constant movement of the wind. The random number of lines a verse means that
each aspect is described freely.
The imagery used in the poem is very descriptive. For example “Like a plague of
locusts” is a simile which contains in it a feeling of wildness. Locusts when they
swarm are wild and powerful. They also herald impending doom.
Another image is ‘Like a madman chasing nothing” This image (personification)

emphasises the wild nature of the wind and its random movement. As it tosses up
things, we get a sense of its uncontrollable power.
The clouds are described as “pregnant” . Although this description in itself is not
tumultuous, it gives a promise in the word “sinister “that soon it will release the rain
and be tumultuous.
The sound imagery also shows the wildness. The aspirated “wh” sound carries a
force with it, as does, the alliteration of the “wind whistles by”. The repeated image of
“the trees bend to let it pass” reinforces the power of the wind. Not even nature can
stand up against it. When the storm finally arrives, it is as “jagged blinding flashes”
and the pelting march of the storm.”
The last stanza also contains imagery which appeals to almost all the senses –
touch, sight, hearing and smell. There is a sense of nothing being able to escape the
overpowering force.
The diction of the poem is simple and clear. The poet uses many present participles.
This makes the description immediate and filled with movement. “whirling, “,
“tossing”, “chasing” Balanced phrases mimic movement “toss and turn” / “here and
there”/ Onomatopoeic words also emphasise the wildness: “rumble, tremble, crack”.
An African Thunderstorm is a poem that describe a tumultuous force.

An African Thunderstorm Answers David Rubadiri

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An African Thunderstorm David Rubadiri

From the west

Clothes wave like tattered flags

3. Discuss the effect of the following phonic (sound) devices:

Simile: Tossing up The way the storm lifts Effect of movement,

Personification The clouds are Effect created is of

The storm described in An African thunderstorm is depicted as a wild and tumultuous

Another image is ‘Like a madman chasing nothing” This image (personification)

An African Thunderstorm is a poem that describe a tumultuous force.

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