Location via proxy:   [ UP ]  
[Report a bug]   [Manage cookies]                
Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 193 views

    The Dry Grass Sings

    Uploaded by

    mapsyonela

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    The Dry Grass Sings

    Uploaded by

    mapsyonela
    193 views1 page

    Original Title

    the-dry-grass-sings (1)

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    193 views1 page

    The Dry Grass Sings

    Uploaded by

    mapsyonela

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 1

    The Dry Grass Sings

    By Stephen Gray

    This poem is about Africa before and after the rain.

    When the sky’s as hot as a baking pot Simile: The sky is so hot
    Stanza 1:
    that it feels like you will
    This mostly speaks And the whole earth shrinks like a skin bake under it.
    about dryness and
    The mopane leaves clap and the eagle cries
    heat, and the effect Simile: The ground is so
    this has on the plants. The turtles snap and the thorn-trees scratch dry that it seems like it is
    And the dry grass sings and sings. shrivelling up as if it is a
    Personification and dead animal skin.
    onomatopoeia: The
    leaves make a clapping On the crackling mud the crocodile smiles Stanza 2:

    sound as they hit each This shows the


    And the kudu snort in the dust unhappiness of the
    other in the wind.
    And the zebras grunt and the jackals howl animals.
    Personification and
    onomatopoeia: Loud And the elephants trudge for another mile
    heavy steps taken when And the dry grass sings and sings. Personification: The
    you’re exhausted. crocodile smiles because
    it is getting the last little
    But when lightning strikes and the clouds drop bit of coolness by lying
    in the mud.
    Stanza 3: down
    Animals and plants The clouds are made of
    And the whole earth drinks from the sky water, so it seems that
    are relieved because it
    has rained.
    The wood dove purrs and the fever-trees sigh they are dropping when
    the water comes out as
    And the rivers roll as heavy as blood rain.
    And the dry grass sings no more.
    Personification: The Simile: The rain is falling so
    ground is absorbing all fast that the rivers can’t keep
    the water because it is so Personification and onomatopoeia: The trees are up and the water flows heavy
    dry – it is “thirsty”. relieved because they have received water. and fast.

    “The dry grass sings”


    Personification: The grass is dry, so it makes a sound as the wind blows it and it rubs together. At
    the end of the poem, the grass no longer sings because it is no longer dry, so it no longer makes the
    same sound that it did before.

    Sounds in the poem Repetition in the poem


    “And the dry grass sings and sings” is repeated to
    Stanzas 1-2: Sounds are frustrated and emphasise the sudden change in the last stanza because
    unhappy, e.g. snort, grunt, howl, cries etc. it has finally rained.

    Stanza 3: Sounds are relieved, e.g. purr, sigh Because this line was repeated, the change is more
    noticeable and obvious.

    You might also like