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A Young Man's Thoughts Before June The 16th

Fhazel Johennesse is a South African poet known for his work during the 1970s and 1980s, co-founding a Black Consciousness literary magazine that was later banned by the apartheid government. His poem reflects on the tragic events of the Soweto uprising, capturing the emotions of loss and longing for home and family amidst the struggle for freedom. The poem employs free verse, elegiac tones, and literary devices such as enjambment and alliteration to convey its themes.

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238 views3 pages

A Young Man's Thoughts Before June The 16th

Fhazel Johennesse is a South African poet known for his work during the 1970s and 1980s, co-founding a Black Consciousness literary magazine that was later banned by the apartheid government. His poem reflects on the tragic events of the Soweto uprising, capturing the emotions of loss and longing for home and family amidst the struggle for freedom. The poem employs free verse, elegiac tones, and literary devices such as enjambment and alliteration to convey its themes.

Uploaded by

bathobile978
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Fhazel Johennesse

(1954- )
South African poet. He wrote
most of his poetry during the
1970s and early 1980s He and
the poet Chris van Wyk started a
Black Consciousness* literary
magazine called Wietie, which
gave a voice to young aspirant*
black writers However, the
magazine was short-lived, as it was banned by the apartheid government

Black Consciousness a movement that promoted an awaieness of the dignity


and rights of black people, staged by Steve Biko * aspirant someone who tries to
do or become something, up-and-coming

S« prr- and diiringi leading atlivity.pAge 6fl

Characteristics of this poem


This poem has a mixture of forms. It is in free verse, because it does not rhyme or
have a particular rhythm or structure. It can also be seen as an elegy, because of its
sad, mournful tone. And it has the characteristics of a lyric as it expresses the poet's
feelings.

Introduction
On 16 June 1976, high school children from Soweto marched to protest against the
government law that half of their schooling had to be in Afrikaans, which they saw as
the language of the apartheid leaders and oppressors*. The police
shot live bullets and teargas, and many were injured or killed.
After this tragic episode many young people went into exile to * oppressors people
join the underground resistance. In this poem, Johennesse who treat other people
imagines himself as one of those teenagers the day before the in s
cruel arid unfair ways
foreseeing 'seeing',
event, foreseeing® the tragedy that will take place.
imagining or being
a'«are of something
before it happens
tomorrow i travel on a road enjambment: notice how the run-
on lines copy the movement of
that winds to the top of the hill the road as it winds to the top of
i take with me only the sweet the hill. (See glossary page
memories of my youth 229.)
my heart aches for my mother
for Friday nights with friends
around a table with the broad belch1 of beer belch to loudly let
air out of the
i ask only for a sad song stomach through
sung by a woman with downturned eyes the mouth, also
2
and strummed by an old man with known as io'burp'
1
strummed played
a broken brow a musical
o sing my sad song sing for me for my sunset is drenched with red instrument
3 such as
a guitar by moving
the fingers across
the strings '
drenched
completely wet

alliteration: the repetition of's'


sounds convey a sad, gentle
mood of longing and regret.
(See glossary page 227)
1. Identify three things that the poet knows he will have to give up
once he embarks on his journey of protest. 3>
2 Match the lines in the table below with their literary characteristics

Une(s) Literary characteristic


Line 7 Enjambment
Lines 3-4 Euphemism
Line 13 Alliteration

3 Discuss the context in which this poem was written. 3j


4 What is the meaning of the last two lines of the poem? 3>
5 Choose the answer that you think best sums up the main message of this poem from the options below:
a) The poem concentrates on the human aspects of this young freedom fighter, rather than his political
intentions.
b) The poem expresses the anger that people felt about the inferiority of their education.

C The poem expresses a longing for home and family life 1

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