Title of the poem
The title of the poem "The Coming Turning" by Tijan Sallah suggests a significant change or transformation that is about to take place. The poem itself explores the idea that this turning point is characterized by a sense of anticipation and change. The turning is not a sudden or chaotic event but rather a gradual and almost inevitable occurrence. The imagery in the poem conveys a sense of quiet anticipation and a realization that this turning will bring both challenges and opportunities. It's a moment of reflection and recognition of the past, symbolized by the moonlight revealing flashes of history, as well as an acknowledgment of the need for unity and warmth in the face of change.
Themes of the poem
"The Coming Turning" by Tijan Sallah explores several themes:
1. Anticipation and Change: The poem conveys a sense of anticipation for a significant turning point or change in the future. This change is not abrupt but gradual, and it's something that the speaker and the community are preparing for.
2. Reflection on the Past: The poem suggests that the turning is a time for reflection on the past. The moonlight reveals the "erratic flashes of our past," indicating a moment of introspection and a reevaluation of history.
3. Unity and Connection: The poem alludes to the idea of unity and connection. It mentions "handshakes with the warmth of our hearts," emphasizing the need for togetherness and emotional connection during times of change.
4. Nature Imagery: Nature is used symbolically in the poem. Images of birds, cattle, gazelles, and grasshoppers convey a connection to the natural world and may represent different aspects of human experience.
5. Patience and Timing: The poem suggests that the turning will occur when the time is right, and it will be revealed by the moonlight. This theme highlights the importance of patience and the idea that change cannot be rushed.
Overall, the poem explores the idea of a forthcoming transformation, the need for reflection and unity during this process, and the idea that change is a natural part of life that should be embraced with patience and anticipation.
Tone and Mood of the poem
The tone of the poem "The Coming Turning" by Tijan Sallah is contemplative and introspective. The speaker reflects on the impending turning or change with a sense of calm and patience. There is a subdued and almost meditative quality to the tone as the speaker observes the natural world and contemplates the past and future.
The mood of the poem is one of anticipation and quiet resolve. It conveys a sense of waiting for the inevitable change with a certain level of readiness. While there is an acknowledgment of challenges and betrayals in the past, there's also a mood of hope and unity, as the community prepares to face the turning with a sense of togetherness. Overall, the mood is a mix of contemplation, hope, and readiness for the unknown.
Imagery of the poem
"The Coming Turning" by Tijan Sallah is rich in imagery, creating vivid mental pictures for the reader. Here are some of the key images from the poem:
1. Birds weeping like scattered nestlings: This image conveys a sense of disarray and sorrow, as if the birds and their nestlings are in a state of unrest.
2. Herds of cattle heading through appetite-gates: This image suggests a sense of blind pursuit or movement driven by desires.
3. Gazelles running wildly into tangled bushpath: The gazelles running wildly symbolize a sense of confusion and chaos, as they forget the route they came through.
4. Moonlight revealing erratic flashes of the past: This image represents a moment of introspection and self-examination, where the moonlight uncovers the unpredictability and complexity of history.
5. Fences crumbling on grasshoppers and locusts: The crumbling fences and the presence of grasshoppers and locusts evoke a sense of vulnerability and change, as barriers break down.
6. Handshakes with the warmth of our hearts: This image suggests unity, warmth, and emotional connection within the community.
7. Silence of children and unsettled fishy selves: These images convey a sense of discomfort and restlessness, hinting at the anticipation of change.
The poem's imagery helps to create a vivid and thought-provoking atmosphere that enhances the reader's understanding of the themes and emotions expressed in the poem.
Symbolism of the poem
"The Coming Turning" by Tijan Sallah contains several symbolic elements that contribute to its deeper meaning:
1. "The Turning": The central symbol of the poem, "the turning," represents a significant change or transformation in life. It could be a personal, communal, or societal shift, and it symbolizes the inevitability of change in the human experience.
2. "Moonlight": Moonlight is a symbol of illumination and reflection. It represents a moment of self-examination and the revelation of the past. The moonlight's erratic flashes reveal the unpredictability and complexity of history.
3. Nature Imagery: The birds, cattle, gazelles, grasshoppers, and locusts in the poem symbolize different aspects of human experience and emotions. They reflect the interplay of nature and human existence.
4. "Handshakes with the warmth of our hearts": This symbolizes unity, empathy, and emotional connection. It suggests that during times of change, the warmth of human relationships and solidarity can help navigate challenges.
5. "Silence of our children and the unsettled of our fishy selves": These symbols represent the unease and restlessness that precede significant changes. The silence of children may symbolize the anticipation of what lies ahead, and the "fishy selves" could represent the uncertain and turbulent aspects of human nature.
Overall, the poem's symbols serve to enrich its meaning, inviting readers to explore the deeper layers of human experience and the inevitability of change.
Metaphors and similes
"The Coming Turning" by Tijan Sallah uses metaphors and similes to create vivid and imaginative comparisons. Here are some examples from the poem:
1. Metaphor: "Weep not like birds with scattered nestlings."
This metaphor compares people's sorrow or distress to the way birds weep when their nestlings are scattered. It conveys a sense of disarray and grief.
2. Simile: "Not like herds of cattle heading through appetite-gates."
This simile compares the approaching turning to herds of cattle moving, emphasizing the idea of a purposeful and determined movement driven by desire.
3. Simile: "Or like gazelles, running wildly into tangled bushpath, forgetting the route they came through."
This simile likens the behavior of people during the turning to gazelles running wildly and losing their way. It symbolizes confusion and chaos.
4. Metaphor: "The coming approaches through the patient anticipation of children."
This metaphor suggests that the turning is like the patient anticipation of children, emphasizing the idea of hope and waiting.
5. Metaphor: "When the fences crumble on the grasshoppers and locusts."
This metaphor symbolizes the vulnerability and change during the turning by comparing it to the crumbling of fences upon grasshoppers and locusts.
These metaphors and similes enrich the poem's imagery and convey complex emotions and ideas through imaginative comparisons.
Language and diction
The language and diction in "The Coming Turning" by Tijan Sallah are poetic and rich, contributing to the poem's depth and meaning. Here are some notable aspects of the language and diction in the poem:
1. Figurative Language: The poem is replete with figurative language, including metaphors and similes, which add depth to the imagery and symbolism. These figures of speech create a sense of artistry and abstraction.
2. Symbolism: The poem uses symbolic language to represent abstract concepts, such as "the turning" and the moonlight revealing "erratic flashes of our past." This symbolism adds layers of meaning and invites interpretation.
3. Personification: The use of personification is evident in phrases like "Weep not like birds" and "When the fences crumble on the grasshoppers and locusts." These personifications give human qualities to animals and objects, making the poem more evocative.
4. Evocative Words: The poem employs words and phrases that evoke strong emotions and mental imagery. For example, "weep," "unsettled," "erratic flashes," "warmth of our hearts," and "tumultuous sufferings" all contribute to the emotional and visual impact of the poem.
5. Poetic Syntax: The poem often uses poetic syntax, arranging words and phrases in a way that deviates from standard prose to create a rhythmic and lyrical quality. This contributes to the overall poetic effect.
6. Alliteration and Assonance: The poem includes instances of alliteration (repetition of initial consonant sounds) and assonance (repetition of vowel sounds) to enhance the musicality of the language. For instance, "coming is the turning" and "quietly to meet our anxious desires."
7. Paradox and Irony: The poem incorporates paradoxical and ironic statements, such as "Not like herds of cattle heading through appetite-gates," which juxtapose contrasting ideas to create thought-provoking expressions.
The language and diction in this poem contribute to its contemplative and meditative tone, allowing readers to explore complex themes and emotions through the poet's carefully chosen words and expressions.
Structure of the poem
The structure of "The Coming Turning" by Tijan Sallah is a free verse poem, characterized by the absence of a strict rhyme scheme or meter. It is organized into stanzas, and each stanza consists of several lines. The poem is written in a more organic and flowing style, which allows for greater flexibility and creativity in expressing the ideas and emotions conveyed in the poem.
The poem comprises six stanzas of varying lengths, with the number of lines in each stanza ranging from two to five lines. The length of the stanzas and the absence of a fixed rhyme and meter contribute to the poem's natural and contemplative feel, allowing the poet to explore themes and imagery in a fluid and unstructured manner.
The lack of a rigid structure and rhyme scheme emphasizes the poem's focus on contemplation, introspection, and the exploration of abstract concepts such as change and anticipation. It encourages readers to engage with the poem's meaning and emotions in a more open and interpretive manner.
Sound and rhythm
"The Coming Turning" by Tijan Sallah employs sound and rhythm to create a lyrical and contemplative quality. While it doesn't follow a strict metrical pattern or rhyme scheme, the poem relies on other sonic elements to enhance its impact:
1. Alliteration: The poem includes instances of alliteration, which is the repetition of initial consonant sounds within words or phrases. For example, "coming is the turning" and "quietly to meet our anxious desires." These alliterative phrases contribute to the musicality of the poem.
2. Assonance: Assonance, or the repetition of vowel sounds within words or phrases, is also used to create a sense of rhythm and harmony. For example, the repeated "o" sound in "approaches," "know," "morning," and "locusts" in the poem contributes to its auditory texture.
3. Imagery and Onomatopoeia: The poem's use of vivid imagery, such as "scatter," "rout," and "crumble," incorporates words with inherent sounds that resonate with the poem's themes and emotions.
4. Variation in Line Length: The poem varies the length of its lines and stanzas, which helps create a sense of natural rhythm. Some lines are shorter, while others are longer, and this variation contributes to the poem's ebb and flow.
5. Repetition: The poem uses repetition for emphasis, such as the repetition of the phrase "The coming is" to create a rhythmic and meditative quality, reinforcing the anticipation of change.
While "The Coming Turning" does not adhere to a formal metrical structure, its use of sound devices and rhythm contributes to the overall musicality and contemplative tone of the poem. It allows the reader to engage with the poem's themes and emotions in a fluid and open manner.
Syntax
The syntax in "The Coming Turning" by Tijan Sallah is characterized by its poetic and non-standard structure. The poet uses syntax to create a distinctive rhythm and emphasis on certain phrases and ideas. Some aspects of the poem's syntax include:
1. Inversion: The poem occasionally uses inversion, which involves changing the typical word order to create emphasis or a more poetic flow. For example, "The coming is the turning" deviates from the standard subject-verb-object order to highlight the idea of the "turning."
2. Parallelism: The poem often employs parallel structures and phrases, such as "We know it" and "We will know," which create a sense of symmetry and emphasize the idea being expressed.
3. Fragmented Sentences: The poem contains fragmented sentences and phrases, which contribute to a sense of contemplation and reflection. For example, "We know it / By the silence of our children" creates a pause and encourages readers to ponder each statement.
4. Enjambment: Enjambment is used to allow a thought or idea to flow from one line to the next, creating a sense of continuity and fluidity. This technique is common in free verse poetry, as it helps maintain the natural flow of thought.
5. Poetic Syntax: The poem uses poetic syntax to create a rhythmic and lyrical quality. It often deviates from standard prose syntax to achieve a more artistic and expressive form.
Overall, the poet's use of syntax in this poem serves to reinforce the poem's themes of anticipation, reflection, and the inevitability of change. The unconventional syntax adds to the poem's unique structure and contributes to its contemplative and meditative tone.
Context
The poem "The Coming Turning" by Tijan Sallah does not provide specific contextual information within the text itself. However, to understand the poem better, it can be helpful to consider some broader context:
1. **Author Background**: Tijan Sallah is a Gambian poet, writer, and educator known for his contributions to African literature. Understanding his background and the themes he often explores in his work, such as identity, cultural heritage, and social change, can provide context for interpreting this poem.
2. **African Literature**: The poem is situated within the context of African literature, which often explores themes related to history, tradition, and the effects of societal changes. Sallah's work is likely influenced by this broader literary tradition.
3. **Colonial and Post-Colonial History**: Many African countries, including The Gambia, have a history of colonization and subsequent struggles for independence. These historical factors can inform the themes of change and transformation in the poem.
4. **Environmental and Natural Imagery**: The poem makes use of natural imagery, and this could be seen in the context of environmental concerns or connections to nature that are important in many African cultures.
5. **Cultural and Social Context**: The poem may be addressing cultural or societal changes, transformations, or challenges relevant to the author's specific time and place. Understanding these issues can shed light on the poem's meaning.
6. **Literary Tradition**: The poem is part of a broader tradition of African and world poetry. Its style, use of symbolism, and themes can be understood within the context of the poetic tradition it belongs to.
While specific details about the poem's context are not provided in the text, exploring these broader contexts can help readers interpret the poem and appreciate the themes and imagery within it.
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