Prose, Poetry and Drama

Smith Likongwe

Description

The book is a compilation of poems, short stories and plays. The twenty poems display different types of poetry including lyric, narrative, dramatic, satirical, dirge and free verse. Out of the six plays, one is a radio play to give readers a feel of what radio drama is like. There are six short stories using various types of narrative techniques and other characteristics such as dilemma, intrigue and suspense. The themes and topics are varied including human trafficking, drug and substance abuse, infidelity, health related issues among others.

Sujets

• World Literature
• África
• General officer
• Poetry
• General
• Africa

Informations

• Publié par: Horace Publications
• Date de parution: 06 décembre 2023
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9789996083426
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

Prose, Poetry and Drama A Malawian Anthology

Smith Likongwe

Horace Publications 2023

Horace Publications Private Bag 140, Blantyre, Malawi.

eISBN 978-99960-83-42-6

© Horace Publications 2023

All rights reserved; no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers.

Designed by Davie Kamwendo

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Table of contents

Introduction..............................................................................................................5

Poetry Ebola............................................................................................................................7 The door......................................................................................................................9 Lament of the tree...............................................................................................10 Girls are not............................................................................................................12 Man and Chicken..................................................................................................13 There was a soldier.............................................................................................16 Puff and Snuff........................................................................................................17 Water.........................................................................................................................19 Chibadara for Tamara.........................................................................................20 Tomatoes at Lizulu..............................................................................................22 Why not us..............................................................................................................24 The Pail.....................................................................................................................25 Skin Colour..............................................................................................................26 Better Life................................................................................................................27 But I am dead..........................................................................................................29 For the departed..................................................................................................33 My Cultural Heritage...........................................................................................35 Poisoned Chalice...................................................................................................40 Stand up for Champions.....................................................................................41 Why............................................................................................................................44

Short Stories The bank robbery.................................................................................................45 The postmortem...................................................................................................54 The borrowed suit...............................................................................................68 The Kiyela iasco...................................................................................................80 Messed Up...............................................................................................................93 Sonia’s Catastrophe...........................................................................................105

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Drama Unexpected arrival...........................................................................................117 Revelation Lodge...............................................................................................137 Wrong........................................................erun..alF46...1........................................ The black suitcase.............................................................................................164 Chilembwe’s seed..............................................................................................187 Zasintha.................................................................................,...............................207

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Introducîon

This book introduces the student to the appreciation and analysis of literature. Literature may be deined at two different levels. At the surface level literature is deined as anything that is written down. The literature that is dealt with in this book and all books referred to as ‘literature’ books is the work of creative imagination in the form of poetry, drama and prose considered to have artistic merit or lasting value in the mind of the reader or audience.

The book has three sections namely; poetry, short stories and drama. The poetry section introduces the reader to characteristics of poetry as well as the various types of poetry such as lyric, narrative, dramatic poetry and free verse. Poetry is also categorised into form such as triplets and quatrains. The book also exposes the student to various other poetic styles of writing such as acrostic and shape poetry.

The short story section introduces the student to the meaning of the short story with various samples under different categories of short stories. In terms of point of view there are stories using the irst person narrative and others that use the third person narrative. This section prepares the reader for the appreciation and analysis of longer works such as novellas and novels.

The drama section introduces the student to the two types of drama. These are stage drama and radio drama. The introduction of radio drama is crucial because there is a lot of use for radio drama in development and behaviour change. The student therefore starts to appreciate how radio plays are written and presented.

Although the book asks some comprehension questions, the emphasis of questions and exercises is for the student to get a grip of the elements of critical analysis that they would apply in any literary work they encounter. In terms of response to literature the

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book builds the student’s interpretive, imaginative and intellectual skills as well as emotional involvement in issues that affect local as well as international populations. Therefore the student would be equipped with universal application skills for approaching any other literary works.

It is now time to start lipping through the pages of your book, Junior English Literature.

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Ebola

Unit 1 Poetry

Everybody should have known But the ignorance was fertile Of course we thought we knew Lost in ignorance Almost all the neighbours perished

Bush meat orchestrated Under high fever hiding Strategically stationed Hidden in sweat, mucus, tears, saliva, vomit, urine, blood, all body luids

More contagious in death Ebola spreads At alarming rates Take heed family and neighbours

Through mouth, nose, eyes and tiny skin poles Invasion takes place No touching, hugging or embracing Yet within 21 days signs show

Visit clinic Instantly Rush to isolate without touching all personal belongings Use soap for hand-washing all times Safe with protective clothing conduct burial

Efforts sustain Bury with extra care Other personal items burn

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Leave out no mattress, beddings and everything Alienate suspected cases to clinics Exercise 1. Take the irst letters for each line, make words out of them and explain why the poem is written like that. 2. How can the spread of Ebola be prevented? 3. What has the emergence of Ebola done to the observance of funeral rites among indigenous African communities? 4. How does the use of acrostic poetry help to advance the message?

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The Door

I keep inside or outside I open to emancipate I close to disenfranchise I become loose to create instability I become irm to create stability

I am not the ordinary type I am the sought after type I am the revealer to the outside I am the announcer to prosperity I am the keeper of tranquility

My handle is high My key is high My cost is high My demand is high My destiny is high

Laziness I eschew Hard work I espouse Diligence I embrace Integrity I cuddle Access I award

To the promised land For the promised people With the required necessities With the right keys I am the door

Exercise 1. What type of poetry does this poem fall under? Explain your answer. 2. How is allegory used in the poem? 3. In your own words, what is the door? Explain your answer. 9