Symbo l o f al l the i nno cent The fact that the chi l d “was s ho t dead”, as we l earn i n the ti tl e, i s br o ught
chi l dr en who were ki l l ed by ho me agai n and agai n thro ugho ut the po em.
s o l di er s under Apar thei d i n
SA becaus e he o nl y “wanted The Child who was Shot Dead by Soldiers at Dr aw s a co mman i dea that
to pl ay i n the s un”. vi o l ence w i thi n a co untr y
Nyanga des tro ys i nno cent members
Pro tes t po em agai ns t o f s o ci er y, w o man &
Aaparthei d. chi l dren, & damages the
Ingrid Jonker (1933-1965) co untry & i ts future s everel y.
Anapho r a: The s peaker
Thi s chi l d' s death has
r epeats the phras e “the
i ns pi red o ther s to take up the
chi l d” thro ugho ut the po em.
caus e o f fr eedo m & gi ven
The s peaker al s o repeats the
new energy to the s truggl e
phr as es “i s no t dead” i n The child is not dead agai ns t apar thei d.
s tanz as 1 & 3, “l i fts hi s fi s ts
agai ns t hi s ...” i n s tanz as 1 & the child lifts his fists against his mother The s peaker i s no t
2, & “who s ho uts Afri ka! s ympatheti c fo r the chi l d fo r
Sho uts the br eath” i n s tanz as bei ng ki l l ed. She has no t
1 & 2.
who shouts Afrika! shouts the breath
menti o ned r ace, raci s m o r
Savannah or grassveld raci al co nfl i ct.
Seper ate ar eas that were of freedom and the veld*
r es erved fo r bl acks to l i ve i n. Fenced off
in the locations* of the cordoned* heart 5
The child lifts his fists agains his father
in the march of the generations
who shout Afrika! shout the breath
of righteousness and blood
in the streets of his embattled pride 10
The child is not dead B l ack to w ns hi p i n C ape To w n.
Fi rs t bl ack to w ns hi p i n So w eto ; 1931 bl ack peo pl e were
not at Langa nor at Nyanga r el o cated.
C o ntras t: l i ne 11 &
15. B l ack to w ns hi p i n Trans vaal .
nor at Orlando nor at Sharpeville Al l us i o n: Sharpevi l l e Mas s acr e, 21 Mar ch 1960, at
The chi l d i s phys i cal l y the po l i ce s tati o n.
& medi cal l y dead, but nor at the police station at Philippi
no t s pi ri tual l y o r Larger bl ack to wns hi p i n C ape To wn.
po eti cal l y.
where he lies with a bullet through his brain 15
The child is the dark shadow of the soldiers Metaphor
Armoured cars or tanks
on guard with rifles saracens* and batons
the child is present at all essemblies and law-givings
the child peers through the windows of houses and into the hearts of mothers
this child who just wanted to play in the sun at Nyanga is everywhere
The chi l d has gr o wn up:
l i nes 21-22. the child grown to a man treks through all Africa
chi l dr en who were ki l l ed by ho me agai n and agai n thro ugho ut the po em.
s o l di er s under Apar thei d i n
SA becaus e he o nl y “wanted The Child who was Shot Dead by Soldiers at Dr aw s a co mman i dea that
to pl ay i n the s un”. vi o l ence w i thi n a co untr y
Nyanga des tro ys i nno cent members
Pro tes t po em agai ns t o f s o ci er y, w o man &
Aaparthei d. chi l dren, & damages the
Ingrid Jonker (1933-1965) co untry & i ts future s everel y.
Anapho r a: The s peaker
Thi s chi l d' s death has
r epeats the phras e “the
i ns pi red o ther s to take up the
chi l d” thro ugho ut the po em.
caus e o f fr eedo m & gi ven
The s peaker al s o repeats the
new energy to the s truggl e
phr as es “i s no t dead” i n The child is not dead agai ns t apar thei d.
s tanz as 1 & 3, “l i fts hi s fi s ts
agai ns t hi s ...” i n s tanz as 1 & the child lifts his fists against his mother The s peaker i s no t
2, & “who s ho uts Afri ka! s ympatheti c fo r the chi l d fo r
Sho uts the br eath” i n s tanz as bei ng ki l l ed. She has no t
1 & 2.
who shouts Afrika! shouts the breath
menti o ned r ace, raci s m o r
Savannah or grassveld raci al co nfl i ct.
Seper ate ar eas that were of freedom and the veld*
r es erved fo r bl acks to l i ve i n. Fenced off
in the locations* of the cordoned* heart 5
The child lifts his fists agains his father
in the march of the generations
who shout Afrika! shout the breath
of righteousness and blood
in the streets of his embattled pride 10
The child is not dead B l ack to w ns hi p i n C ape To w n.
Fi rs t bl ack to w ns hi p i n So w eto ; 1931 bl ack peo pl e were
not at Langa nor at Nyanga r el o cated.
C o ntras t: l i ne 11 &
15. B l ack to w ns hi p i n Trans vaal .
nor at Orlando nor at Sharpeville Al l us i o n: Sharpevi l l e Mas s acr e, 21 Mar ch 1960, at
The chi l d i s phys i cal l y the po l i ce s tati o n.
& medi cal l y dead, but nor at the police station at Philippi
no t s pi ri tual l y o r Larger bl ack to wns hi p i n C ape To wn.
po eti cal l y.
where he lies with a bullet through his brain 15
The child is the dark shadow of the soldiers Metaphor
Armoured cars or tanks
on guard with rifles saracens* and batons
the child is present at all essemblies and law-givings
the child peers through the windows of houses and into the hearts of mothers
this child who just wanted to play in the sun at Nyanga is everywhere
The chi l d has gr o wn up:
l i nes 21-22. the child grown to a man treks through all Africa
