ENG 2602: Foundations in English Literary Studies
University of South Africa
POETRY
Analyse how diction, imagery and other features of language are used to explore
the speaker in the poem’s attitude towards Johannesburg.
POEM – “JOHANNESBURG” by Lesego Rampolokeng
The title of the poem suggests that it is about a certain setting and place, which is
Johannesburg. The city is portrayed as a wealthy and busy place, where chaotic and
dehumanizing things take place. It is in this city that dreams die and moralities are
irrelevant. The author says, “… deceptions and lies, dreams come here to die.” The author
shows a positive attitude when he uses a possessive adjective ‘my’ to address the
city. In the poem he repeatedly claims the city as his own. In the first stanza, the author
says, “Johannesburg my city” and repeats “jo’burg my city” in the fifth stanza. The
repetition of the phrase ‘jo’burg my city’ suggests that the author lives in the setting
and would probably not leave the city till his death. This is supported by the second
stanza,
“traffic flows in the sick
vein of life as we tick
with the eternal time-bomb
of our own extinction”
Even though the author claims the city as his own, he criticizes the life that the city
offers its people. He illustrates Johannesburg as a place that dehumanizes people,
values materialistic things, is chaotic, greedy and lacks morals thus uses people for
personal gain. This is seen in the first stanza when the author says, “Johannesburg my
city, paved with judas gold.” The author uses this imagery to create a picture in the
reader’s mind, of a city paved with gold. Although this may illustrate wealth to the
reader, the metaphor ‘judas gold’ shows the negative attitude of the author towards
the city. In this case, ‘judas gold’ suggests deceit, betrayal, greed and personal gain,
which are the main characteristics that the city has. Just like how in the Bible Judas
, betrayed Jesus for gold, the author suggests that the city of Johannesburg uses its
wealth to make people lose morals, become greedy and value wealth more than
anything. This also refers to the inhabitants of this city, the author sees them as people
who betray each other and do the unspeakable in return for money.
The city of Johannesburg is shown as a place that dehumanizes its inhabitants. The
author makes this vivid in the second stanza when he uses the metaphor to illustrate
how unhealthy or unsatisfying the lives of people in Johannesburg are. He says,
“traffic flows in the sick vein of life…”
When ‘traffic flows’, it suggests that the city is operating normally and life is going on
as usual regardless of how miserable and unhealthy the lives of inhabitants is. The
lives of the people of Johannesburg is illustrate as a sick vein, emphasizing an
unhealthy and unsatisfying life. Moreover, the city uses its people for personal gain,
turning a blind eye to the quality of their lives. The flowing traffic also suggests that the
city is busy with people going to different jobs to boost the city’s economy, but their
lives are depleting in the process. The author says,
“traffic flows in the sick
vein of life as we tick
with the eternal time-bomb
of our own extinction”
The eternal time-bomb suggests that the people’s lives is short and could die at any
given time, just as a time-bomb can go off at any time. Thus, one should a happy and
lead a fulfilling life which is different from the quality of life found in the city of
Johannesburg.
The author portrays a negative attitude towards Johannesburg as he points out the
greediness found in the city. He writes, “the green pastures of wealth are vaults of
death.” This line resonates deception, meaning that people are lured to Johannesburg
because of greener pastures and a better life that the city glimmers with; only for them
to be devoured by its greediness and cruelty. The city cares only for itself as “nothing
is secure, neither politics nor prayer can guarantee the future.” This vividly illustrates
that the city lures people in its glamourous life only for personal gain.
University of South Africa
POETRY
Analyse how diction, imagery and other features of language are used to explore
the speaker in the poem’s attitude towards Johannesburg.
POEM – “JOHANNESBURG” by Lesego Rampolokeng
The title of the poem suggests that it is about a certain setting and place, which is
Johannesburg. The city is portrayed as a wealthy and busy place, where chaotic and
dehumanizing things take place. It is in this city that dreams die and moralities are
irrelevant. The author says, “… deceptions and lies, dreams come here to die.” The author
shows a positive attitude when he uses a possessive adjective ‘my’ to address the
city. In the poem he repeatedly claims the city as his own. In the first stanza, the author
says, “Johannesburg my city” and repeats “jo’burg my city” in the fifth stanza. The
repetition of the phrase ‘jo’burg my city’ suggests that the author lives in the setting
and would probably not leave the city till his death. This is supported by the second
stanza,
“traffic flows in the sick
vein of life as we tick
with the eternal time-bomb
of our own extinction”
Even though the author claims the city as his own, he criticizes the life that the city
offers its people. He illustrates Johannesburg as a place that dehumanizes people,
values materialistic things, is chaotic, greedy and lacks morals thus uses people for
personal gain. This is seen in the first stanza when the author says, “Johannesburg my
city, paved with judas gold.” The author uses this imagery to create a picture in the
reader’s mind, of a city paved with gold. Although this may illustrate wealth to the
reader, the metaphor ‘judas gold’ shows the negative attitude of the author towards
the city. In this case, ‘judas gold’ suggests deceit, betrayal, greed and personal gain,
which are the main characteristics that the city has. Just like how in the Bible Judas
, betrayed Jesus for gold, the author suggests that the city of Johannesburg uses its
wealth to make people lose morals, become greedy and value wealth more than
anything. This also refers to the inhabitants of this city, the author sees them as people
who betray each other and do the unspeakable in return for money.
The city of Johannesburg is shown as a place that dehumanizes its inhabitants. The
author makes this vivid in the second stanza when he uses the metaphor to illustrate
how unhealthy or unsatisfying the lives of people in Johannesburg are. He says,
“traffic flows in the sick vein of life…”
When ‘traffic flows’, it suggests that the city is operating normally and life is going on
as usual regardless of how miserable and unhealthy the lives of inhabitants is. The
lives of the people of Johannesburg is illustrate as a sick vein, emphasizing an
unhealthy and unsatisfying life. Moreover, the city uses its people for personal gain,
turning a blind eye to the quality of their lives. The flowing traffic also suggests that the
city is busy with people going to different jobs to boost the city’s economy, but their
lives are depleting in the process. The author says,
“traffic flows in the sick
vein of life as we tick
with the eternal time-bomb
of our own extinction”
The eternal time-bomb suggests that the people’s lives is short and could die at any
given time, just as a time-bomb can go off at any time. Thus, one should a happy and
lead a fulfilling life which is different from the quality of life found in the city of
Johannesburg.
The author portrays a negative attitude towards Johannesburg as he points out the
greediness found in the city. He writes, “the green pastures of wealth are vaults of
death.” This line resonates deception, meaning that people are lured to Johannesburg
because of greener pastures and a better life that the city glimmers with; only for them
to be devoured by its greediness and cruelty. The city cares only for itself as “nothing
is secure, neither politics nor prayer can guarantee the future.” This vividly illustrates
that the city lures people in its glamourous life only for personal gain.
