The Tenant by Na Ncube
, THE TENANT
Na Ncube
There is no room for you
in my heart. The only tenant
who ever lived there left
some luggage behind
I didn’t evict her. She
simply left without a word
I keep hoping she will come
back and collect the Luggage
or at least arrange for disposal
clean out the place, throw out
old memories
I could possibly live with
the marks on the wall. Some
are completely indelible
some I even like
But you see I am afraid
if it all goes, what will I do
with all that empty space
Structure
The poem is free verse
It does not have a set rhyme scheme or meter
The free verse allows for the poem to flow like a conversation, it makes the poem more
personal as well.
A sense of rhythm and rhyme is created in the poem through enjambment (sentence that
runs over to the next line/run-on lines), caesura (extended pause within a line. e.g. line 2 and
5) and anaphora. (Repetition of a word)
The use of straightforward and plain dictation and simple sentences also supports the
informal and colloquial tone.
The poem has 5 stanzas each with different lengths.
Tones: There is a tone of sadness and emptiness.
, THE TENANT
Na Ncube
There is no room for you
in my heart. The only tenant
who ever lived there left
some luggage behind
I didn’t evict her. She
simply left without a word
I keep hoping she will come
back and collect the Luggage
or at least arrange for disposal
clean out the place, throw out
old memories
I could possibly live with
the marks on the wall. Some
are completely indelible
some I even like
But you see I am afraid
if it all goes, what will I do
with all that empty space
Structure
The poem is free verse
It does not have a set rhyme scheme or meter
The free verse allows for the poem to flow like a conversation, it makes the poem more
personal as well.
A sense of rhythm and rhyme is created in the poem through enjambment (sentence that
runs over to the next line/run-on lines), caesura (extended pause within a line. e.g. line 2 and
5) and anaphora. (Repetition of a word)
The use of straightforward and plain dictation and simple sentences also supports the
informal and colloquial tone.
The poem has 5 stanzas each with different lengths.
Tones: There is a tone of sadness and emptiness.
