oetry Analysi
P s
English FAL
Grade 10
© 2026 Knap Opsommings
All notes, summaries, and study materials are owned by Knap Opsommings. Please use them only for your personal school learning. Do not copy, share, or sell our content
without permission.
, Contents
Cattle in the rain Musaemura Zimunya
Do not go gentle into that good night. Dylan Thomas
How do I love thee? Elizabeth Barret Browning
How Poems are Made Alice Walker
No man is an island John Donne
The Will Sipho Sepamla
© 2026 Knap Opsommings
All notes, summaries, and study materials are owned by Knap Opsommings. Please use them only for your personal school learning. Do not copy, share, or sell our content
without permission.
, Cattle In The Rain
Background
Musaemura Zimunya was born in 1949 in Mutare in
Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). He was educated
in Rhodesia and at Kent University, UK, where he
acquired an MA in literature in 1979. After
independence in 1980, he joined the University of
Zimbabwe as a literature teacher. He left in 1999 for
the USA and is currently Director of Black Studies at
Virginia Tech University.
Summary
The poem describes the physical and emotional suffering a
shepherd went through while looking after the cows in rural
Zimbabwe. The shepherd has grown up, and is reminiscing
about days as a herd boy. The poet uses the phrase, “used
to” to tell us that the story happened in the past. Back then,
the boy thinks this terrible job will never be over. It has been
raining for a long time, and the boy feels that he is not
properly prepared: he has no raincoat-only an old sack. The
cattle do not want to obey him, and their resistance to his
efforts makes his job harder. He even wishes he were a girl,
so he would not have to do this kind of work.
He is exhausted so physically exhausted by his efforts to
herd the cattle that herd the unruly cattle that he cries. He
feels lonely too. The shepherd feels that the cattle are
deliberately making his work harder by refusing to co-
operate. When a wasp comes, the whole herd scatters in
different directions. The shepherd realises that he needs
help to herd them again, but everyone else is sheltered in
their homes because of the rain.
Only he is there, and has to rely on himself. He feels tense,
demoralised and frightened. Even though he manages to
control the most difficult bull, Gatooma at last, he knows that
he will have to keep doing this very difficult job day after day.
© 2026 Knap Opsommings
All notes, summaries, and study materials are owned by Knap Opsommings. Please use them only for your personal school learning. Do not copy, share, or sell our content
without permission.
P s
English FAL
Grade 10
© 2026 Knap Opsommings
All notes, summaries, and study materials are owned by Knap Opsommings. Please use them only for your personal school learning. Do not copy, share, or sell our content
without permission.
, Contents
Cattle in the rain Musaemura Zimunya
Do not go gentle into that good night. Dylan Thomas
How do I love thee? Elizabeth Barret Browning
How Poems are Made Alice Walker
No man is an island John Donne
The Will Sipho Sepamla
© 2026 Knap Opsommings
All notes, summaries, and study materials are owned by Knap Opsommings. Please use them only for your personal school learning. Do not copy, share, or sell our content
without permission.
, Cattle In The Rain
Background
Musaemura Zimunya was born in 1949 in Mutare in
Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). He was educated
in Rhodesia and at Kent University, UK, where he
acquired an MA in literature in 1979. After
independence in 1980, he joined the University of
Zimbabwe as a literature teacher. He left in 1999 for
the USA and is currently Director of Black Studies at
Virginia Tech University.
Summary
The poem describes the physical and emotional suffering a
shepherd went through while looking after the cows in rural
Zimbabwe. The shepherd has grown up, and is reminiscing
about days as a herd boy. The poet uses the phrase, “used
to” to tell us that the story happened in the past. Back then,
the boy thinks this terrible job will never be over. It has been
raining for a long time, and the boy feels that he is not
properly prepared: he has no raincoat-only an old sack. The
cattle do not want to obey him, and their resistance to his
efforts makes his job harder. He even wishes he were a girl,
so he would not have to do this kind of work.
He is exhausted so physically exhausted by his efforts to
herd the cattle that herd the unruly cattle that he cries. He
feels lonely too. The shepherd feels that the cattle are
deliberately making his work harder by refusing to co-
operate. When a wasp comes, the whole herd scatters in
different directions. The shepherd realises that he needs
help to herd them again, but everyone else is sheltered in
their homes because of the rain.
Only he is there, and has to rely on himself. He feels tense,
demoralised and frightened. Even though he manages to
control the most difficult bull, Gatooma at last, he knows that
he will have to keep doing this very difficult job day after day.
© 2026 Knap Opsommings
All notes, summaries, and study materials are owned by Knap Opsommings. Please use them only for your personal school learning. Do not copy, share, or sell our content
without permission.
