PORTRAIT OF A LOAF OF BREAD
BY MBUYISENI OSWALD MTSHALI
Poem describes the process of how bread ends up on the table. Bread is a symbol for inequalities among
classes. Bread is an equaliser – both rich and poor eat.
STANZA 1:
Fields to factories; process and setting.
‘Look’: instruction, sound drawn out to represent vastness of fields.
‘Waving gold-topped wheat’: alliteration, metaphor emphasizes value.
‘Mowed’/’bundled’/’carted’/’ground’/’kneaded’/’churned’/’spat’: literary devices used to create
vivid imagery, feel the energy in the movements.
Indent at ‘kneaded’: shows change of journey – aggressive, powerful movements – diction represents
effort that goes into bread.
‘Satan’s cauldron’: intense heat in pans compared to fires of hell – the work environment is harsh and
uncomfortable.
‘Dough’: pun, also used to name money.
STANZA 2:
Table – wealthy.
Simple, easy tasks compared with previous intense process.
Semi-colons: introduce next stage of journey.
‘Waiting’: urgency, anticipation.
Abundance of food reinforces wealth – luxurious, lavish breakfast.
STANZA 3:
‘The labourer’: specific definitive article represents the working class – contrast of working class to
wealthy.
‘Caked’: pun – ‘caked’ with hard work.
‘Mauls’: feeling of starvation attached – ferocious, desperate hunger.
‘Laughs’: implies enjoyment and pleasure.
‘Man can live on bread alone’: labourer only has bread to satisfy and sustain him, highlights
inequalities.
BY MBUYISENI OSWALD MTSHALI
Poem describes the process of how bread ends up on the table. Bread is a symbol for inequalities among
classes. Bread is an equaliser – both rich and poor eat.
STANZA 1:
Fields to factories; process and setting.
‘Look’: instruction, sound drawn out to represent vastness of fields.
‘Waving gold-topped wheat’: alliteration, metaphor emphasizes value.
‘Mowed’/’bundled’/’carted’/’ground’/’kneaded’/’churned’/’spat’: literary devices used to create
vivid imagery, feel the energy in the movements.
Indent at ‘kneaded’: shows change of journey – aggressive, powerful movements – diction represents
effort that goes into bread.
‘Satan’s cauldron’: intense heat in pans compared to fires of hell – the work environment is harsh and
uncomfortable.
‘Dough’: pun, also used to name money.
STANZA 2:
Table – wealthy.
Simple, easy tasks compared with previous intense process.
Semi-colons: introduce next stage of journey.
‘Waiting’: urgency, anticipation.
Abundance of food reinforces wealth – luxurious, lavish breakfast.
STANZA 3:
‘The labourer’: specific definitive article represents the working class – contrast of working class to
wealthy.
‘Caked’: pun – ‘caked’ with hard work.
‘Mauls’: feeling of starvation attached – ferocious, desperate hunger.
‘Laughs’: implies enjoyment and pleasure.
‘Man can live on bread alone’: labourer only has bread to satisfy and sustain him, highlights
inequalities.
