Motho Ke Motho ka Batho Babang (A person is a
person because of other people)
Stanza 1
“By holding my mirror out of the “There’s a person down there.” /
window I see” / “Clear to the end of “A prisoner polishing a door
the passage” handle.”
The poet is in a prison cell and thus 'Person' is a neutral word whereas
is cut off from other people. The 'prisoner' is very specific. The poet
mirror allows him to see something recognises the man as a person
of the world outside of his cell. The before labelling him as a 'prisoner'.
mirror enables him to see further
than he is otherwise able to.
“In the mirror I see him see / My “Disrupting the slow-slow rhythm
face in the mirror, of his work.”
“
The mirror is creating a connection The repetition slows down the
between the two prisoners because reading so that one gets a better
it enables them to see each other. sense of the prisoner's
They know they are not alone. movements. He is taking his time
They can support each other – not with his work in order to carry on
physically but emotionally. this 'conversation'.
(Alliteration) The repetition of ‘sl’
sound and the word ‘slow’, slows
down the pace of the poem and
creates an impression of the
tedium of the prisoners’ lives and
the slow pace they are working at.
“Hey! Wat maak jy daar?” “His free hand, the talkative one, /
Slips quietly behind”
These lines record actual words: an The 'talkative' hand has been using
exchange between the prisoner sign language until the warder
and a warder who is watching him. interrupts the exchange. Now, in
The speakers are in a very order to make a final statement of
different relationship from that of encouragement, the prisoner must
the silent speakers. slip that hand 'quietly' behind his
back so that the warder doesn't
The use of Afrikaans, the different
notice what it is 'saying'. This
placement of the spoken words
shows up the nature of the
and the use of italics highlight this
conditions under which the
difference. There are no brackets,
prisoners live. It creates a tension,
so it seems like an open
wondering what the hand is going
conversation but actually the
to say next. By telling the reader to
prisoner is concealing the truth.
watch as well ('now watch'), it
makes him complicit (involved with
1|Page
, The warder's tone is commanding / others in an activity that is
dictatorial while the prisoner's tone unlawful) in this secretive action.
is obedient / submissive. The word
'No.' indicates that as well as the
word 'baas'.
2|Page
person because of other people)
Stanza 1
“By holding my mirror out of the “There’s a person down there.” /
window I see” / “Clear to the end of “A prisoner polishing a door
the passage” handle.”
The poet is in a prison cell and thus 'Person' is a neutral word whereas
is cut off from other people. The 'prisoner' is very specific. The poet
mirror allows him to see something recognises the man as a person
of the world outside of his cell. The before labelling him as a 'prisoner'.
mirror enables him to see further
than he is otherwise able to.
“In the mirror I see him see / My “Disrupting the slow-slow rhythm
face in the mirror, of his work.”
“
The mirror is creating a connection The repetition slows down the
between the two prisoners because reading so that one gets a better
it enables them to see each other. sense of the prisoner's
They know they are not alone. movements. He is taking his time
They can support each other – not with his work in order to carry on
physically but emotionally. this 'conversation'.
(Alliteration) The repetition of ‘sl’
sound and the word ‘slow’, slows
down the pace of the poem and
creates an impression of the
tedium of the prisoners’ lives and
the slow pace they are working at.
“Hey! Wat maak jy daar?” “His free hand, the talkative one, /
Slips quietly behind”
These lines record actual words: an The 'talkative' hand has been using
exchange between the prisoner sign language until the warder
and a warder who is watching him. interrupts the exchange. Now, in
The speakers are in a very order to make a final statement of
different relationship from that of encouragement, the prisoner must
the silent speakers. slip that hand 'quietly' behind his
back so that the warder doesn't
The use of Afrikaans, the different
notice what it is 'saying'. This
placement of the spoken words
shows up the nature of the
and the use of italics highlight this
conditions under which the
difference. There are no brackets,
prisoners live. It creates a tension,
so it seems like an open
wondering what the hand is going
conversation but actually the
to say next. By telling the reader to
prisoner is concealing the truth.
watch as well ('now watch'), it
makes him complicit (involved with
1|Page
, The warder's tone is commanding / others in an activity that is
dictatorial while the prisoner's tone unlawful) in this secretive action.
is obedient / submissive. The word
'No.' indicates that as well as the
word 'baas'.
2|Page
