I wished that I knew how such a few
Could make a war at all!
When my father came to take me home
I showed him the plaque on the wall.
“My son” he said, “those are the names of the dead
Men who answered their country’s call”
Told of Africa’s dust, Europe’s mud and blood,
Of the frightful fields of France,
How a few of the best gave their lives so the rest
Could survive and have the chance
To inherit their dream: work hards play straight,
Live in freedom and peace and joy.
He said, “Honour the names of the boys who died:
They were men although only boys.”
So now when I sit and read the plaque
After school as I quietly wait,
I remember the schoolboys who gave of their best
In their honour the old stone gate.
World War I, also known as the Great War, started in Europe and lasted from 1914-1918. More than 15 million lives were lost. The following words were first used in the trenches of WWI, and are still used today!
Over the top, Ace, Buddy, pushing up daisies, red tape, zoom, sniper, zero hour, hit the deck, rise and shine.
The day WWI ended, peace was declared at the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month, 1918.
1. Have you ever seen a memorial plaque with the names of men who died in a war? Do you think it is a good idea to remember them in this way? Explain your answer.
2. How does what the father explains to the boy, the “I” in the poem, change his behaviour?
3. Find an example of alliteration in the poem.
4. Notice the structure of the poem and the regular rhythm and rhyme. How would you describe these?
5. Think of the world you live in today. Is it a better place because of that war that was fought? Explain your answer.
The dance of the rain
Eugene N. Marais (translated by Christa van Rooyen)
Song of the violinist: Jan Konterdans
The Dance of the Rain
Oh, the dance of our Sister!
First, over the hilltop she peeps stealthily
and her eyes are shy
and she laughs softly
From afar she begs with one hand
her wrist-bands shimmering and her bead-work sparkling
softly she calls
She tells the wind about the dance
and she invites it, because the yard is spacious and the wedding large
The big game rush about the plains
they gather on the hilltop
their nostrils flared-up
and they swallow the wind
and they crouch to see her tracks in the sand
The small game, deep down under the floor, hear the rhythm of her feet
and they creep, come closer and sing softly
“Our Sister! Our Sister! You’ve come! You’ve come!”
and her bead-work shakes,
and her copper wrist-bands shine in the disappearance of the sun
On her forehead, rests the eagle’s plume
She descends down from the hilltop
She spreads her ashened cloak with both arms
the breath of the wind disappears
Oh, the dance of our Sister!
1. The entire poem is a figure of speech. What is this figure of speech? Explain your answer.
2. The first ten lines tell about the approaching rain. See if you can say what each aspect mentioned is.
3. If you were to draw a picture of the rain as a person, what would you draw? Give reasons for your answer.
4. What does “the rhythm of her feet” refer to?
5. What are the people’s feelings toward the rain? Explain your answer.
The octopus
Jeanne du Plessis
The world is truly an amazing place
With its weird and wonderful creatures
Too bizarre to believe they’re real
Each with their own peculiar features
Hyenas cackle, the giraffe can’t speak
Sloths and opossums are always sleepy
With their silken traps and eight eyes
Spiders are just downright creepy
Dolphins sleep with one eye open
Lizards can grow new legs again
Then there’s the ostrich, with eyes
That are much bigger than its brain
Some creatures are just so odd
They sound almost magical
Here are a few who could star
In tales of the fantastical:
The alpaca, armadillo, or yeti crab
Proboscis monkey or bumblebee bat
Echidna, tapir, or star-nosed
