Gabriel Okara’s Piano and Drums is a thought-provoking poem that explores the conflict between two cultural worlds—the Western world represented by the piano and the African world symbolized by the drums. Okara masterfully uses a range of figures of speech to communicate the tension and emotional pull that the narrator feels between these two cultures. In this article, we will explore 10 key figures of speech used in the poem, breaking them down for a deeper understanding.
Poem: Piano and Drums
By Gabriel Okara
Piano and Drums
I hear the sound of the piano
Soft and sweet, like a woman’s voice,
But from the bush come the drumbeats,
Boiling like the earth under the sun.
I hear the sound of the piano
And a voice calling from the bush,
It is the drum,
The drum calling me back.
I hear the sound of the piano
But the drumbeats call me back
To the land of my birth,
To the language of my fathers,
To the land of my ancestors.
The piano fades into the distance,
But the drumbeats call me back.
Figures of Speech in “Piano and Drums” by Gabriel Okara
- Metaphor
A metaphor compares two things directly, without using “like” or “as.” It highlights similarities between two unrelated things.Examples:
- “Soft and sweet, like a woman’s voice”: The piano is metaphorically compared to a woman’s voice, which emphasizes the delicate and refined nature of Western civilization. This comparison suggests that the piano’s music is gentle and soothing.
- “Boiling like the earth under the sun”: The drumbeats are compared to boiling earth, intensifying the feeling of raw, untamed energy that African traditions embody. This metaphor underscores the energetic, forceful power of African cultural roots.
- Simile
A simile compares two things using “like” or “as” to highlight similarities.Example:
- “Soft and sweet, like a woman’s voice”: The simile compares the piano’s sound to a woman’s voice, emphasizing its sweetness and gentleness, juxtaposed with the drum’s powerful and primal tone.
- Personification
Personification gives human characteristics to non-human things, creating vivid, relatable images.Examples:
- “The drum calling me back”: The drum is personified as having the ability to “call,” making it an active participant in the narrator’s emotional conflict. This human-like action of calling creates the idea that the drum has agency, pulling the narrator back to his roots.
- “The piano fades into the distance”: The piano is also personified, as it “fades” away, suggesting that it, too, has the ability to leave or diminish, a representation of Western culture’s inability to hold the narrator’s attention in the face of his strong African heritage.
- Alliteration
Alliteration is the repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of closely connected words.Example:
- “Boiling like the earth under the sun”: The repetition of the ‘b’ sound in “boiling” and “earth” creates an alliterative rhythm that mimics the intense, heated rhythm of the drumbeats.
- Onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeia refers to words that imitate the sounds they describe.Example:
- “The drumbeats call me back”: The term “drumbeats” creates an onomatopoeic effect, as the sound of a drumbeat is evoked through the word itself. This helps bring the sound of the drums into the poem, giving it a visceral and sensory quality.
- Juxtaposition
Juxtaposition places two contrasting ideas, images, or elements side by side to highlight their differences.Examples:
- The contrast between the “soft and sweet” piano and the “boiling” drumbeats illustrates the stark contrast between Western and African cultures. Okara uses this juxtaposition to show the tension between the allure of Westernization and the pull of African tradition.
- “The piano fades into the distance” and “the drumbeats call me back”: This placement of opposites emphasizes the emotional struggle of the narrator. While the piano’s influence weakens, the drum’s call becomes louder, symbolizing the irresistible pull of African roots.
- Imagery
Imagery is the use of vivid and descriptive language that appeals to the senses to create a mental picture.Examples:
- “Soft and sweet, like a woman’s voice”: This sensory imagery appeals to the sense of hearing and evokes a sense of gentleness and warmth associated with the piano.
- “Boiling like the earth under the sun”: This powerful image appeals to the sense of heat and intensity, helping readers visualize the forceful energy of the drumbeats and their connection to the land.
- Symbolism
Symbolism involves the use of objects, characters, or events to represent larger ideas or concepts.Examples:
- The piano symbolizes Western culture, sophistication, and foreign influence on the speaker’s life. It represents civilization, culture, and refinement, all associated with the Western world.
- The drum symbolizes African heritage, tradition, and the deep emotional connection to the ancestral roots. The drum is a symbol of the narrator’s cultural heritage, pulling him back to his origins and identity.
- Hyperbole
Hyperbole is the use of exaggerated terms for emphasis or effect.Example:
- “Boiling like the earth under the sun”: This hyperbole exaggerates the power and intensity of the drumbeats, highlighting the overwhelming, all-encompassing force of African tradition in the speaker’s life.
- Irony
Irony occurs when there is a contrast between expectation and reality, or when something has an unexpected outcome.
Example:
- The fact that the speaker finds himself drawn back to the drumbeats of his heritage, despite the allure of the piano (a symbol of Western culture), is an example of irony. The speaker seems to be caught between two worlds, and yet, his African roots ultimately outweigh the pull of Western civilization, which may seem surprising to readers who expect the influence of Western culture to dominate.
Class Activities for “Piano and Drums”
- Soundscape Creation
- Have students listen to a piano and drum performance, then write a reflection on the emotional impact of each. Discuss how each instrument evokes a different cultural response in the poem.
- Metaphor and Symbolism Workshop
- Have students identify metaphors and symbols in Piano and Drums. Then, they will create their own metaphors comparing two opposing forces in their life (e.g., technology vs. nature).
- Imagery Exercise
- Ask students to write a paragraph describing a personal experience using vivid imagery, focusing on all the senses. Then, compare their writing to the imagery used in the poem.
- Juxtaposition Analysis
- Have students select another poem or short story that features juxtaposition. Ask them to discuss the contrasting elements and their symbolic significance.
- Cultural Reflection Discussion
- Organize a discussion about how music can reflect cultural values. Students will then write a short essay on how cultural expressions through music are present in Piano and Drums.
Class Assignments for “Piano and Drums”
- Cultural Conflict Essay
- Write an essay about the conflict between tradition and modernity in Piano and Drums, analyzing how Okara uses the piano and drums to represent these two opposing forces.
- Poetry Writing Assignment
- Write a poem using metaphors and imagery to contrast two opposing ideas, similar to Okara’s exploration of the tension between Westernization and African tradition.
- Character Analysis Essay
- Analyze the character of the speaker in Piano and Drums. Discuss how his feelings evolve as he reflects on the pull of Western and African influences.
- Research Paper on African Literature
- Write a research paper on how African literature explores the themes of tradition versus modernity, using Piano and Drums as a key example.
- Literary Devices Analysis
- Write a detailed essay analyzing the literary devices used in Piano and Drums, including metaphors, symbolism, personification, and irony.