This question is based on selected poems from Wole Soyinka (ed.) Poems of Black Africa and D.I. Nwoga (ed.) West African Verse. '...Tide and market come and...
Assessment:JAMB UTME - Literature In English - 2020Subject:Literature In English
This question is based on selected poems from Wole Soyinka (ed.) Poems of Black Africa and D.I. Nwoga (ed.) West African Verse. '...Tide and market come and go And so shall your mother.' The above lines from J.P. Clark's 'Streamside Exchange' depict the
Answer Details
The above lines from J.P. Clark's 'Streamside Exchange' depict the constancy of nature. The poet uses the imagery of the tide and market coming and going to illustrate the cyclical and unchanging nature of life. Just as the tide and market are recurring phenomena, so is the cycle of birth and death. The poet also makes reference to "your mother" which may be interpreted as a metaphor for the natural world that sustains us. Thus, the lines suggest that although life may seem fleeting and transitory, there is a sense of continuity and permanence in the natural world.