This project and its actions were made possible due to co-financing by the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals Not my business Language of the poem Subject:English Age group: Topic:Poems from other cultures EAL Nexus resource Licence information | This resource is free to use for educational purposes. © British Council 2014 Source | This resource was originally developed by Zdravka Davies and has been adapted by EAL Nexus.

Verbs in the poem 1.They picked Akanni up one morning 2. Beat him soft like clay 3. And stuffed him down the belly 4. Of a waiting jeep. 5. What business of mine is it 6. So long they don’t take the yam 7. From my savouring mouth? In your groups, have 3 different coloured highlighters, pens or coloured pencils ready Go through and mark all the verbs in one colour. The first stanza has been done for you:

Now go through poem again with a different colour and mark all the speech. The first stanza has been done for you: 1.They picked Akanni up one morning 2. Beat him soft like clay 3. And stuffed him down the belly 4. Of a waiting jeep. 5. What business of mine is it 6. So long they don’t take the yam 7. From my savouring mouth? Use of speech in the poem

Now underline any examples of similes, metaphors, emotive language, powerful imagery, rule of three, rhetorical questions, personification, alliteration or repetition with your third colour. The first stanza has been done for you. 1.They picked Akanni up one morning 2. Beat him soft like clay 3. And stuffed him down the belly 4. Of a waiting jeep. 5. What business of mine is it 6. So long they don’t take the yam 7. From my savouring mouth? Language in the poem

Poetic techniques Match the technique with the correct definition: metaphor personification alliteration repetition words or phrases are repeated when something is said to be something else two or more words starting with the same sound an object is given human characteristics

Poetic techniques Match the technique with the correct definition: rule of three rhetorical question simile A question that does not need an answer compare two things using the words ‘like’ or ‘as’ a group of three words or ideas to increase tension and hold readers’ attention

Violence Many words in the poem convey violence and brutality. Find examples and add them to the spider diagram. beat him stuffed him a lengthy absence froze my hungry hand dragged booted the whole house awake

Complete the table QuotationPoetic devices How does this relate to life in Nigeria during the dictatorship ‘beat him soft like clay’ similePeople were physically beaten by the army and police

Possible answers 1 QuotationPoetic devices Life in Nigeria during dictatorship stuffed him down the belly of a waiting jeep’ personificationArrested people were taken away to prison in jeeps ‘What business of mine is it…?’ rhetorical question People did not want to get involved, because they were scared

Possible answers 2 QuotationPoetic devices Life in Nigeria during the dictatorship ‘So long they don’t take the yam from my savouring mouth’ metaphorThey didn’t get involved because they were not directly affected ‘hungry hand’alliterationNigerians didn’t have much food ‘no query, no warning, no probe’ The rule of three/ repetition People didn’t get any warning about what might happen to them

Imagery Look at the imagery used in the poem. Why does the poet use these images? ImagesNotes on the images Beat him soft like clayViolent image suggesting the man was beaten very badly. Stuffed him down the belly of a waiting jeep My savouring mouth

Imagery: suggested answers 1 ImagesNotes on the images Beat him soft like clayViolent image suggesting the man was beaten very badly. Stuffed him down the belly of a waiting jeep This suggests that the person was pushed violently into the jeep My savouring mouthThe narrator eats with pleasure Booted the whole house awake The whole family was distressed by the violent entry

Imagery: suggested answers 2 ImagesNotes on the images A knock on the door froze my hungry hand The narrator was shocked My bewildered lawnEveryone and everything was confused and scared Waiting in its usual silence Nobody gets involved if it is not their business, as people were scared of punishment