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Not my business

Language of the poem

 Subject: English

Age group: 12 - 14

Topic: Poems from other cultures

EAL Nexus resource

Licence information | This resource is free to use for educational purposes. ©British Council 2014Source | 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 morning2. Beat him soft like clay3. And stuffed him down the belly4. Of a waiting jeep.5. What business of mine is it6. So long they don’t take the yam7. From my savouring mouth?

In your groups, have 3 different coloured highlighters, pens or coloured pencils readyGo 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 morning2. Beat him soft like clay3. And stuffed him down the belly4. Of a waiting jeep.5. What business of mine is it6. So long they don’t take the yam7. 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 morning2. Beat him soft like clay3. And stuffed him down the belly4. Of a waiting jeep.5. What business of mine is it6. So long they don’t take the yam7. From my savouring mouth?

Language in the poem

Poetic techniquesMatch 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 techniquesMatch 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

ViolenceMany words in the poem convey violence and brutality. Find examples and add them to the spider diagram.

beat himstuffed

him

a lengthy absence

froze my hungry hand

dragged

booted the whole house awake

Complete the table

Quotation Poetic devices

How does this relate to life in Nigeria during the dictatorship

‘beat him soft like clay’

simile People were physically beaten by the army and police

Possible answers 1

Quotation Poetic devices

Life in Nigeria during dictatorship

stuffed him down the belly of a waiting jeep’

personification

Arrested 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

Quotation Poetic devices

Life in Nigeria during the dictatorship

‘So long they don’t take the yam from my savouring mouth’

metaphor

They didn’t get involved because they were not directly affected

‘hungry hand’

alliteration

Nigerians 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

ImageryLook at the imagery used in the poem. Why

does the poet use these images?

Images Notes on the images

Beat him soft like clay

Violent image suggesting the man was beaten very badly.

Stuffed him down the belly of a waiting jeep

My savouring mouth

Imagery: suggested answers 1

Images Notes on the images

Beat him soft like clay

Violent 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 mouth The narrator eats with pleasure

Booted the whole house awake

The whole family was distressed by the violent entry

Imagery: suggested answers 2

Images Notes on the images

A knock on the door froze my hungry hand

The narrator was shocked

My bewildered lawn Everyone 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