Poem: Farewell Dear Daughter
Poet: Prudence Obadan-Enujiofor
“Farewell dear daughter
For in my absence you Shall read this
I have made a crossbreed of cliches
And caveats round your Subconscious
Forget not to mate with It
when I’m dust n bones
For not introducing you
To posterity officially
Now that you wear my shoes
I’m sure you are Acquainted…
1. Analyze the poem
2. List 2 poetic devices found in it
3. Reply the poem with the same number of lines.
1. This poem was written by a mother to a daughter, probably on her dying bed. Telling her to hid to all she has learnt from her, because she will also one day be a mother.
1. Figures of speech
Forget not to mate with it. T ALLITERATES
When i’m dust and bones. EUPHEMISM
How can i ever forget?
When your thoughts weight heavily on my conscience?
Daily i intimate myself with your advices,
While your body gets cold in the grave
Who am i not to forgive for posterity sake?
Walking in your shoes is never an easy fit. Love, daughter.
From the first line of the poem
‘Farewell dear daughter for in my absence you shall read this’
it talks of the absence of the mother writing to her daughter, the sadness involved when you loose something precious. It further talks of the ‘ifs’ she missed telling her daughter and asks for her forgiveness for not putting her through only now she feels she can take care of herself as it ends
‘Now that you wear my shoes I’m sure you are acquainted… Love, Mum.’
Figures of speech:
I have made a crossbreed of cliches and caveats
when I’m dust and bones
Generally, the mood dictates the tone, in this poem, there is a tone of absence and sadness. While the poet is in a subtle and apologetic mood, the poem speaks volume of an acceptance tone.
Forgive me mother, for you read this in your exile.
I didn’t know roots owned branches so I stalked a lot that tickled my fruit,
and now your dust makes me cough.
Forgive me for I have lived with isolation, reason I am darkness.
I am not fit to wear your shoes, you can give it to who deserves it. . . Done your daughter
If the second line had not intervened, the first line made it seem it’s the daughter that’s gone, or about to go, and not the mother. The opening line; “fare well dear daughter” almost suggest the loss of a child. But again, the poet continues like her daughter is sitting beside her and she’s having this thought with her.
But in all, it’s a letter to a daughter from a mother who wishes to secure her daughter’s thoughts before her demise.
1. Cliché: A cliché is a phrase that is often repeated and has become kind of meaningless. “now that you wear my shoes”
2. Alliteration : “crossbreed of cliches and caveats”
3. Personifying “forget not to mate with it…”
Welcome and goodbye.
My body is gone but my heart refuses free
This note is a residue of me. Save me.
Beside my grave is a memorabilia
There you’ll meet new friends and plant the seed of your own story.
Your soul mate sleeps on the left page where the flower smiles.
Until you begin to sprout,
Please don’t wake him up.