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Summary At a funeral
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In depth line by line analysis + questions and answers for At a funeral – Dennis Brutus
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At a funeral – Dennis BrutusBlack, green and gold at sunset: pageantry
And stubbled graves: expectant, of eternity,
In bride’s-white, nun’s-white veils the nurses gush their bounty
Of red-wine cloaks, frothing the bugled dirging slopes
Salute! Then ponder all this hollow panoply
For one whose gifts the mud devours, with our hopes.
Oh all you frustrate ones, powers tombed in dirt,
Aborted, not by Death but carrion books of birth
Arise! The brassy shout of Freedom stirs our earth;
Not death but death’s-head tyranny scythes our ground
And plots our narrow cells of pain defeat and dearth:
Better that we should die, than that we should lie down
, In the first line, "Black, green and gold at
sunset: pageantry," the poet employs a rich
combination of colors and a metaphorical
figure of speech to create a vivid image. The
use of "black, green, and gold" serves as a triad
of colors, which not only adds visual depth but
also symbolizes a wide spectrum of emotions
1. Black, green and gold at sunset: and experiences. This can be seen as a
synecdoche, where colors represent broader
pageantry
aspects of life. The mention of "sunset" brings
forth the image of a closing day, possibly
symbolizing the end of something, a transition,
or a moment of reflection. The word
"pageantry" serves as a metaphor, suggesting
that the scene being described is like a grand
and elaborate display or ceremony. This
creates a sense of spectacle, drawing
attention to the beauty and significance of the
moment, and it's an example of metonymy as it
represents a larger idea or event. Overall, this
line artfully combines colors and metaphorical
language to depict a visually and emotionally
rich scene, which may set the stage for the
themes and emotions explored in the poem.
In line 2, which reads, "And stubbled graves:
expectant, of eternity," the poet employs
several figures of speech to convey a vivid and
thought-provoking image. The use of "stubbled
graves" employs personification as it
attributes the quality of being "expectant" to
the graves, endowing them with a sense of
anticipation, which is a human characteristic.
2. And stubbled graves: expectant, This personification helps to create a poignant
and unsettling image, as graves are typically
of eternity,
associated with finality and silence. The phrase
"of eternity" employs a metaphor, likening the
graves to a gateway or vessel that leads to an
eternal realm. This metaphor suggests that the
graves are not just sites of physical decay but
serve as transitional points into an afterlife or
a greater, timeless existence. The use of these
figures of speech contributes to the depth of
the line, evoking a sense of both anticipation
and the eternal, making the reader reflect on
the cyclical nature of life and death.
In line 3, "In bride’s-white, nun’s-white veils the
nurses gush their bounty," the poet employs a
simile, a form of figurative language that
compares the color of the nurses' veils to the
white attire worn by brides and nuns. This
comparison creates a vivid image, suggesting a
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