NOTES Poem Analysis: Live and Let Die by Kundi Faraja

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The poem is all about a poor person who is disappointed with the existing system. The relationship between the developed countries and the developing countries is exploitative in nature as the persona says .... "Let them eat brother" stanza 2-5,first line

The persona also shows how the government leaders are being used by the rich nations as puppets to exploit Africans where by this system portrays or it is a new system of colonizing African countries which is name as neo-colonialism, and is applied by rich nations mostly.

Moreover this poem can be analyzed by considering the following stylistic features and thematic issues:

The impacts of neo-colonialism to developing countries, neo-colonialism refers to the use of economic or political pressure by powerful nations especially their former countries. In a poem a persona tries to show neo-colonialism as the main problem challenging many underdeveloped countries.

LIVE AND LET DIE
Kundi Faraja
One says that
My children are dwarfs
That no one seems taller
Than the other.
That they never take a bath
That they are soiled.
That they eat lice
From their clothes
Let them eat, brothers,
Until the system changes,
Until exploitation ends;
Let them eat brother,
Because we are on the way
To build Ujamaa
But, at present,
The system has not changed.
Let them eat, brother,
Because the rich nations
Are not yet ready
To die a little
So that the poor nation may live:
Let them eat, brother,
Because the rich man
Is not yet ready
To die a little
So that the poor man may live
Let them drink water,
Let them eat air,
Let them digest the sunshine
Because that is what
I can afford to buy.
Meanwhile I wait
For Uhuru to flower,
For Uhuru to come
When the time is ripe.
Let them eat brother,
Because the rich man
Is convinced that
It’s because I’m lazy
That they don’t have food.
That they don’t have good health.
That they wear rags.
And that their house
Is like an abandoned hut
Let them eat brother
Because the rich man
Thinks that it’s because
I don’t plan my family
Let them eat brother.
Because the rich man
Does not like to hear
That he is rich
Because of me
That I work hard,
But for him and
Not for myself
That it’s only because
I’m a slave of a system
That I lead a poor life.
INTRODUCTION
As usual Kundi Faraja is speaking for the lower class. The poet disabuses the idea of vicious cycle of poverty which asserts that ‘the poor are poor because they are poor’. For him he shows that the poor are so because somebody is behind it. Most of the time, it is because the rich (men or countries) have exploited the resources and efforts of the poor that they have remained at the bottom. So the poet shows that there is a need for the upper class to sacrifice their interests a little so that the poor people may also have something to push their lives.

 

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THEMATIC ANALYSIS
The poem has successfully depicted various themes that justify the condition of common people in our country. The central theme is poverty and the following themes justify the causes of this poverty. These include exploitation, classes, awareness, bad leadership and neo-colonialism.
POVERTY
The poem discusses how poverty dehumanises the dignity of people and makes them slaves for the rest of their lives. The poet complains because people keep on mocking his/her children that they are dwarfs, dirty and hungry. However he shows that it is the exploitative system that keeps him/her at the bottom.
Until the system changes,
Until exploitation ends
He also shows that it is even harder to get food although he states it in a more exaggerated manner. He does all this however to show his dissatisfaction towards the system.
Let them drink water,
Let them eat air.
Let them digest the sunshine
Because that is what
I can afford to buy
The excuses of the rich are that, the poor man is poor because he does not plan his family and is lazy.
EXPLOITATION
The poem shows that one of the reasons we have poor people is because the rich are feeding on their efforts and resources. In any society where the bourgeoisie class exploits the proletariats the poor live miserably. The poet shows that there is exploitation at individual level, national level and international level.
At individual level the poet says
That he is rich
Because of me
That I work hard,
But for him and
Not for myself
At national level he shows that the system of the country also exploits its citizens and there are no changes yet.
Until the system changes,
Until exploitation ends
At international level he shows that the rich nations also exploit the poor nations.
Because the rich nations
Are not yet ready
To die a little
So that the poor nation may live
CLASSES
Another issue discussed is the issue of stratification on economic basis. The poet shows that there are two contrasting classes in this society-The rich and the poor. He goes a step ahead by showing that the poor are so because of the exploitative system that favours the rich at the expenses of the poor.
He says:
Because the rich man
Is not yet ready
To die a little
So that the poor man may live
There are rich and poor people in the society. Nevertheless, these rich people have become parasites who feed on the blood of the poor. So the poor get poorer and poorer while the rich get richer and richer. The poet uses the figurative language that the rich ought to die a little that the poor may live. Actually he does not refer to death as we literally know it, but at least that the rich should be ready to consider the poor people by helping them to get their basic needs.
NEO-COLONIALISM
The poet shows the cases of neo-colonialism and how it has put a powerful influence on the poor nations. The poet shows that at international level there are also rich and poor nations. But the poor nations are in the state of poverty because the rich nations keep on exploiting them. The rich nations, like rich people are not read to sacrifice some of their demands so that the poor nations may rise out of poverty. The poet says
Because the rich nations
Are not yet ready
To die a little
So that the poor nation may live
AWARENESS
The poet is aware that his poverty is caused by exploitation by the rich people. He is aware that his efforts are wasted because he is not working for his own welfare but his efforts benefit the rich. However the sad thing is that he is not ready to do anything to change his current state. He is patiently and optimistically waiting for the system to change by chance. That is not a good approach for building the future. People must be active and take measures to solve the problems facing them.
Let them eat, brothers,
Until the system changes,
Until exploitation ends
He believes that the time is not yet ready for him to enjoy the fruits of independence and he says.
Meanwhile I wait
For Uhuru to flower,
For Uhuru to come
When the time is ripe.
BAD LEADERSHIP.
The poet has also discussed about bad leadership. Rich people especially leaders and rich nations have been exploiting the resources and efforts of poor nations but they claim that it’s because poor nations are lazy, have no family planning etc that’s why we are poor. They don’t remember that they are rich because of exploiting our efforts and resources. He says
Because the rich man
Does not like to hear
That he is rich
Because of me
That I work hard,
But for him and
Not for myself
IRRESPONSIBILITY
The ruling class is irresponsible as they exploit the efforts of the poor and claim that the poor are lazy and they don’t plan their family that is why they are poor, have no food in the house, and have poor health and so on. Irresponsibility is also seen on the side of the citizens. While the persona knows that he is poor because of the rich person/nation. He is not ready to take any measures to change this status. This is irresponsibility. He believes that the time will come when the system will change automatically.
Until the system changes,
Until exploitation ends
MALNUTRITION
The children are suffering from malnutrition as a result they have impaired growth. They look like dwarfs and that no one looks taller than the other. This is a result of eating poor diet or lack of proper balanced diet. The poet uses strong images to show his dissatisfaction. He says
Let them eat air,
Let them digest the sunshine
Because that is what
I can afford to buy.
The fact that the persona says his children eat lice, air, and digest the sunshine, is an emotional appeal to show his deep dissatisfaction about the current situation.

GUIDING QUESTIONS
1) What is the meaning of the title of the poem; “Live and Let Die”?
The poet uses a paradoxical statement that some people should die that others may live. It may seem ironical but it does not refer to the literal death that we know. It implies that the rich should sacrifice some of their luxury and unnecessary wants so that the poor may get at least the basic needs.
2) What is the tone and mood of the poem?
The tone is lamenting, and unhappy toward the rich people and rich nations. So it creates a sad and sympathetic mood to the readers/ listeners.
3) Who is the persona? How do you know?
The persona is a citizen from poor class who is a victim of the system. This is evident as he says;
I’m a slave of a system
That I lead a poor life.
4) Comment on the rhyming pattern.
The poem has irregular rhyming pattern with exception of few lines (8-11) that seem to rhyme accidentally.
From their clothes
Let them eat, brothers
Until the system changes,
Until exploitation ends
5) Comment on the Figures of speech
(a) Overstatement/exaggeration. The poet exaggerates some facts in this way; that his children eat lice, air and sunshine.
Let them eat air.
Let them digest the sunshine
(b) Personification. The rich and poor nations are regarded as people who can live or die.
Because the rich nations/Are not yet ready/To die a little/
So that the poor nation may live
(c) Parallelism
Let them drink water,
Let them eat air.
Let them digest the sunshine
(d) Simile
And that their house is like an abandoned hut
(e) Barbarism (using more than one language)
To build ujamaa (ujamaa is a Swahili word which means socialism)
For uhuru to flower (uhuru a Swahili word which means independence)
(f) Metaphor
I’m a slave of the system
(g) Anaphora
That they never take a bath
That they are soiled.
That they eat lice
6) Is the poem relevant to Tanzania?
Ø Oh yes it is! In Tanzania we have these two basic classes of poor and rich.
Ø Poverty is scattered everywhere. And most of the time it is due to exploitation of the poor by the rich class.
Ø There are people who are aware of the exploitation but take no measures/actions.
Ø Our nation is also suffering under the heat of neo-colonialism.
Ø Bad leadership and irresponsibility are common in African countries.
7) What lessons do you get?
Ø The rich people should stop exploiting the poor people.
Ø Classes are an obstacle to national development.
Ø Poor countries should be careful with the tricks used by rich nations to exploit our resources.
Ø The poor should take measures to change the system instead of waiting for the system to change automatically.
Ø Bad leadership and irresponsibility are obstacles to individual and national development.