Abiku by Wole Soyinka from Nigeria Africa and When We Two Parted by Lord Byron from Scotland - Essay Example

The reading aloud of the two poems - Abiku by Wole Soyinka from Nigeria Africa and When We Two Parted by Lord Byron from Scotland - makes the reader understand the differences in tone and attitude of the two poems despite the fact that both are sailing on the same theme, but various contexts. In Abiku, there are torments of Abiku and the bitter experience to the parents (Wole 1).

The poem is presented in the first person who is Abiku (Mpalive-Hanson 33). Abiku makes statements about itself in the poem, “Night, and Abiku sucks the oil, from lamps, mother! I'll be the suppliant snake coiled on the doorstep, yours the killing cry” (Soyinka, stanza 7). When We Two Parted is more of an autobiographical poem, which recounts Bryon’s emotional state following the end of his secret affair with lady Frances. He recounts “silence and tears” (line 2) upon the breakup. Her own reaction is to grow cold—the physical description of her cheek as “cold” and “pale” hints at sickness, but her “colder” kiss (line 6).

This implies an emotional detachment growing from the very moment of their parting, which Byron finds unbearable (Prell and Lord 86). Bryon is disappointed at France’s unfaithfulness to him with Duke. The poem is vague because it does not disclose the gender of the lovers; it gives no clue on the matter of time, place, or setting. Instead, it has just mentioned that the setting of the poem was a place with morning dew (Christensen 209).

The two poems express sorrow from different perspectives. One perspective is on matters related to love and romance while the other one (Abiku) is on torments from evil spirits. Read More