Namaqualan After Rain
BY WILLIAM PLOMER
“Again the veld revives”
The opening line of the poem sets the tone for the entire poem.
It suggests that the land has been barren or dead for a long time, and this is a
new beginning.
“Imbued with lyric rains,”
The rain is personified as something beautiful, with the
word "lyric" suggesting that it is like music to the land.
“And sap re-sweetening dry stalks”
The use of "re-sweetening" suggests that the plants were
once alive and sweet, but they had dried up and lost their
flavour.
The rain has brought them back to life.
“Perfumes the quickening plains;”
The sense of smell is evoked here, with the idea that the air is
now filled with the scent of new life.
“Small roots explode in strings of stars,”
This line uses both alliteration and metaphor, with the idea
that the roots are like stars bursting into life.
“Each bulb gives up its dream,”
This line suggests that the bulbs were once dormant, holding
their dreams inside them. But now, they have been given the
opportunity to grow and fulfill their potential.
“Honey drips from orchid throats,”
This metaphor suggests that the orchids are like sweet
nectar, with the rain making them come alive.
“Jewels each raceme;”
A raceme is a type of flower, and the use of "jewels"
suggests that they are now sparkling and beautiful.
“The desert sighs at dawn- “
The personification of the desert suggests that it is
almost relieved to have the rain and new life.
“As in another hemisphere”
This line suggests that the temple lotus is far away, but it
is also experiencing a new beginning, like the veld.
“The temple lotus breaks her buds”
The use of "her" to refer to the lotus personifies it as a
woman, which adds to the idea of new life and fertility.
“On the attentive air-”
This line suggests that the air is listening, waiting for the
lotus to bloom.
“A frou-frou of new flowers,”
This line uses onomatopoeia to describe the sound of the
new flowers, which are delicate and light.
“Puff of unruffling petals,”
This simile suggests that the petals are like puffs of air,
and they are smooth and not disturbed.
“While rods of sunlight strike pure streams”
This simile compares the sunlight to rods, which suggests that
they are powerful and striking.
The pure streams suggest clarity and purity.
“From rocks beveined with metals;”
his line suggests that the rocks are valuable and
important, like the new life that is growing from them.
T
“Far in the gaunt karoo”
The use of "gaunt" suggests that the karoo was once
barren and lifeless.
“The winter earth denudes”
This line suggests that the winter has stripped the earth
of life, but the rain has brought it back.
“Ironstone caves give back the burr of lambs”
This line uses personification to suggest that the caves
are giving back the sound of new life in the form of lambs.
“Grass waves again where drought”
This line suggests that the grass was once dead and dry
due to drought, but now it is alive again.
“Bleached every upland kraal, “
The use of "bleached" suggests that the kraal was once
white and dead, but now it is vibrant and alive.
“A peach-tree shoots along the wind”
This line uses personification to suggest that the peach-
tree is almost dancing in the wind.
“Pink volleys through a broken wall.“
This line uses vivid imagery to suggest that the pink
flowers are almost bursƟng through a broken wall, eager
to grow and thrive.
“And willows growing round the dam”
This line suggests that the willows were once bare and
lifeless, but now they are growing around the water
source.
“May now be seen”
The use of "may" suggests that this is a new development,
something that was not possible before.
“With all their traceries of twigs”
This line suggests that the willows are like delicate webs,
intricate and beautiful.
“Just hesitating to be green”
This line suggests that the willows are almost hesitant to
grow, as if they are waiting for the right time.
“Soon to be hung with colonies”
This line suggests that the willows will soon be covered
with nests, full of new life
“All swaying with the leaves”
This line suggests that the nests are moving with the
leaves, almost dancing in the wind
“Of pendent wicker love-nests”
The use of "pendent" suggests that the nests are hanging,
and the use of "love-nests" suggests that they are full of
new life and love.
“The pretty loxia weaves”
This line suggests that the loxia, a type of bird, is weaving
the nests and adding to the new life in the veld.