South Africa
Facts, literature, and adventure
About South Africa
Dennis Brutus
Picutres
Nightsong City
the harbor lights glaze over restless docks,
police cars cockroach through the tunnel streets;
from the shanties creaking iron-sheets
violence like a bug-infested rag is tossed
and fear is immanent as sound in the wind-swung bell;
the long day’s anger pants from sand and rocks;
but for this breathing night at least,
my land, my love, sleep well.
The poem is almost a love song to South Africa. He has such a strong love for this country and in the poem he talks about the apartheid and what the Blacks of South Africa faced daily. His tone is heartfelt and yearning for his country. He wants there to be peace so badly. The theme of this poem is to take one breath at a time. Meaning to go slow and be patient because peace will come, but for now focus on surviving.