FATHERS

Oh! dear fathers,  
Why so reckless and shameless?  
While mothers alone are left dripping—  
In the waves and pounds of nine long months.  
The babies' cries and daily needs,  
Their care,  
Each sunrise brings a stressful day,  
And their burdens carry no joy.  
The laments, the struggles,  
The sorrows—  
They bear it all.  
Yet still, you show no remorse.  

Behold, a chaotic ballet:  
Babies thrown, discarded,  
Lost in the shadows of unknown identities.  
Betrayers break their vows,  
And escape through open windows.  
Broken homes drown in rain,  
Pregnancies abandoned,  
Innocent souls lost before they begin.  
I tremble in fear.  

Hello! whispers the chaos,  
As parenthood turns tragic.  
Mothers—lost, broke, and unaided,  
Children wander in the debt of despair,  
While solitude conquers the hearts of women.

But as for my father,
A treasure from heaven,
No man as him, echoes  my joy,
And my gratitude too insufficient.

       POEM’S CONTENT

The poem contrasts two types of fatherhood:
1. Absent, reckless fathers who leave pain and chaos behind.
2. The poet father, who stands as a symbol of love, protection, and gratitude.

It’s both a social critique and a personal tribute.

Themes:

1. Parental Responsibility vs. Abandonment – The first two stanzas show how neglectful fatherhood harms families.
2. Maternal Struggle – Mothers suffer and sacrifice while fathers escape.
3. Family Breakdown – Broken homes, identity loss, and despair arise from paternal neglect.
4. Emotional Chaos – Strong emotions of sorrow, fear, and loneliness dominate.
5. Gratitude and Love – The final stanza honors your father as rare and deeply appreciated.

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Tone:

- Accusatory and mournful (first part)
- Fearful and reflective (middle)
- Loving and grateful (final lines)

This tonal shift adds depth—your poem doesn't just blame, it balances justice with love.

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Literary Devices:

- Apostrophe: Speaking directly to "fathers" and "his father."

- Imagery: “Chaotic ballet,” “drown in rain,” “debt of despair” evoke vivid emotional scenes.
- Alliteration: “Babies... discarded,” “debt of despair,” adds musicality.
- Metaphor:
   - “Dripping” – physical and emotional toll of motherhood  
   - “Broken homes drown in rain” – suffering and sadness
   - “A treasure from heaven” – divine praise for your father
- Contrast: Harsh criticism of most fathers vs. pure praise for your own. This is very effective.

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             SETTINGS OF THE POEM
The poem was written due to the various difficulties and circumstances endure by mothers mostly from teenage hood unto adulthood, and for his father as a gratitude the same one who took care of him as a single parent since birth. As a result Dookwon Iswamaf the poet who is so fun of writing tragic poem like « mission impossible « laments " and others wrote this poem "Fathers " on the 30 July 2025 at mid day 12:00pm.


Structure & Form:

- Free verse – No fixed rhyme, allowing emotional freedom.
- 3 main stanzas of critique, then 1 stanza of praise – this structure creates impact and emotional contrast.

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Final Message:

You expose the damage caused by heartless fatherhood but end with hope and appreciation. Your final words turn the poem into a celebration of good fatherhood, showing that not all men are lost—some are sacred.

LAMENTS __ DOOKWON ISWAMAF

Why is this world so heartless?,
Mens so helpless,
Blinds so sightless,
Cripples walkless,
Dums speechless.
And yet echoes no remorse.

The agonies endless,
The people careless,
The poor worthless,
The weak fightless,
I told myself,
Clinging to regrets.

Pounded in tears
As mankind merciless,
The wicked mindless,
Shameless and fearless,
The rich ruthless,
And humans too fairless.

But as for you the poet,
Hopeless in the wounds,
Inchless are my pains,
For the world suffers the most.


            Content analysis
   The poem is a cry against apathy and injustice. By cataloguing every form of human frailty, the speaker shows not only that suffering is universal but also that society refuses to acknowledge or alleviate it. In the end, the poet—while wounded—feels those personal wounds are trivial compared to the world’s vast, unremitting agony. It is both a lament and a call to moral awareness: if even poets can only lament, what hope is there for real change?.
    
     The theme of universal sufferings vs collective differences:

– The poem’s repeated –less suffixes dramatize how many groups lack the very qualities that sustain life and society: sight, speech, compassion.  
     – The world’s refusal to feel remorse highlights the gap between human pain and human empathy.  

  Theme of powerless and social injustice:
  – The poor, the weak, the disabled are not only disadvantaged—they are actively dismissed as “worthless” or “fightless.”  
     – The poem indicts both “the rich ruthless” and “humans too fairless,” suggesting systemic and cultural failures.  

Theme of inner despair and the poet role:
– The speaker alternates between rage at “mankind merciless” and personal grief (“pounded in tears”).  
     – In the final stanza the poet admits personal hopelessness (“inchless are my pains”) but also asserts that the world’s wounds are far greater.  
     – This creates a tension: poetry as witness, but impotent to heal.  

SETTING OF THE POEM
     The poem was set at 1:00am, 17th July 2025, in  the rainy season.
  
TONE OF THE POEM

– From accusatory lament (“world so heartless… echoes no remorse”) to self-reflection (“I told myself, Clinging to regrets”) to a broader indictment of society (lines 13–18) and finally to a world-scale compassion (“the world suffers the most”).  

   LITERARY DEVICES

• Anaphora/Parallelism:  
     – Successive lines ending in –less reinforce the sense of deficit and deprivation.  
   • Rhetorical Question:  
     – “Why is this world so heartless?” opens the poem with doubt and summons the reader’s conscience.  
   • Alliteration & Assonance:  
     – “Pounded in tears,” “merciless… mindless,” “shameless and fearless”—these patterns heighten the emotional drive.

MOTHERLAND By Dookwon Iswamaf.

A long time I awaited,  
Home sweet the saying goes,  
At noon the sun blazes, no joy in its rays,  
The land dry, with savanna stretching far,  
The mountains I applauded, proud and majestic,  
And as for cattle, plenty in fields, grazing free,  
And as for horses and camels, inimaginable,                             Relived I felt at first sight, a homecoming delight,  
But once again, my eagerness betrayed me—  
My first meal tasted overhyped, a memory tinted by  
The beautiful city chanting in my mind,  
"Bamako, Bamako," I heard of it, echoes of promise.

The city large and bright, bustling and alive,  
And at night, a paradise woven in whispers.  
Wow! My excitement unfurled,  
Then, the morning of my first sunrise arrived,  
But the shocking therapy I encountered—  
As rats and cockroaches danced unabashedly  
In broad daylight, their daring a daily show,  
And as for mosquitoes and flies, an incessant annoyance,  
A shake of the head proved insufficient,  
The town thrumming, as people scuttled like ants,  
Mentalities low and impoverished,  
Uncivilization ruling their souls like a heavy shroud.

Yet, amidst the chaotic ballet,  
The fancy cars and a million bikes caught my eye,  
And the highways, vast and inviting to whistle along,  
Though the streets and traffic lights amazed me,  
I found myself yearning for more;  
"Bamako, Bamako," I mused, lost in thought.

The strangers, worshipped like kings without crowns,  
Meals cheap yet plentiful, filling bellies but not hearts.  
Then, the rising palaces, difficult to admire,  
The police and traffic guards, gentle yet firm,  
The markets alive, women’s voices an echoing symphony,  
As their laughter and shouts brewed in the sky.  
The views, pleasant and magnificent,  
The administrative blocks, bridges, and buildings unmatched—  
"Bamako, Bamako," I told myself, clinging to hope.

Yet shame washed over me,  
As beggars, starving, barefoot in the streets,  
And the ghettos, acutely miserable,  
As children wandered, lost, not schooled,  
"Hello!" a voice appeared, rising above the chaos.  
The weather cut dry, the heat biting,  
Dust and dirt swirling, relentless in its chase,  
Then swells and scabs, showing no mercy,  
But oh, how the mangoes and melons glistened,  
Unperishable delights in the midst of despair,  
"Bamako, Bamako," I pondered, caught in the weave.

Yet, the tradition burned stronger here—  
Well-cultured and valued are women,  
Respected are elders, poignant reminders  
Of a heritage rooted deep, rich as the soil,  
And whispers of welcome fluttered like wings,  
In this tapestry of life, love, and loss,  
Bamako, Bamako, my heart echoed,  
A motherland that held both beauty and scars,  
Promise and heartache entwined in its history,  
A place where even the dust carries stories,  
And the sun, flickering in hope, rises again.

        Content Matter

The poem is all about a long home coming which the poet entitled “Motherland” after experiencing and describing life in Mali for 7 months.

Dookwon was away for 13 good years,and at his return excited to see the dreamed nation that he left since he was a kid. Upon his arrival, he meet a lots of things and after a 7 months experience he dedicated this poem as a testimony to the nation in expressing his gratitude and desire of having a chance to see the reality of the nation that he heard stories of.
Apparently, the speaker noticed a lot of his hometown both positive and negative appearances such as
“Mountains” looking statued and majestic like two mens standing and greeting each other. Then the land resembling a desert with a dry weather a melting sun. While the horses and camels never seen in my life the cattles too much, the people
so kind hearted that strangers are taken care of like gods, the capital city a beautiful palace to admire,the people’s mentalities low that they grieve against a language instead of their masters, the people so peaceful that aggression or stealing is a curse. The people plenty, the beggars starving and the children wondered to hate school, Educational standards worthless. Fearsome to see March for the scratching and swelling, mud and dust overtakes the land. But the mangoes and melons always survive, Tradition stands steel(the act of eating hot food with bear hand)womens dress more like Africans than westerners, and old people nerver retires out of help and respect. Mali Bamako the nation that I met full of love and care.

Themes of the poem:

1.   Idealization versus Reality  
     – The speaker arrives expecting a “homecoming delight” and visions of pastoral beauty and a glowing city. Instead, they find rats, cockroaches, poverty, and social disorder.  
     – This tension between fantasy and the grit of lived experience underscores much of the poem’s emotional power.

2.   Nostalgia and Belonging  
     – Repeated invocations of “Bamako, Bamako” reveal a deep longing for place and cultural roots.  
     – Even amid disappointment, the refrain signals that the speaker cannot let go of their bond with the motherland.

3.   Disillusionment and Shock  
     – Initial awe at the landscape, livestock, grand mountains, and promise of the city gives way to a sense of betrayal.  
     – The contrast between expectation (“paradise woven in whispers”) and the harsh “shocking therapy” of squalor drives home the speaker’s emotional upheaval.

4.   Nature and Landscape  
     – The savanna, blazing sun, proud mountains, grazing cattle, camels, and horses set up an almost mythical stage for the homecoming.  
     – Nature both welcomes and disappoints—its beauty cannot mask the social ills that follow.

5.   Urbanization and Modernity  
     – Fancy cars, highways, traffic lights, modern bridges, administrative blocks, and rising palaces speak to development and ambition.  
     – Yet these symbols of progress sit uneasily beside beggars, scuttling crowds, and rudimentary living conditions( like children lacking school).

6.   Poverty and Social Inequality  
     – Rats, cockroaches, flies, and mosquitoes become metaphors for the neglect of public health and infrastructure.  
     – Beggars barefoot in the streets and low “mentalities” highlight stark disparities between wealth and destitution.

7.   Cultural Vitality and Community  
     – Despite hardships, markets pulse with women’s laughter and shouting, meals are “cheap yet plentiful,” and strangers are “worshipped like kings.”  
     – This underlines resilience, hospitality, and a communal spirit that persists in adversity.

8.   Ambivalence and Hope  
     – Throughout the poem the speaker oscillates between disgust, shame, wonder, and reluctant admiration.  
     – The refrain “Bamako, Bamako” evolves from a naïve chant of promise to a fragile talisman of hope and identity.

9.   Identity and Self-Discovery  
     – The journey home forces the speaker to reconcile personal memories and national myths with contemporary realities.  
     – The poem becomes a mirror, reflecting how homeland shapes, betrays, and ultimately defines us.

10.  Juxtaposition of Tradition and Progress  
     – Livestock and savanna evoke traditional rural life, while highways, police, traffic guards, and skyscrapers point toward modernity.  

  SETTINGS AND STRUCTURE

Settings of the poem
The poem was written 7 months after the poet arrival in his hometown after 13 good years leaving in Sierra Leone.

The poet finally mentioned this poem “Motherland” the 5th July 2025, 11:30 pm in the rainy seasons.

STRUCTURE AND LITERARY DEVICES OF THE POEM


Stanza 1 (lines 1–8)  
• 8 lines, lush natural imagery (savanna, mountains, cattle, camels)  
• Repeated “And as for…” builds an almost biblical catalogue of bounty  
• Tone: celebratory, eager  

Stanza 2 (lines 9–12)  
• 4 lines, shift to disappointment (“my eagerness betrayed me—”)  
• First appearance of refrain, buried in the speaker’s thought:  
   “ ‘Bamako, Bamako,’ I heard of it, echoes of promise.”  
• Tone: reflective, half-in-nostalgia  

Stanza 3 (lines 13–19)  
• 7 lines, the city’s night → daylight: from wonder to horror (rats, roaches, mosquitoes)  
• Harsh, visceral diction (“danced unabashedly,” “incessant annoyance”)  

Stanza 4 (lines 20–24)  
• 5 lines, urban bustle likened to an anthill, acute poverty, ghetto misery  
• Simile (“like ants”), harsh alliteration stresses social breakdown  
• Tone: critical, almost despairing  

Stanza 5 (lines 25–30)  
• 6 lines, sudden note of marvel—highways, cars, traffic lights—renewed yearning  
• Reprise of refrain, this time internal: “ ‘Bamako, Bamako,’ I mused, lost in thought.”  
• Tone: conflicted hope  

Stanza 6 (lines 31–39)  
• 9 lines, fuller portrait of city life—strangers exalted, cheap filling meals, rising palaces, gentle authority, vibrant markets  
• Refrain surfaces again: “ ‘Bamako, Bamako,’ I told myself, clinging to hope.”  
• Tone: tentative reconciliation  

Stanza 7 (lines 40–49)  
• ~10 lines, sudden shame at the sight of barefoot beggars, lost children, dust and heat  
• Vivid contrasts: “swells and scabs” vs. “mangoes and melons glistened”  
• Refrain woven into the midst of despair:  
   “ ‘Bamako, Bamako,’ I pondered, caught in the weave.”  
• Tone: sorrowful compassion cushioned by small delights  

Stanza 8 (lines 50–60)  
• ~11 lines, turn toward cultural pride—women honored, elders revered, traditions alive  
• Metaphor of life as a tapestry; whispers of welcome  
• Refrain emerges again as a heartfelt echo: “Bamako, Bamako, my heart echoed,”  
• Closes without the refrain but with a final image of hope: “And the sun, flickering in hope, rises again.”  
• Tone: warm, reconciled, tenderly proud  

• Free verse throughout—no fixed meter or rhyme scheme  
• Refrain (“Bamako, Bamako”) appears at stanzas 2, 5, 6, 7 and in mid-stanza 8—serves as emotional and structural anchor  
• Three-phase arc:  
  1. Idealized arrival → culture shock  
  2. Urban chaos tempered by modern marvels  
  3. Compassion, cultural roots, final reconciliation  
• Rich imagery and contrasts (natural vs. urban, squalor vs. bounty)  
• Anaphora (“And as for…,” “As rats…,” “Yet…”) and simile deepen emotional impact  
• Tone shifts—from celebratory → critical → hopeful—carry the reader on a full emotional journey

Mission impossible

A long night I grieve of it,
Along the paths of a wooden, dark forest.  
For a journey,  
Such a long journey,  
The adventure deep,  
The darkness sharp,  
With very dead ends,  
In tenebrous shadows.

And the light crashes,  
Dimes and shouts down  
In droughts of nightmares.  
Plenty of times I shed tears,  
The gloomy clouds enveloping the land,  
While autumn storms gallop on stage,  
Sheltered in agony,  
Under traumas of lightnings, tunnels,  
Overwhelming shadows and darkness appear,  
Pain echoing a sad eye,  
As humanity remains unfriendly.  
So worthless, am I?

Ridiculed, a rejected land,  
Degrading laughter,  
And the violent respect of roses.  
Cries of the blood of an innocent boy,  
In tears like an ocean,  
A wondering height clashing dreams,  
My heart on edges,  
Fate remains hidden.

Into a “Black Fall,” I pray,  
Battling the darkness,  
Alone in the wired dark,  
Terrified, nervous.  
Through the crave den of brutal pins,  
Shattered in a black spell.

Drawn in darkness,
Eclipse rains,
Death hunting my soul,

Through tombs I Slender,
Gripping for hopes,
As I stumble in the dark,

But will I rise again?
And can’t this be my path to glory?.
    ABOUT THE POET                            

A Malian born who grew up in another land that was odd of his own. Spending 13 years of sorrowful experiences made him to feel inferior and degrading among society. His sufferings and challenges that he faced in Sierra Leone gave him the conviction that the world is filled with injustice and violence, impurity and tremendous hardships that had never crossed his mind during his childhood.His disturbing life cycle was like a spell cage or a cursed rotating his personality making him to look miserable and surbodinent  towards others even though he was more talented. Every were he goes was always the same that even his own nation(Mali)couldn’t help and his parents had enough of his poor condition while leaving him alone to bleed and grieve in tears as a result of this psychological effect. The method of being discriminated and ignored because of certain criterias even by his own relatives, gave him the impression that no matter how  hard he tries to achieve in life he would never attain his dreams, leaving him to grieve in pain and fear as he named his birthday present “Mission Impossible “
         SUBJECT MATTER
The poem Mission Impossible by Dookwon Iswamaf presents a haunting exploitation of despair, isolation and the struggle for hope amidst overwhelming darkness.
The “wooden and dark forest”, which symbolizes a place of uncertainty and fear, reflecting the internal journey of the speaker. The “long night” signifies a period of grief and personal struggle, where the depth of the forest mirrors the emotional turmoil experience. As the poem progresses, the imageries becomes increasingly vivid,portraying a landscape filled with “gloomy clouds”,” autumn storms “, and the “traumas of lighting and tunnels” of which contributed to the atmosphere of anguish and despair.
The speaker feels a profound sense of loneliness and worthlessness, articulated through the lines like “As humanity remains unfriendly” and “So worthless am I?” These feelings exacerbated by societal rejection and ridicule, which turn the journey into a battle not only against external forces but also inner demons as he exclaims "death hunting my soul".The “cries of the innocent boy”and “ the violent respect of roses” brings a stark confrontation with violence and loss, exemplifying the speaker’s emotional weight especially against the opposite ***.
As darkness blanket the landscape, as revealed "Overwhelming shadows and darkness appear"which symbolizes a world of impurity. However, amidst the chaos, as he longs for connection and hope, displayed in the speaker’s struggles through the “brutal pins”, “black spell"and the metaphor of being “gripped for hopes” highlights the tension of giving up and the desire to persevere.
Ultimately, the poem culminates in a critical moment of introspection, where the speaker questioned the ability to rise again, Pondering whether these struggles can lead to a path of glory. The repeated imagery of darkness contrast with the hope for a brighter future which seems to be impossible due to human imaginations, illustrating a universal theme of resilience in the face of overwhelming odds.The title “Mission impossible” encapsulates this conflict—an acknowledgement
the journey is fraught with challenges, yet also a testament to the human spirit’s quest for redemption and light even in the bleakest of circumstances.
  There are various themes used in the poem, these are:
1, Theme of despair and grief:from the outset, the speaker expresses a profound sense grief, evidenced by lines like “ A long night I grieve of it” encapsulates a period of sufferings, suggesting a significant emotional burden and a struggle against overwhelming feelings of sadness. The imagery of a “wooden and dark forest” a journey through life uncertainties, where the paths are obscured and the destination unclear.
2,Themes of isolation and loneliness
Throughout the poem, the speaker feels lonely in his journey. So phrases like “Battling the darkness,” "alone in the wired and dark" emphasizing the sense of isolation. This resonates with the theme of feeling disconnected from others, particularly in moments of hardships, leading to an intensified emotion of loneliness amidst the struggles.
3,Theme of struggle between light and darkness: The poem contrasts elements of light and darkness frequently. The “very dead ends of tenebrous shadows” suggests hopelessness in dark situations, while “the light crashes, dimes, and shouts down in droughts of nightmares” implies that even attempts at hope maybe met with obstacles and personal demons. This dualism reflects the universal human experience of battling inner darkness yearning for light.
4, Theme of nature as a reflection of inner turmoil: The natural imagery throughout — such as “gloomy clouds”, “autumn storms”, and reflects the emotional state. Nature serves as a metaphor for internal struggles, with the storms depicting chaos and tumult..
5, Theme of innocence and violence
The mention of the “cries the blood of an innocent boy” serves as a stark reminder to the violence that exists in the world, provoking thoughts on the loss of innocence. This theme invites readers to reflect on societal abuse on issues, suggesting that the turmoil within the speaker’s heart maybe a microcosm of a lager or more brutal reality.
6,Existential reflections.
The poem poses existential questions, particularly in lines, “ But will I rise again? And can’t this be my path to glory?”. This reflects an inner conflict, where the speaker grapples the identity, purpose, and the possibility of transformation.The repetition of self-doubt and the quest for meaning amid sufferings embodies the human longing for significance and redemption.
7, Hope Amidst despair.
Even in the depth of darkness, there is a flicker of hope that surface towards the end of the poem. “gripping for hopes”. This tension between despair and hope speak to the resilience of the human spirit. It suggests that the overwhelming feelings of being trapped into a “black spell”, the desire to rise again a yearning to overcome adversity.
8, Mystery and depth of emotion.
The poem’s language suggests a layer of meaning, particularly in phrases like “Shattered in a black spell".This serves to illustrate the complexity of emotions the speaker experience, hinting at the intricate web of pain, hope, and the human condition itself.
    STRUCTURE OF THE POEM.
The poem uses rich imageries, magnificent literary devices and powerful themes which resonates the speaker’s mind to an ugly phenomena that passed on throughout his struggling journey. These emotional depths and vivid  description invites readers to reflect on the various challenges in human experiences and the possibility for human redemption.
The poem is a (38)line poem with the use of short phrases and free flow rhyming making the story pretty emotional and frustrating.
      SETTINGS OF THE POEM.
The poem was set in the poet’s homeland (Mali) were he was born, after being in order land for 13 years, were he land about the struggles of life. This was quite unfortunate that even his own nation is unable to comfort him.
As a result, at midnight, December 22 in the cold of winter he gave himself this birthday gift called “Mission impossible”.
TONE OR MOOD OF THE WRITER.
It’s clearly seen in the poem, in phrases like “A long night I grieve of it”, “Along the path of a wooden and dark forest”. Signifies the tragic experiences he had of his life cycle demanding him to be frustrated, angry, sorrowful, and grieved when narrating this poem.
   IMAGERIES AND SYMBOLISM
“A long night I grieve of it” which symbolizes a period of time filled with profound agony.
“Along the path of a wooden and dark forest”which symbolizes a sense of vivid despair and isolation.
"Death hunting my soul”_ relating to the psychological effect of the protagonist’s experiences.
“For a journey and such a long journey”_ symbolizes life.
“The adventure deep, the darkness sharp”symbolizes the duality of been excited of coming into the world, and the struggles that over-warms it’s atmosphere.
“The very dead ends of tenebrous shadows ” symbolizes the den of grave despair.
“And the light crashes, dimes and shouts down in droughts of nightmares”_ A regrettable voice of the poet who’s personality is taniched  and destroyed due to certain circumstances.
“Overwhelming shadows and darkness appear”_ emphasizes on a darkness underscore with profound despair in a world filled with impurity.
“And in the violence respect of roses” signifies the degrading and brutal insults of women towards the poet’s life cycle
“Cries the blood of an innocent boy”- The loss of justice due to certain personalities
“ A Wondering height” Dreams seems unreachable.
“The edge” signifies self struggle
“Into a Black Fall”_ creating a place of no return(a profound spell cage or a coursed of a periodic cycle).
“In the wired and dark” indicate a state of confusion and entrapment
“Through the crave den of brutal pins”_ evokes a place of agony.
“ shattered in a black spell”_ overwhelming experience that leads to fragmentation
“Eclipse rains” suggesting overshadowing of hope by despair
“Death hunting my soul"_ a depicting force that expresses mortality
“By the tombs I slender”_ conveys fragility and vulnerability in the face of death
“Gripping for hopes”_ indicates the optimism to hold on to life
“As I stumbled in the  dark” a sense of falling into a great struggle
“But will I rise again?” Expressive doubts about surviving life terrors
“And can’t this be my path to glory?”_ suggests a quest for redemption and success through life challenges.
       LITERARY DEVICES
Symbolism.
Alliteration.
Repetitions.
Contrasts.
Metaphor.
Perso­nification.
Paradox.
Rhetorical question.
Simile.
              POEM RESOLUTION
The poem is an imagery which evokes powerful emotions that resonates with anyone grappling with their struggles, reflecting a universal narrative of battling profound inner darkness and seeking a path towards redemption even at the bleakest of circumstances.

The Lion’s den- Dookwon Iswamaf.      Autobiography of the poet.                      

Born in Mali, year 2006 December 22 grew up with his father after the tragic death of his mum. Then at age five (5), travel to Sierra Leone upon the call of the mission of the unification church, where he faced a lot of tremendous challenges and obstacles as a result of the ugly damage of the organization.                
       The poet attended the Evenly’s Royal Academy for his primary level and continued his secondary studies in the Dr David Arnold high school, then finally sat his WASSCE exams at the ST. Ambrose Academy.                                                                

Dookwon’s motive for writing this poem is to systematically appeal about the past sufferings and struggling that mankind ****** at his face, and the gain of once achievements after going through deadly hardships in a chaotic environment.         Soon in odds of these request, on the 1st of October 2024 at age 17, he made a resolution of writing this poem.                    
                  

The Lion’s den.  

Stilled in the land of war,  
Built with shadows and darkness,  
Dressed with narrows and thorny paths.  

Trials and tests are no fail.  
Oh you stubborn boy, Malian born.  
Rains and sun-rays strike from plants;  
Warriors grieved  
Their own swords.  
The cloudy night and dangerous storms  
Far from over.  
Peace and love are far from reality.  
Oh you stubborn boy, Malian born.  

The den clothed in the Red Sea,  
Painful laughter and cries are known for us.  
The fearless monks appeal for bloodshed;  
Smiles the tyrannic’s impure dance.  
The last days we await.  
No more.  
Oh you stubborn boy, Malian born.  

The white doves are fierce fighters,  
The underdogs.  
And as for the plants on the sad height,  
The sun rays will come,  
And the wounded fruits will tell  
On the battle of the fists.  
Oh you stubborn boy, Malian born.  



Contexts analysis  

The background of the poem revolves around an unacceptable agony raining in a certain environment. To the extent,  the poet registered a note of protest where by the entire area of land is view as having been drowned into a great disaster called the Red Sea as illustrated in line 13 of the poem.   However, the protagonist serves as a voice of laments and regrets against the the unfairness and injustice behaviors manifested in this awful environment.                          
     So therefore in claim of these ugly satire, and negative metamorphic images like “blood shed”, shadows and darkness”,red sea”, cloudy night and dangerous storms”,are all effective and strong enough to show the protagonist believability in comparing its to the “Lion’s den “.
              EVIL AND SUFFOCATION
The poem thematically reveals the ruthless actions of the tyrannic towards his  surbodinents, and how will it’s affect the sphere of the environment and thereafter.                    
        Furthermore, these evil practices and painful cries inflicted, were used to suppress and torture the lives of these prospective victims who are in pain and agony.          The Lion here demonstrated his evil and suffocating plans through the use of spiritual powers which makes him faroushed  and untouchable despite his evil nature. In this case, the people or masses of that land suffered fearful events, such as the death of honest blood, the delay of prominent destines, the decline of future generations, and the introduction of malefic objects in product of sebeh , charms and hamelets, witches pots etc in order to create more disasters and suffering than ever before.                            
         As mentioned earlier in the third stanza of the poem that....” The den clothed into the Red Sea, painful laughters and cries are known for us, The fearless monks appeals for blood shed, Smiles the tyrannic’s impure dance. The last days we awaits, No more”. The above quotations reminds us about how perishable and evil the environment looks like in an actual face especially with the lead of a ferocious and selfish actor.                    To continue, the poet further expresses his anger and frustration on the emotional anguish suffered by these innocent people in request of their bubbling dreams.  In other words, it is rather unfortunate that these ungodly and acquit scenarios played a vital role to the submission and degrading lives of these faithful servants, making the tyrannic too powerful and threat-full to  the successful reach of their flaming fate.                                                                
      So as a result, of this calamentical avenues the environment becomes miserable and perishable in an actual face, no sign of progress is seen in reality all we know are pathetic circumstances and detorating  features appearing our ways, leaving us to grieve in fear and to wait for the “last days “ as illustrated in stanza (3).                              
      THE EXPERIENCE OF BAD LEADERSHIP.                
Leadership is not a bed for roses, but should be a field of sacrifices. The ugly experience that goes with the gandeur of power is clearly illustrated in the poem.   As a result of missues and misrule of power a cleaver call is made for a major theme capture in the poem.             There fore, the protagonist further exposes the negative impacts played by this tyrants rule to the disadvantage of all sphere of life and the environment as a whole.                
      Historically,this tyrants lion exercises his superiority and dominance over these faithful servants through evil practices, dictatorship and authoritarianism.   Thus, major aftermaths of the tyrannical governance over this entire environment, is a horror of awful and shameful experiences in the venom of its regime. Effectively, the poet further re-established his sorrow and grieve on the “shadows and darkness “ encountered by these surbodinents in provocation of their golden dreams.
As a matter of facts, their longing goals were drawned into the “Red Sea” , leaving them to perish in pain and despair through evil manipulation in result of absolute power.                                                                Unfortunately though,they have seen and witnessed their lives, reputations, futures, and stars been destroyed under the alter of selfishness and greed, the poetic personnel theologically expresses the horrible and unacceptable agony pouring on this deadly zone, terrorizing the request for success and progress in the society.   This was clearly captured in the second stanza of the poem which reads” rains and sun rays strike from plants, warriors grieved, their own swords, (lines 6,7,8).                                     The above quotations also bring light to the horrific punishment injected in the lives of these members who where discriminated, deprived, bullied, and even depressed by this tyrannic lead.               The predicaments and sufferings (shadows) undergone by these loosing servants in the hands of this worthless and ruthless being has its infinetic consequences unto today’s era. This can also observe the probability of members loosing their faith, and also creating the use of violence and disharmony as it was logically proposed that “peace and love is far from reality”.                
       Despite these ungodly experiences, the poet also regards this part of the poem as a test for these brave warriors to persevere, endure and maintain faith for the “last days” to answer their tearful prayers.                  
In sincerity, these vibrants mens before the catastrophe were aiming for prosperity and development in the land, society, and nation as a whole, breaking through their lives endeavors . The speaker nervously confirms that these imperishable hopes should remain at the corner of their bleeding hearts, for the day to achieve freedom and succeed as it was proclaimed “ And as for the plants on the sad height, the sun rays will come”.                                          Another consequence of this chaotic scenarios is dictatorship and authoritarianism. The poem is a protest poem chronicling the peak of terrors by which members with the environment were wantonly abused, spoiled and exploited by this ironic lead. The background of the poem is drowned from the 2012 change of Leadership in the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification in Sierra Leone, which set up the heat for members to be arranged in hierarchal form with their leaders in each regions of Heavenly Africa. This part therefore serves as a voice of reason and condemnation against the injustice and unfair treatment meted against these members, by this superiors. The poet executively proclaims that, the entire area of land is viewed as terrifically deadly and destroyed when he reveals that “stilled in the land of war”, describing the Kind of hardships and obstacles designed in the midst of its atmosphere including all sort of discriminations and fake documentaries pasted on the lives of these members, in protection of this communist failure’s “impure dance”. To the extent, bribery and corruption to some higher ranks of this organization created an oath for embezzlement and self interest crucially detecting  a lead to failure and crisis in the land.
            Finally, as a result of this upsetting circumstances, the poet justifies the uses of trials and tests in the poem as a course of this failing actor bringing life to all sarcastic events in the “ den” which chases prosperity and development far away from human imaginations as a result of its deadly and chaotic nature.
                THE STRONG DESIRE FOR SUCCESS.    
Despite these disgusting scenarios suffered by these inferiors in the hands of this communist monster, the poet emphasizes on a sign of courage that these members will greatly succeed through this horrific conditions and they will do so in memories of those affliction in which their innocent blood is shed for the sake of growth and development: as it was impressed in stanza 3”The den clothed into the Red sea,painful laughters and cries are known for us, the fearless monks appeals for blood shed”(line 14 and15).                                                      
         As introduced earlier in the second theme that, these innocent victims before the disaster were living in a strong desire for greatness guided by progress of purpose through their lives endeavors. The speaker further confirms that these miserable servants of that land will emerge as a great personalities that can help greatly in Our “Heavenly Parents” providence in the future and will attain there golden dreams as he describes them as “plants” in the poem meaning prominent individuals.
         The poem continuously surveys the dotted amount of redemption left in the consciousness of these honest bloods and further prescribe that” And as for the plants on the sad height”, the sun rays will come”( line 22 and 23). The protagonist then continued to raise a claim on the torture and emotional anguish which he feels about this pathetic land and it’s intolerable situation which is vividly evident in the burning tears of the poem.                
   In the poem’s concluding stanza, Dookwon reiterates these helpless slaves will that they should conquer the obstacles through this dead zone and wait for the right moments called the “last days “.
    IMAGERIES AND SYMBOLISM.
So as it identify in the poem, lines (1-5) can be considered as the poet introductory paragraph and lines (6-21) as the narrative, and finally lines (22-25) is the poet’s end of speech.                                                      For example, “stilled in the land of war” create a definate precision about this environment deadly aspect and struggles about it’s life sphere. And the second phrase says “ Built of shadows and darkness” symbolizes the sufferings and struggles implanted in these humble servants avenues and the unfortunate outcomes for their agonistic paths.
           Another important imagery is “rains and sun rays are strike from plants, The cloudy night and dangerous storms, Far from over” lines (6,9-10). The above rewards the shocking caious displayed by this tyrants rule in order to cease all success and progress in hand of this prominent( plants) as he taniches their reputations to the HQ of it’s movement.
         Anxiously, the significant must be mentioned as (line 13,14,15-16) that delivers the chaotic and unbearable calamities befallen the land, as a result of the tyrannic’s impure dance implied in the “den”.(“The den clothed into the Red Sea, Painful laughters and cries know for us, The fearless monks appeals for blood shed, Smiles the tyrannic impure dance”).
    According to the poetic views of it’s concluding stanza, a minimum amount of hope is detected in the bleeding grasses of this chaotic land for the “ last days “ to bring in the light that chases the darkness through a trapping tunnel as it’s precisely says”And as for the plants on the sad height, the sun rays will come, And the wounded fruits will tell on the battle of the fists”( line 22,23-24).
            DICTIONS OF WORDS
This part of the poem reminds us about the choice of words used to express the grief the poet. In addition, the form of the poet is pathetic in nature.
Moreover, the poet’s expression and choice of words used to describe the environmental catastrophe is sensitively declared through these choices of words:
Darkness- sufferings
Shadows - struggles
Rains - progress      
Sun rays- success
Plants- prominent individuals
Warriors- ordinary masses
Swords- hope                            Cloudy night- discrimination
Dangerous storms- criticism
Red Sea - Disasters
Painful laughters- Evil mockeries
Fearless monks- Elders
Blood shed- Evil sacrifices
Impure dance- malefic games           The last days- The ultimate change   The white doves- The corruptive leaders
The underdogs-The underrates
Wounded fruits - unborn generation
Battle of the fists- The story.
      TONE OR MOOD OF WRITER
The protagonist’s mood in writing this poem is dearly testified by the poem’s drastic metaphors, causing the poet to become mourning , sorrowful, and hopeful in writing this poem.
       SETTINGS AND STRUCTURE OF THE POEM.
“The Lion’s Den” was set in Sierra Leone, Freetown at night by 20:00(GMT) in the rainy season
Date:1st October 2024.
          STRUCTURE OF THE POEM
The poem is made up of 4 stanzas with 25 lines. The first stanza is a quintet which includes five lines. The second is a septet, which is also for the third stanza. And the last stanza consist of six lines which is called a sextet, the poem is also consist of epic proportions and inward rhymes creating a tension of despair in this context. Eventually, the poem is known as an ugly satire because of it’s pathetic nature.
       POETIC DEVICES
Alliteration:this is found within the first line of the poem showing the reputation of the sound of”w”showing the weight of war.Alliteration is also find in line (4) which says “Trials and Test are no fail” emphasizing the use of “t”.         Finally line(10) collect the repetition of “f” by declaring far from over.          Metaphor:is found in the second, thirteen and twenty second lines in the poem which detect “ built of shadows and darkness,the den clothed into the redsea, the sun rays will come “.        
Symbolism:line 3__”dressed with narrows and throny paths”.                  
Paradox:as unsealed in line(4) of the poem with the words “trials and tests” describing the inevitable challenges in that landscape.                    
Personification:in the various lines it’s has been examined of personification things and places giving human qualities in order to create a most intense and pathetic atmosphere starting with lines:6,16
and 24 which says that “rains and sun rays are strike from plants, smiles the tyrannic’s impure dance,and the wounded fruits will tell on the battle of the fists”.
Imagery:invoked in the first,third, seventh,ninth,twenty-third, and twenty fouth lines of the poem symbolizing a forbidden atmosphere in that entire land scape.
Metonymy:found in line (8) of the poem as it’s reads “their own swords” symbolizing war in a form of lies against innocents souls.
Juxtaposition:”peace and love is far from reality,The fearless monks appeals for blood shed”...( line 11-15). Showing the contradiction of the writer’s world.
Contrast:The juxtaposition of(rains and sun rays coming together implies the duality of hope as noted in line 7.
Oxymoron:this is juxtaposed in line 14 which appeals that “painful laughters and cries are known for us”. This creates joy and sorrow at the same time in the poem.
Ambiguity:
In line 17 we can see that both the end of sufferings and finality is aimed for in the phrase as it’s claims that”The last days we awaits “ suggesting a ******.
Irony: in terms of this figurative device we clearly observe such in line 20 where in the protagonist uses the white doves as an irony in order to manifest the contracting actions of these corrupt leaders who hereby contribute greatly to the destruction of the providence.
Characterization: these is updated from line 21 which creates an oppressive tone uploaded on the lives of these members making them to feel rejected and worthless as the poet declared them as “underdogs”.
Repetition: Declared in line (5,12,19,25) giving a deadly impression about an entire landscape who sounds been in a great explosion as he repeatedly sounds his identity and nationality in sign of regrets.

       POEM’S RESOLUTION

This story peaks out the saying that “After the tunnels is the sunshine”i.e In all stages of life, there’s no success without tears.