Grade 12 Poetry: 'This Winter Coming' by Karen Press

Summary

The presentation explores Karen Press's poem 'This Winter Coming,' a powerful critique of South Africa's apartheid era. Using an extended metaphor of a storm, the poem conveys the fear and unrest of 1986, symbolizing the struggle against oppression. It vividly portrays the societal divisions, highlighting the plight of women, men, and children amidst the impending civil war. The poem's free verse structure intensifies its themes of rebellion, defiance, and the looming specter of violence, resonating with the universal human experience of fear in the face of political upheaval.

Takeaways

• 📜 'This Winter Coming' is a poem by Karen Press, reflecting on the socio-political climate of South Africa during the apartheid era.
• 🎭 The poem uses an extended metaphor of a winter storm to symbolize the political turmoil and the struggle against apartheid in 1986.
• 👤 Karen Press, born in Cape Town in 1956, focuses on empowerment through education and writing, often highlighting the injustices of apartheid.
• ❄️ The 'winter' in the poem is not just a season but a metaphor for the harsh realities and the impending civil unrest in South Africa.
• 🌊 The storm described in the poem represents both the natural elements and the societal unrest, suggesting a violent and continuous struggle.
• 🚨 The poem references a 'state of emergency,' indicating increased government and military powers, a response to civil disorder during apartheid.
• 🏘️ The poem paints a vivid picture of the city's inhabitants, including women, men, and children, all affected by the socio-economic conditions of apartheid.
• 😔 The sadness and despair of the women are profound, described as a tide that could potentially drown the world, reflecting the emotional toll of apartheid.
• 👦 The children in the poem are depicted as symbols of innocence and resistance, running into the storm and kindling a fire to fight against the winter of oppression.
• 🏛️ The poem contrasts the privileged with the impoverished, highlighting the stark social divide created by the apartheid system.
• 🌧️ The 'sky' and 'rain' are recurring symbols of oppression and suffering, with the impending collapse suggesting the end of the apartheid regime.
• 📝 The poem is structured in free verse, allowing for a fluid expression of the themes of apartheid, change, social upheaval, and the fight for freedom.

Q & A

Who is the poet Karen Press?

Karen Press is a full-time writer and editor born in Cape Town in 1956. She grew up during the apartheid regime and focuses on empowerment and upliftment of people through education and writing.

What is the main theme of the poem 'This Winter Coming'?

The main theme of 'This Winter Coming' is the inequality and damage caused by the apartheid regime in South Africa, using a winter storm as an extended metaphor for the political situation in 1986.

What is an extended metaphor in poetry?

An extended metaphor in poetry is a figure of speech where two ideas are compared throughout the poem, running alongside each other to convey a deeper meaning.

What does the 'winter storm' symbolize in the poem?

The 'winter storm' in the poem symbolizes the political unrest and the potential uprising against the apartheid regime, as well as the apprehension around the government's state of emergency.

What is the significance of the rhetorical question 'who is not frightened?' in the poem?

The rhetorical question 'who is not frightened?' is repeated to emphasize the universal fear and apprehension experienced by all South Africans during the time of the apartheid government's state of emergency.

How does the poem describe the impact of apartheid on the people of South Africa?

The poem describes the impact of apartheid through the imagery of a turbulent sea, sad women, crying children, and men standing like tombstones, illustrating the suffering, inequality, and social divide caused by the regime.

What does the phrase 'the world is so hungry' in the poem signify?

The phrase 'the world is so hungry' signifies the extreme poverty and starvation experienced by the oppressed people under apartheid, as well as the metaphorical hunger for human rights and freedom.

What is the significance of the children lighting a fire in the poem?

The children lighting a fire symbolizes both their literal need for warmth in the harsh winter and their figurative fight against the apartheid system and the government's state of emergency.

How does the poem use the imagery of nature to reflect the social and political conditions in South Africa?

The poem uses the imagery of a violent sea, a dark sky, and a collapsing atmosphere to reflect the social unrest, political instability, and the oppressive conditions of apartheid in South Africa.

What is the form and structure of 'This Winter Coming'?

The poem is written in free verse, which means it does not follow a specific rhythm or rhyme scheme. It is structured into five stanzas, each focusing on different aspects of the societal impact of apartheid.

What are the emotions conveyed through the tone of the poem?

The tone of the poem conveys emotions of anger, rebellion, defiance, and fear, reflecting the struggle and the desire for change in the face of the apartheid regime.

Outlines

00:00

📜 Introduction to 'This Winter Coming'

The video script introduces the poem 'This Winter Coming' by Karen Press, a significant work in the new English Home Language poetry curriculum for 2023. Born in Cape Town during apartheid, Press focuses on empowerment through education and writing. Her poetry, including this poem, reflects the societal inequalities and damages caused by apartheid. The poem uses an extended metaphor of a winter storm to symbolize the political turmoil in South Africa in 1986, with the storm representing both the desire to end apartheid and the apprehension about the government's state of emergency. The poem also touches on the impact of these events on various societal groups, including women, men, children, and those who have died fighting for change.

05:10

🌧️ The Ominous Winter Storm Metaphor

This paragraph delves into the metaphorical representation of the winter storm in the poem, which is described as 'thick' and oppressive, symbolizing the apartheid government's state of emergency and the anticipated increase in state power. The storm is likened to a violent sea, suggesting continuous unrest and resistance against the regime. The poem uses imagery of eroding sand and a shroud-like sky to convey a sense of impending danger and instability. The rhetorical question 'who is not frightened?' is repeated to emphasize the universal fear and apprehension during this period of potential uprising and violence.

10:12

🏙️ Social Inequalities and the Impact of Apartheid

The third paragraph shifts the focus to the social structures and inequalities within the city, highlighting the struggles of domestic workers who leave their homes and children to work in white suburbs. The stark contrast between the clean homes of the privileged and the crying children left behind underscores the segregation and injustice perpetuated by apartheid. The poem uses hyperbole to describe the world's hunger, symbolizing the deprivation of human rights and the dire poverty faced by the oppressed. The return of these women is marked by a sky tolling like a black bell, a simile that foretells death and destruction, possibly as a result of the impending uprising against the apartheid regime.

15:13

👥 The Despair of the Disenfranchised

This paragraph continues to explore the social divide, contrasting the lives of the privileged few with the hunger and poverty of the masses. Men, depicted as old stumps or tombstones with open eyes, symbolize the lost potential and the harsh reality of unemployment under apartheid. They watch as the affluent pass by, indifferent to their plight. The repetition of 'pass them' emphasizes the invisibility of the poor to the privileged. The rhetorical question about fear is reiterated, serving as a call for societal change, while the children's actions in the rain can be seen as a symbol of innocence or a knowing participation in the resistance against apartheid.

20:15

🔥 The Children's Fire and the Coming Winter

The final paragraph brings the focus to the children, who are described as thin and vulnerable yet capable of igniting a fire to combat the cold winter, a metaphor for the fight against apartheid and the government's oppressive measures. The poem ends with a powerful image of the sky collapsing under centuries of rain, symbolizing the long-standing suffering under apartheid and the impending end of the regime. The wind, likened to a mountain crying, suggests the immense emotional weight of the situation. The poem concludes with a rhetorical question that underscores the fear and anticipation of the imminent 'winter,' a time of potential upheaval and change for all South Africans.

Keywords

💡Apartheid

Apartheid refers to the policy of racial segregation and discrimination enforced by the South African government between 1948 and the early 1990s. In the video, the theme of apartheid is central as it discusses the societal and political impacts of this regime, particularly how it created an unequal society and the damage it inflicted. The poem 'This Winter Coming' by Karen Press metaphorically describes the struggle against apartheid, symbolizing the oppressive system as a harsh winter storm.

💡Extended Metaphor

An extended metaphor is a literary device where two ideas are compared throughout a text, running parallel to each other. In the context of the video, the poem uses an extended metaphor of a winter storm to symbolize the political situation in South Africa in 1986, representing the rising tension and potential violence against the apartheid regime.

💡State of Emergency

A state of emergency is a situation in which a government implements special measures, such as increased powers for the police or military, typically in response to civil unrest or natural disasters. The video explains how the state of emergency in apartheid-era South Africa was a response to civil disorder, and the poem uses this concept to convey the heightened tension and fear among the population.

💡Anaphora

Anaphora is a rhetorical device where a word or phrase is repeated for emphasis, often at the beginning of successive clauses. In the script, the rhetorical question 'who is not frightened?' is repeated to underscore the universal fear and apprehension felt by all South Africans during the apartheid era.

💡Hyperbole

Hyperbole is a figure of speech that uses exaggeration for emphasis or dramatic effect. The script mentions 'the world is so hungry' as an example of hyperbole, illustrating the extreme poverty and deprivation experienced by the oppressed people under apartheid, and their metaphorical starvation for human rights.

💡Simile

A simile is a comparison between two different things using 'like' or 'as' to draw a vivid image or make a point. The video script uses similes such as 'the sky tolling like a black bell' and 'thin as the barest twigs' to create powerful imagery and convey the gravity of the situation in South Africa.

💡Free Verse

Free verse is a form of poetry that does not follow a regular meter or rhyme scheme. The poem 'This Winter Coming' is written in free verse, allowing the poet to express the chaotic and turbulent nature of the apartheid era without the constraints of traditional poetic structures.

💡Rhetorical Question

A rhetorical question is a figure of speech in the form of a question that is asked to make a point rather than to elicit an answer. The script repeatedly uses the rhetorical question 'who is not frightened?' to emphasize the collective fear and apprehension shared by the people of South Africa during the time of apartheid.

💡Turbulence

Turbulence refers to a state of instability, disturbance, or confusion. In the context of the video, the term is used to describe the violent sea, symbolizing the unrest and potential violence that might occur in South Africa in response to the apartheid government, indicating the country's social and political instability.

💡Privileged

Privileged refers to individuals who enjoy certain advantages or immunities beyond the common level, often due to social status or wealth. The script contrasts the lives of the privileged few, who are sheltered and well-fed, with the hunger and poverty of the masses, highlighting the stark social inequalities perpetuated by the apartheid system.

💡Inequality

Inequality refers to the unequal distribution of resources, opportunities, or treatment among different groups within a society. The video discusses the inequality and segregation created by the apartheid government, as seen in the poem where domestic workers leave their children to work in white suburbs, emphasizing the social divide.

Highlights

The poem 'This Winter Coming' by Karen Press is a reflection on the apartheid era in South Africa.

Karen Press was born in Cape Town in 1956 and her work often centers around the themes of empowerment and social change.

The poem uses an extended metaphor, comparing the political situation in South Africa in 1986 to a threatening winter storm.

The storm symbolizes the government's state of emergency and the apprehension of the people.

The poem describes the impact of the apartheid regime on various societal groups, including women, men, and children.

The title 'This Winter Coming' suggests a specific, impending event with severe consequences.

Cape Town's harsh winters serve as a backdrop for the poem's setting, mirroring the political climate.

The poem's imagery of a turbulent sea and eroding sand foreshadows the instability and violence that could arise from resistance.

Domestic workers' struggles are highlighted, showing the stark contrast between their lives and those of the privileged.

The poem uses hyperbole to emphasize the dire poverty and starvation faced by the oppressed.

The poem's tone is one of anger, rebellion, defiance, and fear, reflecting the emotional state of the people.

The children in the poem are depicted as innocent yet also as agents of change, running through their own 'storm'.

The poem's structure is free verse, allowing for a natural flow of emotions and ideas.

The poem concludes with a rhetorical question, emphasizing the universal fear and anticipation of the impending 'winter'.

The themes of death, destruction, and the fight for freedom are prevalent throughout the poem.

The presentation encourages viewers to consider the poem's relevance to the ongoing struggle for social justice.

Transcripts

Hello, everyone.

The following presentation is on the poem ’This Winter Coming’ by Karen Press.

This is the seventh poem on the list of the new English Home Language poetry for 2023

and the next few years to come.

The following is some background information about the poet.

Karen Press was born in Cape Town in 1956.

She grew up in the height of the apartheid regime.

Currently, she is a full time writer and editor.

As part of her career, her focus is on the empowerment and upliftment of people through

education and writing.

Her poems, and this one in particular, highlight the unequal society created by apartheid and

the damage done by the apartheid regime.

Let us take a look at the summary of this poem.

This poem uses an extended metaphor.

Remember that an extended metaphor is where two ideas run alongside each other throughout

a poem.

In this case, a winter storm describes how the political situation in South Africa in

1986 is a giant, threatening storm developing.

This particular storm is wanting to wash away the apartheid system.

This storm can also be a symbol of the apprehension around the government’s renewed state of

emergency.

Let us, for a moment, consider the dictionary definition of a state of emergency.

A state of emergency is when a government introduces special measures such as increased

powers for the police or army, usually because of civil disorder or because of a natural

disaster.

In the context of apartheid, the state of emergency would have definitely been implemented

due to civil disorder.

The people caught in this storm are described in the poem.

These include women, men, children and those people who have died in the struggle for change.

Let’s consider the title of this poem.

The use of the word ‘This’ indicates that it is not a general winter that is approaching,

but rather a specific one.

Taking into account the background of the poet, it can be assumed that the ‘Winter’

is specific to Cape Town.

Cape Town winters are known to be very harsh with cold and heavy storms.

At the time that this poem was written, South Africa was on the brink of civil war – a

figurative ‘winter’.

Let us read through the poem.

walking in the thick rain / of this winter we have only just entered, / who is not frightened?

the sea is swollen, churning in broken waves (violent continual motion) / around the rocks,

the sand is sinking away / the seagulls will not land / under this sky, this shroud falling

(something that covers or conceals) / who is not frightened?

in every part of the city, sad women climbing onto buses, / dogs barking in the street,

and the children / in every doorway crying, / the world is so hungry, madam’s house

is clean / and the women return with slow steps / to the children, the street, the sky

tolling like a black bell; / these women are a tide of sadness / they will drown the world,

who is not frightened?

on every corner men standing / old stumps in the rain, tombstones / engraved with open

eyes / watching the bright cars full of sated faces (more than satisfied) / pass them, pass

them, pass them, / who is not frightened?

into the rain the children are running / thin as the barest twigs they kindle a fire / to

fight the winter, the bare bodies / a raging fire of dead children / and the sky collapsing

under centuries of rain / the wind like a mountain crying, / who is not frightened of

this winter / coming upon us now?

Lines 1 and 2 read, 'walking in the thick rain of this winter we have just entered...'

This poem begins with the idea of someone walking through the rain.

The fact that this rain is described as 'thick' emphasises just how heavy this downpour is.

It also creates an ominous, dark atmosphere of oppression.

This storm is specific to 'this winter’, which could figuratively refer to the apartheid

government’s renewed state of emergency, in which the government, police and the army

would have even more power and force.

The fact that this 'winter' is one 'we have only just entered' creates an ominous, apprehensive

tone, suggesting that the sense of fear will increase as the season progresses.

We can imagine a reference to possible violence and uprising against the apartheid government.

Because we have only just entered this 'winter', this state of emergency, the worst is still

yet to come.

Line 3 asks, 'who is not frightened?'

This rhetorical question suggests the experience of fear and apprehension during this time

is universal.

It is felt by all South Africans because violence in response to the apartheid government is

very likely at this stage.

Lines 4 and 5 form the first half of the second stanza of this poem.

At face value, these lines could simply be read as an observation of nature, but the

imagery and the diction suggest an atmosphere of aggression and destructiveness.

Note the diction (the poet’s choice of words) in describing the sea.

She uses the words ‘swollen’ ‘churning’ and 'broken' to describe a very turbulent

ocean.

This is a metaphor comparing a violent sea to the looming unrest and violence that will

possibly occur in South Africa in response to the apartheid government.

The idea that this will be a ‘violent continual motion’ suggests that once the resistance

begins, it will continue its course.

Remember that the storm is likened to all those who will fight against the apartheid

regime.

Literally, a storm will result in rough seas.

The rough seas symbolise a violent South Africa.

Line 5 reads, ‘around the rocks, the sand is sinking away’.

At the moment, the rocks (which may be likened to South Africa) are being held up by the

‘sand’.

However, ‘the sand is sinking away’ because the rough waters are eroding the sand and

thus the rocks will no longer be held up.

This means that when the violence and unrest begin as a fight against the apartheid regime,

South Africa is going to lose its stability as a country.

Because of this, there is reason for South Africans to be afraid.

Line 6 states that ‘the seagulls will not land’.

Even the seagulls, that are strong sea birds, can sense the impending danger, violence and

instability of the world caused by the storm.

This image adds to the sinister, ominous mood of the poem.

The seagulls won’t land ‘under this sky’.

What is ‘under this sky’ is symbolic of the present conditions in South Africa.

This sky is described as ‘this shroud falling’.

A shroud is a cloth used to cover dead bodies in preparation for a funeral.

In this metaphor, the sky is compared to a shroud used to wrap dead bodies.

The dark sky caused by the storm is going to cover, conceal or fall over South Africa.

In other words, this rain (the resistance to the apartheid regime that is soon going

to follow) paired with the cold from the winter (the government’s state of emergency) is

possibly going to be fatal.

We have anaphora in line 8.

The rhetorical question is repeated.

The repetition of ‘who is not frightened?’

heightens the tense mood of the poem.

In the third stanza of this poem, the speaker moves from an observation of nature to an

analysis of the social structures and inequalities of the city.

Lines 9-11 read, ‘in every part of the city, sad women climbing onto buses, dogs barking

in the street, and the children in every doorway crying’ What we can picture in our minds

here are the domestic workers travelling to the white suburbs to clean white people’s

homes.

These women are described as sad as they leave their homes with dogs barking in the streets,

unsheltered from the impending storm.

These women also have to leave their children who are crying in the doorways of their homes,

so that these women can make a living.

Stanza 3 describes the return of domestic workers to their families, at the end of their

work day.

This stanza emphasises the inequality and the segregation that was created by the apartheid

government.

In line 12, ‘the world’ is described as ‘so hungry’.

Here we have an example of hyperbole.

Literally, the starvation and state of poverty the oppressed people are in are emphasised.

Figuratively, we could say that the emphasis is how the oppressed are starved of their

human rights.

Line 12 continues to say that ’madam’s house is clean’.

Particularly in South Africa, we know that the term ‘madam’ was a term of superiority

used to address white women during the apartheid era.

It is ironic here that the ‘madam’s house is clean’ and the children have been tendered

to, but the domestic workers’ children were left crying in the doorways of their homes.

These women are described as returning home ‘to the children’ with ‘slow steps’,

suggesting they are exhausted and defeated.

Upon their return, ‘the sky’ is ‘tolling like a black bell’.

We have a simile here.

The sky is compared to a black bell.

Not only is the sky also dark in colour, but it is ‘tolling’ or ringing like a bell

that is rung at funerals, announcing a death.

This creates a foreboding or ominous mood.

The sky is dark because of the storm.

Remember that the storm represents the potential uprising against the apartheid government.

We can ask ourselves, does this mean that South Africa will face mass death and destruction?

Amidst a storm and a potential uprising against the apartheid government’s impending state

of emergency, these women are described in line 15 as ‘tide of sadness’.

In this line we have a metaphor.

The extent of the women's sadness is so great, it is compared to a sea.

Their sadness is is so vast, ‘they will drown the world’.

The women’s sadness is a high tide coming in.

This line continues the metaphor from lines 4 and 5 in which a sea that is swollen and

dangerous is described.

In these lines here, the danger of the storm (the uprising) does not come from a place

of anger, but rather from a place of deep sadness in these women.

Even though these women seem to be helpless in in making change to their situation, the

words suggest otherwise.

Their despair is so overwhelming, it will drown – in other words, cause death and

destruction, to many.

The anaphora – the rhetorical question - appears again, emphasising that everyone, all South

Africans, should feel apprehensive.

Stanza 4 continues to highlight the social divide, in which the lives of the privileged

few are contrasted with the hunger and poverty of the masses.

The men are now described as standing on every corner.

Perhaps in our imagination we can picture men who are unemployed and are standing at

street corners, waiting for someone to come along and offer them work.

These men are referred to as old stumps in the rain.

We have a metaphor here.

These men are compared to tree stumps.

They were once fully thriving trees, but their power and ability to grow and thrive freely

have been cut down by the apartheid system and now they are more dead than they are alive.

These men are also compared to 'tombstones engraved with open eyes'.

In this metaphor, these men are compared to cold, hard tombstones.

Their ‘open eyes’ are their only signs of life.

While these men are sitting alongside the road waiting for someone to offer them work,

they are watching the bright cars passing by.

The occupants of these cars are described as having ‘sated faces that are 'more than

satisfied'.

The word 'sated' means to have an appetite that has fully been satisfied.

The privileged people in the cars are not only sheltered, literally and figuratively,

from the storm, but they are also well-fed, almost over-fed.

This idea contrasts with the idea in line 12 of this poem in which 'the world is so

hungry'.

These men watch these cars belonging to the privileged 'pass them, pass them, pass them'.

The repetition of these words emphasises how the cars don't ever stop and how, for some

of the privileged few, the poor masses are simply invisible.

Some might 'pass them' out of fear or out of guilt or perhaps a refusal to confront

the reality of social inequality.

Line 23 is the anaphora or the repetition of the rhetorical question 'who is not frightened?'.

This question is a reminder to the reader that something has to change in this society.

Line 24 mentions 'into the rain the children are running'.

Literally, this could simply mean children playing in the rain.

However, figuratively, this line could be interpreted in two ways.

Firstly, it could refer to how the response of the children differs from the adults who

are fearful of the metaphorical 'storm' - the political unrest.

The children are innocent and therefore they might not be aware of the fact that they are

also victims of apartheid.

The second interpretation, however, could be a reference to the children who ran through

the 'storm' knowingly.

This particular poem was written during the year of the tenth anniversary of the Soweto

Uprising.

These protests were led by black school children - they were running through a 'storm' of their

own creation.

The children are described as 'thin as the barest twigs'.

Here, we have a simile, comparing how skinny these children are to twigs, emphasising their

poverty-stricken situations.

These children 'kindle a fire to fight the winter'.

The literal meaning is simply that these children light a fire to keep them warm during the

cold winter.

Figuratively, however, the fire represents the fight the youth will start against the

apartheid system and the government's state of emergency – which, remember, are represented

by the idea of a winter.

The children are described has having 'bare bodies' in line 26.

Literally, this would refer to the children in poor conditions who might lack warm clothing

during the winter.

Line 27 states, 'a raging fire of dead children'.

This could be perhaps another reference to the children who died in violent uprisings,

like the Sharpeville Massacre and the Soweto Uprising.

The word 'raging' suggests the passion of the children and the maliciousness of the

apartheid regime.

In line 28, the 'sky' is 'collapsing'.

The dark sky can be a symbol of oppression, but it is now 'collapsing' or falling apart.

This gives a sense that the apartheid regime has to come to an end soon.

'The sky is collapsing under centuries of rain'.

This could be likened to the idea of the suffering that was endured under the apartheid regime

for so long.

The time for change has come.

However, due to the impending state of emergency and the rising tensions of the resistance,

things might get worse before they become better.

Line 29 reads, 'the wind like a mountain crying'.

This could possibly suggest that the rain, the suffering, the sadness and the rage, like

a wind, will bring a mountain to tears as the violent storm approaches.

Note how the poems ends on another rhetorical question - 'who is not frightened of this

winter coming upon us now?'

This 'winter' is just about to arrive.

It is imminent and frightening for everyone, including those privileged and unaffected

by the apartheid system.

In other words, the upcoming political situation in South Africa and the imminent state of

emergency can only mean terrible and frightening times for 'us' - all South Africans.

The themes evident in this poem include the consequences of apartheid; the desire for

change; impending social upheaval, political instability and violence in the fight for

freedom; the theme of death and the theme of destruction.

The tone throughout the poem includes the tone of anger, rebellion, defiance and the

tone of fear.

Lastly, let us consider the form and structure of this poem.

This poem is written in free verse, meaning it has no particular rhythm or rhyme scheme.

Stanza 1 is an introduction to the storm and the recurring rhetorical question.

Stanza 2 describes the storm approaching across the ocean.

Stanza 3 describes the woman leaving their homes to go to work in the white suburbs.

Stanza 4 describes the men sitting on street corners hoping for work.

Stanza 5, the last stanza, describes the children running in the rain and how they will kindle

a fire to overcome the cold winter.

Thank you for watching this presentation on the poem ‘This Winter Coming’ by Karen

Press.

Please keep an eye out for the remaining poems for Grade 12 English Home Language.