“Caprivi Lament”

By Alan Paton

This poem is found in The Paperbook of South African English Poetry, pages 108-109.

Links: General geographical and historical information Caprivi map Links for Alan Paton can be found on my Cry, the Beloved Country page.

Discussion: Why is the setting in Caprivi important? Aside from the factual basis of the poem, what implications does Paton make about contemporary society in southern Africa? Does knowing that Paton is a white writer influence your interpretation of the poem?

Created by Stan Galloway, 15 January 2002. Send comments to sgallowa@bridgewater.edu