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POETRY BUILDING THE NATION Today I did my share In building the nation I drove a permanent Secretary To an important urgent function In fact a luncheon at the Vic

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POETRY BUILDING THE NATION Today I did my share In building the nation I drove a permanent Secretary To an important urgent function In fact a luncheon at the Vic. The menu reflected its importance Cold Bell beer with small talk, Then friend chicken with niceties Wine to fill the hollowness of the laughs Ice-cream to cover the stereotype jokes Coffee to keep the PS awake on return journey. I drove the Permanent Sectretary back. He yawned many times in the back of the car Did you have any lunch friend? I replied looking straight ahead And secretly smiling at his belated concern That I had not, but was smiling! Upon which he said with a seriousness That amused more than annoyed me, Mwananchi, I too had none! I attended to matters of state Highly delicate diplomatic duties you know, And friend, it goes against my grain, Causes me stomach ulcers and wind. Ah, he continued, yawning again, The pains we suffer in buiding the nation! So the PS had ulcers too! My ulcers I think are equally painful Only they are caused by hunger, Not sumptuous lunches! So two nation builders Arrived home this evening With terrible stomach pains The result of building the nation - - Different ways. Henry Barlow

1. Identify two voices in the poem (2 mks)

2. Explain what the poem addresses (4 mks)

3. Identify and illustrate the use of any two poetic devices uses in the poem and explain their effectiveness ( 6 mks)

4. Describe the tone in the poem (2 mks)

5. How would you describe the attitude of the permanent secretary towards the persona? (2 mks)

6. Describe the rhyme scheme in stanza one (2 mks)

7. i) "He yawned many times in the back of the car." Add a question tag (1 mk)

ii) " I drove the permanent secretary back." Write in passive voice