ModikweDikobe (1913)

Grave of unknown whiteman

1.Rest in peace, old man

2.A heap of rocks on your grave

3.Is a token of respect

4.Bestowed on you.

5.You chose this part of the country

6.For a home

7.On a slope of those rocks

8.Was your community

9.And across the road

10.You sowed corn

11.And watered your cattle in that pan.

12.In years of dearth

13.We shared together

14.Helped each other in time of need.

15.Rest in peace, old man

16.Your kindred are here

17.Paying due respect

18.Rest in peace!

Grave of unknown whiteman

1.Rest in peace, old man

The ______is dead. He died an old man.

2.A heap of rocks on your grave

All that is on the ______is a heap of rocks. ______is no gravestone.

3.Is a token of respect

This heap of rocks symbolize ______.

Token - something representing something else: something that represents, expresses, or is a symbol of something ______

4.Bestowed on you.

Bestowed - put somewhere: to put something somewhere . The ______is a sign of respect that is shown to the ______. Note the rocks were put there, respect was given him.

5.You chose this part of the country

The man had the ______of where he wanted to live. The poet, ______did not have the rights to choose where he wanted to live.

6.For a home

The white man ______build himself a home, could make the country his home. The poet could not ______the country his home.

7.On a slope of those rocks

The poet ______out where the community of the white man lived around him. The ______has no community.

8.Was your community

9.And ______the road

10.You sowed corn

The ______man could farm, the poet did not have that freedom.

11.And watered your cattle in that pan.

The white man watered his ______at a pan

Pan: water ______like a dam

12.In years of dearth

Dearth: ______: a scarcity of something . When both of them did not have enough, they shared with ______other

13.We shared together

14.Helped each other in time of need.

15.Rest in peace, old man

16.Your kindred are here

Kindred: 1. similar to somebody or something: ______to somebody or something else because of similar qualities or interests the kindred relationship between neuroscience and neurology

2. of same family: related to somebody by ______(formal) the search for someone kindred to him

Those people who cared for him are there.

17.Paying due respect

18.Rest in peace!

A few questions that the ______should ask is how can this person in the poem be kindred to the dead whiteman because this is the grave of an unknown whiteman. Maybe the poet wants to say that in general ______have shared hardship in South Africa. People ______died in South Africa and we should all stand together.