How Suitable Is The Title Vanity By Birago Diop?

The Poet

The poem Vanity was written by Birago Diop, the author of a poetry book titled: Lures And Glimmers (1960). Birago Diop wasn't just a poet, he was a veterinarian and was once an ambassador of Senegal to Tunisia. He was born 11/11/1906 but died 10/11/1989.

The Title Justification

I prefer the poem Breaths by Birago Diop  to the poem Vanity by Birago Diop but considering the title of the poem Vanity, how suitable is it to the context of the poem?

There was no direct display of vanity in the poem because the twenty nine lines of the poem were written without a single word called vanity, but the poem speaker painted the picture of vanity from start to finish.

Through one of the theme of negligence, the poem speaker revealed vanity in virtually all the four stanzas ("Who indeed will hear them without laughter?" in line 5, "What eyes will watch our loud mouths?" in line 8, even line 11-14 portrayed vanity)

The poem went "in black depths" to show how negligence on part of the poem speaker and of those who will hear what the poem speaker had to say, made the message of the poem to be in vain.

In conclusion, I'm of the notion or support that the title of the poem is well suitable. Kudos to Birago Diop.

Samuel C. Enunwa aka samueldpoetry
(the candid winged Leo soaring)

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What Literary Devices Are In "Sad Complaining Voices Of Beggars" FromVanity By Birago Diop

"Sad complaining voices of beggars" is found in line 4 of the poem Vanity by Birago diop. The line contains 5 figures of speech; imagery, metaphor, personification and assonance.

(i) Imagery is the vivid descriptions presenting or suggesting image of a sensible object. The two words "sad complaining" give a vivid description of their voices.



(ii) Metaphor is the comparison made between two words without the use of "like" or "as". The phrase "voices of beggars" is a metaphor because their voices is compared to that of beggars; if the line is "sad complaining voices as beggars" it would have been simile.

(iii) Personification is when an attribute of an animate is given to an inanimate. "Voices" were said to be "sad" in the line "Sad complaining voices of beggars" it takes an animate to have an emotion of being sad not just the voice of such animate.

(iv) Assonance is a repetition of similar vowel sound. "Sad" and "Beggars" have a similar /ae/ sound or something closely similar.

(v) Synecdoche is the use of part to represent whole or whole to represent part. In the line 4 of Vanity by Birago Diop: "Sad complaining voices of beggars" has a synecdoche because "voices" is a part used in representing the whole people.

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Samuel C. Enunwa aka samueldpoetry
(the Leo with wings flying)

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