Introduction
Based on those messages sent to me through the Tutor-Me link, inquiring about the poem titled "New Tongue by Elizabeth L. A. Kamara", this post will discuss the poem, the background, the theme, the settings, the structure, the poetic devices, the mood, the tone, etc.
This post will be very useful for students, teachers, and anyone who seek following questions such as "what are the themes of New Tongue by Elizabeth Kamara", "summary of New Tongue by Elizabeth L. A. Kamara", "lesson note for New Tongue by Elizabeth L. A. Kamara", "can I get the pdf review of New Tongue by Elizabeth Kamara", etc.
Elizabeth L. A. Kamara
She is an author, poet and teacher of English language literature. Born and bred in Sierra Leone.
New Tongue
The poem titled "New Tongue" by Elizabeth L. A. Kamara is poem that indirectly decried Africans foolishness for neglecting their own culture and norms for borrowed modernisation; the poem also examined few of the flaws associated with the new culture or lifestyle adopted.
Tone and Mood
The tone of the poem is worrisome and lamentation in order to create the mood for awareness and reflection.
Diction
The choice of words by the poet, aligns with a layman's understanding. Therefore, making the message easy to comprehend.
Third Person Point of View
New Tongue by Elizabeth LA kamara has a third person plural narrative technique. By employing words, "they", "their", "family", "bonds", "minds"; it gave the readers a sense of general phenomenon in term of the change accepted.
Stanza
The poem is of 5 stanza of uneven count of lines per stanza. (Stanza 1) they have adopted a new culture and language they so much cherished to the extent that the old is now a mere dream_ which has affected the ties that used to exist between family and friends. (Stanza 2) the new generation doesn't give a damn about the bond that comes from sticking to the norms of family, traditions, and heritage. (Stanza 3) they are now against gerontocracy_ or simply the principle of elders first. (Stanza 4) they glorify their new way of life which prioritizes the boring self-centered attitude. (Stanza 5) they hung on to the borrowed culture and decided to never look back.
Lines
New Tongue by Elizabeth L. A. Kamara is poem with the total of 46 lines void of planned rythmns_ which makes poem a free verse.
Flow
The poet hit on her concern in the first stanza, then expressed the negative impacts or effects of her concern in stanza two, three, four while she noted in the final stanza that there might never be any solution to the damage already done. In a nutshell, New Tongue by Elizabeth L. A. Kamara possessed a downward or climactic flow.
Change
The theme of change is obvious if we consider the title of the poem and the context of the poem as well. "New Tongue" denotes transformation or change while the repetition of the word "new" and "borrowed" tell the readers that were once old and unborrowed lifestyle.
Clash of Culture
Let's quickly shed a floodlight on the theme of cultural clash in the poem. Besides the fact that the poem gave the readers literal and societal sense of the clash between African culture and westernisation or perhaps modernisation or synonymously called civilisation , the poet sends a message of clash between the old and the new; the past, the present and the future, not excluding the clash between the heritage and the borrowed, the loss and the found,
Take a look at line 1 - 7 quoted below and you see the evidence of cultural clash I have explained:
"They speak in a new tongue
And dance new dances
Minds battered into new modes and shapes
Their eyes revel in the wonder of the new
Embraced and bound to hearts with impregnable chains
The old songs as disregarded dreams
Remnants of a past."
Disunity and Disrespect
The theme of disunity and disrespect exposed in the poem are addressed as part of the negative effects of the borrowed culture as opposed to the African culture and beliefs. All over the poem, there are complaints about how the new generation now lack family unity because they have disunited or disconnected with their tradition and their cultural heritage. An instance is shown below from stanza 2 of the poem:
"A new generation
Careless of bonds
Of family
Of tradition
Of heritage
They care not
Nor revere the old
Their minds turn inwards
Only inwards
Like the insides of clothes
That marry the bodies of mankind"
Even the stanza 3 further complained about the disrespect the new generation bestow elders and the position that should be reserved for elders in their scheme of activities.
Allusion
In line 43 of the poem, there is a biblical allusion "their borrowed minds parted the red sea long time ago", which alluded to the fact that among the borrowed culture in terms of religion is Christianity. The allusion reminds the readers of the Moses and the Israelite's captivity story in the Bible.
Symbolism
Let's point out some symbolism in the poem are "minds" in line 3 and 43 which symbolizes a belief system or lifestyle. "dances" in line 2 and "shoes" in line 42 both symbolize mode of entertainment. "tongue" in line 1 and 30 symbolizes language.
Alliteration
Some glaring alliteration in the poem are "and dance new dances" [line 2], "last lock"[line 44], "coldness descending like snow covered mountain"[line 35], "bathing at the back of the house"[line 36], etc.
Simile
Elizabeth injected like three similes in the Poem, as seen in line 6 [the old songs as disregarded dreams], seen in line 35 [a strange coldness descending like snow covered mountain], and also in line 36 [or like bathing at the back of the house].
Imagery
Here are some imageries in the poem_ "new tongue", "new dances", "new modes and shapes", "impreganable chains", "the old songs as disregarded dreams", "a strange coldness descending like snow covered mountain", "on a rainy July day", "last lock on their culture", "without a backward glance", etc.
Metaphor
Few metaphor existed in line 25 "Not even on the edge of their minds" and "Ties of family and friendship/ Loosened, broken, burnt/ The ashes strewn into the bottomless sea" seen in lines 8 and 9 is a metaphor or maybe an extented metaphor at that.
Closing the Curtain
I feel like drawing the post to a close at this juncture. Hopefully, you should find it easier to comprehend the poem as regards the connotation, denotation and the figuratives.
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December 01, 2025
are made to be a waste of time and effort.
. The readers were shown how explorers suffered on their journey, at the end of the poem mere visit turned into colonization ("The gate of polished reed closes behind them/And the west is let in") due to the lax of the owners( Mutesa) who joyfully welcome the visitor(Stanley).
