Letter to Martha
by Dennis Brutus
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Dennis Brutus (1924–2011), a prominent South African poet who wrote about the horrors of apartheid, composed this poem during his confinement as a political prisoner on Robben Island. It shows how, in prison, the tiniest elements of nature take on immense psychological importance for the inmates. Cut off by towering stone walls and guarded by hostile authorities, the prisoners are left with only a small, restricted patch of sky to look at, in which the clouds and the birds become symbols of absolute freedom. The poet describes how the 'exuberant acrobatics' of birds flying over the prison walls become sources of wonder and intense speculation, and how the graceful, unimpeded motion of the clouds looks like a beautiful dance or poetry, sending a physical thrill through the prisoners' flesh. It sparks beautiful fantasies, leading them to wonder where the clouds are going and whether they will be seen by their loved ones back home. Through this, Brutus shows how nature preserves the sanity and hope of prisoners facing bleak hostility.
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Dennis Brutus (1924–2011) was a prominent South African poet who wrote extensively about the horrors of apartheid. This poem is taken from his collection Letters to Martha, written during his confinement as a political prisoner on Robben Island.
Nature behind prison walls
In prison, the tiniest elements of nature assume immense psychological importance for the inmates. The speaker notes that because they are cut off by towering stone walls and guarded by hostile authorities, the prisoners are left with only a small, restricted space of sky to look at.
In this confined space, the clouds and the birds become symbols of absolute freedom.
The grace of flight
The poet describes how the 'exuberant acrobatics' of the birds flying over the prison walls become sources of wonder and intense speculation for the inmates. The graceful, unimpeded motion of the clouds looks like a beautiful dance or poetry, sending a physical thrill through the prisoners' flesh.
It sparks beautiful fantasies in their minds, leading them to wonder where the clouds are going and whether they will be seen by their loved ones back home. Through this, Brutus shows how nature preserves the sanity and hope of prisoners facing bleak hostility.