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Read the following poem and answer the questions that follow.

Read the following poem and answer the questions that follow.

Betrothed by Obyero Qdhiambo
The bride, they said
Had gone through school
Primary secondary university upwards
Three thousand shillings is not enough
For having fed her
schooled her
employed her
Three thousand shillings is not enough
For having borne her
Cared for her
doctored her
And "she is pure"
Three thousand shillings is not enough
Look at her silky black hair
Darker and finer than that
Flywhisk there
Look at her forehead, a
nice wide trace between
hair line and eyes:
"She is immensely intelligent".
Look at her eyes .Yes, look again
Two diviners' cowries spread out
Symbolically on the divination mat
Deep profound intelligent
Look at those lips "ndugu"- - - - -
Three thousand shillings is not enough
even to shake her by the hand.
"Fathers, this is what we walked with!
Three thousand shillings
As a token of our
Love
For your daughter and you
Our intended kin
It was just a token
the size of a token does not reflect
The size of the heart that bringeth it
My heart is full to the brim with
Love
For her and you my intended kin"
But young man, you say, you love
And you possible expect love
But, young man, don't you
Don't you really feel
Three thousand shillings is not enough
even to get love?
Three thousand is not enough!
(From an ‘Anthology of East Africa Poetry’ Editing by A.D Amateshe, Longman, UK 1988)

1. Briefly explain what the poem is about? (2 mks)

2. Which qualities make the bride such a special person according to her kin?
(4 mks)

3. Identify the adjectives in the comparative degree. 2 mks)

4. Identify the metaphor in the fifth stanza and explain it’s meaning
(4 mks)

5. Why do you think the line "Three thousand shillings is not enough" is repeated several times? (2 mks)

6. How would you describe the bride's kin? Illustrate your answer (4 mks)

7. What do we learn about the society from this poem? (2 mks)

Answers

BETROTHED BY OBYERO QDHIAMBO

1. About the handling of bride price, marriage negotiations e.g.. "The bride, they said. Had gone through school (2 mks)

2. Education - Had gone through school primary, secondary.
Beauty - silk, black hair, forehead etc Morally upright - "She is pure" Intelligent - Deep profound intelligent. (Any two illustrate 2x2 = 4)

3. Darker, finer (2 mks)

4. Two diviner's cowries spread out symbolically on the divination mat (enchanting beauty). Deep profound intelligent (she can explain extra - ordinary things).
NB

Comparison must be clearly brought out. (4 mks)

5. To show the immensity of their disappointment. Very little money according to their expectations.
After having educated, doctored her, borne her, cared for her etc.
(Must bring out disappointment).

6. They value education, morality, purity.
They are materialistic, during marriage negotiations money shouldn't be demanded.
Impolite keep on complaining that three thousand shillings is not enough

7. Observe the payment and receiving of bride-price
"Insist on payment of three thousand as not being enough"

Practice sorcery/witchcraft - Reference

Two diviner’s couriers spread mat.

Symbolically on the diviner's mat (any one with illustration)

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marto answered the question on April 2, 2019 at 08:01

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  Date posted: April 2, 2019.  Answers (1)