Summary of the poem the casualties by john pepper clark
Answers
John Pepper Clark who was a Nigerian poet and was the pioneer of Modern African Literature is considered as lyrical among Nigerian poets.
His poetry is global for art and for the attention that it draws for its imagery and ideology.
Clarks poems highlights the fusion of the Western tradition and cultural heritage he gained naturally.
“Casualties” is named after a group of poems by J.P.Clark.
Clark among his competitors is considered to be simple and grounded in his imaginations and more visual and conceptual and less complex and maximum African.”
Poem points to 1966 i.e. Civil War.
Common people who were suffering was intensely affected.
Problem subsided when the war failed.
Clark consoles that the casualties are not for dead and apart from devastating results of the war.
Not only are they injured but they are moving towards death.
Death is the final end of life so they are waiting for their cremations.
‘The Casualties’ is set in 1966 at the time of Civil War.
Biafra demands independence, but now that the Battle has failed, the issue has been silenced.
According to the poet, the casualties are not limited to the dead ones only, but also include the ones who have been wounded, those who have lost their property and belongings, and also those whose loved ones gave up their lives in the war.