Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Wole Soyinka's poem "Prisoner" is a complex exploration of confinement, both physical and psychological, as well as the passage of time and the weariness that accompanies prolonged suffering. The poem uses dense, evocative imagery to convey the experience of being trapped, whether by external forces or internal struggles. It reflects on the effects of isolation and the slow erosion of hope, capturing a sense of despair that permeates the entire piece.

The poem opens with a bleak, almost desolate scene: "Grey, to the low grass cropping / Slung, wet-lichened, wisps from such." The use of the word "grey" immediately sets a tone of monotony and lifelessness, suggesting a landscape devoid of vitality or color. The "low grass cropping" and "wet-lichened" imagery further emphasize the dreariness of the setting, as if the environment itself is burdened by the weight of time and neglect. The "smoke heaviness" that is "elusive of thin blades" adds to the sense of oppression, with smoke being a symbol of obscurity and suffocation.

Soyinka then connects this environment to the concept of time: "breed / The grey hours, / And days, and years." The repetition of "grey" underscores the unchanging, monotonous nature of the prisoner's experience. Time here is not marked by events or progress but by the slow, relentless passage of "grey hours" that blend into "days, and years." The mention of "wise grey temples" introduces the idea that the accumulated years of suffering create a kind of wisdom, though it is a wisdom born from pain and endurance rather than enlightenment or joy.

The poem continues by reflecting on the origins of this suffering: "here begin, not / In tears and ashes, but on the sad mocking / Threads, compulsive of the hour." This line suggests that the roots of the prisoner's torment lie not in dramatic events or cataclysms, but in the small, mocking details of everyday life—those "threads" that weave together to form the fabric of his confinement. The use of "mocking" implies that there is a cruel irony in the way time and circumstances have conspired to trap the prisoner, turning the mundane into a source of anguish.

In the next section, Soyinka introduces a more vivid, almost surreal image: "In the desert wildness, when, lone cactus, / Cannibal was his love." The "lone cactus" represents the prisoner's isolation and self-reliance, but it also hints at a kind of self-destruction, as the cactus is described as "cannibal." This could symbolize how the prisoner is forced to turn inward, feeding off his own emotions and memories, as there is nothing else to sustain him. The "crag and gorge," "leap and night-tremors," and "sandstorm" all evoke a harsh, unforgiving landscape, mirroring the harshness of the prisoner's mental state. Even in this wild, hostile environment, "intimations came"—suggestions or hints of something deeper, perhaps a distant hope or an understanding of his situation.

The phrase "In the whorled centre of the storm, a threnody" introduces the idea of mourning or lamentation ("threnody"), which arises from the chaos of the storm. However, Soyinka quickly shifts to say, "But not from this," indicating that the source of the prisoner's grief lies elsewhere. The "far companion" who becomes a "sudden stranger" when the storm calms represents a relationship or connection that has been lost or altered, leaving the prisoner in a state of grief and disorientation. The "stricken / Potsherd" that "lay, disconsolate" symbolizes the broken remnants of the prisoner's spirit, reduced to shards by the relentless forces acting upon him.

As the poem draws to a close, the focus shifts to the internal effects of this prolonged suffering: "He knew only / Sudden seizure. And time conquest / Bound him helpless to each grey essence." The "sudden seizure" suggests moments of overwhelming pain or realization, while "time conquest" implies that time itself has become the prisoner's captor, binding him to a life of endless monotony and despair. The "grey essence" to which he is bound represents the loss of vitality and purpose, leaving him "rootless, lacking cause."

The final lines, "Nothing remained if pains and longings / Once, once set the walls. Sadness / Closed him, rootless, lacking cause," encapsulate the prisoner's ultimate fate. The walls of his confinement are not just physical but are also constructed from his own "pains and longings," which have now faded, leaving only sadness and emptiness. The repetition of "once" emphasizes the past tense, signaling that whatever hope or desire the prisoner once had is now gone, leaving him "closed" and isolated, with no purpose or direction.

In "Prisoner," Wole Soyinka offers a profound meditation on the nature of confinement, time, and despair. The poem captures the slow, crushing effects of prolonged isolation and suffering, using powerful imagery to convey the bleakness of the prisoner's existence. Through its exploration of the psychological and emotional toll of captivity, the poem speaks to the broader human experience of feeling trapped, whether by external circumstances or by one's own mind.

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