DRY LANDS

REVIEW OF DRY LANDS

The poem describes the journey of travellers through the Sahara desert as it states in line 3, ‘to cross paths without form’. The first line, ‘as the early bird catches the worm’ connotes their readiness to embark on the said trip; therefore, the need for them to rise up at dawn in order to start quickly their journey of a thousand miles. In their minds, is a beautiful land, a land that flows with milk and honey, something that they believe lies beyond the desert; therefore, they are willing to go through all the sand just to find that magical site. This fact lies in lines 4-6, which say, ‘paths they believe are a site that would unveil the secret of the lands beyond’.

‘So they be possibly discreet’ in line 7: this informs the reader about the sensitive nature of their voyage, because it is illegal for anyone to attempt crossing the Sahara. Therefore, they mostly inform no one but themselves of their intention to go. At times, a family may spilt up because its father or breadwinner is involved in this practice. It may find out later on that he had left but that would be only after many years.

‘Yet they are bemoaned…’ in line 8: this explains their plight out there on the Sahara, the attacks by dangerous snakes, by robbers as well as the dehydration they experience since they only take along a little water. Fact has it that they sometimes dilute the water with diesel in order that it controls their consumption. (A confession by a one-time traveller)

‘For they finally reach no place…’ in lines, 9-14: this explains the disappointment they sometimes face in arriving at their desired destinations due to the crisis they face out there on the Sahara. An instance could be their deserting by the so- called ‘connection men’, the men who take them across in buses. Fact has it that, these men sometimes abandon them on the desert after they have failed to provide enough money for continuing the trip. Subsequently, they die if fate does nothing for them.