The Trial of Summer by Kemigisa Margaret — Analysis & Translation

Original Poem

The Trial of Summer By Kemigisa margaret Can you try summer? Who was the drummer? That called the village elders To come with fetters And not the calabash of wine? Summer time has been hell Only one fruit survived the long dry spell The family head is worried Will the one fruit also be buried? Or will it survive the family to the next generation? So the elders sit As women and men greet Dreading the trial Living in dry summer denial Of what will befall the next generation The head clears his throat Summons Summer to present his case A case of the of the long dry spell Where rains no longer fall It’s all in his face The lines so easy to trace With Summer’s lamentations Everybody’s face is crest fallen It is clear the rains will not fall No one can force the rains to fall The elders ruling is final The lone fruit survival from the long gone rainy season Will make summers new generation It’s the fate of all men That can no longer sustain an erection The lady is free to divorce.

Translation (English)

Can you try out summer? Who was the one who played the drum? That called the village elders To come with chains And not with a bowl of wine? Summer has been awful Only one fruit survived the long dry period The head of the family is worried Will the one fruit also be lost? Or will it last beyond the family to the next generation? So the elders gather As people greet each other Fearing the judgment Living in denial of the dry summer Of what will happen to the next generation The leader clears his throat Calls Summer to explain his situation A case about the long dry period Where rain no longer comes It's clear on his face The lines are easy to see With Summer's complaints Everyone looks sad It's clear the rain won't come No one can make the rain come The elders' decision is final The single fruit's survival from the past rainy season Will create a new generation of summers It's the fate of all men Who can no longer maintain their strength The woman is free to leave.

About the Poet

Kemigisa Margaret (Contemporary)

Kemigisa Margaret appears to be a contemporary poet, though specific details about her life and works are not widely available.

Historical Context

Literary Form: Free verse
When Written: Unknown
Background: The poem seems to explore themes of environmental change, generational concerns, and societal expectations, possibly reflecting on the challenges of climate change and its impact on communities.

Sources: https://chrysanthemumgarden.com/novel-tl/prrw/, https://ug.linkedin.com/in/margaret-kemigisa-dr-b2208327

Detailed Explanation

The poem 'The Trial of Summer' by Kemigisa Margaret uses the metaphor of a trial to explore the harshness of a prolonged dry season, symbolizing broader themes of environmental and societal challenges. The poem begins by questioning the identity of a drummer who summons village elders, suggesting a call to judgment. The imagery of fetters and the absence of wine implies a somber, punitive gathering rather than a celebratory one. The poem reflects on the difficulties faced during a harsh summer, where only one fruit survives, symbolizing hope or continuity amidst adversity. The elders' gathering, marked by greetings and dread, highlights the communal concern for future generations. The poem's tone is one of resignation, as the elders' ruling is final, and the rains are beyond human control. The concluding lines draw a parallel between the survival of the lone fruit and the fate of men who have lost their vitality, suggesting themes of impotence and freedom in relationships. Overall, the poem captures a sense of inevitability and the struggle to adapt to changing circumstances.

Themes

Literary Devices

Word Dictionary

Word	Meaning	Translation	Transliteration
drummer	person who plays a drum	someone who beats a drum to signal or call attention	drum-er
fetters	chains or shackles	restraints or bindings, often for prisoners	fet-ters
calabash	gourd used as a container	a type of hollowed-out gourd used for holding liquids	kal-uh-bash
crest fallen	disappointed, sad	downcast or dejected in appearance	krest-faw-luhn
lamentations	expressions of sorrow	cries of grief or mourning	lam-en-tay-shuns
erection	state of being firm	ability to maintain firmness, often used metaphorically	ee-rek-shun
divorce	end of a marriage	legal dissolution of a marriage	di-vors
denial	refusal to accept	rejection of reality or truth	di-nahy-uhl
summons	call to appear	official request to attend or appear	sum-uns
trace	follow or outline	to find or discover by investigation	trays