Die Dans van die Reën analysis

• Poem title is "Die Dans van die Reën"
• Author is Eugène N. Marais
• Subtitle indicates this is a song by the violin player, Jan Konterdans, from the Groot Woestyn

Title Analysis

• The title employs personification

Subtitle Analysis

• "Groot Woestyn" refers to the Kalahari Desert
• The poem expresses joy about the arrival of rain

Form

• The poem is written in free verse

Stanza 1

• "O die dans van ons Suster!" serves as an exclamation of joy and is repeated in line 24.
• This line is a metaphor highlighting a strong connection between the speaker, the environment, and the rain, where the rain is likened to a beloved family member
• The atmosphere is filled with pleasant anticipation
• The rain is personified and written with a capital letter, imbuing it with feminine qualities such as gentleness, care, and fertility
• Lightning begins in the distance as clouds gather
• "Eers oor die bergtoppe loer sy skelm" showcases inversion and highlights "skelm," emphasizing how the rain slyly peeks over the mountain tops
• Alliteration reinforces the dance of the wind
• "en haar oge is skaam;" uses polysyndeton
• Indentation emphasizes the signs of approaching rain
• "en sy lag saggies" suggests thunder being heard from afar
• "En van ver af wink sy met die een hand" usually means kindness
• This is regarded as an inviting gesture
• There is distant lightning, along with the faint sound of thunder as "sy" gently sings
• "haar armbande blink en haar krale skitter;" features middle rhyme.
• This enhances the lyrical and song-like description of the lightning

Stanza 2

• The wind plays a crucial role in bringing the clouds closer to enable the rain to fall
• "Sy vertel die winde van die dans" is alliterative
• This references the whispering sound of the wind
• "en sy nooi hulle uit, want die werf is wyd en die bruilof groot" relates to the rain
• The rain is described as a wedding celebration where family and friends gather
• "Die grootwild jaag uit die vlakte," refers to large animals fleeing from the plains
• These large animals inhabit the Kalahari Desert
• "hulle dam op die bulttop," denotes their presence on the hilltop
• They are excited to see their sister, the rain
• "wyd rek hulle die neusgate" indicates they stretch their nostrils wide
• Lines 10-13 are swift and concise, line 14 extends the rhythm and pace.
• The wind is now blowing harder
• "en hulle sluk die wind;" the animals swallow the wind.
• The air carries a distinctive scent of rain
• Small raindrops are personified falling in the sand
• "and hulle buk, om haar fyn spore in die sand te sien"

Stanza 3

• "Die kleinvolk diep onder die grond hoor die sleep van haar voete" refers to smaller animals and insects
• These creatures hear the sound of raindrops
• They emerge from beneath the earth, singing softly
• The poem amplifies the joy as they've come
• The repetition and exclamation marks highlights the joy

Stanza 4

• "En haar krale skud" employs a metaphor

• The thunder is compared to rattling beads

• It also uses onomatopoeia of the thunder

• Lightning is metaphorically described

• "En haar koperringe blink in die wegraak van die son" depicts a setting sun obscured by gathering clouds

• The son is likened to the red-yellow feathers of a mountain eagle

• "Op haar voorkop is die vuurpluim van die berggier"

• Line 21 "sy trap af van die hoogte" employs a metaphor

Stanza 5

• It rains so hard that it resembles a gray blanket
• The rain covers a vast area, and the wind subsides
• "sy sprei die vaal karos met altwee arms uit" is a metaphor
• "die asem van die wind raak weg" describes the wind dying down
• "O, die dans van ons Suster!" is personified
• The wind no longer blows.
• The indentation builds suspense
• The stanza repeats line 1 and accentuates the collective joy for the rain

Theme

• The central theme revolves around the joy elicited by rain

Message

• Creatures in arid regions express delight at seeing the long-awaited rain

Tone

• The poem's tone conveys gratitude and happiness

Mood

• Initially serene, the poem transitions to a mood of excitement and anticipation as the rain approaches