The first stanza mainly describes the way of life and sets the scene. It shows how the drums are associated with the jungle and a primitive way of life.
In the second stanza the persona says how when he hears the drums, he goes back to his youth, “my blood ripples, turns torrent, topples the years...” reminiscent of his childhood to when things were simpler and carefree, “in my mother’s lap a suckling.” The repetition of the ‘t’ sound in “turns, torrent and topples are plosives, they are not harsh and are intimate, like a life force and is tribal. “Blood Ripples” is violent and shows how the drum beating is like his heart beat, his life force and how it resonates inside him, the very essence of his being. The piano which is shown in the next two stanzas contrasts from the drum as it is separate from him, external, such as education and sophistication.
The word ‘suckling,’ with the ‘s’ sound is one of instinct, becoming a baby again. It is reductive, taking away his manhood and sophistication, becoming a baby.
The next phrase also shows the expectation of life in his culture:
“I’m walking simple paths with no innovations, rugged, fashioned with the naked warmth of hurrying feet and groping hearts…”
This shows how there are few options in his culture, with only one path out which has been taken many times before. It has an instinctive rhythm, basic, and nothing new.
“Simple Paths” is a metaphor; it has what his education has provided for him. There are few life choices, simple, and contrasts to the complex European lifestyle where it is often easy to get lost with all the different options available. Life for the African culture is more predetermined.
The description of the drums has no regularity, a varied rhythm and unrepeated metrical feet which all reflects the topic of the poem. Many verbs are used to show that this culture is physical, one of doing and being. The words used to describe the drums are instinctive, simple, and show a community environment. It is informal and loud.
The next two stanzas are three sentences long, and represent western, European society. It uses mainly abstract nouns to associate with the piano, to emphasize how the culture and society are more materialistic with society’s restrictions and Western society removing what people are supposed to be. The poet uses soft, elegant, formal and classical words to depict the culture of the piano- or western society.
The Third stanza starts off describing the piano as “wailing,” like a sad, mournful, trapped and out of tune instrument. This contrasts with the Drum which cannot be out of tune as it is an instrument played with instinct. This shows immediately that the European lifestyle is much more complex and requires much more than just instinct as a primitive lifestyle does. The piano is said to be “solo,” more alone, which contrasts with the drums where there was always a community and other people. People in the European culture feel solo, and alone, where as in the personas home area he always had a community. The piano is described as “speaking of complex ways,” which contrasts with the “simple paths” described in the previous stanza where there are so many options that he feels “lost in the labyrinth of complexities.”
‘C’ sounds are used to illustrate that the piano is not natural, again, not an instinctive instrument and is something that has to be learnt. The term “tear- furrowed” is used to describe effort and emotion as well as connecting with the wailing of the piano, to show how society makes you scripted.
The persona describes the new opportunities given to him in the new society as “new horizons,” that have a “coaxing diminuendo, counterpoint, crescendo.” This almost sounds as if the opportunities are persuasive, yet unreliable. The use of technical, musical terms shows the difference in the societies.
The poem says how that he is being persuaded into thinking that the society is better, as it is bigger and full of more opportunities rather than his small home town where the opportunities given were to leave to go to this society. He makes the point that although this society has so many more opportunities and ways, he feels lost without direction. “Lost in the labyrinth on its complexities, it ends in the middle of a phrase at a daggerpoint.” There is another contrast with how the primitive society is physically dangerous, yet this society, which is seen as ‘bigger and better’ is emotionally dangerous which makes him feel alone and misplaced.
The last stanza uses mystical imagery and metaphoric language. “Lost in the morning mist…” shows how he is lost between the two societies- between his background and upbringing and what he is aspired to be. “Wandering in the mystic rhythm of jungle drums and the concerto.”
The poem follows a logical format with each stanza beginning with “When, And, Then and And.” The connotations of each instrument contrast with one another, with Drums illustrating primitive behaviour, and a savage, dangerous culture. The connotations of the piano are complex and technical. The piano uses significantly different word sounds, showing that it is learnt, westernized and intricate compared to the drums which is instinctive and naturally acquired, and simple.
The poem uses no set rhyme pattern which suits the poem as it has an undecided effect, emphasizing the confusion of the persona over his future. There is some iambic use as well as the use of trochees.
