This makes him reflect that despite the changing political situation, there are still huge inequalities between blacks and whites. Even though South Africa is supposed to have changed, he really knows the new restaurant is really 'whites-only'. He feels that nothing has really changed. The deep anger he feels makes him want to destroy the restaurant - to smash the glass with a stone, or a bomb. This is shown as he says ‘no sign says it. But we know where we belong. This is an autobiographical poem.
Tatamkhulu Afrika lived in Cape Town's District 6, which was then a thriving mixed-race inner-city community. People of all colours and beliefs lived together peacefully, and Afrika says that he felt 'at home' there. In the 1960s, as part of its policy of apartheid (or separate development) the government declared District 6 a 'whites only' area, and began to evacuate the population. Over a period of years the entire area was razed to the ground. Most of it has never been built on. The poem was written just after the official end of apartheid. It was a time of hope - Nelson Mandela had recently been released from prison, and the ANC was about to become the government of South Africa.
The uncle of the poet in ogun is from a poor area in the Caribbean. This means that no one would then have enough money to buy the products the uncle makes. The uncle puts his blood and sweat into the objects he carves out.
These poems can be linked as protest poems, poems that raise and to a degree complain about issues related to their cultural origins, but which could be universalised.
The language and imagery used in Nothings changed is similes. This is shown as ‘flaring like a flag’. The poem is also written in the present tense, although it seems he is reliving the experience as he writes the poem. The first stanza puts the reader in the poets’ shoes. This is shown as ‘under my heels’. This makes us feel as though we are with the poet across the rough ground. The poet makes it easy for the reader to imagine that they are with the poet. This is shown as ‘I pressed my nose to the clear panes’. The poet also has an idea to take revenge, which is shown by the quote ‘hands burn’. But on the other hand the language used in ogun is onomatopoeia. This is shown as ‘clip clop sandals’ and ‘rat-tat tat. Both poems have a different meaning to the titles of the poems. Ogun has several meanings and is relevant to the poem, as Ogun is the god of thunder. This shows that the poem is full of anger. On the other hand Nothings changed sounds like protest and the poets disappointment. It does not sound like anger, but a sigh of disappointment. The poet expected changes but did not happen.
The structure of the poem in ‘ogun’ has line breaks in after every two sentences. For example ‘My uncle made...’ and ‘coffins, smoothing...’ After this there is a break. This makes it hard for the reader to read, therefore implying how hard it is for his uncle. The poet in ‘ogun’ also uses natural features for example ‘forests’ and ‘roots’. Throughout the poem the poet refers to the five senses of our bodies, which are sight, sound, touch, smell and taste. But in comparison to ‘nothings changed’ the poem is set out in six stanzas. This kind of regularity throughout the lay out of the poem creates a sense of control, and the poet is very clear about his feelings towards district six. But also within the poem, the length of the sentences varies from a whole stanza to just two words. This is shown as the first stanza consists of a single sentence in which each word is stressed, for example ‘amiable weeds’. Also there are two short sentences in lines 9 and 48. These short sharp sentences produce anger that builds up. The other similarities in the poems are that they do not rhyme.
In ‘ogun’ Braithwaite uses sensual imagery, enjambment, and alliteration to create the sights and sounds of the workshop. For example ‘squeaking’.
I think that personally the two poems are quite similar in the way the are protesting, but the poets make their views in different ways.
