NEW TONGUE BY ELIZABETH KAMARA, BACKGROUND, SUMMARY/ANALYSIS, THEMES, SETTINGS, TONE AND MOOD

NEW TONGUE BY ELIZABETH KAMARA

 

 

They speak in a new tongue And dance new dances

Minds battered into new modes and shapes

Their eyes revel in the wonder of the new

Embraced and bound to hearts with impregnable chains

The old songs as disregarded dreams

Remnants of a past.

Ties of family and friendship

Loosened, broken, burnt

The ashes strewn into the bottomless sea

As fishes swim by Careless of the loss

Mindful of where they dare

A new generation

Careless of bonds

Of family

Of tradition

Of heritage

They care not

Nor revere the old

Their minds turn inwards

Only inwards

Like the insides of clothes

That marry the bodies of mankind

No room for elders

Not even on the edge of their minds Their ears blocked to the old tongue And ways of doing things

Glorying in their new newness of a borrowed tongue and culture

Every man

For himself

By himself

Of himself

A strange coldness descending like snow covered mountain Or like bathing at the back of the house

On a rainy July day

The gusts of wind falling trees

Carting roofs away

Tugging skirts

And swirling debris in the air

Their borrowed shoes dance

Their borrowed minds parted the red sea long ago

They hang the last lock on their culture And glide into the future

Without a backward glance.

 

 

 

BACKGROUND OF THE POEM “NEW TONGUE” BY ELIZABETH KAMARA

In Sierra Leone, a country rich with diverse languages and cultures, the sounds of Krio, Mende, Tene, and other indigenous tongues fill homes, markets, and schools. Yet, over time, these languages have been overshadowed by English, a legacy of colonial rule. Elizabeth Kamara’s poem New Tongue captures this shift, showing how the younger generation increasingly adopts Western languages, ideas, and lifestyles. It is not simply about language; it is about identity, culture, and the subtle ways foreign influence can reshape a community.

Kamara, as a university lecturer, has a unique perspective on these changes. She has likely observed students who confidently speak the language of the West, embrace its ideas, and adopt its behaviors, often at the expense of their own traditions. In her classroom, the old songs, the wisdom of elders, and the stories of their ancestors may seem distant, irrelevant, or even inconvenient. The poem reflects her awareness of a generation that is simultaneously curious, energetic, and detached from the heritage that once bound the community together.

The poem’s imagery conveys a deep sense of cultural loss. The “ashes strewn into the bottomless sea” and the “last lock on their culture” suggest that traditions, family ties, and ancestral knowledge are being discarded, often without a backward glance. At the same time, there is a quiet tension in the poem, as if Kamara is trying to talk to the reader directly: How did we get here? Can we remember what we are leaving behind? The conversation feels intimate, yet urgent, capturing the conflict between new influences and old values.

The younger generation, as Kamara portrays them, moves confidently into the future, valuing individuality over communal bonds, and Western ideas over African traditions. Their adoption of the “new tongue” is more than linguistic; it is a transformation of identity. In choosing new ways, they often turn away from elders, rejecting the guidance and wisdom that have long sustained the community. Kamara’s poem mourns this shift while also acknowledging the allure of new ideas and the natural desire of youth to explore the unfamiliar.

New Tongue is ultimately a reflection on cultural memory and identity. Kamara’s observations remind readers that languages and traditions are more than customs—they are the vessels of collective history and human connection. Her poem is a conversation across generations, a gentle admonition to recognize the value of the past even as one embraces the future. Through her vivid imagery and careful attention to the complexities of cultural change, Kamara emphasizes that preserving one’s heritage is not merely an act of nostalgia, but a way to maintain continuity, wisdom, and identity in a rapidly changing world.

SUMMARY OF THE POEM “NEW TONGUE” BY ELIZABETH KAMARA

Elizabeth Kamara’s New Tongue focuses on a generation that has adopted a foreign language and culture, abandoning the traditions and heritage of their ancestors. In the opening lines, “They speak in a new tongue / And dance new dances” (ll. 1–2), the speaker immediately highlights this transformation. Their minds are “battered into new modes and shapes” (l. 3), suggesting that the change is not only complete but also forceful, while their eyes “revel in the wonder of the new” (l. 4), reflecting both fascination and enchantment with these adopted ways.

The poem emphasizes the severing of emotional and communal ties. Lines such as “Ties of family and friendship / Loosened, broken, burnt / The ashes strewn into the bottomless sea” (ll. 9–11) illustrate how deeply the younger generation has distanced themselves from their roots. The speaker conveys a sense of irreversible loss, portraying the abandonment of cultural heritage as dramatic and total. Even nature, represented by the fishes, seems indifferent to this destruction, highlighting the detachment of the new generation from their past.

Kamara further explores the inward-looking and self-absorbed nature of the youth. Phrases like “No room for elders / Not even on the edge of their minds” (ll. 25–26) and “Their ears blocked to the old tongue / And ways of doing things” (ll. 28–29) underscore their refusal to listen or learn from previous generations. This rejection is depicted as deliberate, creating a stark contrast between the wisdom of the past and the audacity of the present.

The poem also highlights the symbolic finality of this cultural shift. The line “They hang the last lock on their culture / And glide into the future / Without a backward glance” (ll. 44–46) conveys a sense of permanent closure. The “last lock” metaphorically signals the end of any connection to traditional customs, while moving “without a backward glance” emphasizes a resolute turning away from ancestral values, showing the new generation’s embrace of a borrowed identity.

Overall, New Tongue combines vivid imagery and metaphor to depict the irreversible nature of cultural dislocation. References like “parted the red sea” (l. 43) highlight the dramatic rupture between the past and present. Kamara critiques the wholesale adoption of foreign culture, portraying the loss of tradition, communal bonds, and heritage as profound and final. The poem ultimately serves as both a lament and a caution about the consequences of severing ties with one’s roots.

SETTINGS OF THE POEM “NEW TONGUE” BY ELIZABETH KAMARA

The poem New Tongue does not explicitly state a geographic location, but Elizabeth Kamara’s Sierra Leonean background allows us to infer a setting reflective of cultural and societal shifts in Sierra Leone, particularly in urban areas such as Freetown. The depiction of a “new generation” (l. 14) embracing a foreign “tongue and culture” (l. 30) while rejecting traditional heritage suggests a setting heavily influenced by Western colonial legacies and globalization. This urban context is significant, as cities like Freetown historically became hubs where Western education, language, and lifestyle coexisted—and often clashed—with indigenous traditions. The poem could also resonate with African diasporic communities outside the continent, where younger generations navigate similar tensions between ancestral roots and globalized cultures.

Spatially, the poem uses metaphorical and symbolic landscapes to illustrate the disruption of tradition. The lines “The gusts of wind falling trees / Carting roofs away / Tugging skirts / And swirling debris in the air” (ll. 37–40) evoke chaos, destruction, and upheaval, symbolizing the collapse of cultural norms and social structures. The imagery of “ashes strewn into the bottomless sea” (l. 10) further emphasizes the vast and irreversible nature of this cultural dislocation. These spatial images are not merely physical; they represent the breakdown of familial, social, and cultural anchors, creating a world in which the younger generation navigates with detachment and fascination for the new.

Temporally, the poem reflects the tension between past and present. Kamara juxtaposes the old with the new, emphasizing the generational divide. Phrases like “No room for elders / Not even on the edge of their minds” (ll. 25–26) and “Their ears blocked to the old tongue / And ways of doing things” (ll. 28–29) highlight a deliberate temporal break. The past is disregarded as “remnants of a past” (l. 7), while the new generation “glide[s] into the future / Without a backward glance” (ll. 45–46), indicating a forward-focused temporal orientation that leaves little space for reflection or reverence.

Psychologically, the setting portrays the inner landscape of the new generation and the speaker’s response to it. The line “Their minds battered into new modes and shapes” (l. 3) conveys a sense of forceful mental transformation, suggesting both the excitement and the alienation experienced in the process of cultural adoption. The youth are depicted as self-absorbed and inward-looking, “Only inwards / Like the insides of clothes / That marry the bodies of mankind” (ll. 22–24), highlighting a psychological disengagement from communal values, elders, and tradition. In contrast, the speaker’s perspective reflects dismay, mourning the erosion of cultural identity and the severing of ties that once structured the social and emotional fabric of the community.

Socially, the poem’s setting reflects a society undergoing rapid transformation, where familial, communal, and traditional bonds are being weakened or lost. Lines like “Ties of family and friendship / Loosened, broken, burnt” (ll. 8–9) underscore the social consequences of adopting foreign influences. The new generation prioritizes individualism over the communal ethos that previously defined African societies, a shift away from principles like Ubuntu toward a more Westernized sense of self. The metaphorical and psychological elements of the setting reinforce this social rupture, showing how urbanization, globalization, and Western cultural influence collectively reshape both personal identities and broader social structures.

MOOD OF THE POEM “NEW TONGUE” ELIZABETH KAMARA

Somber — Reflective — Melancholy — Lamenting — Nostalgic — Frustrated — Disapproving — Tense — Anxious — Cold — Grief-stricken — Bewildered — Concerned — Resentful — Mournful

The mood of New Tongue is largely somber and reflective, tinged with a sense of loss and lamentation. The speaker conveys sorrow over the younger generation’s abandonment of traditional values, as seen in lines like “Ties of family and friendship / Loosened, broken, burnt” (ll. 8–9) and “The ashes strewn into the bottomless sea” (l. 10), evoking grief and cultural dislocation.

There is also a tone of frustration and disapproval, particularly in the depiction of the youth: “No room for elders / Not even on the edge of their minds” (ll. 25–26) and “Their ears blocked to the old tongue / And ways of doing things” (ll. 28–29). These lines suggest a coldness and emotional distance, highlighting the speaker’s unease with the rejection of heritage.

At the same time, the mood carries an element of awe and tension. The imagery of “gusts of wind falling trees / Carting roofs away / Tugging skirts / And swirling debris in the air” (ll. 37–40) creates a chaotic, almost violent atmosphere, reflecting both the disruptive power of cultural change and the unstoppable momentum of the new generation.

Overall, the poem’s mood is a mixture of melancholy, disapproval, and anxious tension, mirroring the emotional impact of cultural erosion and generational change.

 

 

TONE OF THE POEM “NEW TONGUE” ELIZABETH KAMARA

Critical — Cautionary — Reflective — Lamenting — Disapproving — Concerned — Serious — Urgent — Thoughtful — Warning — Mourning — Observant — Analytical — Stern — Nostalgic

The tone of New Tongue  by Elizabeth Kamara is largely critical and cautionary. The speaker disapproves of the younger generation’s rejection of tradition, as shown in lines like “No room for elders / Not even on the edge of their minds” (ll. 25–26) and “Their ears blocked to the old tongue / And ways of doing things” (ll. 28–29). There is also a reflective and lamenting tone, especially in the imagery of “Ties of family and friendship / Loosened, broken, burnt” (ll. 8–9) and “The ashes strewn into the bottomless sea” (l. 10), which conveys sorrow over the loss of cultural heritage. Overall, the tone combines disapproval, reflection, and a warning about the consequences of abandoning ancestral values.

THEMES OF THE POEM “NEW TONGUE” BY ELIZABETH KAMARA

1. Cultural Erosion
   The poem explores the loss of traditional languages, customs, and values as the younger generation embraces foreign cultures. Lines like “The ashes strewn into the bottomless sea” (l. 10) and “They hang the last lock on their culture” (l. 44) highlight the finality of this cultural abandonment.
2. Generational Divide
   Kamara portrays a stark divide between elders and youth. The younger generation is “No room for elders / Not even on the edge of their minds” (ll. 25–26), showing their disregard for guidance and wisdom from the past.
3. Identity and Alienation
   The poem examines how adopting a “new tongue” and foreign customs can create a sense of disconnection from one’s roots. Lines such as “Their minds battered into new modes and shapes” (l. 3) suggest a psychological and cultural transformation that leads to alienation from heritage.
4. Individualism vs. Communal Values
   Kamara highlights the shift from communal living to self-centeredness. The youth are described as “Every man / For himself / By himself / Of himself” (ll. 33–36), showing the erosion of Ubuntu and traditional communal bonds.
5. Loss and Mourning
   The poem conveys sorrow for the destruction of social and cultural ties. Imagery like “Ties of family and friendship / Loosened, broken, burnt” (ll. 8–9) reinforces the theme of mourning the irreversible loss of tradition and heritage.