The Literary Analysis of Lene Ododomu's Ode to the Head Teacher by Elizah Christian

THE LITERALLY ANALYSIS OF THE POEM "ODE TO THE HEAD TEACHER" BY ELIJAH CHRISTIAN.

Summary and analysis of the poem 

The poem is a poem of eulogy or commendation of the recent infrastructural development of the school by " Mr. Infrastructure," (L.9). For the years he has spent, the school looks very attractive and infrastructurally developed "like a tree changing her leaves from plant litter to sprout" 🌱(L.3-5). And the Birds of the air are now happy because they receive a fresh air from the atmosphere.

   The name " Mr. Infrastructure" was given to him by the poet because of his infrastructural development of the school. The school is no more the way it was, it has immensely developed like hair growing in the human body. The wideness of the school makes the poet and everyone to be happy whenever they sight it from far.

In the first stanza

      In line 1-8: " For the years you have spent,

Things have changed infrastructurally

Like a tree changing her leaves,

From plant litter to sprout

Because the leaves grow everyday".(L.1-5)

In these lines, the writer ( the Poetic personnel) is commending someone of a recent change he has done. He compares the change to a tree that the leaves have deaden, but suddenly begins to rise and germinate because of the growth of the leaves. The Poetic personnel is comparing the development to a deaden tree that rises to bring forth shoots.

     "The birds of the sky are now whistling with happiness,

Because the sky is receiving fresh air

From the sprout leaves to accommodate them",(L.6-8).

From the lines above, because of the sudden rise of the tree to bring fresh leaves, the birds of the air are happy for they receive fresh from the leaves, and on the fresh leaves they built their nest to accommodate themselves. The lines above, are still for the commendation of the new changes.

In the second stanza

      In line 9-19: " Everybody now call you Mr. Infrastructure

Because the hands of the engineers have never rest'd 

Since you resumed the office.(L.9-11).

From the lines above, because of the good work and certain infrastructural changes and the restlessness of the engineers, everyone begin to call him Mr infrastructure. From the lines the name of the poet is made Known to us, " Mr infrastructure".

     " The school is no more as it was,

But grows everyday

Like hair growing everyday on human body".(L.12-14).

It's from these lines that the infrastructural changes, that has been taken place was a school. The changes grow everyday like that of the human hair.

     " I am not a waiting witness 

But I am a knowledgeable witness."

In these lines, the Poet himself is a student witnessing the development of the school everyday not a student that is yet to be admitted.

     " That sees the dancing trees in the forest,

Trees that now beatified the forest like a shining diamond".(L.17-19).

the poet is saying even the trees in the forest are smooth and shining like a diamond because they have been beautified.

In the Last stanza (third stanza)

     In line 20-27: " The wideness of the school gate

Can swallow everybody,

Because the restless hands

Of the engineers have rebuilt it

From narrow to vast".(L.29-24)

    From the lines above, the wideness of the school gate, represents the wideness of the class rooms, that can accommodate every student because the engineers have rebuilt it from small to bigger class rooms.

      " I feel always happy sighting

The beauty of the school from afar,

Because her glowing eyes always arrest me".

     Wow! From the lines above, the poet is saying he feel so happy, enthusiastic, felicitous, joyful and elated whenever he beholds the illustrious, glorious and pulchritudinous beauty of the school from a distance.

[3/17, 2:16 PM] Christian: Poetic devices

1) Tye use of simile:

       "Like a tree changing her leaves"(L.3),

"Like hair growing everyday on human body"(L.14),

"Like a shining diamond"(L.19). 

All these similes are used to describe the beauty of the school.

2) The use of hyperbole:

      "The hands of the engineers have never rest'd"(L.10), 

" The restless hands of the engineers have rebuilt it"(L.22-23).

here the poet is exaggerating the engineers by saying they don't rest.

3) The use of personification:

        " Dancing trees in the forest"(L.17),

"Her glowing eyes"(L.27).

Giving of human attributes to inanimate objects.

4) The use of symbolism:

        " The wideness of the gate, 

 can swallow everybody."(L.20-22), represent the class rooms that can contain everyone.

5) Tone: The tone of the poet towards the development is "happiness and joy".

Etc.

Themes:

1) The theme of infrastructural development

2) The theme of integrity

3) The theme of beauty

4) The theme of Growth

5) The theme of happiness and joy.

Setting: The setting is Nigeria. The  poem is in the school (university of Abuja), where you can see the beauty of the school gate, the wide class rooms, the beautiful trees in the school forest and the restless engineers rebuilding the school.

The structure of the poem:

The poem is made up of three stanzas (3) of twenty seven (27) lines, and they are based on the infrastructural development of the school by Mr infrastructure.

     The first stanza of the poem is the Poetic commendation of Mr infrastructure since he came to the school, the grows and develops everyday.

The second and third stanza of the poem is the restless and tireless rebuilding of the school by the engineers and it's vivacious beauty.

 " Because the hands of the engineers never rest'd",(sta.2, L.10). And the school looks more beautiful" like a shining diamond"(sta.2, L.19).

  "Because the restless hands

Of the engineers have rebuilt it (sta.3, L.22-23). The poet himself is a knowledgeable witness of the development (sta.2, L.16).

The physical explanation/ newly experiencing reality.

The poem " ode to the head teacher", is a poem of eulogy and commendation to Abdurasheeed Na'Allah, the VC of the university of Abuja, for his infrastructural development since he came to the school. The poet ( Lene Ododmu) is a knowledgeable witness and a student of the university of Abuja. The school looks very attractive and beautiful especially the faculty of Law which looks like an earthly paradise 😂. Whenever you sight the school from a distance you feel very happy because of its shining beauty, the trees in the school now looks very bright, giving fresh air even to the birds in the sky. The engineers have not rested since the rebuilding of the school. The wideness of the gate can swallow/contain everybody. It's now known has one of the best and beautiful school in the nation ( university of Abuja, fct Nigeria).