Full Analysis of Ibadan-J.P. Clark

Ibadan’ 

running splash of rust

and gold-flung and scattered

among seven hills like broken

China in the sun.

Analysis 

The  poem is a quintet ( a five line poem). It is a free verse ( having no rhyme scheme). John Pepper describes Ibadan, as one of the oldest towns in Western Nigeria in the line ‘running splash of rust’. ‘running splash of and gold-flung and scattered…’ is used as as assonance to describe the differences in the different parts of the town as well as lack of plan.

Figures of speech/ poetic devices used:

Simile: This is used in the line ‘…seven hills like broken China…’.

Assonance: ‘…running splash of rust…’

Alliteration:’…running…rust…’

Onomatopoeia: broken, splash, scattered are words that suggests sound.

Personification: ‘…running splash of rust’.

Tone: Indifference

Mood: Anger