Here, Spirits: Plot

Here, Spirits: Plot

Exploration of the Supernatural

• “In dreams, our ancestors visit us.” The opening line establishes the poem’s main theme of exploring the supernatural as a means of connection to the past.
• “There’s the story of the old man who passes his wife every night in the halls, the unlived years floating in her eyes..” This quote shows the use of ghosts as metaphoric devices to explore relationships and unfulfilled potentials.

Connection to African Heritage

• “We’ve come to think there’s something distinctly African about this — this appreciation of what stands behind us..” Sam-La Rose uses cultural specificities to elucidate a broader theme of ancestral connection.
• “Misunderstood creatures of faith, restless spirits without the proper guidance.” The poem posits the spirits as misunderstood entities that offer wisdom, underlining the poet’s exploration of the African spiritual worldview.

Perception of Death and Afterlife

• “Are these white spectres of the loved and the lost, or merely psychic imprints, resonances of powerful emotions?” The question interrogates the nature of spectres, opening a discourse on perceptions of death and afterlife.
• “For some, death isn’t an end. It’s a crossing. A change of state..” Sam-La Rose proposes an alternative view of death, aligning with the idea of transformation rather than cessation.

Role of Storytelling

• “Are most of our ghost stories born from fear?” The quote emphasises the storytelling aspect so crucial in oral traditions, and their role in navigating human fear.
• “We sit together and share our stories as the night draws in, the ancestors bearing witness..” The act of sharing stories becomes a communal effort, marking the intersection of the past with the present, and reinforcing the power of oral narratives.