Commentary on Refugee mother and child by Chinua Achebe

True and advanced works of Chinua Achebe, Refugee Mother and Child is a beautiful poem. Chinua Achebe was born in the 1930s in Ogidi, Nigeria. Chinua wrote this poem after getting inspired by the citizens of the countries which were going through war. He illustrates the difficulties and suffering they had to go through.

The poem is organized into two stanzas each with different lengths. The lines are more or less the same size. The lines are explained clearly and are easy to understand with simple meaning. The poet adopts the blank verse of writing.

The title is short and direct. It portrays the relationship between a mother and her child. It shows the feelings of a mother towards her child.

The poem begins with a strong feeling of a mother towards her child who is going to die and the mother is not willing to give up on her child. The poet compares Mother Mary and Jesus to the mother and child showing religiousness and honesty of them. The poet connects her to being a religious person. This shows the mother's tenderness and love towards her child. The opening lines grab complete attention of the reader and indulging him completely into the poem.

Chinua then moves from the mother and child to the lives of people who are living in the refugee camp. Odors and the stench of diarrhea were throughout the camp. All the children were suffering from malnutrition and starvation. The "washed-out ribs and dried up bottoms" shows the lack of basic necessities for survival. A feeling of disparity and hopelessness is seen all around the camp with other mothers who have given up hope. There is hope witnessed in one of the mothers who doesn't let go her child and doesn't stop counting on. Though knowing her child wouldn't live longer she is able to provide comfort and cuddles him.

There are other situations which illustrates malnutrition in the poem. The child's rust coloured hair left on his hand shows malnutrition in the child.

A pause in the poem between the two stanzas tells us about the feelings and forces on to think about the bond and relationship between a mother and her child.

The combing of hair is an everyday routine of a mother towards her child. The mother combs the child's hair to provide some pleasures of life which she can offer before him dying. Mothers take pride in their children's achievement and the good work done by them but though this son is not well, she still takes pride in him.

The poem is full of graphic images and vivid pictures creating an imagery which the reader can sense and feel. He creates such a vivid view that the reader can actually imagine themselves in the refugee camp with all these mothers and their children. The tone of the poem is sad with a central theme of love, care and tenderness. The poem is based on the reality of everyday life. The mood of the poem is depressing and sorrowful. There is no rhyme or rhythm in the poem.

Chinua's control over his English allows him to use simple English but with strong meanings and descriptions. The words he used in the poem are small but meaningful. With simple English he made it easy for the reader to understand the poem easily.

The last two lines of the poem give us a symbolic meaning showing us that due to the ailment of the child the mother combs his hair and she feels as if she was placing flowers on his grave seeing him dead and buried.

This poem teaches us the most pure and sacred relationship between a mother and her child. This poem is written through situations but in perfection giving the proper meaning to the reader. It also shows how much a mother loves her child but can't do anything when he is going through ailment. There is no treatment. The mother loving her child has to give him up because she is not able to fight the ailment of her child. She shows hope but she knows it's of no use because she couldn't get her son treated. The poem is interesting and gives a perfect picture and the words and the way the poet has written the poem makes it more clearly for the reader to comprehend and imagine the situation.