REVOLUTION AND REACTION IN SWAHILI POETRY

Abstract

Swahili poetry is that poetry, written or oral, which has been or is being
produced in the Swahili language by East Africans. Swahili poetry is therefore
wide and varied, both in its formal as well as in its thematic aspects. Nevertheless,
this diversity cannot be absolute, for in East African diversity there
is also East African unity. To each work of poetry or art, to each book of
fiction or play, one always identifies a common denominator which characterises
that work as being East Mrican. It is this common denominator which
makes it possible to speak of "Swahili Literature" or "Swahili Poetry"
without giving rise to confusing ambiguities.