Analysis of Breathless



I can't breathe
When I sniff the aroma
Of wild wild winds
Blowing dusts and danger
Edging towards South

I can't breathe
When I smell the herds
Crawling down the hill
Up rooting cassava stems
With bloom leaves
Creeping up the sun

I can't breathe
When the bush path
Is covered in shrubs
Brushing the feet
With imprints of mud

I can't breathe
When my brothers come
Dug a deep hole
To lay me before my time

I can't breathe
When the night comes
With whispers of cymbals
Appearing like daylight
In a dark tunnel

I can't breathe
When vampires move
In stealthy steps
Of a fiendish mien...
I just can't breathe


Scheme Axxxx Axxxxx Axxxx Axxx Axxxx Axxxa
Poetic Form Tetractys  (57%)
Etheree  (40%)
Metre 111 1110010 1111 101010 10011 111 11101 10101 11011 111 10101 111 1011 11001 1001 10111 111 11101 1011 1110111 111 1011 110110 01011 00110 111 1101 0101 10101 1111
Closest metre Iambic dimeter
Characters 609
Words 121
Sentences 2
Stanzas 6
Stanza Lengths 5, 6, 5, 4, 5, 5
Lines Amount 30
Letters per line (avg) 16
Words per line (avg) 4
Letters per stanza (avg) 80
Words per stanza (avg) 19

About this poem

"Breathless" is a poem that deploys the refrain of "I can't breathe" as said by slain George Floyd to depict dispair and disillusionment in life - as a protest poetry against injustice, racism and bigotry in the society using a plethora of African local imagery to transmit a message of hope and defiance!

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Written on July 07, 2020

Submitted by mozimoamas on September 23, 2022

Modified on March 05, 2023

38 sec read
1

Amatareotubo Mozimo

Amatareotubo Mozimo is a Nigerian poet and culture curator with a knack for literary appreciation. He is author of a poetry collection titled" Dirty Brooms. It contains satirical poetry that reflects the bizarre actions of nigerian, nay, African political class more…

All Amatareotubo Mozimo poems | Amatareotubo Mozimo Books

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