NON —AFRICAN POETRY
Comment on the errand of the soul in “The Soul’s Errand”.
Explanation
The poet, in acknowledging human frailty vis-a-vis the inviolability and immortality of the could, sends it a an errand to defend the truth against human lies and machinations in all places, high and low. Everywhere, doing the wrong thing holds sway and prevention is rife. Thus the errand involves speaking against the perversion of intellectual, Moral, emotional and other forms of human behaviour.
The poet is mainly worried that institutions uphold the reverse of the fundamental values of their existence. Religious and secular institutions as well as ethical values come up for censure. These include Courts, the Potentates, The Church, Honour, Love and Beauty. On his deathbed, he asks the should to pay visits to each and every one of these perverters. While out at it he must "give the world the lie" as nothing is done right anywhere in the world. The repetition of the line "give the world the lie" acts as a refrain and highlights the poet's preoccupation.
That his concept of morality and living right is not easy to uphold is not lost on the poet. He is aware that facing the truth can be a bitter experiment; telling it, even more so. The bearer of the message of truth may be threatened with death "to give the lie/Deserves no less than stabbing".
However, it is comforting that the soul has the advantage of immortality and will definitely come out unhurt: "No stab the soul can kill".