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“First Day After the War” Introduction
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"First Day After the War," by South African poet Mazisi Kunene, appears in Kunene's 1982 collection The Ancestors and the Sacred Mountain. The poem portrays a day on which a large mass of people, including the speaker, celebrate the end of war. The people rush out to fill the "open space" of the natural environment, calling on the rest of the world to join them in this new era of peace. The poem makes no reference to a specific time or place, but was written during the period of South African apartheid: a brutal regime of racial segregation and discrimination that lasted half a century.
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“First Day After the War” Summary
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We heard singing coming from a wedding, and noticed how gentle light bent its way around fresh grass. We felt hesitant at first, but then we noticed the footprints of a female figure. Her face appeared before us with its joyful eyes, which conveyed freedom. She woke us up, smiling, and asked us: "What is this startling new day?" We replied: "It's the first day of peace." Then we all ran excitedly out into the open, hollering through the mountainous landscape and its paths, beckoning people from all around the world. We pestered the old man to let us have a festival, and asked for all the new season's fruits. We held strangers' hands and called out across waterfalls. People came from all over the globe; it was the beginning of a peaceful new era. Earlier generations appeared on the horizon, walking tall and proud.
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“First Day After the War” Themes
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The Joy and Optimism of Peace
"First Day After the War" portrays the joy, hope, relief, and collective celebration that comes with a newfound—and hard-won—era of peace. The poem was written during (though it doesn't explicitly mention) apartheid, the brutal 20th-century system of racial segregation in the poet's native South Africa. This era also saw several other conflicts and challenges in the same region. Yet the poem depicts human society in a state of glorious rebirth. While recognizing the significance of past sacrifices, the speaker conjures up an optimistic mood and suggests that human beings, deep down, want to commune with each other and with nature. The lack of historical specifics suggests that the longing for peace is universal.
Though this is only the first day after the unnamed "War," the speaker discovers a world utterly changed—alive with fresh beauty and a burgeoning sense of freedom. The poem uses lush, upbeat imagery to capture this mood. Using the inclusive, plural pronoun "We," the speaker describes "the songs of a wedding party" (an image of celebration and unity), as well as "soft light" falling on "young blades of grass" (an image of natural rebirth). A female figure appears; the speaker and the others greet her tentatively. She has the "eyes of freedom" and may be a personification of Freedom itself. She helps mark the arrival of a new era, as the people tell her it's "the first day after the war."
The speaker and the others embrace the natural landscape, enjoying their release from the human horrors of war and segregation. Peace inspires joy and energy. The people run "to the open space" of the "mountains and the pathways," and ask a local elder "for all the first fruits of the season." Rather than having to demand peace or progress, they "demand[] a festival" of celebration. Rather than shouting in battle or protest, they "shout[] across waterfalls," joyously heralding the arrival of peace. Strangers hold hands, and old animosities fade. Peace spreads joy throughout the land; even the environment seems happier and freer.
Finally, the poem praises the "Ancestors" who made this peace possible, honoring a lineage of advocates for compassion and equality. The ancestors "travel[] tall on the horizon," proud of the contribution they've made and the new society that's emerged. Though the poem is carefree, joyous, and perhaps idealistic, the speaker acknowledges that peace is won through consistent, generational hard work. As many areas in the modern world still await their "first day after the war," a blunt reality lurks behind the poem's optimism: there's much work still to be done.
Where this theme appears in the poem:- Lines 1-18
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Community and Togetherness
"First Day After the War" champions and celebrates global community, unity, and togetherness. True freedom, the poem suggests, comes from sharing the world peacefully and conducting open dialogue, including with "stranger[s]" and people of other "lands." The poem works not only as a celebration but a summons—to peace, not war.
The end of the war creates an "open space," which the people of the poem instinctively run into. This might be a literal space, such as a field—the poem frequently mentions the natural world—but it's also a metaphor for an inclusive community. Where people were previously closed off by hatred and violence, they now share a spirit of open exchange that might foster a new, peaceful society.
Celebrating the end of their own conflict, the people in the poem want to spread peace across the earth. The speaker and their fellow citizens cry out exuberantly, wishing to share their joy and advocate for universal goodwill and harmony. They beckon to "people from all the circles of the earth," "Ululating"—that is, wailing loudly—to attract the attention of "[p]eople [...] from all lands." These people arrive from abroad, and all join hands in a spirit of togetherness.
The poem thus encourages the world as a whole to seek its own "first day of peace"—to adopt a way of life that leaves hatred and war behind. Only community and empathy, the poem implies, can create the lasting bonds that would usher in true, universal peace. That's why the speaker and their fellow citizens call on the rest of the world "without waiting." They now know what peace feels like, and they want to make it a worldwide reality: it's urgent work. They also see "our Ancestors traveling tall on the horizon," where "our" could refer not only to South Africans but to humanity as a whole. The common ancestry all human beings share seems to offer inspiration for a better way of life.
Where this theme appears in the poem:- Lines 1-18
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Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis of “First Day After the War”
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Lines 1-3
We heard the ...
... blades of grass."First Day After the War" depicts exactly what its title describes: a newly arrived era of peace. Though it never mentions a historical period or geographical setting, Kunene was born in South Africa and wrote the poem during the era of apartheid, South Africa's 20th-century system of institutionalized racial segregation and inequality. The poem is often read in that context, especially because Kunene was an anti-apartheid activist. Without naming a particular "War," then, the poem expresses a vision of a better future, based on inclusion, equality, and community—and lots of joy!
The speaker uses the first-person plural pronoun "We." In fact, "We" is the poem's first word, so it establishes a sense of togetherness right off the bat. It refers to the speaker and their fellow citizens (called "the people" in this guide), who have collectively endured a long "War."
The people hear "the songs of a wedding party": it's the first thing they encounter after the war's end. Weddings, parties, and songs are all associated with jubilation and celebration, so this image sets a joyous mood. Weddings are also acts of union, so the wedding here seems to symbolize the new spirit of unity in this unnamed country.
The sound-based imagery of line 1 turns to visual imagery in lines 2-3:
We saw a soft light
Coiling round the young blades of grass.A fresh, fledgling beauty suffuses the natural environment, as though nature, too, has entered a new era. The "soft[ness]" of the light—conveyed by the gentle sibilance of "saw" and "soft"—suggests that this peace is fragile. Likewise, the "young blades of grass" symbolize a new growth (of freedom, etc.) that's as delicate as it is momentous. Notice how the poem creates a dreamy atmosphere by avoiding specifics. It's not clear when, where, or to whom all this is happening, so the dawning peace seems potentially universal.
Though the poem uses free verse—that is, it lacks any strict meter—it features a lot of repetition. Many lines, including the opening two, begin with "We + [verb]." This anaphora/parallelism provides a powerful incantatory rhythm; it's as though the poem is conjuring up a new world, detail by detail, before the reader's eyes.
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Lines 4-8
At first we ...
... after the war"
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Lines 9-11
Then without waiting ...
... of the earth. -
Lines 12-15
We shook up ...
... across the waterfalls -
Lines 16-18
People came from ...
... on the horizon.
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“First Day After the War” Symbols
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The Wedding Party
The first sound the speaker encounters after the war is the "songs of a wedding party." The wedding symbolizes union, harmony, and celebration. The marriage is, of course, the beginning of a new era for the happy couple; similarly, this "first day" ushers in a new, post-war world.
The fact that it's a party is important too. It's as though the wedding celebrations foreshadow the jubilant scenes later in the poem, when the speaker and their fellow citizens fill "the open space" of the natural landscape and call out to the rest of the world.
Where this symbol appears in the poem:- Line 1: “We heard the songs of a wedding party.”
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Nature
In one way or another, every mention of nature in the poem symbolizes the new peace that has settled over the land.
In lines 2-3, for example, the "soft light / Coiling round the young blades of grass" represents the fragile, beautiful peace that has arrived (like a "light" after the darkness of war, ignorance, etc.). The freshness of the grass conveys the newness of the peace—after all, this is the only the "First Day After the War." Similarly, the "first fruits" in line 13 evokes the period of rebirth, growth, and abundance that comes with peace.
In line 9, the people fill "the open space" of the surrounding landscape. This open natural environment (perhaps a field) seems to represent freedom, joy, and cultural openness. It's as though humanity has left war behind and returned to a state of paradise. Likewise, "the waterfalls" in this landscape—across which people happily "shout[]"—seem to represent the overflowing joy that follows in the wake of war.
Where this symbol appears in the poem:- Lines 2-3: “We saw a soft light / Coiling round the young blades of grass.”
- Line 9: “Then without waiting we ran to ”
- Lines 9-10: “the open space / Ululating to the mountains and the pathways”
- Line 13: “We asked for all the first fruits of the season.”
- Line 15: “We shouted across the waterfalls”
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“First Day After the War” Poetic Devices & Figurative Language
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Alliteration
Alliteration fills the poem with gentle, pleasant music, while subtly emphasizing particular words.
For example, the sibilant /s/ sounds in line 2—"We saw a soft light"—have a hushed, whispery quality that helps evoke the softness of the light. This sound also subtly plays off "songs" in line 1 and "grass" in line 3. Sibilant alliteration appears again in lines 6-8, echoing the peaceful, pleasant description:
She woke us up with a smile saying,
"What day is this that comes suddenly?"
We said, "It is the first day after the war"The poem then deploys some light fricatives in lines 4 to 5:
At first we hesitated, then we saw her footprints.
Her face emerged, then her eyes of freedom!These sounds draw extra attention to the mysterious, mythical female figure ("her"). They also link her appearance (face and footprints) with what they reveal (a new freedom).
Line 9 features an alliterative triple whammy:
Then without waiting we ran to the open space
These sounds seem almost to trip over one another, mimicking the joyful exuberance of the people as they fill the "open space."
The group then asks for a "festival" and "for all the first fruits of the season." Here, abundant alliteration subtly conveys the abundance of the "season," or of nature. The /f/ sounds almost seem to pile up like gathered fruit.
Line 14 describes how the members of the group "held hands with a stranger." The connection between the sounds helps reinforce the connection between people. Finally, in line 18, the speaker sees "our Ancestors traveling tall on the horizon." The alliteration here calls extra attention to the "Ancestors," highlighting their imposing size and dignity.
Where alliteration appears in the poem:- Line 1: “songs”
- Line 2: “saw,” “soft”
- Line 4: “first,” “footprints”
- Line 5: “face,” “freedom”
- Line 6: “smile saying”
- Line 7: “suddenly”
- Line 8: “said”
- Line 9: “without waiting we”
- Line 12: “festival”
- Line 13: “for,” “first fruits”
- Line 14: “held hands”
- Line 18: “traveling tall”
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End-Stopped Line
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Imagery
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Personification
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Repetition
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“First Day After the War” Vocabulary
Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.
- Ululating
Ululating-
(Location in poem: Lines 9-10: “Then without waiting we ran to the open space / Ululating to the mountains and the pathways”)
Trilling or wailing as an expression of strong emotion. Ululation is a traditional feature of celebrations in many parts of Africa.
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Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme of “First Day After the War”
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Form
"First Day After the War" contains one long stanza, with no meter or rhyme scheme. The free verse has a fluid, almost improvised quality that captures the exuberance of the poem's celebrating "people."
Notice how the poem shifts quickly from image to image, detail to detail, as in lines 12-15:
We shook up the old man demanding a festival
We asked for all the first fruits of the season.
We held hands with a stranger
We shouted across the waterfallsMany of the lines, though grammatically complete, lack any punctuation at the end. The result is a deliberately loose, rapid, sketch-like account of everything that took place on the "First Day" of peace.
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Meter
"First Day After the War" uses free verse; that is, it has no strict meter.
Compared to metrical verse, free verse allows for a more organic, unpredictable structure, which can resemble natural speech or spontaneous expression. Here, this free-flowing sound evokes the joy and "freedom" of the people the poem describes.
Instead of meter, the poem uses repetition, especially anaphora, to create rhythmic power and a celebratory tone. (Notice how many lines start with "We"!)
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Rhyme Scheme
"First Day After the War" doesn't adhere to a rhyme scheme—in fact, it contains no rhymes at all. (One arguable exception is the slant rhyme between "season" in line 13 and "horizon" in line 18, which adds to the sense of closure at the end of the poem.) Basically, the poem is written in free verse; it has no strict meter or stanza form, either.
The lack of rhyme adds to the poem's sense of spontaneity. It helps convey the unrestrained joy and freedom of the speaker and their fellow citizens, who are suddenly liberated from the scourge of war. At the same time, the poem uses devices like repetition and alliteration to create musicality and evoke a celebratory mood.
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“First Day After the War” Speaker
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The speaker in "First Day After the War" uses the first-person plural ("We") throughout the poem. They speak not solely from their own perspective, but on behalf of a large group—indeed, of an entire community. The people in the poem act as one, celebrating the end of war and ushering in an era of peace, and the speaker merely gives voice to their joy and excitement. The people experience this new world together, whether they're listening to the distant music of a wedding or holding hands with strangers.
This use of "We" also widens the poem's scope. In line 11, the people call out to others "from all the circles of the earth." The group's peace seems to become—or hold the promise of becoming—world peace. The speaker thus delivers a universal message, suggesting that humanity's true and proper state is one of love, celebration, and togetherness.
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“First Day After the War” Setting
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The setting of "First Day After the War" has a timeless quality, both specific in detail and strangely dreamlike in atmosphere.
The speaker describes a vibrant landscape featuring "young blades of grass," "mountains," "pathways," and "waterfalls." These natural elements symbolize a world reborn: the end of war, and the fledgling growth of peace and harmony (amongst people, and between people and their environment). The newness of the grass suggests the fragility of this new era; this is only the first day, after all. The crowd demands "the first fruits of the season," a kind of spring harvest that also represents a fresh start.
The environment becomes a backdrop for communal celebrations, with people running into open spaces, joyously "Ululating" (shouting or wailing), and holding festivals. The mountains reverberate with the people's calls for world peace, and for strangers from all over the globe to join them.
While the poem describes vivid natural scenery, it never mentions a specific location or time period. The reader doesn't know exactly where or when these events happen, so the setting becomes a kind of everyplace and anytime. The poem becomes less about a specific war and more about a universal human yearning for peace. Given the historical backdrop of the poem (Kunene was an anti-apartheid activist from apartheid-era South Africa), this vague setting might serve as both a vision of hope for the nation and a universal plea for peace and reconciliation.
Finally, notice how, in the last line, the "Ancestors" occupy an important place "on the horizon." It's as though they watch over the people, and "travel[] tall" out of a sense of pride that peace has come. South African culture reveres past generations and their contributions to present-day society; here, the poem elevates them to a position of respect and admiration.
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Literary and Historical Context of “First Day After the War”
Literary Context
Mazisi Kunene was a South African poet, academic, and activist who lived from 1930 to 2006. He was an influential figure in African literature and politics and played a key role in the campaign against apartheid, a brutal regime of racial segregation and oppression that blighted South Africa from the late 1940s through the early 1990s.
Kunene developed an early interest in Zulu literature (the Zulu people are a large ethnic group native to South Africa). He translated the epic Zulu poem Emperor Shaka the Great and composed many of his works in Zulu. "First Day of the War" is Kunene's own translation, and appears in his 1982 collection The Ancestors and the Sacred Mountain. Many of the other poems in the book dwell on similar themes: war, peace, community, and tradition. Some have a dream-like atmosphere akin to "First Day After the War" (such as "Journey into Universal Wisdom" and "Battle Against a Mysterious Force"); others are more direct in their response to apartheid (e.g., "To a South African Policeman" and "Police Raid").
Zulu oral tradition and mythology place great importance on the role "Ancestors" play in shaping the present. These ancestors—or amadlozi, as they are known in Zulu culture—offer guidance to the living. Their presence on the horizon in the last line of this poem suggests the role they have played in bringing about an end to war. Kunene was critical of modern African writers using the language of their historical colonizers: "Too often these former colonials expect to create a literature of excellence in the very language of their former masters. This is belied by the bombastic, poorly organized, semi-literate works which often constitute objects of curiosity and derision in the departments of literature in the ex-colonial country." Instead, he championed literature that stayed in touch with ancestral values, including an understanding of how art, poetry, and storytelling can improve society. Despite living in America and the UK for parts of his life, Kunene never wrote his poems directly in English.
Kunene served as both African and, later, South African poet laureate, a post he held until his death at age 76.
Historical Context
"First Day After the War" makes no reference at all to its specific historical or temporal setting, suggesting that the longing for peace is not tied to a particular place or time. Nevertheless, it was written against a backdrop of all-too-real horror in South Africa. Apartheid was a system of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination enforced by the National Party government in South Africa from 1948 to 1994. Rooted in colonial-era policies, apartheid was designed to not only maintain but also extend white dominance through systematic racial separation. It was marked by oppressive laws that regulated the lives of non-whites, leading to widespread human rights abuses and resistance both domestically and internationally until its eventual dismantling in the early 1990s.
Kunene attended the University of Natal, where he became involved in political activism against apartheid. He was an active member of the African National Congress during his university years, championing the rights of Black South Africans. By the time the poem was published, Kunene was in self-imposed exile abroad. Along with apartheid, his native country faced other challenges and conflicts during this period, including the long regional war known as the South African Border War or Namibian War of Independence (1966-1990). Kunene returned to South Africa in 1993, the same year UNESCO honored him as Africa's Poet Laureate.
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More “First Day After the War” Resources
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External Resources
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An Interview with the Poet — Listen to Kunene talk about his work.
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More About Ululating — Watch a feature on the traditional "Ululating" mentioned in the poem.
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Kunene's Legacy — Learn about Kunene's impact on African and world literature in an interview with Mathabo Kunene (the poet's wife).
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Kunene, Remembered — Read the Guardian's 2006 obituary for the poet.
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The Poet's Life — A brief biography of the poet at the Poetry Foundation.
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The Era of Apartheid — Learn more about the system of racial segregation and oppression in South Africa during the mid to late 20th century.
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