“Hopelessness In Lenrie Peters’ ‘In The Beginning

Abstract

In the beginning” is the first line of “45” one of the poems in Satellitesby Lenrie Peters.3Thisis a narrative poem that tellsa story of the closingperiodof colonialismand the inaugural years of independencein Africa. The characters in itare ordinary people and political leaders with foreigners making fleeting but significant appearances. The poemtakes the continent as its setting,plottinghow betrayal gives way to betrayal and, ultimately, to nostalgic hope. A narrator, who is one ofthe ordinary people,tellsthis storythat captures people’s hopesduring the anticolonial struggle, their euphoria at the achievement of independence and their hopelessness duringthe independent era. Thenarratorusesthe history of the continent just before and soon after independence in the 1960s to tellthe story of betrayed hopes inordinary people by politicalleaders,with whom they all as colonials were once united to struggle against exploitation and oppression. Exploiting the history, the poemcaptures events such ascombatting colonialism, achieving independence, enduring the Cold War and founding the Organization of African Unity (OAU). In all this,hope springs eternal in the ordinary people who believethat thefreedom and independence would usher in plenty and equality, unity at national and continental levels, and independence of territories still under foreign colonial rule—while colour and continental solidarity would cement thefulfilment of these hopesin the continent and its diaspora.