13. A Prayer for my Countrymen
By Guy Butler

14. A prayer for all my countrymen Guy Butler
Though now few eyes
can see beyond
this tragic time's
complexities,
dear God, ordain
such deed be done,
such words be said,
that men will praise
Your image yet
when all these terrors
and hates are dead:

15. Through rotting days,
beaten, broken,
some stayed pure;
others learnt how
to grin and endure;
and here and there
a heart stayed warm,
a head grew clear.

16. Stanza 1
Every line in the poem has four (4) syllables

17. Though now few eyes eyes: refer to people. Only a few people
Though: and yet, yet, nevertheless, still, all the same , nonetheless

18. can see beyond
can see into the future

19. this tragic time's this tragic time: Apartheid
tragic: Apartheid, the deaths, the persecution, the unequal rights
Alliteration: t creates the feeling of anguish and dismay.

20. complexities,
complexities: the difficulty, complications of Apartheid.

21. Only a few people can see beyond the complicated, tragic times of Apartheid.

22. dear God, ordain dear: a cry of desperation to God.
God: he calls on the Creator of heaven and earth to ordain something.
Ordain: order, decree, proclaim, enact, command, lay down, rule.
He wants God to establish something.

23. such deed be done,
acts must be committed

24. such words be said,
order that the right words be said

25. that men will praise
so that men will still be able to praise

26. Your image yet God’s image now and after.
Image: the image of God which is love.

27. when all these terrors
all these terrors (awful deeds of Apartheid)

28. and hates are dead
and hatred of races are dead (over)

29. Through rotting days, Through some terrible days.
Rotting: metaphor. Some days were so terrible, the things that were done can only be compared to something rotting.

30. beaten, broken Alliteration: beaten, broken.
Some people were literally beaten, some were figuratively broken when arrested, or questioned.

31. some stayed pure;
some stayed pure and never did anything wrong during Apartheid, they never hated and they never committed any violence.

32. to grin and endure;
to keep on smiling and how to endure: bear, tolerate, put up with, go through Apartheid

33. and here and there
and very rarely

34. a heart stayed warm,
metaphor: a heart remained filled with love and remained unchanged, did not believe in Apartheid.

35. a head grew clear.
Metaphor: a head grew clear: a person changed his mind from thinking Apartheid is right to realising it is actually wrong.