Observation

The poet’s ideas or thoughts about the subject matter of the poem are conveyed through the stanzas. However, most responses lacked textual references.
Candidates were expected to discuss the following:

• Identification of the theme of credible leadership credentials

• Explanation of ‘structure’: ‘Structure’/ ‘Form’ is here used synonymously with stanza; the arrangement of lines of poetry into patterns of meter, stanza and rhymes.
• The structure:

The poem is made up of 24 lines. These are patterned into twelve 2-line stanzas. The poem has three parts:

• Part 1 (stanza 1-7): The problem of unacceptable leadership qualities.
• Part 2 (stanza 8): The consequence of leadership.
• Part 3 (stanza 9-12): The solution

• True leadership qualities: “The Forest sage” acknowledges the usefulness of strength and toughness. Thus, “a hybrid of habits” (stanza 9) is desirable. “A leader who knows how to follow” is the ideal leader (stanza 12).

Candidates’ performance in the question was fair.