of the urban landscape Rampolokeng poeticizes, it is clear that the city is a place of deception, lies, and death. He also reflects on the ways in which the city has an impact on the lives of its inh

"Johannesburg" by Lesego Rampolokeng is a powerful and thought-provoking poem that represents the city of Johannesburg as a place filled with deception, lies, and struggle. The poem presents a city that is both alluring and deadly, with its promises of wealth and success often leading to disappointment and despair. The poem employs striking imagery and metaphors to present its critical message about the city and its inhabitants. In the first stanza, the poem introduces Johannesburg as a city "Paved with Judas gold." This image brings to mind the biblical figure of Judas, who betrayed Jesus Christ for thirty pieces of silver, implying that the city and its promises are similarly deceptive and treacherous. The poet further emphasizes the city's negative attributes by stating that "Dreams come here to die." This line evokes a sense of despair and disappointment, suggesting that Johannesburg is a place where one's aspirations often fail to materialize. As we move to stanza two, traffic is depicted as flowing "in the sick / Vein of life as we tick / With the eternal time bomb / Of our own extinction." This imagery suggests that the city and its dwellers are constantly on the verge of destruction, whether from natural disasters, the passage of time, or their own misguided choices. The idea of a "time bomb" evokes a sense of imminent threat and reinforces the dangerous nature of the city. In the subsequent stanzas, the poem delves deeper into the experiences of the inhabitants of Johannesburg. The people are portrayed as walking "of uncertainty / Swaggering to disguise / Our staggering heart-treads." The imagery of people swaggering suggests a facade of confidence that conceals feelings of insecurity, vulnerability, and fear. This façade may also be a coping mechanism to survive in the repression machine of Johannesburg. The poem also critiques the city's materialism and the futility of seeking security through wealth, shown in lines referring to the "glass towers" and "green pastures of wealth" being "vaults of death." The stark juxtaposition of wealth and death highlights the ultimate emptiness of material pursuits. Furthermore, the poem underscores the bleak reality that no force - "neither politics nor prayer" - can guarantee a secure future in Johannesburg. The poem concludes with the assertion that only the wise come out as winners in Johannesburg, while others either become victims of powerful and manipulative forces, referred to as "pawns of evil hand or ogre eye," or end up "on the fringe / Of our own insanity," perhaps consumed by the city's toxic environment and losing touch with their true selves. Overall, "Johannesburg" by Lesego Rampolokeng uses compelling and unsettling imagery to present a powerful critique of the city and its detrimental effects on its inhabitants. The poem paints a vivid picture of a city that can destroy dreams, entice people with false promises, and push individuals to the brink of insanity.