Leopold Sedar Senghor's "The Kaya-Magan" lines 42-44

"The equilibrium you admire in me is an unstable one, difficult to maintain. My inner life was split early between the call of the Ancestors and the call of Europe, between the exigencies of black-African culture and those of modern life."

Senghor makes reference to socialism in his poem “Kaya Magan.”  In lines 42-45, Senghor is referring to scientific socialism.  Engel and Marx use this idea of scientific socialism to explain economics, politics, and philosophy (Zavrel).  Scientific socialism allowed Senghor to believe that there would be a “one world civilization, a unique and universal one" (Zavrel).  Senghor would start with Senegal, the country that he was President of.  With being one, Senegal would be a fine example for the rest of Africa, and it would be Senghor that would be the man to do it.

With a touch of socialism Senghor was able to create his own ways which he believed would create one universal civilization.  Senghor, inspired by Teilhard de Chardin, would create Civilisation de l'universel in 1977 (Leopold).  Civilization de l'universel "was an attempt to advocate the fusion of these two halves into a 'humanism of the twentieth century'" (Leopold).  Being a Catholic president, Senghor practiced religious toleration and democracy (Zavrel).   With his democratic ways Senghor believed that they would ultimately make himself “the strength of future Africa.”  Senghor believed that with his Civilisation de l’universel opposites among people would become one.

Senghor was a man that believed he knew about opposites and his vision was to correct this problem of difference.  The line “for I am both sides of a double door…” allows him to show that he knows the opposition of Africa and Europe.  Senghor also used part of line 43 to show opposites, "And the third beat..."  The third beat is "the off beat in music based on syncopated rhythm, as jazz" (Senghor).  The opposites of fiction and non-fiction, through Civilisation de l’universel, were thought to be able to change and become one (Zavrel). Senghor believed that he was the movement of drums as he was dedicated to the African cause.

Senghor did many great things for his country and he believed that he was the chosen one. Senghor lived his life trying to create a single one way door that all could share, and use his movement of drums for the good of all in trying to unite the people of Africa.

Léopold (Sédar) Senghor." 2000. 15 Apr. 2006 <http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/senghor.htm>.

Senghor, Leopold Sedar.  “The Kaya-Magan.”  Norton.  Vol. F of The Norton Anthology of World Literature.  Lawall, Sarah and Maynard Mack.  New York:  W.W. Norton & Company, 2002.  2510-2511.

Zavrel, B. John.  “Leopold Sedar Senghor--a hero of black Africa.”  2002.  PROMETHEUS.  April 19, 2006.  <http://www.meaus.com/senghor-homage.htm>.